THE LAKES DISTRICT
The Lakes District – named ‘Los Lagos’ for its myriad glacial lakes that dot a countryside otherwise characterized by looming, snowcapped volcanoes, otherworldly national parks and serene lakeside villages – is one of Chile’s most picturesque regions. Outdoor adventurers congregate around pretty Puerto Varas, the region’s most touristy town and the jumping-off point for most of the area’s attractions, be it horseback riding or rock climbing in the Río Cochamó Valley, lake lingering around Lagos Llanquihue, Puyehue or Todos los Santos, or flashpacking through any number of impressive national parks.
Osorno
%064 / POP 151,913
Osorno (the city, not the volcano) is a bustling place and the commercial engine for the surrounding agricultural zone. Though it’s an important transportation hub on the route between Puerto Montt and Santiago and the Huilliche communities of the Osorno coast, most visitors spend little time here, despite evidence of a blossoming hipsterization – once a town in dire need of quality eats and drinks, Osorno now harbors a handful of cool cafes, good restaurants and quality bars that could distract you for a day or two if necessary.
4Sleeping
Hostel VermontHOSTEL$
(%64-224-7030; www.hostelvermont.cl; Toribio Medina 2020; incl breakfast dm CH$15,000, s/d without bathroom CH$25,000/37,000, cabins CH$50,000; 
hclosed Apr-Oct; 
i
W)
Osorno’s first decent hostel is run by a bilingual snowboarder who named the hostel after her stint near Burlington, Vermont. It’s everything you want in a hostel: friendly, clean and well equipped (as well as some things you don’t want: creaky old floors mixed with rowdiness means it can get sleep-deprivingly loud).
Hotel Villa EduvigesHOTEL$$
(%64-223-5023; www.hoteleduviges.cl; Eduviges 856; s/d/tr from CH$28,000/48,000/58,000; 
pW)
Midrange and comfortable, Villa Eduviges wins props for being in the minority in Región X, allowing singles to sleep in a double bed without paying for a double. The relaxed setting in a residential area south of the bus terminal bodes well, with spacious, somewhat-old-fashioned rooms, private bathrooms and kind management.
5Eating
Café CentralCAFE$
(O’Higgins 610; sandwiches CH$1950-6500; h8am-midnight, to 10pm Sun)
This bilevel plaza hot spot is more or less a Chilean diner, crowded for its decent coffee, colossal burgers, ridiculous sandwiches and hot dogs completísimo (sauerkraut, avocado, mayo). There’s also a counter – convenient for solo travelers.
Mercado MunicipalCHILEAN$
(cnr Prat & Errázuriz; h6am-9pm)
Osorno’s large and modern Mercado Municipal has an array of cocinerías (lunch stalls) serving good and inexpensive food.
oEl GalpónSTEAK$$
(%64-223-4098; www.hotelwaeger.cl; Cochrane 816; steaks CH$13,000-18,500; h12:30-3pm & 7:30-11pm Mon-Sat; W)
Tucked away around the side of Hotel Waeger, you’ll find dark flooring and a rustic, barnyard vibe (old-school metallic buckets as lampshades) complementing the main event: perfectly grilled steaks for devout carnivores, on a parrilla piled high with wood like a fireplace. The filets are superthick and the potent pisco sours often outrun the wine.
A quintuplet of accompaniments (butter, guacamole, chimichurri, ají and marinated olives) are served, but you won’t need it – this meat is best enjoyed naked.
PancaPERUVIAN$$
(%64-223-2924; Rodríguez 1905; mains CH$5500-12,000; h12:30-3pm & 8-11:30pm Mon-Sat, 12:30-3:30pm Sun; W)
You’ll be as as surprised as we were about how authentic the classic Peruvian dishes at this hip newcomer are, considering the Peruvian side of this Chilean-Peruvian partnership handles the finances, not the food. Spicy ceviche, chaufa (Peruvian-Chinese fried rice), ají de gallina (spicy creamed chicken), lomo saltado (marinated steak) – it’s all pretty perfect.
Even the scrumptious suspiro de limeña (manjar blanco with meringue) will transport you to Peru.
OFF THE BEATEN TRACK
THE OSORNO COAST
The indigenous Huilliche communities of Osorno’s gorgeous coast are sitting on an etnoturismo gold mine and have only started to realize it in the last few years. You can immerse yourself in their way of life over multiday trips that involve some of Chile’s most stunning beaches, Valdivian forest treks, and rural homestays around San Juan de la Costa and Territorio Mapu Lahual, an indigenous protected zone that stretches south into Río Negro province and includes Caleta Cóndor, one of Chile’s most stunning off-the-beaten path destinations.
In San Juan de la Costa, a series of five magnificent caletas (bays) – Pucatrihue, Maicolpué, Bahía Mansa, Manzano and Tril-Tril – are the jumping-off point for Caleta Cóndor.
Popular hikes include the 10km round-trip jaunt from Maicolpué to Playa Tril-Tril (also reachable by car) and, from Pucatrihue, a 16km round-trip to Caleta Manzano (reachable within 1km by 4WD only). Boat trips (CH$10,000 per person, minimum three) to visit a penguin colony are also offered. At sunset, surfers even hit the waves in Maicolpué.
You’ll find a handful of cabañas, hospedajes and camping options, mainly in Bahía Mansa and Maicolpué. The centrally located Hostería Miller (%64-255-0277; www.hosteriamiller.com; Maicolpué; incl breakfast s/d without bathroom CH$15,000/35,000, tr/q CH$45,000/60,000; pW) is best equipped to set you up with excursions and activities
Perched high above Maicolpué beach in Maicolpué Río Sur, Altos de Pichi Mallay (%64-255-4165; raicesrestaurant1@gmail.com; Maicolpué Río Sur camino a Tril Tril, Maicolpué Río Sur; campsites/r per person CH$5000/25,000; pW) is a family-run paradise with 12 guest rooms in the main lodge featuring wool bedspreads, wonderful hardwood floors and the majority panoramic sea views – a vista shared with the restaurant (mains CH$4500 to 9500). But the real coup? A six-person, wood-fired hot tub nestled in the forest with an absolutely miraculous ocean view.
Besides gawking at scenery, kayaking, diving, trekking and horseback riding are the main activities in Caleta Cóndor. Caleta Cóndor Expediciones (%cell 9-9773-6383; www.caletacondorexpediciones.cl) is the go-to agency to set things up and connect travelers with providers. A one-/two-tank dive costs CH$45,000/60,000. Don’t miss the 45-minute-or-so guided trek up to Mirador Caleta Cóndor – your Instagram followers will thank you! Stay at Hostal Caleta Cóndor (%9-9382-4035; www.caletacondorexpediciones.cl; Caleta Cóndor; r per person without bathroom incl breakfast CH$18,000, meals CH$5000), a guesthouse where free-range horses meet the perfect Pacific beach.
To reach the coast, micros (minibuses) depart regularly from Osorno’s Feria Libre Rahue for Bahía Mansa, Pucatrihue and Maicolpué (CH$1800, 1½ hours).
6Drinking & Nightlife
oCervecería Artesanal Armin SchmidMICROBREWERY
(%cell 9-8294-1818; Ruta 215, Km12; beer CH$2300-3300, pizzas CH$8100; h1:30-10:30pm Tue-Sat)
If you’re within 100km of Osorno and a beer lover, you’ll want to readjust your itinerary to visit this improvised temple of suds, the south’s most interesting craft brewery, located 12km outside of Osorno on Ruta 215 toward Entre Lagos and the border with Argentina.
Taberna PirataBAR
(www.facebook.com/tabernapirata; MacKenna 1873; h6pm-3am Mon-Sat; W)
The quirkily themed Pirata is Osorno’s closest thing to legendary bar – vaguely divey and catering to bohemian locals in the know. It’s the city’s best for craft beer, with 10 taps flowing in summer (weekends only otherwise), which are a mix of house brews and Chilean micro/nanobrews from Valdivia and Puerto Varas (along with a West Coast USA–heavy bottle list).
Live rock and pop Wednesday to Saturday (7pm).
GallardíaGASTROPUB
(www.facebook.com/gallardia.sg; O’Higgins 1270; h6pm-1am Mon, 1pm-1am Tue-Sat, 1-6pm Sun; W)
Occupying a traditional Osorno residence, Gallardía is a rooster-adorned enclave for craft beers (Kross, along with Belgian, Dutch, Spanish and German selections), cocktails made with Patagonia’s very own hipster craft spirit Trä·kál (born in Osorno; CH$5000) and a battery of slang-named gourmet sandwiches that hit the spot when buzzed (CH$5000 to CH$7300). It’s where the cool kids go.
8Information
You’ll find ATMs on Plaza de Armas.
Osorno’s has two helpful tourist-information kiosks, one on Plaza de Armas (%64-221-8740; www.imo.cl/sitios/cp/turismo; Plaza de Armas; h8:15am-2pm & 3-5:15pm Mon-Fri, 10:30am-1:30pm Sat) and a second inside the Mercado Municipal (%64-224-0304; www.imo.cl/sitios/cp/turismo; Mercado Municipal; h8:15am-2pm & 3-5:15pm Mon-Fri).
CorreosChile (www.correos.cl; O’Higgins 645; h9am-7pm Mon-Fri, to 1pm Sat)
8Getting There & Away
AIR
Aeródromo Cañal Bajo – Carlos Hott Siebert (ZOS; %64-224-7555; off Ruta CH-215) is 7km east of downtown. LATAM (%600-526-2000; www.latam.com; Eleuterio Ramírez 802; h9am-1pm & 3-6:30pm Mon-Fri, 9:30am-1pm Sat) flies once daily to Santiago only on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday.
There is no public transport to the airport, but any Entre Lagos–bound bus, leaving from Terminal Mercado Municipal, can drop you at the airport entrance, 300m from the terminal (CH$700, 15 minutes). That beats a CH$4200 to CH$4900 Uber!
BUS
Long-distance buses use the main Terminal de Buses de Osorno (%64-221-1120; Errázuriz 1400). Most services going north on the Panamericana start in Puerto Montt, departing about every hour, with mainly overnight service to Santiago. Buses ETM (www.etm.cl; Errázuriz 1400) offers the most frequent direct services to the capital; other good options include Pullman Bus (%64-223-0808; www.pullman.cl), TurBus (%64-220-1526; www.turbus.cl) and Cruz del Sur (%64-226-0025; www.busescruzdelsur.cl). There is a small custodia for left luggage (CH$1000-CH$2000; 7:30am to 10:30pm).
For Valparaíso/Viña del Mar, try Bus Norte (%64-223-3319; www.busnortechile.cl). Buses JAC (%64-255-3300; www.jac.cl) has numerous departures for Valdivia and Temuco, plus six departures for Pucón in high season (three otherwise). Ruta 5 (%64-231-7040) goes to Lago Ranco. Cruz del Sur has the most departures south and on to the island of Chiloé.
For Chilean Patagonia, Queilen Bus (%64-226-0025; www.queilenbus.cl) heads to Coyhaique. For Punta Arenas, try Queilen Bus and Pullman Bus, among others. Buses to Anticura (Prat btwn Carrera & Errázuriz) leave from a stop on Colón.
Buses to Bariloche, Argentina, include Bus Norte Internacional (%64-223-2777; www.busescruzdelsur.cl), Via Bariloche (%64-226-0025; www.viabariloche.com.ar; Errázuriz 1400, Terminal Buses de Osorno) and Andesmar (%64-223-5186; www.andesmar.com). All Bariloche-bound buses stop in Villa Angostura, Argentina. Andesmar also heads direct to Neuquén and El Bolsón, Argentina, via Bariloche. For Zapala, Argentina, direct buses leave from Temuco.
Also departing from the main bus terminal are several trips daily to places around Lago Llanquihue at the foot of Volcán Osorno.
Micros (minibuses) for other local and regional destinations leave from the Terminal Mercado Municipal (Errázuriz btwn Prat & Colón) in front of the new Mercado Municipal. Expreso Lago Puyehue (%cell 9-8838-9527; www.expresolagopuyehue.wix.com/buses-expreso; Errázuriz btwn Prat & Colón, Terminal Mercado Municipal) goes to Termas Puyehue/Aguas Calientes and Entre Lagos. Buses Río Negro (%64-223-6748; Errázuriz btwn Prat & Colón, Terminal Mercado Municipal) goes to Río Negro, from which you can access Caleta Cóndor (via land).
To get to the Huilliche communities of San Juan de la Costa – Bahía Mansa, Pucatrihue and Maicolpué – minibuses depart the Feria Libre Rahue (cnr Chillán & Temuco). To reach the Feria (Colón btwn Errázuriz & Carrera), catch buses 200 (purple) or 300 (white) – local routes change according to colored placard so be sure to catch the correct one!
| DESTINATION | COST (CH$) | HOURS |
|---|---|---|
| Aguas Calientes | 2200 | 1½ |
| Ancud | 6200 | 4 |
| Anticura | 6000 | ½ |
| Bariloche (Ar) | 17,000 | 5 |
| Concepción | 17,000 | 9 |
| Coyhaique | 40,000 | 20 |
| El Bolsón, (Ar, via Bariloche) | 23,400 | 10 |
| Lago Ranco | 1500 | 2 |
| Neuquén (Ar, via Bariloche) | 24,000 | 12 |
| Pucón | 8400 | 4 |
| Puerto Montt | 2000 | 1¼ |
| Puerto Varas | 2000 | 1¼ |
| Punta Arenas | 35,000 | 28 |
| Río Negro | 1200 | ¾ |
| San Juan de la Costa (Bahía Mansa, Pucatrihue & Maicolpué) | 1800 | 1¾ |
| Santiago | 30,000 | 12 |
| Temuco | 5500 | 3½ |
| Valdivia | 3600 | 1¾ |
| Valparaíso/Viña del Mar | 20,000 | 14 |
| Villa Angostura (Ar) | 17,000 | 4 |
Parque Nacional Puyehue
Volcán Puyehue, 2240m tall, blew its top the day after the earthquake in 1960, turning a large chunk of dense, humid evergreen forest into a stark landscape of sand dunes and lava rivers. Parque Nacional Puyehue (www.conaf.cl/parques/parque-nacional-puyehue; Ruta Internacional 215, Puyehue; Anticura CH$1500) 
F protects 1070 sq km of this contrasting environment, and it is one of the more ‘developed’ of the country’s national parks, with a ski resort and several hot-spring resorts within its boundaries.
4Sleeping
Lodge El TaíqueLODGE$$
(%cell 9-9213-8105; www.lodgeeltaique.cl; Sector El Taíque Puyehue; s/d incl breakfast CH$58,000/78,000, cabins from CH$90,000; pW)
Located 8km off Ruta 215 between Entre Lagos and Aguas Calientes, this stylish eight-room lodge frames postcard views of Volcán Osorno, Volcán Puntiagudo and Lago Rupanco, and offers French-spun hospitality and a vivid attention to detail. Muted gray-toned rooms feature king-size beds and dark hardwood bathrooms (some with private terraces).
The gourmet restaurant (mains CH$6000 to CH$15,500) whips up delights such as venison with wild mushrooms or ostrich with blue-cheese-and-walnut sauce. It’s a perfect retreat within striking distance of Entre Lagos and all things Puyehue.
8Information
Centro de Información Ambiental (%64-197-4572; www.conaf.cl; Ruta 215, Camino Antillanca Km76, Aguas Calientes; h8am-1pm & 2-6pm) Conaf’s Centro de Información Ambiental at Aguas Calientes houses an informative display on Puyehue’s natural history and geomorphology.
8Getting There & Away
The park’s western border is about 75km east of Osorno via the paved Ruta 215, which continues through the park, following the course of the Río Golgol to the Argentine border. Buses from Osorno head to Aguas Calientes (CH$2200, 1½ hours, hourly, 7am to 7pm) and Anticura (CH$2000, 1½ hours, 5pm). You’ll need your own wheels for Antillanca and El Caulle (though the latter is easily walkable from Ruta 215; ask any bus to drop you off).
Aguas Calientes
The hot-springs facilities at Termas Aguas Calientes (%64-223-3178; www.termasaguascalientes.cl; Ruta 215, Camino Antillanca Km76; day use without/with meals CH$12,500/35,000, without meals private/public CH$14,500/4400) include individual tubs and several pools, lodging options, a restaurant and a cafe.
Restaurant Los Canelos does a decent but pricy buffet (CH$15,500); there’s also the simpler Café Boutique, which does snacks, coffee, pizza, sandwiches and empanadas (CH$2000 to CH$3000).
The only lodging option is Cabañas Aguas Calientes (%64-233-1700; camping per site CH$28,000, 2-/4-person domos without bathroom CH$80,000/105,000, 4-/8-person cabins from CH$148,000/215,000; piW
s). Its A-frame cabins are stacked up along the hillside like a well-planned miniature village, and they are remarkably comfortable, with plush beds, full kitchens, hot showers and wood stoves (and some with hot tubs, though they lack privacy). Comfortable riverside domos back up against the pleasant, somewhat-rushing river.
Rates include spa facilities but not breakfast – despite the rates rising at an alarming rate over the years.
WORTH A TRIP
HUILO-HUILO BIOLOGICAL RESERVE
The newly paved road from Lago Pirihueico, 101km east of Valdivia and 80km south of Villarrica, to Puerto Fuy parallels the scenic Río Huilo-Huilo, which tumbles and falls through awe-inspiring scenery to the impressive Huilo-Huilo Biological Reserve (%2-2887-3535; www.huilohuilo.com; Camino Internacional Panguipulli–Valdivia Km55; h24hr) F, a spectacular low-impact ecotourism conservation project that falls within a much larger Unesco biosphere reserve. Well worth a visit even for the reserve’s fantasyland hotels, this outdoor playground offers days’ worth of outdoor adventures and is one of the most pristine and worthwhile destinations in Los Ríos.
Outdoor adventures include trekking, climbing, horseback riding, rafting, kayaking and visits to the stunning 37m Salto de Huilo-Huilo. In 2017, the Teleférico Cóndor Andino (adult/child CH$12,500/6000; h11:15am-7:35pm Jan & Feb, noon-7pm Sat & Sun Mar-Dec) opened to the public – southern Chile’s first cableway. By the time you read this, three enduro-mountain bike-trails should be operating too.
The stone-domed Museo de Volcanes (adult/child CH$3000/1500; h10am-8pm Dec-Mar, to 6pm Apr-Nov) is Sur Chico’s most impressive archeological museum, covering Chilean indigenous cultures, including one of the best Mapuche ornament collections in existence.
La Montaña Mágica (%2-2887-3535; s/d incl breakfast CH$112,622/225,244; p
niW) is a Frodo-approved spire with a fountain spewing from the top, full of kitschy furniture and supernatural design touches. There are only nine rooms available (so book ahead!). Nothofagus Hotel & Spa (%2-2887-3535; s/d incl breakfast CH$112,622/225,244; piW) is a Gaudí-inspired inverted cone suspended in the treetops with a restaurant serving international and Chilean cuisine with indigenous touches. At 55 rooms, it’s Huilo-Huilo’s biggest hotel. Exclusive Nawelpi Lodge (%2-2887-3535; s/d all-inclusive 3-night packages CH$1,240,580/1,783,280; pnW) offers 12 expansive cabins with luxurious furnishings, volcanic-slate fireplaces and outstanding terraces overlooking the Río Fuy.
The 22-room, mushroom-inspired Reino Fungi Lodge (%2-2887-3535; s/d incl breakfast CH$112,622/225,244; pW) is one of the newer surreal accommodations. Its spa and sauna facilities are a godsend after a day of outdoor adventure. Canopy Village (%2-2887-3535; cabañas 2/6 people from CH$37,128/89,107; p) offers 27 raised refugio-style treehouses connected by a wooden walkway, a guest kitchen and outstanding views of Volcán Mocho. A bit out of the way, El Puma Backpackers (%2-2887-3535; dm CH$9000; p) has twin 10-bed dorm rooms in good shape. Camping Huilo-Huilo (%2-2887-3535; www.huilohuilo.com; campsites per person CH$11,000) has electricity, nice bathrooms with hot water and thermal bathtubs carved from the wooden patio deck. Grab a beer and thin-crust pizza at Cervecería Peterman (pints CH$4000; hnoon-10:30pm Sun-Thu, to 1am Fri-Sat, 12:30-7:30pm Mar-Nov)n.
From Puerto Fuy, the ferry Hua-Hum (%cell 9-4277-3450; https://barcazahuahum.com/en; Ruta Internacional CH-203, Puerto Fuy; car CH$17,200-CH$25,790, foreign/resident pedestrians CH$950/CH$680) carries passengers and vehicles to and from Puerto Pirihueico (1½ hours) once daily from April to December 14 (at 1pm) except Friday, when it goes twice at noon and 4pm. From December 15 through March, the ferry heads out three times (8am, 1pm and 6pm) Monday to Thursday, and four times on Friday to Sunday (7am, 11am, 3pm and 7pm). Make vehicle reservations.
Regular buses to Puerto Fuy from Panguipulli (CH$2000 to CH$3000, one hour) can drop you in the small hamlet of Neltume, 3km from the park’s reception, with more affordable accommodation. The same bus can drop you at Huilo-Huilo.
8Getting There & Away
Expreso Lago Puyehue goes to Aguas Calientes (CH$2200, 1½ hours, hourly, 7am to 7pm) from Osorno’s Mercado Municipal.
Antillanca
The ski season runs from early June to September. The ski area (%64-261-2070; www.skiantillanca.cl; Ruta U-485; lift tickets CH$32,000, full rentals adult/child CH$32,000/20,000) has five surface lifts and 460m of vertical drop. The resort includes an outrageously overpriced hotel (two buildings, Hotel Eduardo Meyer and Refugio Carlos) open year-round with typical ski-resort trimmings.
There is a full-service restaurant at the resort’s lodge (mains CH$6000 to CH$12,000).
There’s no public transportation to Antillanca. The resort offers round-trip private transfers for up to 14 people from Osorno (CH$160,000, 1½ hours), Puerto Montt (CH$267,000, 2½ hours) and other cities in the region.
El Caulle
Officially within park boundaries but privately owned, El Caulle (%cell 9-5008-6367; www.elcaulle.com; Fundo El Caulle s/n; entrance CH$10,000; hrestaurant 10am-8pm Tue-Sun), two kilometers west of Anticura, marks the southern entrance for the trek across the western base of Volcán Puyehue. It’s also an excellent restaurant (CH$7500 to CH$10,000) – serving dishes such as grilled wild boar and pastel de jaiba (crab casserole) – and offers dorm accommodations for CH$8000 (with sleeping bag) and CH$13,000 (with mattress).
Any bus heading from Osorno to Anticura can drop off trekkers at El Caulle.
Anticura
Co-run by a young, enthusiastic climber from Osorno, Patagonia Expeditions (%cell 9-9104-8061; www.anticura.com; Ruta Internacional 215, Km90) operates the concession on Centro Turístico Anticura. Short hikes – trail fee CH$1000 – from the visitors center include Salto de Princesa, Salto del Indio – where, according to legend, a lone Mapuche hid to escape encomienda (colonial labor system) service in a nearby Spanish gold mine – and Repucura, which ends back up on Ruta 215 (buses come careening down the highway; walk on the opposite side).
There’s also a 4km steep hike up to a lookout point.
Excursions from here include climbing Volcán Casablanca (1960m; CH$40,000); Volcán Puyehue (2240m; CH$55,000, or CH$90,000 along with the 2011 Puyehue eruption crater), nocturnal waterfall visits and multiday treks. A restaurant serves three meals a day (CH$5000 to CH$9000).
4Sleeping
Camping CatruéCAMPING, CABAñAS$$
(%cell 9-9104-8061; www.anticura.com; Ruta Internacional, 215 Km90; camping s/d CH$5000/9000, cabañas for 2/4/6 CH$40,000/CH$52,000/60,000; W)
Patagonia Expeditions runs the hostel-vibey Camping Catrué, which now offers 15 woodsy sites with tree-trunk picnic tables, electricity and bathrooms with hot water. Cabins have been refurnished and are fully equipped. Two of them are converted into dorms in low season only (CH$15,000).
8Getting There & Away
A public bus for Anticura (and on to Chilean customs at the Argentine border) leaves from Prat between Carrera and Errázuriz in Osorno at 5pm daily (CH$2000, 1½ hours), returning from Anticura at 7:30am. There are three buses (1½ hours, 6:30am, noon, 4pm) from Osorno’s Terminal Mercado Municipal with Buses Carlos (%cell 9-7265-9780; Errázuriz btwn Prat & Colón, Terminal Mercado Municipal), but by reservation only. Fares are CH$6000 per person, give or take, depending on group size.
Frutillar
%065 / POP 16,283
Frutillar, right up the coastline of Lago Llanquihue from Puerto Varas, is on quite a run over the last decade. First this enchanting lakeside retreat received a world-class performing-arts center in 2010; then, in 2017, it was named Chile’s first Unesco Creative City of Music, putting it in some impressive worldwide company (Liverpool, Seville, Auckland and Adelaide, among others).
There is an attractive pier, a long, drawn-out lakeside beach and, above all, quaint German architecture and küchen aplenty with a soundtrack provided by buff-necked ibises, who cackle from rooftops all over town. Though the Germanness of this town can sometimes feel forced and too touristy compared to Puerto Octay, it remains a serene spot that makes for a pleasant alternative to staying in more chaotic Puerto Varas.
1Sights
Teatro del LagoARTS CENTER
(%65-242-2900; www.teatrodellago.cl; Av Philippi 1000; hbox office 10am-6pm)
This amazing 12-years-in-the-making, US$25-million world-class performing-arts center opened in 2010, and has single-handedly put Frutillar on the global cultural map. The striking copper-roofed structure is a thing of beauty in itself, flanked against the lake with postcard views of four volcanoes. Daily tours (45 minutes) start at noon throughout the year (CH$4500).
Inside, it houses a state-of-the-art 1178-seat concert hall – acoustically insured by beautiful beechwood walls – and a second 278-seat amphitheater, as well as a pizzeria and lakeside cafe (sandwiches CH$6500 to CH$7500). It currently hosts a wealth of cultural events, including the music festival, and attracts internationally known orchestras and artists in all genres. Check the website for what’s on during your visit.
Museo Histórico AlemánMUSEUM
(www.museosaustral.cl; cnr Pérez Rosales & Prat; CH$2500; h9am-5:30pm)
The Museo Histórico Colonial Alemán was built with assistance from Germany and is managed by the Universidad Austral. It features nearly perfect reconstructions of a water-powered mill, a blacksmith’s house and a farmhouse and belfry set among manicured gardens. It is considered the best museum on German colonialism in the region.
TTours
Guillermo DuarteADVENTURE
(%cell 9-7952-4279; www.facebook.com/guillermoduartetravel)
A bit of a renegade cowboy, guide-of-all-trades Guillermo Duarte can get you on the trails, horseback, up the volcano or on cross-country skies, but where he really excels is with bespoke tours – no adventure is too outrageous. Prices run around CH$160,000 per day for his services plus vehicle – the itinerary is left to your wildest dreams. Spanish, English, French and Portuguese spoken.
zFestivals & Events
Semana Musical de FrutillarMUSIC
(%65-242-1386; www.semanasmusicales.cl; Teatro del Lago; hJan-Feb)
For 10 days (usually January 27 through February 4) the Semana Musical de Frutillar showcases a variety of musical styles, from chamber music to jazz, with informal daytime shows and more formal evening performances from 8pm to 10pm.
4Sleeping & Eating
Ayacara HotelB&B$$
(%65-242-1550; www.hotelayacara.cl; Av Philippi 1215; s/d incl breakfast from CH$65,000/$85,000)
Streams of light flow through the inviting living areas, and upstairs front-facing rooms get a spectacular volcano view in this remodeled 1910 house that’s now an eight-room boutique hotel, which often caters to artists, musicians and other performers from the world-class Teatro del Lago (it’s their official accommodations of choice).
Cocina Frau HolleSTEAK$$
(%65-242-1345; www.frauholle-frutillar.cl; Varas 54; steaks CH$9400-11,500; h1-3:30pm & 7:30-10:30pm, closed May; W)
Don’t let the name evoke garden gnomes and lederhosen – this is a dead-serious steakhouse tucked just enough inland from the lake that most folks don’t even know it’s here. No béarnaise, chimichurri or green-pepper sauce here – just serious cuts of beef, perfectly fired over Chilean oak-fed flames and seasoned with nothing but salt. Chase with wine. ¡De nada!
Lavanda Casa de TéTEAHOUSE$$
(%cell 9-9458-0804; www.lavandacasadete.cl; Camino a Quebrada Honda, Km1.5; menú CH$15,000; h1-8pm Nov-Mar, closed Mon-Wed Apr-Oct)
On a lavender farm just outside town, this is a lakeside favorite for tea, gourmet lavender products and farm-fresh lunches. Make a reservation for afternoon tea (CH$9800) or a lingering lunch. Minimum consumption is CH$6000.
oSe CocinaCHILEAN$$$
(%cell 9-8972-8195; www.secocina.cl; Camino a Quebrada Honda, Km2; mains CH$10,500, 3-course meal CH$21,200; h1-3pm & 8-10:30pm Tue-Sun Jan-Feb, closed Mon & Tue Dec-Mar)
Se Cocina is hit or miss, but even when it misses, this beautiful 1850s farmstead 2km from Frutillar is one of the most interesting foodie destinations on the lake. The daily changing menu marries Nueva Chilena cuisine with a modern atmosphere housed inside a historically protected farm.
WORTH A TRIP
PUERTO OCTAY
Cute and quaint, Puerto Octay (ock-tie) isn’t heavily visited, but it’s actually one of the more charming towns on Lago Llanquihue and a good escape from more touristy towns to the south. The tranquil streets, perched on a hillside above the lake, yield interesting 1800s German-settler architectural treasures. It is the oldest town on the lake settled by Germans, and, of course, it has a requisite Oktoberfest (www.oktoberfestpuertooctay.cl).
Stay at Zapato Amarillo (%64-221-0787; www.zapatoamarillo.cl; Ruta 55, Km2.5, La Gruta; incl breakfast dm CH$14,000, r CH$42,000, without bathroom CH$27,000/36,000; pW), nestled on a small farm approximately 2km north of town toward Osorno. You’ll find an octagonal dorm house with two impeccably clean bathrooms as well as three separate buildings housing farmhand-chic rooms. Slow Food dinners (for guests only) are CH$10,000, and the kitchen results are miraculous! The hospitable Chilean-Swiss owners help ensure this spot is a traveler favorite for all ages. Scooter and mountain bikes for rent means you can hop between lake towns for the day.
Day-trippers dine at Rancho Espantapájaros (%65-233-0049; www.espantapajaros.cl; Quilanto, Camino Puerto Octay–Frutillar Km5; buffet CH$17,000, sandwiches CH$3500-6500; hnoon-10pm Jan-Feb, noon-8pm Mar, noon-5:30pm Mon-Thu, to 10pm Fri & Sat, to 7:30pm Sun Apr-Nov; W), 6km outside Puerto Octay on the road to Frutillar. It packs in the crowds for the main attraction, succulent jabalí (wild boar, fatty but fantastic) cooked on 3.5m spits across a giant fogón behind the buffet. It’s expensive, but it’s an elaborate all-you-can-eat buffet and includes a juice, wine or beer, and everything is excellent.
Adventurous drivers can seek out the black beach at Puerto Fonck, tucked away down a long gravel road 22km east of Puerto Octay.
Puerto Octay’s bus terminal (%64-239-1189; cnr Balmaceda & Esperanza) has regular service to Osorno (CH$1500, one hour) and Cruce de Rupanco (CH$1200, 15 minutes), from where you can grab a bus to Las Cascadas (30 minutes), another of the lake’s less touristy towns, every 20 minutes between 7:20am and 8:15pm. It also has five buses per day to Frutillar (CH$1000, 30 minutes), Puerto Varas (CH$1600, one hour) and Puerto Montt (CH$1900, 1¼ hours) between 8am and 6pm.
7Shopping
Vipa & Co.FOOD, COSMETICS
(www.vipaonline.cl; Av Philippi 989; h11am-7:50pm)
A great shop for picking up artisanal foodstuff and biodegradable cosmetics, including high-quality brands such as Melí (spices, salsas and mustards) and Agua de Patagonia (soaps, shampoos, aromatherapy).
8Information
The town’s tourist information (Av Philippi s/n; h9am-1pm & 2-6pm) is near the town pier.
8Getting There & Away
Minibuses (Jorge Montt btwn Av Philippi & Vicente Pérez Rosales) to Puerto Varas (CH$1200, 30 minutes) and Puerto Montt (CH$1600, 45 minutes) leave from a stop on Jorge Montt. Everything else leaves from terminals in Frutillar Alto, reached by coletivo 1 from Frutillar Bajo (CH$500 to CH$600, five minutes). Cruz del Sur (%65-242-1552; www.cruzdelsur.cl; Palma 52) has the most frequent services to Osorno (CH$1500, 45 minutes, seven daily, 8:20am to 8:20pm), Valdivia (CH$4000, 2¼ hours, seven daily, 8:20am to 8:20pm), Temuco (CH$6000, 3½ hours, 8:20am, 2:35pm, 8:20pm) and Santiago (from CH$27,000, 10½ hours, 9:15pm), plus four daily departures to Castro (Chiloé; CH$7000, 3¾ hours), daily departures for Bariloche (CH$18,000, six hours, 9:25am) and Punta Arenas on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday (CH$50,000, 36 hours, 11:55am). Buses ETM (%65-242-1852; www.etm.cl; Winkler 238) also heads to Santiago (from CH$16,000, 10½ hours, 7:20pm and 8:20pm) and Temuco (CH$8500, 3½ hours, 7:20pm), Osorno (CH$1500, 7:20pm) and Concepción (CH$18,000, eight hours, 10:55am). Thaebus (www.thaebus.cl; Palma 381) goes to Puerto Octay five times daily (CH$1200, 45 minutes, 7:15am to 7:15pm) plus Puerto Varas and Puerto Montt.
Puerto Varas
%065 / POP 37,942
Two menacing, snowcapped volcanoes, Osorno and Calbuco, stand sentinel over picturesque Puerto Varas and its scenic Lago Llanquihue like soldiers of adventure, allowing only those on a high-octane quest to pass. Just 23km from Puerto Montt but worlds apart in charm, scenery and options for the traveler, Puerto Varas has been previously touted as the ‘next Pucón,’ but unlike its kindred spirit to the north, Puerto Varas has been able to better manage its rise as a go-to destination for outdoor adventure sports. As a result, it avoids some of the tourist-package onslaught that besieges Pucón.
With all of the conveniences of Puerto Montt just a short trip away, Puerto Varas is a top choice for an extended stay and also makes a good base for exploring the region. Some find it too touristy, but its juxtaposition of German heritage and contemporary Chilean adrenaline is both beautiful and addictive.
1Sights & Activities
Paseo PatrimonialARCHITECTURE
Many notable constructions in town are private houses from the early 20th century. Grab a city map at the tourist office to follow the Paseo Patrimonial, a walking tour of historic homes listed as Monumentos Nacionales. Several of these houses serve as hospedajes, including the 1941–42 Casa Schwerter (Del Carmen 873), the 1930 Casa Hitschfeld (Prat 107) and the 1930 Casa Wetzel (O’Higgins 608).
Iglesia del Sagrado CorazónCHURCH
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; cnr San Francisco & Verbo Divino; hhours vary)
The imposing and colorful 1915 Iglesia del Sagrado Corazón, overlooking downtown from a promontory, is based on the Marienkirche of the Black Forest, Germany.
Al SurRAFTING, KAYAKING
(%65-223-2300; www.alsurexpeditions.com; cnr Aconcagua & Imperial) 
S
Al Sur specializes in rafting – with an exclusive base camp on the banks of the Río Petrohué – and also does high-end, multiday kayaking trips within the fjords of Parque Pumalín, all with a heavy focus on environmental NGOs.
Ko’KayakRAFTING, CANYONING
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %65-223-3004; www.kokayak.cl; San Pedro 311; h8:30am-7pm)
A long-standing favorite for rafting, offering half-day rafting trips for CH$35,000 with two departures daily and one-/two-day sea kayaking trips for CH$70,000/165,000.
La Comarca Puelo AdventureMOUNTAIN BIKING
(%cell 9-9799-1920; www.pueloadventure.cl; Av Vicente Pérez Rosales 1621) S
Specializes in dramatic and custom-tailored adventure trips to less-explored areas of the Río Puelo Valley, Río Cochamó Valley and beyond. Highlights include extensive mountain-bike and road-cycling holidays in Chile and Argentina (including an epic 12-day single-track ride from Bariloche to Puerto Varas); beer-sluggin’ and biking; and a wine-and-cheese excursion to the 900m viewpoint at Arco Iris in La Junta.
The Bike & Beer tour is a good-fun 30km bike ride along the lake, culminating in a craft-brew tasting at Chester Beer. Groups are never more than 12 strong and everyone here is dedicated to giving travelers a unique off-the-beaten-path experience. Also rents road bikes, full-suspension mountain bikes and e-bikes.
Trails of ChileTOURS
(%65-233-0737; www.trailsofchile.cl)
Specializes in top-shelf, professional tours and adventure travel with excellent service.
Birds ChileBIRDWATCHING
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %65-223-3004, cell 9-9269-2606; www.birdschile.com; San Pedro 311; h9am-7pm) S
Excellent and expert bird-watching and nature-centric tours are on offer with Raffaele Di Biase, who, in addition to being the foremost naturalist in the area, is an all-around great guy to spend a day with while outdoors. Birds Chile is the only tour operator in Chile with a Level 3 Sustainable Stamp according to Sernatur. Italian and English spoken.
Patagonia Fishing RockersFISHING
(%cell 9-9090-6958; www.facebook.com/patagoniafishingrockers)
Good-time angler Gustavo Arenas is definitely not your grandpa’s fly-fishing guide – his trips on the Río Maullín, Río Peulo and Río Petrohué come with a dash of rock and roll and (maybe) a shot of Jägermeister.
He is building Puelo Lodge, an eight-room haven for nature lovers in the Puelo River Basin on Lago Tagua-Tagua, set to open by 2019.
Moyca ExpedicionesCLIMBING
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %cell 9-7790-5679; www.facebook.com/moycaexpediciones; San José 192, oficina 203; h10am-2pm & 3-7pm, shorter hr winter)
This Puerto Varas–based outfitter comes highly recommended for summiting Volcán Osorno (2652m) or Volcán Calbuco (2003m). It’s above the Patagonia shop.
Yak ExpedicionesKAYAKING
(%cell 9-8332-0574; www.yakexpediciones.cl)
A fan favorite for both short and multiday sea-kayaking trips on Lago Todos Los Santos, Reloncaví fjord and beyond.
Vive SUPSTAND-UP PADDLE
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %cell 9-8475-7830; www.vivesup.com; Santa Rosa s/n; per hr rentals/classes CH$5000/8000; h10am-7pm Dec-Feb)
Stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) enthusiast Eduardo divides his time between Portland, USA, and Puerto Varas and can get you supping on the water. He offers excursions: sunset trips to Laguna Escondida, advanced trips on the Río Petrohué, an eight-day paddling extravaganza through the Río Puelo Valley, SUP surf trips on the coast), classes, yoga retreats and rentals.
Pionero del LagoBOATING
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %cell 9-9229-6043; www.pionerodellago.cl; Santa Rosa s/n; adult/child CH$10,000/6000; hdepartures 12:30pm, 5:30pm, 7:30pm)
Three daily catamaran trips on Lago Llanquehue, which include one pisco sour or soft drink.
TurisTourOUTDOORS
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %65-222-8440; www.turistour.cl; Del Salvador 72; h7:30am-8pm Mon-Sat, to 5pm Sun)
Runs the CruceAndino, a bus-and-boat combo transport trip through the majestic lakes and mountains of the Pérez Rosales Pass to Bariloche, Argentina, and vice versa. The total fare is US$280 (backpacker/cyclist US$120), although there are seasonal discounts and a 50% discount for children. There are daily departures throughout the year. Also runs numerous day trips in the region.
Reservations must be made at least one day in advance. You may also purchase tickets at the Petrohué dock. Consider bringing your own food for the first part of the trip, as some feel meals aboard the catamaran to Peulla and in Peulla are expensive and dull. You must also pay an AR$23 boarding fee (cash only in Argentine pesos, Chilean pesos, US dollars, euros or Brazilian reais) for Parque Nacional Nahuel Huapi in Argentina.
4Sleeping
Hostel Melmac PatagoniaHOSTEL$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %65-223-0863; www.melmacpatagonia.com; Santa Rosa 608, Interior; dm CH$14,000, s/d from CH$35,000/42,000; piW)
This intimate hostel in elevated digs perfectly positioned above downtown is decked out with all the modern fixings – right down to the artisanal home-brew beer fridge, which goes down nicely on the front porch (first beer free!), an outdoor hot tub (per person CH$10,000) and Wall-E, the Roomba cleaning robot.
MapatagoniaHOSTEL$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %65-223-7695; www.mapatagonia.com; Purísima 681; dm CH$12,000, s/d without bathroom CH$24,000/32,000; piW)
This spacious and historic 1932 home is on the town’s list of patrimonial heritage sites. It’s the nicest hostel in town, offering quieter, much larger rooms and bathrooms for better prices than most spots and a whole lot of French-Chilean hospitality. Big, bright dorms hold nine beds only.
Galpón Aíre PuroGUESTHOUSE$$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %cell 9-9979-8009; www.galponairepuro.cl; cnr Decher & Independencia; s/d incl breakfast CH$39000/58,000, ste CH$78,000; piW)
American expat Vicki Johnson – chef, chocolatier and purveyor of all of life’s finer things – has transformed this massive 1920s potato-storage barn into her very own den of good taste. She expanded and moved her artisan chocolate shop and cafe here, and offers eight spacious guest rooms for more independently minded travelers above a hip commercial-office space.
Huge rooms with vaulted ceilings, fabulous stone bathrooms and an inviting common space evoke a homespun sense of community that only Johnson can pull off. Breakfast is taken downstairs at Gallo Negro Café, or fix your own in the gourmet guest kitchen.
Casa AzulHOSTEL$$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %65-223-2904; www.casaazul.net; Manzanal 66; dm CH$10,000, d CH$37,000, s/d without bathroom CH$20,000/29,000; piW)
It’s hard to find fault with this impeccably kept German-Chilean operation set in a quieter residential neighborhood just outside downtown. The superbly tranquil garden and koi pond (with bonsai trees) immediately calm your nerves, in any case. Rooms are spacious, bathrooms recently retiled and there’s an expansive guest kitchen and common area with cool furniture fashioned from tree branches.
Compass del SurB&B$$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %65-233-2044; www.compassdelsur.cl; Klenner 467; campsites CH$10,000, dm CH$14,000, s/d CH$34,000/46,000, without bathroom CH$29,000/39,000; pW) S
This charming colonial house with Scandinavian touches and very friendly staff sits above the main area of town, accessed by a staired walking street. It has comfortable beds and some rain-style showers that please the flashpacker crowd who dominate the scene here.
New ecofriendly pellet-boiler heating, renovated bathrooms and common kitchen and planned terrace means it’s doing its part to keep up with the Joneses.
MamaHostelsHOSTEL$$
(%cell 9-6521-4688; www.mamahostels.cl; San Francisco 1256; incl breakfast dm CH$15,000, s/d without bathroom CH$40,000/45,000, r CH$50,000; piW)
Despite the name, this is only one hostel, very conveniently located for long-distance bus departures. Run by a friendly Chilean-Venezuelan couple, it offers games such as Xbox, pool and table tennis as well as alerce-wood bathroom sinks and counters, and double-bed dorm beds for snuggling couples. Private rooms are touched up with a bit of colorful art and are good value. The hostel also offers airport pickups.
oLos CaiquenesB&B$$$
(%cell 9-8159-0489; www.hotelloscaiquenes.cl; Camino a Ensenada, Km9.5; r incl breakfast from CH$102,000; pWs)
This lakeshore boutique B&B 9km from Puerto Varas on the road to Ensenada is a shabby-chic escape for settling in for the long haul. The extremely cozy common area and kitchen boasts big bay windows with lake views and an enticing fireplace; rooms are just as seductive, all hardwood floors, snug bedding and wonderful bathrooms.
It’s an easy-to-love retreat with a particular emphasis on personalized service and gourmet gluttony (meals CH$7500 to CH$13,000).
Casa KalfuB&B$$$
(%cell 9-9959-4110; www.casakalfu.cl; Tronador 1134; s/d CH$86,000/113,000; piW)
Since the name Casa Azul was taken, the Chilean-Argentine couple that runs this excellent midrange choice opted for kalfu (Mapudungun for ‘blue’) instead. And what a big, bright, beautiful blue it is. The home is a renovated 1940s chalet that now holds 19 rooms, simply and minimally decorated with large oveja (natural wool) wall hangings by renowned local artist Kika Xicota.
5Eating
oLa GringaAMERICAN$
(www.lagringa.cl; Imperial 605; mains CH$4800-11,900; h8am-11pm Mon-Fri, 9am-11pm Sat, 9am-6pm Sun; W) S
Evoking the rainy-day cafes of the American Pacific Northwest, this charming spot run by an adorable Seattleite dishes up delicious house-produced bread and pastries, hearty sandwiches (pulled pork with cabbage) and refreshing main courses (barbecue baby back ribs with spicy austral-pepper mash) along with standout CH$7300 menús (fixed-price menu; 1pm to 4pm except February).
oCostumbristaCHILEAN$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %cell 9-6237-2801; Del Salvador 547B; mains CH$5000-6000; h1-4pm & 7-9:30pm Mon-Sat; W)
This little, unassuming, Chiloé-inspired eatery is Puerto Varas’ secret gourmet cocinería (kitchen). It’s a two-man, eight-table show among aqua clapboard walls with a limited menu of fish and heartier dishes – a perfect pork chop, osso buco, a beautiful salmon or meluza (hake) – and is executed with skill and results that completely outshine its extraordinary-value price range.
PudúICE CREAM$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; www.facebook.com/Heladospudu; Santa Rosa 318; 1/2 scoops CH$2000/2500; h10am-8pm Mon-Fri, 11am-9pm Sat & Sun)
Everybody’s favorite artisanal ice cream, often using local ingredients: manjar (dulce de leche) from Fundo Playa Venado etc.
PuelcheBURGERS$
(www.hotelpuelche.cl; Imperial 695; burgers CH$6500-7500; hnoon-4pm & 7-11pm Tue-Sat, noon-5pm Sun; W)
A savvy manager has helped turn this hipster hotel burger joint into the best spot in town for an age-old classic combination: burger, fries and a beer. Forget about obnoxious Chilean portions; these 160g beef bonanzas don’t require manhandling but are still a beautiful mess. Stellar house-cut fries, in-house pickling and cold craft beer round out the experience.
Café Dane’sCAFE$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; Del Salvador 441; mains CH$2100-11,400; h7:30am-10:30pm Mon-Sat, to 9:30pm Sun; W)
This local favorite sums up the hybrid history of the region within its walls: küchen and empanadas, Alpine architecture and Spanish menus, apfelstrudel (apple strudel) and pastel de choclo (maize casserole). It’s one of the few open early on Sunday.
oLa MarcaSTEAK$$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %65-223-2026; www.lamarca.cl; Santa Rosa 539; steaks CH$7200-13,300; h12:30-11:30pm Mon-Sat, 1-10pm Sun; W)
This is the spot in Puerto Varas for devout carnivores to delight in seriously outstanding slabs of perfectly grilled beef. You won’t find any obnoxious rancho decor here – it’s all very subtle and stylish with sweet, sometimes delayed, service to boot. The small filet (300g) carries some heft and is seasoned just right.
Order a bottle of reasonably priced Carmenere and save room for the sinful churros (CH$7300), some of the best you’ll ever have.
El HumedalFUSION$$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %65-223-6382; Turismo 145; mains CH$6200-9800; h12:30-11pm Tue-Sat, to 12:30-5pm Sun; W)
In an adorable and cozy home perched on a hilltop over town, El Humedal (oddly, it means ‘Wetland’) serves up one of the best lunches in Puerto Varas with its interpretations of Asian curries and stir-fries, Mexican enchiladas and burritos, ramen bowls, and fish and chips, among others. Desserts are scrumptious as well.
Mesa TroperaPIZZA, BEER$$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; www.mesatropera.cl; Santa Rosa 161; mains CH$6200-7900; h10am-2pm Mon-Sat; W)
This wildly popular Coyhaique brewery/pizzeria transplant merges a jovial mix of families and hopheads. It’s majestically located, jutting out over Lago Llanquihue, framing three volcanoes on a clear day. Skip the pizza, but house-specialty tartars on toast are excellent (beef, octopus, salmon, artichoke). The 12 taps of house-brewed craft beer (beers CH$2000–CH$3700) – including seldom-seen double IPAs, brown ales and Belgian-style ales – are PV’s best.
La JardineraPUB FOOD$$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %65-223-1684; www.lajardinera.cl; Santa Rosa 131; mains CH$8000-9500; h1-3:30pm & 8-11pm Tue-Sat, 1-3:30pm Sun; W)
La Jardinera’s eclectic menu is overseen by a friendly Chilean couple and was developed after a five-year London culinary stint. But the restaurant’s evolution has now started to favor homegrown takes rather than overseas recipes, now including a vibrant local fusion: crab croquettes with merkén mayo, pistachio-crusted salmon, lamb confit.
Donde El GorditoCHILEAN, SEAFOOD$$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; San Bernardo 560; mains CH$6500-18,000; hnoon-4:30pm & 6:30-10pm, closed Jun)
This down-to-earth locals’ favorite is an intimate seafooder in the Mercado Municipal. It does wonderful things with crab sauce. It’s rich but excellent.
CasavaldésCHILEAN, SEAFOOD$$$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %cell 9-9079-3938; www.facebook.com/restaurantecasavaldes; Santa Rosa 40; mains CH$7500-13,100; h12:30-4pm & 7-11pm Mon-Sat, 7-11:30pm Sun; W)
Though a bit cramped, Puerto Varas’ most intimate, interesting and best seafood restaurant has lake and Calbuco views. Highlights of the innovative menu include divine crab-stuffed piquillo peppers and a long list of fresh fish preparations, accented by the perfectly pleasant kick of the donostiarria (olive oil, garlic, red chili and vinegar). Reservations recommended.
OxalisFUSION$$$
(%65-223-1957; Av Vicente Pérez Rosales 1679; mains CH$10,000-19,700; h12:30-3:30pm & 7:30-11:30pm Mon-Sat, 12:30-3:30 Sun; W)
File under one to watch: this newcomer offers expansive lake and town views from its perch on the southeast end of the costanera and gets high marks for creativity and commitment to local ingredients. The modern-European menu is peppered with Asian flourishes (tuna smoked in eucalyptus and green tea, rib eye with wild mushrooms and bok choy) and Peruvian touches.
6Drinking & Nightlife
oCaffé El BaristaCAFE
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; www.elbarista.cl; Martínez 211; coffee CH$1400-3200; h8am-1am Mon-Thu, to 2am Fri & Sat, noon-1pm Sun, shorter hr winter; W)
This stylish Italian-style coffeehouse serves Sur Chico’s best espresso from its La Marzocco machine, draws a healthy breakfast and lunch crowd for cast-iron eggs, excellent CH$6800 menús del dia and a selection of tasty sandwiches (CH$3600-6200). As night falls, it morphs into a fine spot for a drink as well.
Pub Puerto VarasBAR
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; www.facebook.com/pubpuertovaras; Santa Rosa 068, 2nd fl; pints CH$3000; h5pm-2am Mon, 2pm-2am Tue-Thu, 2pm-3am Fri & Sat, 2pm-1am Sun; W)
Two veteran hostelers opened this obviously named bar in 2017, finally giving the town what it lacked for decades: a drinking establishment dedicated to drinking (hence the motto ‘Drink & Drink,’ not ‘Food & Drink’!). There are 12 taps of mostly craft-driven local beers (Chester and Morchela), cocktails mixed with Latin American craft spirits and wines-by-the-glass decanted by a Vinturi aerator.
The spacious 2nd-floor outdoor patio fills up with the town’s bold and beautiful – and there’s often live music or DJs to cap it all off.
Casa Mawen CaféCAFE
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; www.facebook.com/mawencafe; Santa Rosa 218; coffee CH$1500-3300; h7:30am-10pm Mon-Fri, 9:30am-11pm Sat & Sun; W)
Occupying a big, beautiful lake-view home, Chilean-owned Mawen is the town’s other great coffee spot, with more of a local vibe, a family-friendly atmosphere and great java, including 100% Arabica beans sourced from Mexico and Colombia. The extensive outdoor patio – with stupendous lake views! – is a wonderful spot to while away an afternoon of espresso and people-watching.
Bravo CabreraBAR, RESTAURANT
(www.bravocabrera.cl; Av Vicente Pérez Rosales 1071; h6pm-late Mon-Thu, 12:30pm-3am Fri & Sat, 12:30-6pm Sun; W)
Named after a Patagonian Robin Hood who stole beef from the rich and threw barbecues for the poor, this fashionable restobar is where you’ll find upper-class local color downing craft beers, trendy cocktails and great pub grub (mains CH$6200 to CH$8400). It’s a great place to escape the tourist onslaught and see how the other half of PV lives.
A late-night taxi back to centro costs CH$1500.
WORTH A TRIP
CHESTER BEER BREWING COMPANY
American nanobrewer ‘Chester’ (real name Derek Way) has been at it since 2006, long before ‘craft’ was a thing in Chile. His rustic but epic countryside brewery, Chester Beer Brewing Company (www.chesterbeer.cl; Línea Nueva 93, Campo Molino Viejo; pints CH$2500; h10am-5pm Mon-Fri, noon-7pm Sun), is fashioned from shipping containers. It’s a true makeshift beervana, with four taps dedicated to experimental one-offs and all of his staples in bottles (IPA, Summer Ale, APA and Stout).
The brewery, 8km north of Puerto Varas, isn’t reachable by public transport but there’s a 50% discount for bike arrivals, or catch the Beer Bus (noon, 1:30pm, 3pm, 4:30pm and 6pm), which runs Wednesday to Sunday from December to March, Thursday to Saturday from April to November, from Plaza de Armas and the old train station in Puerto Varas.
At the time of writing, Derek was planning to move his operation 1.5km northeast on Línea Nueva (Llanquihue) to a new, 220-sq-meter barn and brewery with pub grub, rotating food trucks and parrilla-equipped picnic tables (bring your own beef!).
7Shopping
Fundación Artesanías de ChileARTS & CRAFTS
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; www.artesaniasdechile.cl; Del Salvador 109; h9am-9pm Mon-Sat, 10:30am-7pm Sun) S
A not-for-profit foundation offering beautiful Mapuche textiles as well as high-quality jewelry and ceramics from all over southern Chile.
8Information
Banco de Chile (www.bancochile.cl; cnr Del Salvador & Santa Rosa) ATM.
BBVA (www.bbvacompass.com; San Pedro 326) ATM.
BCI (www.bci.cl; cnr San Pedro & Del Salvador) ATM.
Carabineros de Chile (%65-276-5100; www.carabineros.cl; San Francisco 241; h24hr) Police.
Clínica Puerto Varas (www.clinicapv.cl; Otto Bader 810; h24hr) Near Del Salvador’s southwest exit from town.
CorreosChile (www.correos.cl; San José 242; h9am-1:30pm & 3-6pm Mon-Fri, 9:30am-12:30pm Sat)
Parque Nacional Pumalín Office (%65-225-0079; www.parquepumalin.cl; Klenner 299; h9am-6pm Mon-Fri) Though the park is found in northern Patagonia, this is the official tourism office for Parque Nacional Pumalín. The sign says ‘Tompkins Conservation.’
Tourist Office (%65-236-1175; www.ptovaras.cl; Del Salvador 320; h8:30am-9pm Mon-Fri, 9am-9pm Sat & Sun Dec-Feb, 8:30am-7pm Mon-Fri, 10am-2pm & 3-7pm Sat & Sun Mar-Nov)
8Getting There & Away
Most long-distance bus services from Puerto Varas originate in Puerto Montt. Buses leave from a few individual offices and from two terminals: one for Cruz del Sur (%65-223-6969; www.busescruzdelsur.cl; San Francisco 1317; hoffice 7am-10pm) – and Bus Norte’s Bariloche departures – and the other the TurBus (%65-223-3787; www.turbus.cl; Del Salvador 1093; hoffice 7am-10:30pm Mon-Fri, 7am-2pm & 4-10:30pm Sat & Sun) station just outside the centro, which also serves JAC and Cóndor. A few companies sell tickets through their individual offices around downtown.
For Osorno, Valdivia and Temuco, Cruz del Sur has several departures daily; it also goes to Chiloé and Punta Arenas. For Santiago, Buses ETM (%65-223-0830; www.etm.cl; Rosas 1017, office; h8:30am-11pm), Bus Norte (%65-223-4298; www.busnortechile.cl; Andrés Bello 304, 2nd fl, office; hoffice 10am-1pm & 3-9pm Mon-Fri, 11am-1pm & 2:30-9pm Sat-Sun) and Pullman Bus (%65-223-7720; www.pullman.cl; San Francisco 1004, office; h8am-3pm & 4:45-11pm) offer the best services. Buses JAC (%65-238-3800; www.jac.cl; Martínez 230; h9am-noon & 2-6:30pm Mon-Fri, 10am-1pm Sat), the in-town office of which also represents TurBus, goes to Villarrica and Pucón. For Viña del Mar/Valparaíso, Pullman has a nightly bus, as does Buses ETM and TurBus.
For Bariloche (Argentina), Cruz del Sur/Bus Norte Internacional goes daily. Andesmar (%cell 9-9789-8296; www.andesmar.com; San Francisco 1057) heads out daily with an extra summer departure – note Andesmar departs from Pullman Bus, not at the Andesmar office.
LS Travel (%65-223-2424; www.lstravel.com; San José 128; h8am-8pm) offers more exclusive daily shuttles (US$170; 7:30am) and shuttle/boat combos (US$230; 7:15am) with touristy stops along the way, but they do not go unless at least four people have reserved in advance.
| DESTINATION | COST (CH$) | HOURS |
|---|---|---|
| Ancud | 5000 | 2½ |
| Bariloche (Ar) | 18,000 | 6 |
| Castro (Chiloé) | 6500 | 4½ |
| Osorno | 2000 | 1¼ |
| Pucon | 9300 | 5½ |
| Punta Arenas | 50,000 | 18 |
| Santiago | 25,000 | 12 |
| Temuco | from 6500 | 6 |
| Valdivia | 4500 | 3½ |
| Viña del Mar/Valparaíso | 30,000 | 15 |
8Getting Around
Micros to and from Ensenada and Petrohué leave regularly from a small stop near the corner of Martínez and San Bernardo. The best place to catch buses to Puerto Montt is on the 600 block of San Francisco alongside the new shopping mall. Minibuses to Cochamó and Río Puelo also pass here 20 minutes or so after leaving Puerto Montt. For Frutillar and Puerto Octay, buses depart from a small stop on Av Gramado near San Bernardo.
Regional minibus fares from Puerto Varas:
| DESTINATION | COST (CH$) | HOURS |
|---|---|---|
| Cochamó | 2500 | 1½ |
| Ensenada | 1200 | 1 |
| Frutillar | 1200 | ½ |
| Petrohué | 2500 | 1½ |
| Puerto Montt | 800 | ¼ |
| Río Puelo | 4000 | 3 |
Ensenada
%065 / POP 1623
Rustic Ensenada, 45km along a picturesque shore-hugging road from Puerto Varas, is really nothing more than a few restaurants, hospedajes and adventure outfitters, but it’s a nice natural setting in full view of three majestic beasts: Volcán Osorno, Volcán Calbuco and Volcán Puntiagudo. Staying in Ensenada instead of Puerto Varas has a few advantages: if you plan to climb or ski Osorno, you can save an hour of sleep by overnighting here (and if the weather turns, you won’t have come quite as far for nothing). Volcán Calbuco is also within striking distance, just to the south of Ensenada. And between them is the breathtaking Parque Nacional Vicente Pérez Rosales, the entrance of which sits just outside town.
For trout and salmon on Río Petrohué, trophy browns on Río Maullín and fly-fishing in the Lakes District (day trips, lodge stays or road trips throughout Patagonia), call John Joy at Tres Ríos Lodge (%65-271-5710, cell 9-9825-8577; www.tresrioslodge.com; Route 225, Km 37), who also runs the Tradicion Austral B&B in Puerto Varas.
OH NO, CALBUCO!
Following on from Volcán Villarrica a month before, Volcán Calbuco, just south of Ensenada, blew its top rather dramatically on April 22, 2015. The violent sub-Plinian eruption (a sustained eruption as opposed to those lasting a few seconds/minutes), of which there have only been 300 recorded in history, resulted in no fatalities but threatened livestock and even thousands of salmon from the nearby farms. A red alert was declared and immediate evacuation orders were issued for 4000 people within a 20km radius of the volcano. Residents didn’t need the order, though; things got ugly real fast when a massive plume of gases, ash and pyroclastic clouds rose several kilometers into the air, draping the area in volcanic fallout and sending people fleeing with whatever they could grab. Though Calbuco is considered one of Chile’s three most dangerous volcanoes, this was its first eruption in 42 years.
4Sleeping & Eating
oHamilton’s PlaceGUESTHOUSE$$
(%cell 9-8466-4146; www.hamiltonsplace.com; Camino a Ensenada, Km42; dm CH$17,000, s/d CH$40,000/50,000, without bathroom CH$30,000/35,000, closed Apr-Oct; pW)
A friendly Canadian-Brazilian couple run this show, situated close to Ensenada but down an isolated residential street that feels a world away. Tastefully decorated rooms have excellent beds (private bathrooms feature the rarely seen bathtub species!), give off a woodsy feel and boast premium Osorno and Calbuco views. A new 3rd-floor dormitory was installed in 2017.
Eloa, a Brazilian chef, makes fantastic homemade bread for her elaborate breakfast and more substantial meals for guests, including Brazilian specialties like feijoada (black-bean-and-pork stew) and moqueca (seafood stew) on occasion.
Quila HostelB&B$$
(%cell 9-6760-7039; www.quilahostal.com; Camino a Ensenada, Km37; incl breakfast s/d CH$53,000/58,000, without bathroom from CH$43,000/48,000; piW)
A veteran, French Puerto Varas hostel owner runs this rustic choice, completely renovated and homey for this price range. The six-room home is filled with a throwback vibe – all under the nose of super Osorno and Calbuco views. You’re a bit isolated out this way without a car, but that’s part of the appeal.
oAwaBOUTIQUE HOTEL$$$
(%65-229-2020; www.hotelawa.cl; Rut 225, Km27; s/d incl breakfast US$370/400, ste s/d US$520/550; piWs) S
An architect family built and own Sur Chico’s most beautiful new hotel, a deceptively small, 16-room sustainable lakeside retreat that harbors exquisite design details. Rustic (hanging old boats, antique maps) marries modernity (exposed concrete ceilings, slate flooring, reclaimed hardwoods) in common areas; rooms frame stunning volcano views from beds with handmade throws colored to match kinetic-art paintings by Matilde Pérez.
You’ll find your TV hidden inside an antique trunk and bathtubs fit three (Harman Kardon speakers to set the mood)! There’s also a 25m lap pool and free kayaks, bikes and stand-up paddleboards. The restaurant is above and beyond for the region.
oAwaCHILEAN$$$
(%65-229-2020; www.awa.cl; Ruta 225, Km27; mains CH$13,000; h1-3pm & 8-10pm; W) S
Awa has a sommelier poached from Borogo and a chef from La Percanta – two of Santiago’s finest foodie destinations – so you’d be right to expect big things. Thankfully, it delivers. With waves of just-picked produce from its own organic greenhouse, creative dishes change twice daily (green-curry conger eel, osso-buco ragú, hake with fava mash and bacon).
The wine list features exclusive Chilean wines like Tatay de Cristóbal and Viñedo Chadwick. The restaurant, like the hotel itself, sources everything it can from within 100km. ¡Qué rico!
8Getting There & Away
Minibuses frequently shuttle between Ensenada and Puerto Varas (CH$1200, 50 minutes) and Petrohué (CH$1000, 30 minutes). There is no public transportation between Ensenada and Las Cascadas, a distance of 22km on the road to Puerto Octay.
Parque Nacional Vicente Pérez Rosales
In this park of celestial lakes and soaring volcanoes, Lago Todos Los Santos and Volcán Osorno may be the standouts, but they’re actually just part of a crowd. One lake leads to the next and volcanoes dominate the skyline on all sides of this storied pass through the Andes range. The needlepoint of Volcán Puntiagudo (2493m) lurks to the north and craggy Monte Tronador (3491m) marks the Argentine border to the east.
Established in 1926, the 2510-sq-km Pérez Rosales was Chile’s first national park, but its history goes back much further. In pre-Columbian times Mapuche traveled the ‘Camino de Vuriloche,’ a major trans-Andean route they managed to conceal from the Spaniards for more than a century after the 1599 uprising. Jesuit missionaries traveled from Chiloé, continuing up the Estero de Reloncaví and crossing the pass south of Tronador to Lago Nahuel Huapi, avoiding the riskiest crossings of the region’s lakes and rivers.
There is a Conaf’s visitor center (%65-221-2036; www.conaf.cl; Laguna Verde; h8:30am-5:30pm Sun-Thu, to 4:30pm Fri) for basic park info and maps.
Volcán Osorno
Volcán Osorno (2652m), rivaled only by Volcán Villarrica, is a perfect conical peak towering above azure glacial lakes. It retains its idyllic shape due to the 40 craters around its base – it’s there that the volcano’s eruptions have taken place, never at the top.
Centro de Ski y Montaña Volcán Osorno (%cell 9-9158-7337; www.volcanosorno.com; Ruta V-555, Km 12; half-/full-day lift tickets CH$20,000/26,000; h10am-5:30pm) has two lifts for skiing and sightseeing and has recently undergone an expansion of its restaurant and rental shop. It has ski and snowboard rentals (full packages CH$20,000) and food services on the mountain year-round. There’s also a tubing park – fun for kids and adults alike (from CH$15,000).
Expanded summer options include taking the ski lift up for impossibly scenic views at 1420m (CH$12,000) or 1670m (CH$16,000). You can descend a little faster via zip lines (CH$12,000).
Just downhill from the ski slopes, the spruced-up Refugio Teski (%065-256-6622; www.teski.cl; Ruta V-555, Km 12; dm with bedding/sleeping bag CH$17,000/15,000, r with/without bathroom CH$54,000/42,000; W) offers unparalleled access to the mountain. It’s not always professionally run, but it’s a spectacular spot to stay as you can have the outstanding views of Lago Llanquihue and the surrounding mountains all to yourself once the tourist buses depart in the late afternoon.
With 24 hours’ notice, rent out a mountainside hot tub (CH$40,000 for three hours, including a pisco sour and finger food) at sunset and make a night of it.
8Getting There & Away
To get to the ski area and the refugio, take the Ensenada–Puerto Octay road to a signpost about 3km from Ensenada and continue driving 10km up the lateral. It’s well worth your money renting a car and driving up the paved road, taking in spectacular views flanked by Osorno on one side, Calbuco on the other and Lago Llanquihue down below. There are no transportation services to or from the slopes for anyone except package-tour buyers.
Petrohué
People may come for the ferry cruise to Peulla, but Petrohué’s majestic lakeside setting and serenity tend to convince visitors to stay a little longer. Tourism feels a bit forced here, but once the package-tour onslaught leaves or you get yourself across the lake to the hospedajes, it feels like a world away. It’s only 20 minutes from Ensenada down a reasonable ash road, so it has similar advantages in an infinitesimally prettier locale.
1Sights & Activities
From Conaf’s woodsy Camping Playa Petrohué just beyond the paid parking area (you can park for free here), a dirt track leads to Playa Larga, a long black-sand beach much better than the one near the hotel. From the beach, Sendero Los Alerces heads west to meet up with Sendero La Picada, which climbs past Paso Desolación and continues on to Refugio La Picada on the volcano’s north side. Alternatively, follow Los Alerces back to the hotel.
Trips to Isla Margarita, a wooded island with a small interior lagoon, cost CH$10,000 with a minimum of 10 people (smaller fishing boats may go for less). Boatmen also linger at the pier to take folks on a 30-minute lake navigation (CH$5000 for up to five people).
Saltos del PetrohuéWATERFALL
(www.conaf.cl/parques/parque-nacional-vicente-perez-rosales; adult/child Chilean CH$2000/1000, foreigner CH$4000/2000; h9am-6pm)
Six kilometers southwest of Petrohué, the Saltos del Petrohué is a rushing, frothing waterfall raging through a narrow volcanic rock canyon carved by lava. Anyone wondering why the rafting trips don’t start from the lake will find the answer here, although experienced kayakers have been known to take it on. Parking is CH$1000.
4Sleeping
Hospedaje EsmeraldaGUESTHOUSE$
(%cell 9-9839-2589, cell 9-6225-6230; rosabur67@hotmail.com; incl breakfast campsites/r per person without bathroom CH$7000/15,000, cabañas CH$70,000; i)
Like mother, like son: this wooden lodge on stilts is a nearly upscale budget option run by the son of matriarch Küschel, who owns the cheaper hospedaje a few hundred meters down the shore. There’s a beautiful breakfast room with broad windows sucking up the lake views.
Petrohué LodgeLODGE$$$
(%65-221-2025; www.petrohue.com; Ruta 225, Km60; s/d incl breakfast from CH$135,000/185,000, cabins for 4 people CH$175,000; piWs)
In a gorgeous stone and wood-gabled building replete with a tower, this high-end adventure lodge deserves a visit. Its abundant skylights and the roaring fires in the lounge make it a romantic place to relax, read a book or cuddle up. The rooms, rich in wood, have beds piled high with blankets and are scattered with candles.
The restaurant is open to the general public and the adventure outfitter here arranges climbing, rafting and canyoning excursions and has kayaks for rent. The equally luxe cabañas sit on the lakeshore.
8Getting There & Away
Minibuses run from Puerto Varas (CH$1500, one hour) and Ensenada (CH$1000, 15 minutes) to Petrohué throughout the year.
Cochamó
%065 / POP 3908
The Chilote-style, alerce-shingled Iglesia Parroquial María Inmaculada stands picturesque and proud against a backdrop of milky-blue water along the road to Cochamó, forming one of the most stunning spots throughout the region and the gateway to the upper Río Cochamó Valley. In addition to its made-over costanera, some vibrant new accommodation choices are now vying for your attention, doing their best to graduate Cochamó to more than just the spot where you put your kayaks in the water on a day trip from Puerto Varas.
Locally-run Southern Trips (%cell 9-8407-2559; www.southern-trips.com; Av Cochamó, Pueblo Hundido), located on the main road, offers three-day (CH$231,000) to 11-day (CH$960,000) horse-trekking trips in the area, as well as horses and packhorses to La Junta (per horse CH$30,000, 65kg maximum). Across the street, its Coffee House (10am to 8pm December to March) is Cochamó’s best for espresso, panini, traveler camaraderie and wi-fi.
4Sleeping & Eating
Las Bandurrias Eco HostalGUESTHOUSE$
(%cell 9-9672-2590; www.hostalbandurrias.com; Sector el Bosque s/n; dm CH$15,000, s/d without bathroom CH$25,000/CH$37,000) S
The friendly Swiss-Chilean owners at this newly built eco-guesthouse will grab you in town to introduce you to their fairy-tale sleeps, the best and most sustainable choice. The bathrooms and guest kitchen are great, and composting and solar heating are the norm. House-made breads (including Swiss tresse) and outdoor tables and benches overlooking the fjord are highlights.
Book ahead as there are only five rooms, and get directions via Av El Bosque – Google maps will lead you astray.
Campo AventuraLODGE$
(%cell 9-9289-4318; www.campo-aventura.com; Valle Concha s/n; campsites per person CH$5000, r per person incl breakfast CH$20,000)
Campo Aventura sleeps 15 in three splendid rooms and one cabin at its riverside camp at Cochamó, which is US owned and managed. There’s a lovely breakfast and beautiful camping area at the river’s edge. It is well-equipped to get you up to La Junta on horseback.
La BicicletaHOSTEL$
(%cell 9-9402-9281; www.labicicletahostel.com; Av Cochamó 179; incl breakfast dm CH$15,000, d without bathroom CH$35,000; W)
This bike-themed hostel is little more than two four-bed dorms and a double built behind the amicable Chilean owner’s home along the main road through Cochamó, but the facilities are quite good, with solid hardwood bunk beds, mirrors and wooden chairs. Shared bathrooms follow suit and include welcome design touches such as recycled-tree-branch toilet-paper holders.
Owner Sixto does a great country breakfast, with fried churrasco (steak) bread, free-range eggs and great jams, honey and cheese. Wi-fi is via portable modem – Sixto will let you take it back to the dorms for a better signal. Cyclists are welcome to pop in for a coffee or snack when riding through!
Patagonia NativaGUESTHOUSE$
(%cell 9-9316-5635; www.patagonianativa.cl; Av Aeródromo s/n; dm CH$17,000, r CH$40,000-42,000, r/tr without bathroom CH$40,000/54,000; W)
One of several worthwhile options that have opened above town, with views over the Reloncaví fjord that would make a postcard throw in the towel. Owner Cristian speaks enough English and has built a cozy cabin-like guesthouse – filtered coffee! – that still smells of pine. He runs kayak trips as well.
Hospedaje MauraGUESTHOUSE$
(%cell 9-9334-9213; www.hostalmaura.cl; JJ Molina 77; r per person without bathroom CH$20,000, cabañas CH$75,000)
The cozy in-town choice has charming owners, recently spruced-up rooms with good beds and very low ceilings. Two new cabañas feature chic Electrolux refrigerators and modern bathrooms. Hop from the guest kitchen (with wood-fired BBQ) to the outdoor sauna and call it a night. Breakfast is CH$4000.
El FaroCHILEAN$
(Costanera s/n; mains CH$3700-8000; h9am-10pm, shorter hr winter)
Probably your best bet for a decent home-cooked meal in Cochamó, El Faro does ceviches, fresh fish such as merluza (hake) and congrio (conger eel) a number of ways, and other seafood delights. It’s right on the water, so views are expectedly dramatic.
8Information
Wi-fi has finally arrived in Cochamó. If you do not have a signal at your lodgings, you can connect to the wi-fi at the Biblioteca Pública (Av Cochamó s/n; h9am-1pm & 2:30-7pm Mon-Fri; W) – after a quick registration with your passport – or with the password (crdrcn20co90) at Municipalidad de Cochamó next door (network: Coordinacion Municipal). Both are free and only work during office hours.
Municipalidad de Cochamó (%65-256-2586, cell 9-6480-9493; www.municochamo.cl; Av Cochamó s/n; h8:30am-1pm & 2:30-5:30pm Mon-Fri; W) Maps, info and wi-fi signal. For after hours tourism assistance, call Janette on % cell 9-6480-9493.
8Getting There & Away
Buses Río Puelo/Estuario Reloncaví (%65-284-1200; cnr Av Diego Portales & Lillo, Puerto Montt Terminal, Boletería 42) leaves Puerto Montt for Cochamó (CH$3000, 2½ hours) at 7:45am, 2pm and 4pm (7:45am, noon and 4:30pm on Sunday). Transhar (%65-225-4187; cnr Av Diego Portales & Lillo, Puerto Montt Terminal, Boletería 44) goes at 12:15pm and 3:30pm Monday to Saturday only (2½ hours). All services stop in Puerto Varas and Ensenada and continue on to Río Puelo (CH$4500). Heading back, buses pass through at 6:30am, 7am, 8am, 2pm, 2:30pm and 5pm; flag them down along the main road.
Río Cochamó Valley
With its impressive granite domes rising above the verdant canopy and colossal alerce trees dominating the rainforest, some tout the spectacular Río Cochamó Valley as the Chilean Yosemite. Near here, the glacial waters of the Lakes District give way to the salt waters of the 80km Estero de Reloncaví, a fjord that forms the gateway to Northern Patagonia. The region’s popularity, however, has exploded in recent years – originally with rock climbers, as there are more than 300 climbs and six full-day hikes, but more recently with campers. This evolution that has turned the valley into a bit of a student-driven party scene in high season (so much so that the carabineros recently employed a drug-sniffing dog at the trailhead). The area is indeed a beautiful spot worthy of multiple days; and controls have been implemented to curb the growth and negative environmental impact. But Yosemite comparisons, perhaps inevitably, rang a little too true here.
4Sleeping
La FronteraCAMPGROUND, LODGE$
(%cell 9-8554-9033; www.lafronteravallecochamo.com; La Junta; campsites per person CH$5000, s/d incl breakfast CH$30,000/36,000) S
This well-organized Chilean-Czech operation is the best place to bed down nearest the trailhead to La Junta (it sits about 900m away – get a head start!). The cozy hexagonal lodge was nearly entirely built by hand and designed to maximize sunlight in an otherwise-humid and darkish location. The eco-camping features hot showers and composting toilets.
Pizza and biomagnetic therapies are on offer.
Río Cochamó Valley ReservationsACCOMMODATION SERVICES$
(www.reservasvallecochamo.org)
All tourists entering the Río Cochamó Valley between December 15 and March 15 must register in advance, choose their accommodations and secure a voucher that will need to be shown to control along the trail. If you do not have a voucher and there’s no space available for the night you are hiking up, you will be turned away.
8Getting There & Away
The road to the trailhead begins just before the Río Cochamó bridge to Campo Aventura, but most folks grab a taxi from Cochamó (from CH$6000, 30 minutes) or drive themselves this first 7km to the trailhead. (You can park at the last house on the right for CH$2000.)
La Junta
4Sleeping
Camping La JuntaCAMPGROUND$
(www.cochamo.com/camping; campsites per person CH$5000; hmid-Sep–Apr) S
The scenic Camping La Junta is a climber-run ecofriendly campground with makeshift solar showers, six composting bathrooms, fire-pit warmed shelters and sinks to wash dishes. All the day hikes in La Junta begin from this point. To reach it, you’ll need to hike approximately 11km, then continue past Campo Aventura’s river-crossing pulley system for just less than 1km (10 minutes).
Refugio CochamóLODGE$$
(www.cochamo.com; Valle La Junta Décima; dm CH$17,000, d/q without bathroom from CH$48,000/65,000; hDec-Mar; i)
The impressive Refugio Cochamó is a fantastic gringo-Argentine, climber-run cabin with wood-fired showers, water straight from the Trinidad waterfall, homemade pizza (from CH$15,000) and nightly specials (CH$14,000). You’ll need to hike approximately 11km, then continue past Campo Aventura’s river-crossing pulley system across the Cochamó. Continue 10 minutes to the pampa of Camping La Junta, and follow signs to the refugio’s pulley system.
Reservations through website only.
Campo Aventura La Junta RanchCAMPGROUND$$
(%cell 9-9289-4318; www.campoaventura.cl; campsites per person CH$5000)
Run by the most established outfitter in the area, this candlelit converted farmhouse on 50 hectares has the smallest number of maximum campers per night for the biggest space (ie you get elbow room!). Facilities include three two-cubicle outhouses and a quincho for cooking food.
There is also a four bedroom, four-bed bunkhouse lodge with wood-fired showers, a dining room with a central woodstove and a sundeck that has superb Arco Iris views, but it was only being rented out to private tour groups on our last visit.
8Getting There & Away
The only way in or out is on foot – a spectacular 12km trek from the trailhead at Cochamó – or on horseback. La Comarca Puelo Adventure in Puerto Varas runs a three-day trek (CH$390,000 per person including meals, lodging and load horses). If you are just looking for transport, Cochamó-based Southern Trips is highly recommended.
Río Puelo
The road from Cochamó continues along the Estero de Reloncaví another 31km through to Río Puelo, a little hamlet under the watchful eye of Volcán Yates and the jade-hued Río Puelo. It’s a serene and photogenic spot that makes for a great base for serious fishing and exploration further afield into the Río Puelo Valley.
Carved out of virgin Valdivian rainforest 15km east of Puelo, Parque Tagua-Tagua (%65-256-6646; www.parquetaguatagua.cl; adult/child CH$5000/3500) is southern Chile’s latest park. A private initiative funded by Universidad Mayor in Santiago and managed by Mítico Puelo Lodge and Miralejos Chile Adventure, the park preserves 30 sq km of previously unseen alerce forest along with two lakes, Lago Alerce and Lago Quetrus, bounded by granite mountains. Trekking and climbing are big draws here, as is bird-watching and the chance of spotting pudú (small deer), puma and condors.
There are three basic but well-made alerce refugios with bathrooms, solar panels and wood-burning stoves in the park, built along its 25km of trails that traverse rivers via well-built wooden bridges. The park has a limited capacity established by the fragility of its ecosystem and visits are possible by reservation only.
To get here, catch the once-a-day Lago Tagua-Tagua–bound bus from Puerto Montt (7:45am) or Puerto Varas (8:20am), which meets the ferry at the edge of Lago Tagua-Tagua. Make sure you have called ahead to park officials, who will meet you on the other side of the Tagua-Tagua ferry crossing (Puerto Maldonado) for the final 10-minute boat ride to the park.
4Sleeping
Puelo SiempreVerdeCABAñAS$
(%cell 9-7668-7308; www.puelosiempreverde.cl; Camino Internacional Río Puelo el Bolsón s/n; cabañas 2/7 people CH$40,000/90,000; pW)
A bit of English is spoken but you won’t much care once you tuck yourself away in one of two grass-roofed, rustic-chic cabins right on the banks of the Río Puelo Chico. With modern kitchens and bathrooms and indigenous-style decor, these are pretty ultimate get-away-from-it-all couples’ retreats.
Bikes are for rent; kayaking, fishing and trekking excursions offered.
Camping Río PueloCAMPGROUND$
(%cell 9-6769-2918; www.cabalgatasriopuelo.cl; Puelo Alto; campsites per person CH$5000, cabañas d/q CH$30,000/50,000; pW)
This basic campground offers lovely Andes views, improved bathrooms (including an outdoor solar shower) and wi-fi. The friendly owner, a bit of a multilinguist, has a few well-equipped cabañas with his own proud invention: a rotating heater that can be pointed in specific directions for more concentrated warmth. Call ahead.
oDomo CampHOTEL$$
(%cell 9-6802-4275; www.andespatagonia.cl; Puelo Alto; d/tr/q/cabaña CH$45,000/55,000/65,000/45,000; piW)
Each of these geodesic domes connected by planks through native forest has its own fireplace for warmth, and cozy mattresses and sleeping bags are provided. Unlimited use of the soothing outdoor hot tub on premises is included in domo rates and there’s a great quincho for BBQs. The agency here arranges excursions for guests and nonguests alike.
8Information
Tourist Office (%65-256-2551 ext 114; www.municochamo.cl; Santiago Bueras s/n; h8:30am-2pm & 3-5:30pm Mon-Fri) This small plaza tourist office inside the municipalidad has a map and basic info on local treks, rustic family lodgings and guides. After hours, give Eliseo a shout on %cell 9-9631-1246.
8Getting There & Away
There are five daily departures to and from Puerto Montt (CH$4500, four hours), stopping in Puerto Varas, Ensenada and Cochamó (fewer on Sunday). From the village, the road banks inland to Puerto Canelo on Lago Tagua-Tagua. In January and February, Transportes Puelche (%cell 9-6159-3120; www.navierapuelche.cl; cars/pedestrians CH$7000/1050) operates the 45-minute lake crossing to the road’s extension at Puerto Maldonado three times daily at 7:30am, noon and 4:30pm, returning at 8:30am, 1pm and 5:30pm (the first departure is cut the rest of the year; the crossing takes about 45 minutes). The road then parallels the river 32km to Llanada Grande. Vehicles should show up 90 minutes before departure to get in line.
Puelo Valley
%065 / POP 500
Like a country lass of modest origins, the Río Puelo Valley remains unfazed by that massive industry called tourism, offering authentic, off-the-grid adventures. An ecotourism surge here in recent years has thus far warded off proposed hydroelectric dams (which would flood most of the valley), but the threat of development is always present. Fishing, trekking and horseback riding are king here and each offers days of satiating adventures in the area.
Llanada Grande & Beyond
The area has seen a steady stream of new hospedajes, camping, cabañas and a few upscale fishing lodges. Inquire at Campo Eggers about a system of pioneer homes and rustic B&Bs in place for travelers to continue east from here, making your treks and horseback rides feel a little less touristy and a little more cultural.
4Sleeping
Campo EggersAGROTURISMO$
(%65-256-6644, cell 9-8730-0953; agroturelsalto@gmail.com; r per person without bathroom incl breakfast & dinner CH$35,000, cabañas for 2/4/6 CH$40,000/50,000/60,000; pW) S
An invaluable choice in an impeccably clean and sensibly furnished log home owned by spirited Blanca Eggers, who can set up accommodations in pioneer homes and B&Bs all the way to Lago Puelo in Argentina. Breakfast, onces (elevenses) and dinner (and wine!) – almost all hailing from the farm itself – are included and often involve traditional lamb or wild-boar asado.
The animal-packed farm’s postcard setting in front of the 1200m El Salto waterfall – two new top-shelf cabañas frame it perfectly – is a destination in itself, but it can be too quiet if it’s not a full house.
Isla Las BandurriasCOTTAGE$$$
(%cell 9-9263-6861; www.opentravel.cl; Isla Las Bandurrias, Lago Las Rocas; r per person incl meals US$220) S
Surrounded by the mountains some 20km or so from the Argentine border, the 4-hectare Isla Las Bandurrias’ cinematic island setting is its selling point, but whether you’re in the lovely main home or the idyllic cabin, rustic-chic furnishings and recycled design elements coupled with French antiques and wooden stoves aplenty make for the ultimate, solar-powered nature retreat.
It sure as hell ain’t easy to get to and all the better for it. The late mother of OpenTravel’s Cathy Berard built this little isolated patch of paradise in the middle of Lago Las Rocas, 20km south of Llanada Grande, from reclaimed cypress logs rescued from the lake and a fierce, off-the-grid determination. It’s pricey, but the bill includes three meals (with wine) and afternoon tea, but not the boat transfer across Lago Las Rocas, which is CH$15,000 for up to eight people, arranged by OpenTravel.
8Getting There & Away
The 7:45am Buses Río Puelo/Estuario Reloncaví departure from Puerto Montt to Río Puelo continues on to the ferry departure point at Puerto Canelo on the north side of Lago Tagua-Tagua (CH$5000, 4½ hours), where ferries leave three times a day in January and February (45 minutes; 7:30am, noon and 4:30pm). At Puerto Maldonado, on the south side, a bus to Llanada Grande (CH$1000, 45 minutes) waits for the noon ferry only (and passes Llanada Grande around 10am to return for the noon ferry). To return, ferries leave Puerto Maldonado three times a day in high season (45 minutes; 8:30am, 1pm and 5:30pm; only the last two depart the rest of the year). The first morning departure is cancelled the rest of the year.
Puerto Montt
%065 / POP 218,858
Say what you will about Puerto Montt (locals certainly don’t hold back, with Muerto Montt, meaning ‘Dead Montt,’ topping the list), but if you choose to visit southern Chile’s ominous volcanoes, its celestial glacial lakes and its mountainous national parks, you will most likely be visiting the capital of the Lakes District and the region’s commercial and transportation hub.
Puerto Montt’s most redeeming quality besides its plethora of exit points – the Navimag ferry departs from here – is that it has become a fine spot for a meal (several of the region’s best restaurants are here). Still, most folks, including those who on occasion become endeared of Puerto Montt’s unpolished working-class Chilean atmosphere, make their way to Puerto Varas instead.
1Sights
Monte VerdeARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE
(www.fundacionmonteverde.cl; V-830; h24hr) F
A small child’s footprint discovered in a marshy field 28km west of Puerto Montt turned the archaeological world on its head in 1975 – evidence of human settlement in the Americas suddenly predated the long-accepted Clovis paradigm by roughly 1000 years. Located on the banks of Chinchihuapi Creek, the site is now believed to date back some 18,500 years into the coldest moment of the Ice Age.
The site is under the direction of American anthropologist Tom Dillehay. Recent excavations in the open-air human settlement have uncovered ropes with knots, tool-shaped implements, mastodon bones – some 39 stone objects and 12 small bonfires with associated bones and vegetables in all. Infrastructure here is minimal, but there are instructive panels explaining the site as well as a 200m-long trail marked with instructive plaques showing where excavations have occurred. A museum project is in the works. You’ll need your own wheels to visit.
Av Angelmó Street StallsMARKET
(Av Angelmó)
Along busy, diesel-fume-laden Av Angelmó is a dizzying mix of streetside stalls (selling artifacts, smoked mussels, cochayuyo – edible sea plant – and mysterious trinkets), crafts markets and touristy seafood restaurants with croaking waiters beckoning you to a table. Enjoy the frenzy, but keep on going…
The best quality crafts and food are found at the end of the road at the picturesque fishing port of Angelmó, 3km west of downtown. It’s easily reached by frequent local buses and colectivos.
Casa del Arte Diego RiveraGALLERY
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; www.culturapuertomontt.cl; Quillota 116; h9am-1pm & 3-6:30pm Mon-Fri) F
This joint Mexican-Chilean project finished in 1964. The upstairs Sala Hardy Wistuba specializes in works by local artists, sculptors and photographers. Also houses a small cafe and an excellent boutique.
Catedral de Puerto MonttCHURCH
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; Urmeneta s/n)
Built entirely of alerce in 1856, this church, located on the Plaza de Armas, is the town’s oldest building and one of its few attractive ones.
TTours
OpenTravelADVENTURE
(%65-226-0524; www.opentravel.cl)
Offers off-the-beaten-path trekking and horseback riding to remote areas in northern Patagonia and across the Andes to Argentina, including remote Argentine-French retreats on Isla Las Bandurrias in Lago Las Rocas and multiday horseback-riding/cultural farmstay trips between Argentina and Chile.
4Sleeping
Hospedaje Vista al MarGUESTHOUSE$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %65-225-5625; www.hospedajevistaalmar.cl; Vivar 1337; s/d CH$23,000/35,000, without bathroom CH$15,000/30,000; iW)
This family-run favorite is one of nicest of the residential guesthouses, decked out in great-condition hardwoods with spick-and-span bathrooms, rooms with cable TV and wonderful bay views. Eliana fosters a family-friendly atmosphere – helpful to the nth degree – and breakfast goes a step beyond for Chile: yogurt, whole-wheat breads, cakes, muffins and filtered coffee (maybe if you beg?).
Colores del PuertoGUESTHOUSE$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %65-248-9360; www.coloresdelpuerto.cl; Pasaje Schwerter 207; s/d CH$25,000/36,000; W)
Tomás, a friendly, classical-music-loving amateur artist, offers three rooms with private bathrooms (two en suite, one private but outside of the room) and views inside his well-appointed home, which is dotted with his own marine-themed watercoloring.
Casa PerlaGUESTHOUSE$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %65-226-2104; www.casaperla.com; Trigal 312; incl breakfast campsites per person CH$7000, dm CH$11,000, r without bathroom CH$26,000; iW)
This welcoming family-home’s matriarch, Perla, will have you feeling like a sibling. English and German are spoken. All bathrooms are shared and guests can use the kitchen, where Perla makes jam and sometimes homemade bread on the wood-burning stove. It’s the coziest, knickknack-filled choice in this neighborhood.
oTren del SurDESIGN HOTEL$$
(%65-234-3939; www.trendelsur.cl; Santa Teresa 643; s/d CH$39,900/53,200; piW)
This boutique hotel in the old neighborhood of Modelo is full of furniture (headboards, wardrobes) fashioned from rescued railway trestles. The high-style lobby is cozy and follows the principles of feng shui. The 17 rooms, a step down from the high-design common areas, offer central heating and are entered from a skylighted hallway visible through installed windows.
5Eating
El BosqueCAFE, BAR$
(MAP; Rancagua 293; sandwiches CH$5600-6400; h10:30am-9pm; W)
Beaming with personality, this artsy and bohemian 2nd-floor cafe and bar touts rustic design schemes often forged from recycled materials. The daily lunch menú (four or so choices; CH$4000 to CH$6000) draws a hip, in-the-know crowd and there are fantastic sandwiches too, including satisfying quinoa or mushrooms burgers for veggies. Cool tunes to boot.
Puerto FritosSEAFOOD$
(Av Presidente Ibáñez 716, Mercado Municipal Presidente Ibáñez; mains CH$5300-8900; h10am-5:30pm; W)
Forget touristy Angelmó! All of Puerto Montt is laid out before you at this cute and unassuming locals’ secret with the best views in town. It’s well worth the CH$2000 Uber for excellent caldillo de mariscos (seafood soup; CH$5300 to CH$9900) and ceviches (CH$5500 to CH$7600), all of which are served fresh directly from the colorful market downstairs.
On Sunday, seafood and sauvignon blanc is the Golden Ticket – there is little else to see, eat or do in the city.
UnimarcSUPERMARKET$
(MAP; www.unimarc.cl; Av Soler Manfredini 51, Paseo Costanera; h9am-10pm Mon-Sat, 11am-10pm Sun)
This is the most convenient supermarket in town for stocking up on Navimag provisions. It’s located inside the same mall as the transfer-bus departure point for Chinquihue.
oCoteléSTEAK$$
(%65-227-8000; www.cotele.cl; Av Soler Manfredini 1661, Pelluco; steaks CH$11,000-15,000; h1-3:30pm & 8-11:30pm Mon-Sat; W)
This quincho (barbecue hut) steakhouse has a long-standing reputation for its meticulous grillmen who honor the meat with Picasso-level focus. Grill maestro Julio Elgueta, who has been manning the open hearth here through various changes since 2002, isn’t shy about letting you know he has skills. Fair enough: the top-end Angus cuts (sirloin, rib eye and filet) are riveting.
Steaks work from a base of CH$2000 and are priced per kilo from there (Julio will bring the precooked slabs to the table and cut to order) and are served with roasted breadsticks with a fiery merkén paste, sopapillas (fried bread) with pebre (coriander, chopped onion, olive oil, garlic and spicy peppers) and potatoes. Perfect order: 350g Angus filet with green peppercorn sauce. The bad news? At the time of research, the former South African owner had sold it and returned home; while it’s not expected to not to skip a beat, change always brings uncertainty.
In Pelluco, it can be easily reached by buses from the terminal marked Chamiza/Pelluco (CH$400, 10 minutes) but this Slow Food steak means you’ll need to Uber (CH$2000 to CH$4000) home – buses stop around 8:30pm or so. Reservations are a good idea, especially Thursday through Sunday – there are just 10 tables.
oChile PicanteCHILEAN$$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %cell 9-8454-8923; www.chilepicanterestoran.cl; Vicente Pérez Rosales 567; menú CH$10,500; h11:30am-3:30pm & 7:30-10:30pm Mon-Sat; W)
Owner Francisco Sánchez Luengo is on to something at this intimate and playful gourmet hot spot that’s an ambitious (uphill) walk from most of the budget sleeps. With expansive city and sea views as the backdrop, Luengo offers just a few choices in his always-changing, three-course menu, all delicately presented yet bursting with the flavors of the market that day.
There’s a fascinating emphasis on out-of-the-box preparations of native ingredients: nalca (Chilean rhubarb), cochayuyo and ulte (sea plants), michuña (native Chiloé potato) etc. Reservations recommended. Cash only.
6Drinking & Nightlife
Cirus BarBAR
(MAP; Miraflores 1177; h10am-midnight Mon-Thu, to 1am Fri-Sat; W)
By day, it’s one of Puerto Montt’s best-value lunch destinations. By night, as one local put it, ‘It’s a great place to find some sinister personalities!’ It draws a tantalizing mix of lawyers, prostitutes, artists, writers and poets – local color in spades! – in a room packed with with a bohemian potpourri of antiques and discarded memorabilia.
Nightly folk music keeps the soundtrack lively.
Magnolia CaféCAFE
(Luis Ross 460; coffee CH$1400-2890; h8:30am-8pm; W) S
Cute little cafe tucked away inside Casa del Diamante, which also houses a Bikram yoga center. It’s a fine, locals’ secret for breakfast (CH$2900 to CH$4990), cakes and pastries, and espresso.
7Shopping
Paseo CostaneraSHOPPING
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; http://pasmar.cl/mall-paseo-costanera; Illapel 10; h10am-9pm)
Puerto Montt’s best shopping mall, with a cinema and a trampoline park for the kiddies. If you are arriving off the Navimag, you can find ticket offices for Cruz del Sur and TurBus/JAC right inside the mall. If you’re looking for outdoor gear, you’ll find Lippi, Rockford, Merrell, Helly Hansen, Weinbrenner, Columbia, Doite, Andesgear, Ripley and Nike.
8Information
If arriving at night, stay alert; petty thievery isn’t uncommon. Be hyperaware walking around the bus station as well as along the costanera and Antonio Varas, which have become stretches of ill repute and shadiness after the sun goes down.
There are more banks along Antonio Varas near Plaza de Armas than there are in Switzerland. You’ll find money-exchange houses clustered around Diego Portales and Guillermo Gallardo.
Banco de Chile (www.bancodechile.cl; cnr Rancagua & Urmeneta) ATM.
Banco de Chile (www.bancodechile.cl; cnr Pedro Montt & Antonio Varas) ATM.
Conaf (%65-248-6115; www.conaf.cl; Ochagavía 458; h9am-1pm & 2:30-5:45pm Mon-Thu, to 4:30pm Fri) Can provide details on nearby national parks.
Información Turística (Sernatur; %65-222-3016; www.sernatur.cl; San Martín 80; h9am-1pm & 3-6pm Mon-Fri, 9am-2pm Sat) On the west side extension of Plaza de Armas and at arrivals in the airport (Sernatur; www.sernatur.cl; El Aeropuerto Internacional El Tepual, Arrivals Hall, San Antonio; h9am-5:50pm Mon-Fri). Stocks a wealth of brochures, but little English spoken.
Andina del Sud (%65-222-8600; www.andinadelsud.com; Antonio Varas 216, Edificio Torre del Puerto, suite 907; h9am-7pm Mon-Fri) Represents the CruceAndino in Puerto Montt.
Carabineros de Chile (%65-276-5158; www.carabineros.cl; Guillermo Gallardo 517; h24hr)
Clínica Puerto Montt (%65-248-4800; www.clinpmontt.cl; Panamericana Sur 400; h24hr) One of Puerto Montt’s most recommended private hospitals.
Argentinian Consulate (%65-228-2878; www.cpmon.cancilleria.gov.ar; Pedro Montt 160, 6th fl, Puerto Montt)
CorreosChile (www.correos.cl; Rancagua 126; h9am-7pm Mon-Fri, 9:30am-1pm Sat)
8Getting There & Around
AIR
Aeropuerto El Tepual (%65-229-4161; www.aeropuertoeltepual.cl; V-60, San Antonio) is located 16km west of the city and is served by LATAM (%600-526-2000; www.latam.com; O’Higgins 167, Local 1-B; h9am-1:15pm & 3-6:30pm Mon-Fri, 10am-1:30pm Sat), which flies two to four times daily to Punta Arenas, twice daily to Balmaceda/Coyhaique and up 10 times daily to Santiago. (Flights to Castro, Chiloé, are from Santiago only.) The airport is also served by Sky Airline (www.skyairline.com), JetSmart (www.jetsmart.com) and Latin American Wings (LAW; www.vuelalaw.com) airlines.
Andrés Tour (%cell 9-9647-2210; www.andrestur.com; cnr Av Diego Portales & Lillo, Puerto Montt Terminal, box 38) services the airport from the bus terminal (CH$2500; boxes 10-14). Catch the bus two hours before your flight’s departure (don’t cut it close with the shuttle departure time – they are fined if they sit in their assigned gate longer than a few minutes and they will leave without you!). It also offers door-to-door service from the airport to Puerto Montt (CH$5000; CH$8000 for two) and Puerto Varas (oddly, CH$10,000 for one or two people).
Taxis to the airport cost between CH$12,000 and CH$15,000 (Uber rings up between CH$7000 and CH$9000); both trips take 30 to 45 minutes.
In addition to car-rental companies at the airport, the small Terminal Rent-A-Car (V-60, San Antonio; h7:30am-midnight Mon-Fri, 8am-7pm Sat-Sun), just outside the airport on the main road, houses several budget-friendly local agencies.
Charter flights leave from the small Aeródromo La Paloma, 3km northeast of downtown Puerto Montt.
Pewen Services Aéreos (%65-222-4000; www.pewenchile.com; Aeródromo La Paloma s/n, Hangar 10) flies to Chaitén Monday to Friday (9:30am, 11:30am and 3:30pm) and Saturday and Sunday (9:30am). Aerocord (%65-226-2300; www.aerocord.cl; Aeródromo La Paloma s/n, Hangar 7 & 8) flies the same route daily in summer, less in low season. A one-way ticket on either is CH$50,000.
A quick taxi from the costanera in Puerto Montt is CH$3500.
THE NAVIMAG TO PUERTO NATALES
The Japanese-built, Patagonian-adapted cargo boat Navimag (%22-869-9900; www.navimag.com; Av Diego Portales 2000, office; h9am-1pm & 2:30-6:30pm Mon-Fri, 3-6pm Sat) takes you through days of uninhabited fjords, close encounters with glaciers and views of surreal orange sunsets over the Pacific. Along the way, you might spot minke and Humboldt whales, a variety of birds, a long-abandoned sea-level shipwreck and South American sea lions.
Life on board is cramped, but beds are surprisingly cozy, hovering somewhere between 1st class on an Indian train and midrange rock-band tour bus for comfort level.
If the weather is poor, your views are limited and you will spend much of your time watching movies in the dining area. If the weather is worse, you can spend a day or so pitching back and forth on rough seas and fighting to hold down your lunch. If the weather is worse than that, your trip can be delayed (for days) prior to departure and you can even be delayed en route if the Golfo de Penas (on the open Pacific) is too rough to cross. Cancellations altogether are not infrequent. Either way, it’s windy and cold, summer included.
Fares below represent the Puerto Montt–Puerto Natales leg between November and March. In the opposite direction, fares are slightly less in high season. In low season (April to October), prices drop significantly.
| CLASS | AAA (US$) | BB (US$) | CC (US$) | C (US$) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single | 1950 | 1500 | 780 | – |
| Double | 2100 | 1520 | 1200 | – |
| Triple | – | 2010 | 1500 | – |
| Quad | – | 2200 | 1800 | 400 |
BUS
Puerto Montt’s modern waterfront bus terminal (%65-228-3000; www.terminalpm.cl; cnr Av Diego Portales & Lillo) is the main transportation hub for the region, and it gets busy and chaotic – watch your belongings or leave them with the custodia (per 24 hours CH$1200 to CH$2400) while sorting out travel plans. In summer trips to Punta Arenas and Bariloche can sell out, so book in advance.
Regional micros (minibuses), including Puerto Varas (CH$900, 25 minutes), Frutillar (CH$1600, one hour) and Puerto Octay (CH$1900, two hours), leave frequently from the northern front of the terminal. Buses Río Puelo/Estuario Reloncaví leaves for the villages of Ralún (CH$2500, two hours), Cochamó (CH$3000, 2½ hours) and Río Puelo (CH$4500) at 7:45am, 2pm and 4pm Monday to Saturday, and 7:45am, noon and 4:30pm on Sunday. The first morning departure carries on all the way to Lago Tagua-Tagua (CH$5000, 4½ hours). Transhar plies the Cochamó route at 12:15pm and 3:30pm Monday to Saturday only (CH$4500 as far as Río Puelo).
Bus companies, all with offices at the bus terminal, include Cruz del Sur (%65-248-3144; www.busescruzdelsur.cl; cnr Av Diego Portales & Lillo, Puerto Montt Terminal), with frequent services to Chiloé; Turbus (%65-249-3402; www.turbus.cl; cnr Av Diego Portales & Lillo, Puerto Montt Terminal, Boletería 4), with daily service to Valparaíso/Viña del Mar; Pullman Bus (%65-225-4399; www.pullman.cl; cnr Av Diego Portales & Lillo, Puerto Montt Terminal, Boletería 30), with a one-stop only departure for Santiago at 9:30pm; and Buses ETM (%65-225-6253; www.etm.cl; cnr Av Diego Portales & Lillo, Puerto Montt Terminal, Boletería 14). All of these services go to Santiago, stopping at various cities along the way (locals consider ETM the most reliable and comfortable); Buses ETM and Bus Norte (%65-225-2783; www.busnorte.cl; cnr Av Diego Portales & Lillo, Puerto Montt Terminal, Boletería 12) also offer nightly service to Valparaíso/Viña del Mar. Cruz del Sur also has a town office (%65-228-1717; www.busescruzdelsur.cl; Antonio Varas 437; h9am-1pm & 2:30-7:30pm Mon-Fri).
For Pucón, Villarrica and Validivia, Buses JAC (%65-238-4600; www.jac.cl; cnr Av Diego Portales & Lillo, Puerto Montt Terminal, Boletería 22) departs 10 or so times per day. Kemelbus (%65-225-3530; www.kemelbus.cl; cnr Av Diego Portales & Lillo, Puerto Montt Terminal, Boletería 40) has a daily departure to Chaitén that stops at Parque Pumalín; otherwise, catch more frequent buses to Hornopirén and switch there.
For long-haul trips to Punta Arenas via Argentina, try Queilen Bus (%65-225-3468; www.queilenbus.cl; cnr Av Diego Portales & Lillo, Puerto Montt Terminal, Boletería 26), Cruz del Sur and Pullman Bus. Queilen Bus also goes to Coyhaique.
For Bariloche, Argentina, try Cruz del Sur, Via Bariloche (%65-223-3633; www.viabariloche.com.ar; cnr Av Diego Portales & Lillo, Puerto Montt Terminal, Boletería 47), Andesmar (%65-228-0999; www.andesmar.com; cnr Av Diego Portales & Lillo, Puerto Montt Terminal, Boletería 46) and Trans Austral (%65-227-0984; www.transaustral.com; cnr Av Diego Portales & Lillo, Puerto Montt Terminal, Boletería 41).
Buses from Puerto Montt
| DESTINATION | COST (CH$) | HOURS |
|---|---|---|
| Ancud | 4000 | 2½ |
| Bariloche (Ar) | 18,000 | 6 |
| Castro (Chiloé) | 6000 | 4 |
| Chaitén | 20,000 | 9½ |
| Concepción | 17,100 | 10 |
| Coyhaique | 40,000 | 22 |
| Hornopirén | 4000 | 4 |
| Osorno | 2200 | 1½ |
| Pucón | 9800 | 5½ |
| Punta Arenas | 35,000 | 32 |
| Quellón | 8000 | 6 |
| Santiago | 11,900 | 13 |
| Temuco | 6700 | 5 |
| Valdivia | 5200 | 3½ |
| Valparaíso/Viña del Mar | 12,000 | 15 |
| Villarrica | 9300 | 5 |
BOAT
Puerto Montt is the main departure port for Patagonia. At the Terminal de Transbordadores (www.empormontt.cl; Av Angelmó 2187), you can find the ticket offices of Naviera Austral (%65-227-0430; www.navieraustral.cl; Av Angelmó 1673; seat CH$17,300, vehicle CH$95,100; h9am-2:45pm & 3-6:45pm Mon-Fri, 10am-12:45pm Sat). The offices of Navimag are located near the bus station. Both companies are primarily commercial transporters, so don’t expect thread counts and Dom Pérignon. If you are looking for added comforts or a more cruise-oriented experience, consider Skorpios (%65-227-5646; www.skorpios.cl; Av Angelmó 1660; s/d incl meals & alcohol from US$3300/4400; h8:30am-6:30pm Mon-Fri).
Naviera Austral sails the Jacaf Monday, Thursday and Friday to Chaitén at 11pm daily, year-round. The trip takes nine hours and usually runs overnight and is less than comfortable.
Auto-passenger ferries from Pargua (%056-227-0700; www.transmarchilay.cl; Ruta 5; car/pedestrian CH$12,200/free; h24hr; W), 62km southwest of Puerto Montt, leave for Chacao (30 minutes), on the northern tip of Chiloé, on a first-come, first-served basis every 30 minutes or so.
TAXI
Taxis to most places around town run CH$3000 or so. Coletivos and minibuses ply the costanera and around for CH$400 to CH$600.
Europcar (%65-236-8215; www.europcar.com; Antonio Varas 162; h8am-7pm Mon-Fri, to 1:30pm Sat)