Chilean Lake District & Iguazu Falls

Densely forested national parks criss-crossed with hiking paths, a dozen large lakes and scores of smaller ones, and ice capped conical volcanoes all providing a dazzling backdrop to the postcard scenery of Chile’s beautiful and unique lake district.

While the rest of the country reflects a blending of Spanish and indigenous cultures, this area between Puerto Montt and Temuco adds German, Austrian and Swiss immigrants to the cosmopolitan mix of Chile.

Our drive from the El Tepual Airport in Puerto Montt took us past Lago Llanquihue to Puerto Octay. Two impressive volcanic cones, Volcán Calbuco and Osorno, stand guard over the changing colours of the lake.

A two day excursion from lake Todos Los Santos to Barilloche on the Argentinean side of the Andes Mountain will take you across various lakes and expose you to the most beautiful scenic route in the south of this continent. Mirrored images of snowcapped volcanoes in winding waterways connect various lakes. A typical Chilean lunch was enjoyed at the secluded hotel, Peulla, somewhere in the remote area between lakes and mountains.
 

The scenic route along the lakes of Chile reminds one of the lake districts of Sweden and Great Britain, but with one distinct difference: the ever presence of yet another snowcapped volcano cone. Narrow winding gravel roads with “home made” single lane sleeper stripped bridges, introduce you to a remote undeveloped area on the eastern borders of central Chile. The scenic route along the lakes of Chile reminds one of the lake districts of Sweden and Great Britain, but with one distinct difference: the ever presence of yet another snowcapped volcano cone.

Volcàn Villarrica near Pucon in the Parque Nacional Villarrica

Narrow winding gravel roads with “home made” single lane sleeper stripped bridges, introduce you to a remote undeveloped area on the eastern borders of central Chile.

In the rural towns of Puerto Octay, Llifén and Futrono you meet the local people, most of which have never heard of our country. Needless to say, only Spanish and a little bit of a mixed German dialect is spoken and communication is a huge challenge.

The town of Pucón, next to lake Calafquén and with the volcanoVillarrica as a backdrop, as if guarding over this holiday retreat to many Chileans, was our last stopover before flying out to Santiago and Buenos Aires.

We stayed at the Hotel Güdenschwager, a family run pension by a “German family” whose ancestors immigrated during the early 1900’s.

The Iguazú Falls is not only shared by 3 countries i.e. Argentina, Brazil and Paraquay, but is also one of the world’s greatest natural wonders. The Paraná River forms a huge basin (natural dam) above the falls resulting in a constant equal supply of water over the overall length of the falls.
 

The impressive Iguacú Falls (spelled differently in Spanish on the Brazilian side)

One should spend at least two days at the falls, to experience both the Argentinean and Brazilian zest of this wonder. The falls are located in the north eastern corner of Argentina, some 2 hours flight from Buenos Aires. One can either fly into the Argentinean or Brazilian side. We would suggest you fly into Iguazú and spend the first day in Argentina : commute with the little jungle train from the hotel to the top end of the falls. Walk the kilometer onto the extended steel bridge, crossing all the side streams and finally experience the mighty roar and spray on top of the main falls, looking down over the falling waters, into the gorge. On this side you “feel” the falls both through sound and water spray. From the hotel many scenic walks will take you to various sectors of the falls through walking terraces. A rain forest drive will introduce you to the incredible fauna and flora, the colourful large beaked Tucan, painted rainbirds, huge bush spiders with webs spanning the trees as well as the illusive night iguana.

A daring rubber speedboat, taking you under the spray of the rainbow falls, high up in the gorge, will test your guts and finally rounds off your Argentinean experience.

On the Brazilian side you will see the panoramic splendour of the “wall of water”, setting the stage over a distance of 3 - 4 kilometers.

Johann Beukes