As I careen down a gravelly path encircling Chile’s largest lake, gripping my mountain bike’s handlebars for my dear and sometimes wayward life, I think about whether I’m wearing appropriate underwear should I find myself flung flat out at the bottom of the hill. Funny how your mother’s voice drifts into your head during such moments.
I realize the only thing that might compensate for the impact of a breakneck-speed tumble is the view: snowcapped volcanoes reflected in Lake Llanquihue’s deep blue waters. With scenery like this, such risks of bodily harm seem oddly worth it.
And thus begins my foray into the breathtaking Lakes District of Southern Chile, a gem of a landscape often overshadowed by the tried-and-true main draw of Patagonia’s Torres del Paine National Park. With a more moderate terrain, milder climate and less chance of being taken out by volatile winds, this 200-kilometre stretch along the Chilean coast offers up stunning views and off-the-beaten-path adventures that let you keep your limbs and hair more or less intact while you get your nature and adrenalin fix.
“I call it Patagonia Lite,” says Jason Angress, a rather agile American biking guide filling in for the regular guide with Santiago Adventures, the tour outfit that will take me and two other adventurists on a multisport, multiday trip around the aptly named region, which is home to 12 major lakes and dozens more. Rivers, waterfalls, forests and hot springs dot the region surrounded by the Andes.
Angress is a SoCal boy who relocated to Chile after travelling extensively around the world. Of all the places he visited, it was the Lakes District that left an indelible mark on his mind. “There are beautiful spots everywhere, but there was something about this region that wouldn’t let me forget it,” he says, before berating me for not changing my gears often enough as we navigate the hilly terrain.
While my bike and I bounce over the gravel and Angress flies by, I understand where he’s coming from. The area draws you in with its tranquil beauty, jagged peaks, verdant valleys and glistening cobalt lakes. The air is crisp, a trio of volcanoes (the Osorno, Puntiagudo and Tronador) provide a constant majestic backdrop, and hours slip by as I pedal through pastures with nary a soul or sound around, barring the deep bellows of a few herds of cattle in the distance.
My 56-kilometre bike ride around Lake Llanquihue began in the city of Frutillar. Inhabited originally by the Mapuche natives, the region was later settled by German immigrants in the 1800s after Chile won its independence from Spain. The Germans’ arrival caused significant upheaval by displacing Mapuche people from their land and communities; many are still trying to reclaim their land today. The Bavarian architecture throughout the Lakes District is so prominent and well preserved, you almost question which continent you’re on. I catch myself expecting to be served a pilsner by a dirndl-clad woman in braids.
We spend the day pedalling around vast, open landscapes under baby blue cloudless skies all the way to Puerto Octay, another quaint German-settled town nestled on the north shore of Lake Llanquihue, before pushing on to Puerto Fonck, where our tired legs bring us to a colonial mansion. Gloria Weisser, a petite Swiss woman, welcomes us into her grandiose house, which doubles as a guest home, resplendent with high ceilings, cherry-wood panelling and attic-style bedrooms. (The grandiose property has been in her family for generations.) She fills our rumbling bellies with perfectly prepared steak and a harvest of veggie goodness from her garden. Satiated and tuckered out, we rest up for day two of our Lakes District adventure.
A gorgeous sunrise pierces through the windows, prying our eyes awake just in time to catch a ride on a fisherman’s boat across the waters of Todos los Santos Lake, named by the Jesuits who stumbled upon it on All Saints Day in 1670 as they searched for a pass through the Andes. The lake is surrounded by Vicente Perez Rosales National Park, Chile’s oldest, and one that is often overlooked despite a bevvy of available activities, including fly-fishing, skiing, horseback riding and visiting the waterfalls at Petrohue. During our passage, we catch amazing views of the Osorno and Puntiagudo volcanoes. From Cayutue Lagoon, we set out on a hike before driving alongside fjords toward Cochamo, where we hunker down for the night at Campo Aventura, a campsite dotted with lodge cabins reminiscent of summer camp.
On day three we hop into sea kayaks waiting along the shores of Tagua Tagua Lake. My paddle dips in and out of emerald waters encircled by massive cliff faces that stretch on for miles. Our kayaking guide, a woman from Quebec, tells a story similar to Angress’s: She travelled here on vacation only to return to make it her new home. Again, the appeal is obvious. Aside from the incomparable climate, the solitude of the lake is captivating.
After lunch on a beach enclave, warm sand between our toes, it’s a windy ferry ride and an hour-long drive out to La Colina Farm. We saddle up for a horseback ride toward Las Rocas Lake in Puelo Valley, on the border between Chile and Argentina in the remote Patagonia Andes. Our hour-long trek takes us through canopied forests and down gravel trails as the horses vie to get ahead of the pack. A short motorboat ride transports us to a charming cottage on Las Bandurrias Island, a private retreat nestled among towering, ancient alerces trees – some more than 3,000 years old.
Françoise Dutheil, the French-Argentinian owner of the cottage and our host for the evening, has prepared a meal of epic proportions. It’s a perfect last night as we share stories of our adventure between bites of shepherd’s pie. After a few glasses of malbec, we’re ready to snuggle into our bunk beds while visions of creamy cinnamon-sprinkled Chilean rice pudding dance through our heads.
Waking to the sun rising over the lake saddens me slightly, as I know we have to soon leave this woodsy wonderland. We pack up and set out for a misty hike amid the pastures. We pass serene horses grazing and the fog begins to lift. In no small measure, it’s otherworldly, offering up a grand finale to impress upon us that “Patagonia Lite” is far from being light on scenery or sanctuary.
IF YOU GO
Air Canada offers direct flights to Santiago from Toronto. From there, catch a flight with LAN, Chile’s national carrier, to Puerto Montt, where a Santiago Adventures representative will transfer you to your hotel in Puerto Varas. A biking guide will meet you at the hotel the following morning.
Santiago Adventures offers a variety of Lakes District adventures, starting at $926 (U.S.) for a three-day/two-night trek. The six-day Lakes, Volcanoes and the Carretera Austral tour includes five nights of accommodation, private transportation, a cycling guide and equipment, some meals and bottled water, for $3,053 (U.S.). Prices are based on a minimum of two travellers. santiagoadventures.com
Part of the writer’s trip was subsidized by Santiago Adventures. It did not review or approve the story.