Puerto Varas, Isla de Chiloe, Valdivia & Pucon

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[youtube=8y8vvaRbH_A][youtube=SpIlYTUAbWQ]

Leaving Argentina for yet another crossing of the border back to Chile - next stop puerto Varas. Over the Andes ridge, the Chilean side now boasts the same lush forests and systems of lakes (still being the Lake District!). The weather takes a slight change to be very unpredictable again, rain being a big feature! But from this point north, Chile possesses what must be the finest and most expansive collection of snow-capped volcanoes.

Sitting on the edge of Lago Llanquihue, Puerto Varas has the perfect view of the snow-capped Volcan Osorno on the opposite end of the lake. The town is another one of South America's adventure centres as well as being like a lot of the settlements in this region of Chile - very German! There was an influx of German immigrants around 150 years ago and it's very evident in the architecture and vast trays of Kuchen (cake) on offer!

Making the most of the free national park - Parque Nacional Vicente Perez Rosales - I( decided to trek the desolation trail around the foothills of Volcan Osorno. The ascent into the hills what is dubbed as chile's finest lake - Lago Todos los Santos. With clear blue skies and only Osorno's snow cap attracting any possible clouds, the lake displayed its amazing beauty. Long and irregular shaped, the crystal-clear turquoise still water is only interrupted by random small islands. The hils surrounding the lake's edge contain other volcanoes standing clear and the mighty Mount Tronador very visible in the distance. “Am i dreaming?” Of course not, this is Patagonia!

Turning back to catch the last bus I knew I had to get a shift on. Now to say Conaf (chile's park agency) will just hand you a map and let you 'get on with it' isn't far off the truth! Back above the tree line is no problem as the trail is very visible. Below the tree line is another matter... Paths are separated by deep dry rivers (the snow has mostly melted from the season) with no markers, just thick forest. The photocopied map didn't offer any clues either. I did my best to 'locate' the trail over the volcano's three 'tongues' (dry rivers and ash spills) with no luck. The wonder of spending a night in the wilderness started to creep into my mind. Using the scout skills I learned all those years ago I decided to follow one of the tongues down to the lake - hoping to find a beach which, odds on, would lead to the bus stop. So following my nose, I made it to the lake, a beach and a route back! The only problem now being that I would miss the bus back to Puerto Varas. Fortunately I bumped into a couple of Hungarians who had their own car and gave me a lift back to the hostel, saving the need for me to use my scouts survival badge skills one last time!!

Making our way up to the northern reaches of Patagonia, a stop off was required at the German-settled university town of Valdivia. A pleasant town boasting nice beaches, German architecture and first-year students joining in with what can only be described as initiation via a liberal coating of flour, eggs, fish and other concoctions.

We continued to our last Patagonian destination, Pucon, probably Chile's adventure capital offering, yet again, endless possibilities. Over a few days we cycled to hidden waterfalls, trekked between lakes surrounded by lush Andean forest including Chile's national tree, the monkey puzzle, eyed up Volcan Villarica and participated in what can only be described as the most stupid thing I have ever done! I was recommended by a fellow trekker way down on the Fitzroy Range to try 'hydrospeed'. Basically hop on a foam bodyboard, obtain minimal safety advice and hurl yourself down grade I, then grade II while finishing with grade III rapids. As the rivers are low the rocks are higher so with my legs brushing, scuffing and, at points, landing on the rocks, I was glad hundreds of years of erosion had smoothed them over somewhat. The last two grade IIIs required literally cutting through wave after wave of joining rivers, ripping currents, visible rocks and guiding the board (not easy to do) between two massive boulders 2 metres apart, the current pulling me the other way and finishing up by crashing down what can only be described as a mini waterfall at a pretty extreme pace. Stupid yet extremely satisfying. After the 'easy' afternoon on Rio Trancui the backdrop of the smoking Volcan Villarica gave me the need to climb it. Joining the group at 06.30 we drove to the base camp rising above the low-level cloud to an indescribable view. Setting off from around 1400m we trekked to the bottom of the glacier taking in the cloud-covered valleys below, with only the highest peaks and other snow-capped volcanoes visible. Peaceful, serene, stunning - just perfect.

Clamping on the crampons the group ice trekked to just below the craters lip. A grueling rock climb to 2820m ended with us on top of the Vulcan. While stopping to take a rest and eat lunch the unbelievably peaceful 360' views are periodically interrupted by the thunderous sound of the craters crashing lava. After a while the steaming sulphur from the crater started to get onto our chests. As our eyes started to water, it was time to make the descent back to base camp. With the command 'put your snow skirt's on' vamos - we had returned to the glacier, sat in the snow and skidded down to the bottom of the glacier. Great fun! The easiest way down to the bottom of the Volcano from this point was to actually run! As the ash is over ankle deep, running down saves the knees!!! As the afternoon progressed, the clouds covering our view cleared, revealing stunning valleys, sprawling rivers and innocently placed lakes. For today the weather had provided the ideal accompaniment.

As our Patagonian adventure draws to a close our eyes are beginning to scawer the diary....probably spent too much money and too much time in this region. But then thats exactly what it has deserved. Its been an experience, a vista paradise but above all an absolute pleasure.
Full Photos of Puerto Varas on Flickr
Full Photos of Isla de Chiloe on Flickr

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