Chile Guide
The Lake District
The landscape gradually softens as you travel south along the Panamericana. Beyond the Central Valley, the road is bordered by undulating parkland, where herds of Aberdeen Angus graze under ancient oaks and beeches. This is the LAKE DISTRICT, which stretches 339km from Temuco in the north to Puerto Montt in the south, a region of lush farmland, dense forest, snow-capped volcanoes and deep, clear lakes, hidden for the most part in the mountains. As you drive, you can see far off to the east the occasional pyramid of a distant volcano, emitting clouds of ominous smoke, beneath which lie some of the two dozen lakes that give the region its name.
Highlights
1 Parque Nacional Conguillío Hiking is spectacular in this Andean park, where fresh volcano fields mix with ancient araucaria forests.
2 Lago Villarrica At the capital of adventure tourism for Southern Chile, you can climb smoking Volcán Villarrica, raft the rapids of the Trancura or disappear into the hills on mountain bike trails.
3 Siete Lagos Get away from the crowds by exploring Andean lakes that have only recently been opened to tourists.
4 Valdivia Find a surprising mix of European history at this lively coastal city, where German breweries and old Spanish forts are surrounded by rivers and bays.
5 Lago Todos Los Santos Its emerald green waters run up to the Argentine border, and are surrounded by Parque Nacional Vicente Pérez Rosales, Chile's largest park.
6 Estuario de Reloncavi A top spot for hiking, kayaking or horse-trekking into the oldest forests of the Americas, including the Cochamó Valley, known as "Chile's Yosemite".
7 Puerto Varas The introduction to Patagonia, where you can embark on rafting and fishing expeditions after gorging on the best food in the region.