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Lake District (Northern Patagonia)

Chile’s portion of the Lake District extends from Temuco in the north to Puerto Montt in the south.

With dense forests, snow-capped volcanoes, and clear lakes, it is inarguably one of the country’s most beautiful areas. The centuries-old alerce forests that dominate the landscape were once home to the Mapuche, who defended their land for 350 years before their eventual fall to the Chilean army in the 1880s.

The German Influence

The area today sees some of the finest dairy farmland in Chile, thanks to the German, Austrian, and Swiss settlers who made the region their home.

The German influence is particularly evident in the architecture and dishes found in Valdivia, Osorno, Puerto Varas, and Frutillar. However, native culture also thrives. You will find the majority of the region’s half-million inhabitants who claim Mapuche ancestry residing in the indigenous reservations throughout the Lake District.

The main cities of TemucoOsornoValdivia, and Puerto Montt are where the majority of the region’s inhabitants reside, though most cities function predominantly as transportation hubs.

It’s the resort towns and adventure sports capitals of Pucón and the sleepier Puerto Varas—where the awe-inspiring twin volcanoes, Osorno and Calbuco, guard entrance to the lakes—that draw most of the region’s visitors. Both towns are great bases from which to explore the region and enjoy the endless array of activities you will find in the Lake District: hiking, kayaking, canyoning, whitewater rafting, cycling, horseback riding, birdwatching, volcano climbing and skiing, world-class fly-fishing, mountaineering, and soaking in the many thermal springs.

Parque Nacional Vicente Pérez Rosales

The Lake District also boasts an impressive six national parks including the world-famous Parque Nacional Vicente Pérez Rosales—Chile’s first and most-visited national park, whose vast wilderness hosts endless hiking opportunities with some of the region’s most spectacular scenery as the backdrop, in addition to numerous other natural reserves and protected areas.

For those wishing to experience the Argentine side of the region, both Puerto Montt and Puerto Varas are excellent access points to Bariloche, via a combination of road and boat.

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