Starting from Puerto Montt / Puerto Varas, travel to Chiloé Island to see penguins at Puñihuil Islets, the UNESCO wooden churches of Chiloé and to hike at the Chiloé National Park and Tepuheico Park for striking views of the Pacific Ocean. Return to a base in Puerto Varas to trek at the Alerce Andino National Park, visit the Petrohué Waterfalls, cross the Todos los Santos Lake and visit Peulla; trek the Osorno Volcano in the Vicente Perez Rosales National Park; a complete tour around Llanquihue Lake visiting quaint towns with German influence; and end your adventure with a local experience at the picturesque markets in Puerto Montt.
REGION: North Patagonia
ACTIVITY LEVEL: 1(Easy) to 5 (High) depending on the activity of the day
DURATION: 8 full days
Min. / Max. PEOPLE: 4 – 12 active adults; more by prior arrangement.
SEASON: November to March
INCLUDED: Professional Local Tour Guide, First Aid Accreditation Guide, Mobile phone(emergency calls).
NOT INCLUDED: Personal Insurance, personal equipment, tips or anything not listed in the program.
GUEST PROVIDES: Comfortable clothes according to the activity.
Note: It is essential that you wear layered clothing in order to fully enjoy and participate these excursions: windbreaker, sunglasses, hat, and sun protector.
OPERATED BY: Patagonia SouthernLand Expeditions staff, Puñihuil staff, Lake Todos los Santos catamaran staff.
Day 1: Welcome to North Patagonia – Penguins in Puñihuil Islets and Ancud — Chiloe Island Tour and beginning of UNESCO Wooden Churches of Chiloe (8/10 hours).
Depart from your hotel or airport (Puerto Montt / Puerto Varas) at 08:00 a.m. After an hour’s drive, we take a 30 minute ferry ride across the Chacao Channel to Chiloé for the Penguins in Puñihuil Islets and Ancud, Chiloe Island Tour. Optional lunch (at your expense) at restaurant at Puñihuil before continuing with tour of Ancud.
Begin UNESCO Wooden Churches of Chiloe in Ancud with visit to the former Convent of the Immaculate Conception, now a museum, and continue to first two wooden churches on the circuit in Dalcahue and Castro. After a walk and taking photos visit the local handcrafts market and its artisans.
After a long day you arrive at your hotel in Castro for the night. Dinner at your expense.
Activity Level: Easy / Total driving: 200 Km (124 Miles) / Altitude: 130 MASL (426 ft.).
*Program can be changed if demanded by weather conditions at the Penguin Colony.
Day 2: Chiloe Island – Continue UNESCO Wooden Churches of Chiloe and Hiking in Chiloé National Park (8 hours).
Breakfast included. Pick up from your hotel. Today we continue with the rest of the historic wooden churches in the UNESCO Wooden Churches of Chiloe. We complete this tour in Chonchi.
Now, we head south from Chonchi on our way to Chiloé National Park. As we drive through the town of Huillinco and on to Cucao, we observe life in the country side with its farms and animals. The road goes along the shores, with spectacular views of Huillinco and Cucao Lakes, to the village of Cucao, where the entry to Chiloé National Park is located. Here we take an easy hike inside the forest, on El Tepual trail where we find a great biodiversity of species.
After another full day we arrive at our lodge in the village of Cucao for the night’s rest. Dinner on your own.
Activity Level: Easy / Total driving: 60 Km (37 Miles) / Hike distance: 4 Km (2 Miles) / Altitude: 130 MASL (426 ft.).
Day 3: Chiloé Island – Hiking at Chiloé National Park and Tepuhueico Park– Puerto Varas (8/10 hours).
Breakfast included. We leave from your lodging in Cucao.
Today, we move to the area of Rahue for hiking in Pirulil Mountain Range at Tepuhueico Park.
The trail rises up to an area of grassland which allows an excellent view of the Pacific Ocean. We continue this trail to the mythical and symbolic Muelle de las Almas. According to the Chiloe belief, when a person dies his spirit must go to this place and call Tempilkawe or the Raft man. He is a legendary character who comes on his raft made of foam and takes the departed soul, claiming his pay in precious stones, the same ones that can be found on the beach of Rahue, naturally polished by erosion. Chiloé Island is a place full of legends and traditions different from other areas of Chile and you will have the opportunity to listen to many others.
Here we find a perfect spot to rest and share a snack, while we listen to more about this local legend that gives the name to this walk.
In the afternoon we follow the same route back to the ferry crossing to the mainland and then Puerto Varas.
Activity Level: Easy / Total driving: 200 Km (124 Miles) / Hike distance: 5 Km (3 Miles)/ Altitude: 130 Masl (426 ft.).
Day 4: Trek Alerce Andino National Park (8 hours).
Breakfast included. We depart early from your hotel in Puerto Varas for Trek Alerce Andino National Park.
Return to your hotel.
Activity Level: Medium–High / Total driving: 120 Km (74 Miles) / Hike distance: 16 Km (10.5 Miles) / Maximum Altitude: 558 MASL (1.830 ft).
Day 5: Petrohué Waterfalls – Crossing Todos los Santos Lake – Peulla (10 hours)
Breakfast included. Depart 8.00 a.m. from your hotel in Puerto Varas for the semi private coach and catamaran tour Petrohué Waterfalls – Crossing Todos los Santos Lake – Peulla. Peulla is just 10 miles from the border with Argentina
Return to Puerto Varas.
*Please, ask for your tour guide for the time of departure from Peulla to Petrohué.
Activity Level: Easy / Total driving: 130 Km (80 Miles) / Navigation: 4 hours round trip /Altitude: 189 Masl (620 ft.).
Day 6: Trek Osorno Volcano — Vicente Perez Rosales National Park (8 hours).
Breakfast included. We depart from your hotel in Puerto Varas for Trek Osorno Volcano — Vicente Perez Rosales National Park.
Return to your hotel in Puerto Varas.
Activity Level: Medium–High / Total driving: 130 Km (80 Miles)/ Hiking distance: 17 Km (11 Miles) / Altitude: From 700 MASL to 1.140 MASL (2,296 to 3,740 ft.).
Day 7: Around Llanquihue Lake — Puerto Octay, Frutillar, Llanquihue, and others (8 hours)
We depart at 09.00 a.m. from your hotel in Puerto Varas for Around Llanquihue Lake — Puerto Octay, Frutillar, Llanquihue, and others.
Return to your hotel in Puerto Varas.
Activity Level: Easy / Total driving: 180 Km (111 Miles) / Altitude: From 50 to 1.300 MASL (154 ft. to 4.265 ft).
Day 8: Living the Local Experience in Puerto Montt (3/5 hours).
Breakfast included. Check out from your hotel for your last tour here: Living the Local Experience in Puerto Montt (minus the short public bus ride and visit to Padre Hurtado Market).
Then, we will go to El Tepual airport located 30 minutes from Puerto Montt.
End our Services in Lake District, North Patagonia, Chile.
Activity Level: Easy / Total driving: 28 Km (17 Miles) / Altitude: 20 Masl. (60 ft.).