Volcan Villarrica can be seen from the eastern shores of Laguna Villarrica in Pucón
Highlights
An area filled with lakes and rivers, several waterfalls and plenty of water based activities. The volcanic region has several thermal bathing areas. Two active and one dormant volcanoes also offer hiking opportunities. Plus Parque Nacional Villarica and Parque Nacional Huerquehue offer boundless outdoor activities.
Time of Visit: February 2024
Duration of Visit: Five nights
Description
Pucón is a small town located at the east end of Lago Villarrica in Chile’s Araucanía region. It is a popular base for outdoor enthusiasts because of the diverse array of outdoor activities that can be experienced within a hour drive from town. Plus the snow covered peak of Villarrica Volcano within the Parque Nacional Villarrica provides a stunning backdrop.
There is also Parque Nacional Huerquehue, just a little over an hour drive from Pucón. The outdoor activities between the two national parks are limitless. In addition to the two national parks, pristine rivers and lakes such as Lake Villarrica and the Trancura River, offer perfect settings for swimming, kayaking, white-water rafting, and fishing.
There are also several waterfalls nearby with most being inside private properties but accessible by paying a modest admission fee. Being a volcanic region, there are numerous hot springs, known locally as “termas,” nestled in lush forested areas.
We visited both national parks, saw a few waterfalls and enjoyed the bluest natural spring we have ever seen. We skipped the “termas” just because we ran out of time as it was pricey and quite far to drive. Here we describe our five day exploration experience in Pucón.
What to See and Do
Waterfalls
The area is blessed with several waterfalls. Some are better than others. The waterfalls tend to be in the same vicinity as they are supplied by the same river or creek. Much of the waterfalls are in private properties so each will have its own entrance fees. The entry fees are not that expensive, ranging from 2,000 to 4,000 CLP per person per day.
We saw a total of four waterfalls. Salto El Leon was the most impressive gushing at 45 meters high. There was significant misting but fortunately, the access trail to the base of the falls is to the side preventing visitors from being drenched.
Just next door to Salto El Leon is Salto Puma which is a taller waterfall but has less water. The waterfall is reached after hiking for about 800 meters through the woods.
Probably the prettiest and most visited waterfall is in Parque Ojos del Caburgua. There are a total of four short waterfalls in this park with significant water flows. All the waterfalls are spring fed. What makes this park so popular is the dark blue color of the pool at the base of the waterfalls.
Next door to Parque Ojos del Caburgua is Mirador Peces. Mirador Peces has six small ponds holding different size trout. The first pool contains the largest fish, some of which are close to 30-inches long. Right alongside the ponds is Rio Caburgua that still holds the dark blue color as it is partially fed by the spring water coming from Parque Ojos del Caburgua.
Lakes
Pucón is at the eastern shore of Lago Villarica while the town of Villarica is at the opposite end about 25 kms away. There are several public beaches that can be accessed from the road that connects the two towns. The area, being volcanic in nature, has black sand beaches for the most part.
Lago Villarica’s water is clear and cool, making it perfect to take a dip on a hot summer day.
There are other lakes in the area worth exploring like Lago Caburgua and Lago Tranquilo. See the Hikes section for more lakes in Parque Nacional Huerquehue.
Hikes
Most of the hiking trails are in the two national parks – Parque Nacional Huerquehue and Parque Nacional Villarrica. Volcan Villarrica is within the national park and is an active volcano. Smoke from the cone shaped volcano draped with some snow can be seen. You can see the volcano’s crater on a guided hike.
Parque Nacional Huerquehue has two popular hiking trails – the Los Lagos and the San Sebastian trails. The Los Lagos trail is a demanding hike through the forest that has over 1,000 feet of elevation gain. It is pretty much a continuous steady uphill climb until reaching the first lake which is Lago Chico. Not too far from Lago Chico are Lago Verde and Lago Toro.
We saw people swimming in Lago Verde while Lago Toro is a picturesque lake. Along the way, there are two short side trails (around 400 meters) that lead to waterfalls that cascade over huge rock faces. These are Cascada Aguila and Cascada Trufulco. The trails to these waterfalls drop down so you will have to do more climbing to get back to the main trail. Expect to spend at least six hours to complete this hike.
The Sendero Quinchol trail is more demanding than the Los Lagos trail according to the park ranger. However, the Sendero Quinchol trail provides 360 degree views of the area, including Volcan Villarica.
Other Activities
There are several offices in Pucón that offer whitewater rafting, kayaking, stand-up paddle boards, fishing and biking.
There are several hot springs outside Pucón with Thermales Geometrica being the most popular. It is pricey though.
National Park Entry Tickets
Chile’s national parks are managed by Conservacion Forestal or CONAF. The number of entry tickets per day is limited.
Parque Nacional Huerquehue is open 8:30 Am to 2 PM Tuesday to Sunday, closed on Mondays. Park rangers man the entry gate at Huerquehue and will turn away visitors that do not have the electronic entry ticket. Visitors cannot buy the entry ticket at the park. There is no cell service either at the park so it would be a shame to drive about 9 kilometers of uphill dirt road only to be turned away.
Our experience at Parque Nacional Volcan Villarrica was different from Huerquehue. Villarrica’s website indicates the last entry to be 2 PM in the afternoon. However, when we showed up at 5 PM, there was no ranger manning the entrance at the end of Road S-887 . There was no entry gate either so visitors, including us, freely entered the park. The roads within the park are unpaved and rough. We ended up going to Mirador Volcan Villarrica and did a short walk from there as we did not have enough time.
The Local Scenery
Both the towns of Pucón and Villarica are enjoyable to walk around. Pucón feels touristy while Villarica feels more like an authentic small town. Both have lots of shops where you can buy souvenirs to your heart’s content or eat in restaurants to savor the local culinary delights.
Large supermarkets such as ElTit and Unimarc meet all your grocery needs as well as independent fruit and vegetable stands. What we liked the most are the side street vendors in Villarica selling sweet blueberries at a very reasonable price.
How to Get to Pucón
Pucón is just over an hour flight from Santiago, Chile. The closest airport is La Araucania (ZCO) or commonly known as Temuco (though the city of Temuco is still 30 minutes away).
There are shuttle services from the airport to Pucón but those are expensive. If you reserve a rental car early enough, you might come out even or even ahead especially if there are multiple members in your group.
If you are traveling solo and on a budget, probably the cheapest is to get a shuttle to Temuco and ride the public buses from there. We saw buses with the JAC logo plying the road between Temuco and Pucón.
Where to Stay
Most of the attractions are within an hour away from Pucón. So definitely, the place to base your adventure would be in town or north of it. Being the ideal base, accommodations in Pucón are pricey. The town of Villarica, about 25 kms to the west is an alternative but you will be spending an additional couple of hours a day to get to any attractions.
Summary
Pucón is a great summertime destination. Lush forest, crystal clear lakes and rivers, two national parks, an active volcano and several waterfalls can be enjoyed within an hour drive from Pucón. The myriad of outdoor activities is just endless in this part of Chile.