10 Best Sights in The Lake District, Chile

About 3 km (2 miles) west of downtown along the coastal road lies Puerto Montt's fishing cove. This busy port serves small fishing boats, large ferries, and cruisers carrying travelers and cargo southward through the straits and fjords that form much of Chile's shoreline. On weekdays, small launches from Isla Tenglo and other outlying islands arrive early in the morning and leave late in the afternoon. There are dozens of stalls selling local handicrafts, and the fish market here has one of the most varied seafood selections in all of Chile.

On the Pacific coast, about a three-hour drive from Osorno, is a network of indigenous parks spread over nine Huilliche communities amid 50,000 hectares (124,000 acres) of pristine temperate rain forest. Overnight trips include a sail up the coast to visit a Huilliche settlement and the beautiful, white sand and turquoise waters of Condor Beach (www.caletacondorexpediciones.cl). The eight-person boat leaves from Bahía Mansa, but keep an eye on the weather as the boat won’t run if it’s really windy. Exploring the indigenous parks by land is a more intrepid trip. The Agencia de Turismo Mapu Lahual, which represents the Huilliche communities, offers three- to six-day programs that include trekking, horseback rides, and homestays (simple, basic accommodations) with descendants of the Huilliche. Nature lovers will appreciate the native alerce forest as you cross the Chilean Coastal Range, home to 30 different bird species and an equal number of mammals, including the Molina’s hog-nosed skunk, mountain monkeys, and pumas. 

This imposing hillside site is where the 1881 treaty between the Mapuche and the Chilean army was signed, allowing the city of Temuco to be established. It's a great spot for a short day hike or picnic, with nice views of the city. Trails bloom with bright red copihues (a bell-like flower with lush green foliage), Chile's national flower, in autumn (March–May). The monument, not far from downtown, is part of Chile's national park system.

Step into the past at one of southern Chile's best museums. Besides displays of 19th-century agricultural and household implements, this open-air museum has full-scale reconstructions of buildings—a smithy and barn, among others—used by the original German settlers. Exhibits at this complex administered by Chile's Universidad Austral are labeled in Spanish and German, but there are also a few signs in English. A short walk from the lake up Avenida Arturo Prat, the museum also has beautifully landscaped grounds and great views of Volcán Osorno.

A private nature preserve about 40 km from Futrono, the 13,500-hectare Futangue Nature Park has a fantastic variety of outdoor recreational activities to offer. There is a network of more than 100 km of trails for hiking and mountain biking through lush, Valdivian temperate rain forest. The scenery is breathtaking, and always unique: sometimes you are deep in virgin forest then occasionally find yourself among rock formations so visually unusual as to seem extraterrestrial. Views of mountains and volcanoes peak around the corner. Hike about three to four hours in and there are natural hot springs. Kayakers and fly fishermen can spend countless hours on one of the several lakes or rivers. There are also opportunities for horseback riding. From May to October you must reserve your park entrance ticket ahead of time on their website, where you can also book a variety of excursions with bilingual guides. There is no camping permitted, but they have a highly regarded upscale lodge with 16 rooms, fine dining restaurant, pool and sauna room (two-night minimum, 550,000 pesos). 

Volcán Llaima, which has shown constant but not dangerous levels of activity since 2002, is the brooding centerpiece of Parque Nacional Conguillío. One of Chile's most active volcanoes, the 3,125-meter (10,200-foot) monster has created the moonscape of hardened lava flow that characterizes the park's southern portion. In the 610-square-km (235-square-mile) northern sector, there are thousands of umbrella-like araucaria pines, also known as monkey puzzle trees. The Sierra Nevada Trail is the most popular for short hikes. The three-hour trek begins at park headquarters on Laguna Conguillío and continues northeast to Laguna Captrén. Heavy snow can cut off the area in winter, so November to May is the best time to visit the park's eastern sector. Conguillío's western sector, Los Paraguas, comes into its own in winter because of a small ski center.

The main entrance to the park is in the Melipeuco sector, which is reached from Temuco via a paved road that passes through the towns of Cunco and Melipeuco before becoming a gravel road over its final section. In Melipeuco, a private company, Sendas Conguillío, administers excellent cabins and camping facilities.

The main draw of this popular 610-square-km (235-square-mile) national park, which has skiing, hiking, and many other outdoor activities, is the volcano. Happily, you don't need to have any climbing experience to reach the 3,116-meter (9,350-foot) summit, but a guide is a good idea. The volcano sits in the park's Sector Rucapillán, a Mapuche word meaning "house of the devil." That name is apt, as the perpetually smoldering volcano is one of South America's most active. CONAF closes off access to the trails at the slightest hint of volcanic activity deemed out of the ordinary. It's a steep uphill walk to the snow line, but doable any time of year. All equipment is supplied by any of the Pucón outfitters that organize daylong excursions for about 100,000 pesos per person. Your reward for the six-hour climb is the rare sight of an active crater, which continues to release clouds of sulfur gases and explosions of lava. You're also treated to superb views of the nearby volcanoes, the less visited Quetrupillán and Lanín.

Chile's first private nature preserve, this park hosts one of the last remaining, extensive araucaria forests, a magnificent tree species that can live up to 2,000 years and that is oft nicknamed "monkey puzzle" because of its tangled branches that swirl around its treetop. With about 500 hectares (1,235 acres) altogether, this is simply one of the best treks in southern Chile. The hike to El Cañi's highest ground (1,600 meters), called Mirador Melidekiñ, is a three- to four-hour steep climb but rewards you with an awesome view of four volcanoes. Guides are not necessary for the trails, and there are camping sites and a refugio for overnight stays (4,000 pesos). Located about 20 km (12 miles) east of Pucón, the park is accessible via the road to Lago Caburgua (take the turnoff at Km 14). Then turn on the paved road with the sign "Termas Huife" and drive until you reach El Cañi. It is also possible to arrive by bus.

Culture in Frutillar, and the southern Lake District in general, nowadays follows the lead of Teatro del Lago, which hosts a year-round schedule of concerts, art shows, and film. Events take place every week, and the state-of-the-art building is considered one of the finest of its kind in the world. Even if you can't attend an event, it's worth a look when walking along the lakefront in Frutillar.

Chile's volcanoes have endowed the area around Pucón with numerous natural hot springs. About a two-hour drive from Pucón, this is one of the best and most beautiful. Seventeen natural hot-spring pools, many of them secluded, dot the dense native forest. Each thermal bath has its own private bathrooms, lockers, and deck.