Going Around Volcanoes

Arrival in Santiago and private transfer to your hotel.

An English-speaking guide will accompany you during the transfer.
Visit of Chile's capital, nestled at the foot of the Andes. Although Santiago has become over the years a modern and bustling city, some older neighbourhoods have preserved their atmosphere and a romantic charm.
You will visit the Plaza de Armas, San Francisco Church, the Bellavista area, Cerro San Cristobal, etc.

Night at the Galerias hotel ***.

Included : transfer arrival, english speaking guide, guide expenses, entrance fees, private transport, room & breakfast
Included opts : International guide

Private transfer from your hotel to Santiago airport.

Domestic flight from Santiago to Temuco (time to be confirmed, flight indicated in option).

You will be greeted by you guide in Temuco Airport, the capital of the Araucanía Region, situated 700 kilometres south of Santiago. This region is marked by a strong cultural syncretism, made of Mapuche and German influences, which shows through the architecture as well as the physical features of the inhabitants. But Araucanía is above all a region dominated by the volcanoes of the Andes and numerous lakes which form a natural border with Argentina.
You will go from Temuco to Malalcahuello, prepare the expedition of the next day, and spend the night there.

Night at the Suizandina Lodge **.
Included : transfer departure, domestic flight, airport tax, english speaking guide, private transport, room & breakfast

Transfer from your hotel in Malalcahuello to the Navidad Volcano.
Climb of the Lonquimay volcano (2685 m).
Half a day.

You will take the road that goes through Conguillio National Park from North to South by the eastern side of Llaima Volcano (3,125 m) until Sollipulli, at the foot of the homonymous volcano, where you will sleep in a wonderful eco-camp.
Included : english speaking guide, private transport, guide expenses, equipment rental, climbing guide

After spending the morning on the road and stopping to take pictures, you will arrive in Pucón. You can observe from different points the Villarrica Volcano, still active and with a perfect cone. Pucón is a charming village on the shores of the Villarrica Lake very appreciated by the national tourists. Whether you come in winter or in summer, you will always find a lot of activities: climbing up the volcano, skiing, rafting, tree climbing, trekking, visiting the surrounding hot springs, heading off to meet the Mapuche communities (such as the Curarrehue), hiking (to the Ojos de Caburga, for example)...
You will have free time in the afternoon. Ask your guide for advice!
You will spend the night in Pucón.

Night at the Bambu Lodge hotel**.
Included : english speaking guide, private transport, room & breakfast

Meeting at 06:30. Departure at 07:00 from Pucón to go to the ski center at the base of the volcano at 1,400 m of altitude. At 09:00 you will start walking 4 to 5 hours to the summit of the volcano (2,847m). From there you will enjoy views of the eight surrounding volcanoes: Quetrupillán, Lanín, Llaima, Lonquimay, Sierra Nevada, Chohuenco, Osorno, Tolhuaca as well as three small volcanoes around Lake Caburgua. You can also observe the many lakes of the region: Caburgua, Calafquén, Huilipilun, Neltume, Panguipulli and Villarrica. At 15:00 you will start the descent to the base through the ice slides. Back to Pucón by car.

Night at the Bambu Lodge hotel**.
Included : guide expenses, equipment rental, climbing guide, excursion (shared), public transport, room & breakfast

At 08.00 departure from the hotel to Lake Caburgua before heading to Huerquehue National Park. Begin your trek to the lagoons located 768m above sea level. The first waterfall you will come across is called the "Eagle's Nest", you can walk down 400m to see it from below. You will then hike up to 1300m to lake Chico, go round the lake to Laguna Los Patos, then Laguna Huerquehue and finally Laguna el Toro, before heading back to the entrance of the park where you started. A lovely day among the Araucanias, endemic tree of this area.
Drive back to Pucon.

Night at the Bambu Lodge hotel**.
Included : english speaking guide, entrance fees, private transport, box lunch, room & breakfast

Departure at 9.00 with your guide.
You will leave the shores of Villarrica Lake in the morning to go further south. This region is not very touristic yet, except from the two months in summer when the population doubles in a few weeks. The Interlagos Route was constructed especially to enjoy the beauty of each lake and get out of the Pan-American Highway. You will be able to stop as much as you want either to take pictures or to rest your feet in the cold water of the lakes or the hot water of the natural hot springs that abound in this volcanic region. You will drive during two hours along the Calafquén and Panguipulli lakes. You will have almost all this time a view of the Villarrica Volcano that you can admire from different sides.
Night in Neltume.
Option: possibility to stop at the Geometric Hot Springs.
Night at the Hostal Bosque Encantado **.
Included : english speaking guide, private transport, room & breakfast

Today, you will go round the Ranco Lake and then head south to Puyehue and Rupanco lakes. You will stop at the village of Puyehue, at the foot of the homonymous volcano which erupted in 2011. You will walk on the place of the eruption to have an idea of the damage.
Night in Puyehue.

Night at the hotel Lodge Taique ***.
Included : english speaking guide, private transport, room & breakfast

Despite its proximity with the Caulle and also being an active volcano, the Puyehue has no recorded historical eruptions, but it shows enough activity in his surroundings. On its slopes it is common to see steam vents, geysers, lava flows of different colors, and/or traces of the recent eruption – in 2011 – from its neighbor “Cordon del Caulle”.
Climbing from its south face, its ascension is not complex. The approach is through a trail surrounded by a “lenga” forest (Nothofagus pumilio), then up an extensive coironal to almost reach the limit of vegetation to a rustic and comfortable wooden shelter. It´s at this point that usually starts – in the next dawn – the ascent to the main summit.
Night at the Caulle shelter.
Included : guide (hiking), room, dinner, box lunch

Wake up early in the morning to finish the climb of the Puyehue volcano. Go back to your vehicle at the end of the day.
4-5-hour walk - 1000 m difference in height.

After the climb up the Puyehue Volcano, you will head to Puerto Varas, a nice small town in the Bavarian tradition from which you can admire the Osorno Volcano when there are no clouds in the sky.
Night in Puerto Varas.

Night at Casa Kalfu hotel ***.
Included : box lunch, breakfast, english speaking guide, private transport, room & breakfast

This morning, you will leave for Patagonia. It is a first day to have a taste of the magnificent landscapes of the carretera austral. You will go from ferries to tracks through lush vegetation along the fjords to reach Pumalín National Park. A first ferry allows you to cross the Reloncaví Estuary and arrive in Hornopirén. You have to be in Hornopirén before 11:00 in order for you to take the ferry to cross the fjord (4 hours).
You will arrive in Caleta Gonzalo by the fjord. It is possible for you to hike in the primary forest of Pumalín National Park.
Night in a small cabin. Free meals.

Night at the Cabanas Caleta Gonzalo ***
Included : entrance fees, english-speaking driver guide, excursion (private), room & breakfast

From Caleta Gonzalo, drive through Pumalin Park and follow the Carretera Austral winding on the hills and valleys of Patagonia. You will get to Chaiten Park from where you can admire the same named volcano which engulfed the city after its eruption in 2008. Then, the road goes along the Pacific Ocean and will lead you to Chaiten.

Night at the Schilling hotel **.
Included : entrance fees, english-speaking driver guide, excursion (private), room & breakfast

Leave Chaiten in the morning and head to Chaiten Park from where you can admire the same named volcano which engulfed the city after its eruption in 2008. Then, the road goes along the Pacific Ocean and will lead you to Chaiten. Continue to La Junta and to Puyuhuapi where you will spend the night.
Night at the hotel Casa Ludwig **.
Included : entrance fees, english-speaking driver guide, excursion (private), room & breakfast

You will start from Puyuhuapi, a small village at the end of a fjord which is known for the producing of handcrafted carpets.
You will go down the Carretera Asutral alongside the Palena River, crossing various natural parks.
You will vvisit Queulat National Park to see its hanging glacier above the lagoon. This park contains multiple unexplored areas, reason why it still has savage and preserved landscapes.
Then, you will continue towards the only important city in this part of Patagonia: Coyhaique and its famous road, “Avenida Norte Sur”, which offers beautiful views of the Simpson River. The architecture is worth the detour.
The landscapes will slowly change. It is the place where the Tehuelches Indians used to live. Those indigenous people, known for their height (2 m), have long since disappeared.
Free lunch and dinner. Hotel.

Night at the Hotel Dreams Patagonia ***
Included : english speaking guide, private transport, room & breakfast

Departure at noon for what will probably the nicest day's drive of your journey. You will go through the Carro Castillo and Rio Ibanez region, which was severely affected by the eruption of the Hudson volcano in 1991. It is still possible to see a few remains of this event that caused the death of practicaly all the cattle of the area.
Once arrived on the edge of the General Carrera lake, you will take a boat ride to the Marble Chapels, fantastic caves carved by the waves.

Night at the hotel Terra Luna Lodge ***
Included : english speaking guide, entrance fees, private transport, equipment rental, room & breakfast

Experience a day trip aboard the Patagonia Jet, departing from Puerto Guadal.
Navigation on Lake General Carrera to the outlet of the Leones River. You will travel for 40 minutes up to the Leones River and then walk to reach Lake Leones. You will then navigate some more towards the spectacular Leones Glacier, where you can observe three separate branches of the glacier calving into the lake.
You will stop for lunch in front of the glacier before you return at 17:00.

Night at the hotel Terra Luna Lodge ***
Included : english speaking guide, cruise, box lunch, excursion (shared), private transport, boat ticket, local english-speaking guide , room & breakfast

You will take the return road to Coyhaique and Balmaceda Airport. You will leave behind you this region covered in ashes, evidence of the last eruption of the Hudson Volcano, drive alongside the General Carrera Lake, the second major lake in South America, and continue this wonderful road up to Balmaceda.
Domestic flight from Coyhaique to Santiago (time to be confirmed, flight indicated in option).

Night at the Holiday Inn Santiago Airport hotel ****

Included : english speaking guide, private transport, domestic flight, airport tax, room & breakfast