Chile's Lake District

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We flew south from Santiago to Chile's Lake District, being a distance of 1000km. Our destination was Puerto Varas on Lake Llanquihue, which is the third largest natural lake in South America. It is spring time in Chile and the Lake District is lush and green. They tell us that it normally rains on average 250 days a year.

All the spring flowers one sees in the UK are to be seen here and it is just like being in Europe in April. This european feeling is strengthened by the German architecture that prevails throughout the area as a result of German immigrants arriving here in the Lake District in the 19th century and setting up businesses and farms.

Lake Llanquihue dominates the area and the lake itself is dominated by two active volcanoes. Volcano Osorno (8700 feet) last erupted in the 19th century and Volcanoe Calbuco (6568 feet) last erupted in the 1960s. Happily there is no sign of activity whilst we are here although there is plenty of lava about.

We drove around the lake, being a distance of about 170km, and I had to keep reminding myself that I was in Chile and not Germany as each of the towns we visited had a Bavarian feel and lots of echoes of the area's German past.

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Photos

Concert hall at Frutillar
On the edge of the lake

Coffee after lunch
John, Sue and Margaret

Comments

[Sally]

wonderful pictures
John, thank you so much for sharing these lovely pictures with me. Every now and then I looked at some of these lakes and mountains and thought it could almost be here in NZ. Best Regards

[George Birch]

Beer?
Wow what a stunning volcano! Did you come across any German style beer then?x

[George Birch]

Beer?
Wow what a stunning volcano! Did you come across any German style beer then?x