Lakes, volcanos, hot springs — oh my! This land is laden with outdoor activities and summer weather so divine you’ll never want to stay indoors. Let’s go; it’s time for a road trip.
From South to Less South
We started in Puerto Montt, where we flew from backpacking around Southern Patagonia. Our car came from Econorent with just 350 kilometers — ripe for some loving wear and tear.
Roadside, we feasted our eyes on dense lenga forests, fields with grazing livestock, and Patagonia’s vibrant purple and pink wildflowers.
And safe indoors, we ended up adoring Carhouse, which we discovered came equipped with a mud room (the dashboard), bedroom (folded-down seats), and kitchen (a plastic bag stuffed with our cooking gear). Mid-trip, our kitchen even got renovated (via a free reusable tote from a supermarket). Needless to say, this self-proclaimed homebody who treasured her apartment in Buenos Aires nestled into the house on four wheels.
Puerto Varas
Far and away, this is the region’s most chic little town (and it has Chile’s swankiest Jumbo to prove it). Sandwiched between two volcanoes, Puerto Varas serves up stunning views, tidy German architecture, and loads of cute cafes and restaurants. Too busy enjoying the scenery, I sadly forgot to snap a single picture. Whoops.
Regardless, I’d suggest visiting La Barista for great WiFi, eggs Benedict and tasty espresso. Donde El Gordito offers affordable and buttery-as-can-be seafood; go hungry, as the portions are humongous.
Bariloche
We stayed at Periko’s, a laidback hostel with a great common space and well-appointed rooms.
While in town, we met up with a couple of friends from Buenos Aires and camped out at Lago Guillermo for AR $150 per person (the site is equipped with restrooms, campfire pits and a small store).
For dining in Bariloche, I’d recommend Manush for its outdoor live music, good beer and amazing lamb. Great coffee and passable WiFi can be found at El Molinito, a centrally-located spot with no-nonsense decor.
South of Bariloche
With our friends along for the ride, we took the famed and lovely Ruta 40 down to El Bolsón. En route, we stopped at the new Feria Rio Villegas for fried empanadas; they also offer healthier fare like juices and fruit salad. While in El Bolsón, we grabbed ice cream at Jauja, the heladería renowned for its 60 exquisite flavors. For our 1/4 kilo, Connor and I opted for dark chocolate, frutas del bosque, super chantilly de frutillas.
North of Bariloche
After bidding farewell to our friends, we went to San Martín de Los Andes via the scenic route, which weaves through alpine lakes and pine trees.
While still in Argentina, we’d hoped to climb Volcán Lanín. But the morning of our anticipated climb, the peak of the volcano was topped in clouds. It looked windy. The guards almost let us go, but we were missing one required piece of equipment — a very high frequency (VHF) radio. Connor’s satellite radio may have sufficed, but as we were registering, they had an emergency: someone was missing on the volcano. In that moment, we figured it best to stay out of their way and head onward.
Volcán Lonquimay
So we drove back into Chile to Volcán Lonquimay, which formed a new crater several years ago on Christmas Day. Now an active ski resort, the site is also a public park with trails around the sparse terrain. With a fair bit of snow on the mountain, we set off.
I hadn’t hiked since Ushuaia and felt sluggish in the beginning. While we trod up the loose volcanic rock, I wondered what I got myself into. As we reached the highest part of the mountain, each step became a half step as I slipped backward in the finer pumice. I whined. Cried. Asked myself, “WHY am I doing this?!!” 200 meters to the top, I decided to turn around. Too windy. Too steep. No way. And once I did flip back around, I finally took in the view and had a fantastic time sliding through the snow down the mountain. You know those inspirational posters? If there isn’t one already, I want one that says, “MEH. Almost there is close enough.”
The following day, I relished a personal milestone: finally figuring out how to make coffee using Connor’s intimidating white-gas stove.
Temuco
While passing through Temuco, we made sure to stop into Zuny Tradiciones, a cozy eatery where waiters list off the menu of day. We opted for the house recommendation of a cut of beef and pork, plus a bevy of vegetables and grains. It was easily the most well-balanced meal we’d eaten in weeks. The owner, a petite woman in her 70s, wandered around the communal bench tables and ensured everyone was enjoying their meal. No complaints from our corner.
Contented and satiated, we meandered down to hot springs outside of Pucón (this would be the first of three visits to different sites). We opted for Los Pozones, 8,000 pesos per person for a handful of progressively warmer pools. The best part of Los Pozones’ pools is that they’re wedged among rocks, with the hot water filtering in through the cracks.
Once we were sufficiently pruney, we left to find the night’s parking space. At the initial site, we had our first awkward encounter with an irritated farmer across the street. Driving a bit further, we settled into a spot alongside a rain-soaked road.
Coñaripe
Oh. My. Word. Termas Geométricas has officially made its way to my favorite places. We arrived to these hot springs a bit worn out — physically and mentally from so much on-the-go. But this site is built for rejuvenation. With an Asian-inspired design, red wooden catwalks wind around 20 soaking pools ranging from 35 to 45 degrees Celsius. There are also two icy-cold waterfalls; restrooms, lockers and changing rooms near every pool; and and a cafeteria with fire pits in the dining space.
Lounging in the pools, I was struck by reality: We’re unemployed and road tripping around Patagonia; it’s a Wednesday and we’re in heaven. We arrived at 9 a.m., took a midday lunch break in the car and didn’t leave until 8 p.m. After exiting in a state of zen (and/or dehydration), we wound back down the lush gravel-paved route in silence.
Parque Huerquehue
We wanted to climb to the top of Cerro San Sebastián, which we’d read has a view of eight volcanos and 14 alpine lakes. But due to the previous day’s deluge, the mountain was covered in ice and closed for hiking.
So instead we took the meandering 7 km trail around the park’s pretty alpine lakes. It was good exercise and a true bluebird day.
Emporio del Campo
This family-owned restaurant, cafe and farmers market rests along Highway 215 outside Puyehue. Emporio del Campo has been operating the eateries for about a year, though it’s just opened the doors to the small farmers market, which offers local goods ranging from goat cheese to aromatherapy oils. This was one of several roadside stops for us, and by far the most rewarding. We grabbed a block of cheese and enjoyed some ice cream on the sun-soaked front porch.
Volcán Villarrica
A landmark of the Chilean Lakes District, climbing this volcano provided the memorable, quintessentially-Distrito-de-Lagos experience that I craved. If you’re in the area, don’t let the masses deter you; the well-packed snow is worth trodding.
The trip of a lifetime!