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5 Days Lakes District Nature Tour Package
Duration: 5 Days / 4 Nights
Priced From: $2,154 pp dbl. occ.
Departures: Daily
 The Lake District is generally considered to begin at the Tolten river (800 kms south of Santiago) which empties the Lake Villarrica, next to the resort towns of Pucon and Villarrica.
It is also a zone of Mapuche (native Indians, means "people of the Earth") reservations; their ancestors used the accessible mountain passes here and gathered pine nuts from the ancient "Araucaria" trees unique to the Andes. These rare trees, which take 500 years to fully mature and can live to over 1000 years, were endangered by logging activities until the Chilean government prohibited their cutting in 1990.
Tour Itinerary
Group Size: Min 4 - Max 16
Accommodations: Hotel, Mountain Lodge
Day 1. We start our trip in Puerto Montt in the morning meeting our guide at the airport. We start driving to Puerto Varas, a beautiful town just 15 minutes away located in the borders of Lake Llanquihue. Just some kmts before enter town we will enjoy a splendid view of the Lake's bay and the magnificent Osorno Volcano and will also notice Puerto Vara's marked German architecture as consequence of a significant German immigration in early twentieth century. We will arrive at our hotel and will have a couple of hours free to do the check-in, have lunch on our own and rest for a while; then our guide will pick us up to do an interesting round in the nearby Frutillar village. Being another example of old German architecture Frutillar is famous for it delicious desserts. We will visit the local museum and might also enjoy tea time trying one of its unique cakes and infusions. Then we go back to Puerto Varas. In the evening we are free to go around town and having dinner on our own.
Day 2. Puerto Varas, Lakes District, ChileToday we can go either to Chiloe Island or visit Puyehue NP.If we choose Chiloe we start our day very early; after a hearty breakfast we start driving to the coast passing by Puerto Montt City and other small villages. Once we reach the sea, we cross the Chacao Channel on a small ferry boat and continue driving until reaching Ancud city. This small city was built to be a controlling place for the commercial navigation routes crossing Cabo de Hornos (Cape Horn) and was one of the strongest southern pacific fortified points during the Spanish domination; then in the modern times after the Panama Channel was open Ancud lost its important status and remained as a small city-port with a strong local identity. We will do short walks in the city center, stopping at the main square to appreciate Chiloe's mythology statues, the local Feria and Mercado, and then we continue to visit San Antonio Fortress. After these cultural stops we drive to Puñihuil, where a group of small islands are home for a beautiful Humboldt penguin colony and also many marine wolves. Finally we are ready to go back to Puerto Varas; it will be a long drive back to our hotel so we have time to rest or take notes about this memorable day.
If we decide to visit Puyehue NP we initiate our day driving north through the famous Chile's North-South highway, crossing the Lakes District center and reaching a road that will take us between Lake Rupanco and Lake Puyehue; after passing by some towns and villages we finally reach Puyehue NP. This magnificent Park of 264,403 acres is the home for ever-green humid forests crowned by the Casablanca, Antillanca and Puyehue volcanoes; as you walk through its paths you can watch endemic flora and fauna and also find special sectors where natural hot springs arise offering a memorable bath. We divide our day, during the morning we will do some short walks to appreciate the Park and after lunch we will enjoy the hot springs. We finally drive back to Puerto Varas; we will need a long rest to prepare for tomorrow excursions!
Day 3. Perez Rosales NP, Lakes District, ChileToday after breakfast we are going to drive towards one of the most beautiful and oldest parks of Chile –Perez Rosales NP- which has splendid natural places to do hikes, watch fauna and flora, and also kayaking and other water sports. Once we enter the Park we will head towards the mighty Osorno Volcano, a conic shaped volcano that escorts the surrounding lakes. We will drive up steep hills reaching a sight point where we will have a great view of the wild areas near the volcano. We continue exploring the Park having the option to do a short hike called ‘El Solitario’ where we will appreciate at its best the local flora. Then we continue to Petrohue Falls, a rocky sector where the turquoise waters of River Petrohue stretches creating cascades, an exciting scenery! Now we are ready to continue driving and reach finally our home for the next two nights by the shores of Lake Todos los Santos, the Petrohue Lodge. We arrive and do the check-in, having the evening free to enjoy the landscape and plan the activities for next day. Our escort guide leave us and return to Puerto Varas being the Lodge's guides now our closest allies to continue our adventure in the Lakes District.
Day 4. (Perez Rosales NP, Lakes District, ChileWe wake up in the very middle of the Lakes District and surrounded by the most calmed and magnificent nature beside the shores of Lake Todos los Santos. Today we have the option to choose an activity from the Lodge's excursion menu being great alternatives kayaking on Todos los Santos, hike through dense and outstanding millenary forests or go fly fishing. Any excursion we choose will surely be fulfilling and will let us get in touch with this natural place. I In the afternoon we come back to the Lodge and have free time to rest and relax, enjoying our last night in the zone.
Day 5. Lakes District, ChileToday we will enjoy our last moments in the Lakes District and after a plenty breakfast we might do a short walk just by the Lake shores to enjoy our last views of this beautiful place. We reluctantly have to go back to the Lodge to pack and prepare for the transfer arrival around midday. We drive towards Puerto Montt through Perez Rosales NP; once we leave the Park behind we drive by the shores of Lake Llanquihue and continue to Puerto Varas and then Puerto Montt City, on time to reach our flight. Hopefully this will not be the last time visiting this place, adios Lakes District
Package includes
- 3 nights; breakfast included
- Transfer Pucon /Puerto Varas/ Puerto Montt's airport with Spanish speaking driver
- Land transportation as required for each activity,
- 1 night river side lodge
- 2 full horseback riding days + 1 full hiking day (round trip)
- English speaking guides
- Personal horse + waterproof bag + sleeping bag
Not included in this package
- Flights / bus to and from Puerto Montt
- Passport &Visa Costs
- Vaccination Costs
- Personal Spending Money
- Meals where not listed
- Drinks
- International Flights
- Travel Insurance
- Airport departure taxes (domestic & International)
Optional Activities
- Pucon Adventure
- Pucon Nature & Health Tour
Trip Notes
Please contact us for flight costs
Adventures Incorporated has a 24 hour emergency contact number available to all our clients Our guides also carry a comprehensive Medical First Aid kits. All our ground operators have been fully vetted and we have been working with them for over 10 years. In most cases we are no more than 2 hours away from professional Medical assistance and at all times monitor the geographical and political climate of the countries we visit.
Prices & itineraries are correct at the time of printing. Itineraries & prices may change due to currency fluctuations, local conditions or events outside the control of A.I and her local operators. Please see our booking terms & conditions for full details
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Phone: 1-800-330-8820 or 1-415-446-5252
12/09
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