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Argentina's and Chile's Lake District

A visit to the famous Lake District. From Villa Pehuenia to San Martin de Los Andes. The 7 Lakes Route to Villa de Angostura. Crossing to Chile. To the tourist hotspot of Pucón to visit the nearby national parks.  

Viila Pehuenia 2 Puerto Varas

Villa Pehuenia, 18th November

We’re in Villa Pehuenia. it’s not really a village. It’s more a cluster of holiday homes, hotels, cabañas, and a few restaurants. All oriented towards Argentinian self-catering tourism. The place pretty nice along the shores of Lago Aluminé

We even find a pizzeria with excellent Serano-Rucola pizza.

Next morning, we drive up to Volcán Batea Mahuida. Just a few km outside town. Straight at the border to Chile. A road leads up to the volcano’s lagoon – if there’s no snow. Well, there’s snow, so we have to sneak up the last few meters, and further up to the top.

Beautiful view of the mountains in Argentina’n’Chile. Then we already walk back to Prado waiting for us. 

On the way back, we stop at an Araucania Forest. The trees look like made out of plastic.

In Villa Pehuenia – time for a beer.

Villa la Angostura, 21st November

Bye Villa Pehuenia, we’re on the way to San Martin de Los Andes some 200km to the south. To 1 of the hotspots in Argentina’s Lake District.

Initially, we planned to drive directly to Zapala, and then follow Ruta 40. As it’s a Saturday and a long week-end there’s so much oncoming traffic – everybody driving like the fools on the 1st 100km gravel road that we’re too afraid to have our windshield broken. Luckily there’s another road along the Chilean border. Just it’s 100km longer.

We arrive in San Martin de los Andes in the afternoon. Weather is pretty bad, cloudy, really cold wind, and about to rain. We’re looking for a sleepery. All seems to be fully booked. The only 1 with a lousy bed has no parking. And we’re not too sure if there are not quite some bad girls just waiting to give Prado a general cleaning.

At least we learn what’s going on in this place: today’n’tomorrow is Argentina’s famous 7-Lake-Cyclist-Marathon taking place, and Monday is a public holiday. Well, that’s all.

Finally, we find an apartment with booking.com. Not cheap, but they even have parking. Hopefully, we can pay with Pesos.  Soon later we’re in contact with the owner. He promises to be there within the next 15′. Great. 10′ later we get a call, that he has no keys. Only his wife knows where they are – and, of course, she’s out. No idea when she’ll be back. Not that great. Ok, we decide to continue our search. Ignore the empty camping. Well, not easy to find something. Call, the guy of the apartment again – just get the pretty irritated’n’unfriendly answer that he can’t open the apartment. 

Whatever, some km out of town we finally find a cabaña – even a pretty nice 1. Of course, also not cheap, but to be paid in Pesos. 

Time for a beer and to contact booking.com about the messy owner of the apartment.

By the way – we never heard of this guy again. Who knows who is the real owner of this apartment on booking.com.

Next morning: it’s clear, we cannot drive on. The 7 Lakes road is firmly closed for cyclists.

Well, we visit nearby Lago Lolog. Definitely not too special.

Back to San Martín. Sneaking thru the village. By now pretty deserted. All guys are probably cycling or supporting the cyclists.

The next morning the cyclists have disappeared, and the road is open again. Thus, we’re on the way to exploring La Ruta de Los Siete Lagos. Just some 100km to see the 7 lakes until we reach Villa La Angostura.

Well, that’s La Ruta de las Siete Lagos. A pretty nice landscape. Pretty touristy. But definitely not absolutely spectacular. Still, next time, if you happen to be there you should consider visiting the lakes.

Late afternoon in Villa La Angostura. Looks like a pretty posh destination for well-heeled Argies. Full of watering holes, a lot of nice eateries, and many really expensive outdoor shops where you get the latest fashion of any international brand you can imagine.

Later over a beer (or 2) we start planning on how to continue until 6th December when our ferry from Puerto Montt to Puerto Natales will leave. About 2 weeks’ time, we’ve seen more or less all of Argentina’s Lake District, and on the Chilean side, the park rangers are still on strike. Thus, the national parks closed. 

Finally, after the 3rd beer, we decide to drive to Puerto Montt, just 240km to the west. To see with Navimag if we can change the ferry trip to an earlier date. And this would give us more time in South Patagonia before the big holiday rush starts in January/February. And no doubt, we’re really afraid of the hordes of holiday makers flocking in during this time.

Ok, we’ll skip Bariloche, and the Chilean Lake District with the closed national parks.

Puerto Varas, 23rd November

The next morning we’re still convinced of our plan to leave with an earlier ferry. Thus, it’s our last morning in Argentina. At least for the time being. 

We quickly search for someone to change the oil for Prado. Unfortunately, all mechanics are too busy, just have some ongoing construction work in their garage, or are still sleeping. What the hell, Prado has to wait until we’re in Chile. Nevertheless, it gets both tanks filled with cheap Argentinian diesel.

Then we’re on our way to Chile. After a few km there’s already the  Argentinian border – a matter of a few minutes and we leave the country.

Then we have to cross the cordillera again – of course, not to compare with the passes further north. Now we only climb to 1340m to enter Chile at Paso Cardenal Antonio Samoré. Nevertheless, a great name for such a small pass.

In Chile descending towards the coast. Along Volcan Puyehue. Still, the dead trees resulting from the 2011 eruption are very visible.

20km later the Chilean border control. Strangely, the 1st thing they ask is the Covid vaxxes. Think the last time they asked for it was in Ecuador. Paperwork again done within minutes. Then to the guys of customs who need to search each’n’everything in each’n’every car. Don’t think they really wanted to see anything, they just asked to take a few things out, to open a few other things – without looking at it. Finally, they even insist to remove part of the rooftop tent’s cover. Something we never had to do so far – even not with the Russians, the Uzbeks, or the Chinese. Well, we took our time, they had to help us, and they get pretty dusty. Finally, again they are not looking at what was under the cover.  Think they just wanted to be a pain in the ass. Sorry guys, at the border it’s not easy to open the cover of the tent. Still, we left as their best friends.

By now the landscape has completely changed. No longer arid, but green pastures, large forests, and many scattered farms visibly managed by German descendants.

We drive along Lake Rupaco with all the volcanoes in the background, …

… then we pass the village of Puerto Octay, despite its Chilean name it reminds strongly of a German settlement. With German names everywhere – even with an Oktoberfest. True, like many settlements here, it was founded more than 150 years ago by German migrants. And somehow, they still cultivate their heritage – of course, somehow the Chilean way.

Puerto Varas: a rather small tourist town. Nicely situated at the shores of Lago Llanquihue. A long beachfront with 2 volcanoes in the background, and the town center – somehow a copy of a German town. Just some 70 or 80 years ago.

They even have a German clubhouse in the town center – Deutscher Verein.

Next morning. We’re on the way to Puerto Montt – 30km away. To check with Navimag if they might be ready to change our departure date. Well, we’re definitely not too optimistic after all the experience we already made when trying to book the tickets.

Whatever, arriving there we have to wait a few minutes until 2 Dutch guys who book their passage on the spot get their tickets. Then the friendly guy explains us, that there’s no problem to change for the next ferry. He will even do that free of charge for us. That’s it, we’re booked on the ferry leaving on 26th November – which will in reality probably leave on 28th. All ok. We get new tickets and the papers for Prado. And 1h later we’re off. We never thought it would be so easy. 

As we still have some 4 to 5 days left, we decide to drive tomorrow to Pucón. So, we can at least see now a little bit of Chile’s Lake District.

Back to Puerto Varas. Then on to discover the surroundings. To the northernmost fjord of the Carretera Austral: Estero Reloncavi.

We drive up to the small village of Cochamó. Somehow a lost place at the shores of the fjord. But with an interesting church.

Then back. towards Lago Todos Los Santos. On the way a stop to admire the Saltos de Petrohué.

On to Lago Todos Los Santos. Heavy rain is approaching. So not too much to see and no chance to sneak around extendedly.

Then – time to drive back to Puerto Varas.

Pucón, 26th November

Next morning. Sunshine is back. And we’re on our way to Pucón. Some 350km to the north.

A drive thru Chile’s southern Lake District. with quite a number of volcanoes in the background.

Pucón – definitely 1 of Chile’s top hotspots. During high season so full, nobody really wants to go there. A place with a pretty bad reputation during that time. Mainly due to the hordes of package tours flocking in. The time when everything is solidly booked. Quality adapts to this clientele of cheap packages in buses and you pay a fortune as an independent traveler.

Now end of November it’s pretty quiet. Of course, it’s not easy to find a sleepery with decent parking for Prado at a reasonable price. But that’s Pucón.

The town: the usual tourist stuff, not really much to do except eat, drink, shop, and sneak to the lake to admire Volcan Villarica.

Of course, we’re here for other things. We’re still optimistic that the strike of the rangers is over and we can see the famous national parks. Only, nothing seems to be clear. It looks like somehow the strike goes on. We have to check that out tomorrow.

The next morning we’re driving up to the entrance of Parque National de Huerquehue. Heading for the Sendero de Los Lagos. No idea what to expect.

Arriving there, already from far we see the notices indicating clearly that the rangers’ strike goes on. A little further toward the ticket boot, we observe a car passing the entrance gate. Even a ranger is there opening the gate. Ok, we ask the smart lady. Even if she’s definitely in a pretty bad mood. Nevertheless, we get a clear statement: we cannot pay the entrance fee, we cannot use any toilets in the park, we cannot ask for any information from the rangers, and we will not receive any help should we need it. But we can enter the park and sneak around. 

Thus, we decide to go for the hike. We can imagine worse than not being allowed to pay an entrance fee.

It’s about 2 1/2h uphill to reach the Lago Chico. Mostly thru dense forest. Then on to Lago Verde.

Finally, to the 3rd lake, Lago Toro, and then back to the parking, thanking the moody ranger – and that’s it.

In the evening we get a mail that the ferry to Puerto Natales is delayed by another day. Thus, departure will be on Tuesday – should we not get more mails in the next days.

As we were lucky to visit a national park yesterday, we think we should give the rangers on strike of Parque Nacional Villarica a chance as well. So, we head for Volcano Villarica’s skiing area – in the middle of the national park.

At the park entrance the usual signboards informing everybody that the rangers are on strike. But nobody there and the gate open. Happy to economize the equivalent of 4 draft beers we drive on. True, there are no nice hikes where the ski lifts are – except if you intend to climb the volcano. But to go for this we don’t have the equipment, and officially it’s currently not permitted to approach due to increased volcanic activities.

Back to Pucón. Then a look at the famous Ojos de Caburgua. These small ponds are famous for their clear blue water, and their waterfalls. The place overdeveloped and overrun by tour groups. Whatever, as mentioned earlier, this overtourism is also part of Pucón’s rather mixed reputation.

Back to Pucón. To have a couple of beers. To compensate for the entrance fees to the national parks we couldn’t pay for.

A last glimpse at Volcan Villarica in the dawn and its system to alert everybody should the volcano become unruly.

Puerto Varas, 27th November

Next morning: we’re on the highway to Puerto Varas. Just to stay there until Navimag is ready to let the ferry run. Hopefully, the day after tomorrow.

Thus, time for laundry, street food and writing this boring post.

Guys, thanx for reading all this stuff and admiring (or not) the pics. But now it’s time for you to do something more reasonable. Therefore, we stop now this post.

Nevertheless, don’t despair. There will be another 1 soon. About Chile’s famous ferry to Puerto Natales. In the meantime, simply remain extremely jealous and wait impatiently for the release of the next post.

Cheeeers

Monika’n’Martin

Out of the Desert to the Lakes, Argentina
The Ferry to South Patagonia, Chile