Lake District

Chile’s Lake District, around Puerto Varas and Pucon, pairs snow-capped volcanoes with clear glacial lakes in a landscape often compared to Switzerland or Bavaria, complete with a strong German-immigrant influence in the local architecture and food. Villarrica volcano remains active and climbable in the right conditions, while the wider region offers hiking, kayaking and hot springs across a genuinely temperate, green landscape unlike the desert further north. It works well as a slower, outdoor-focused counterpoint to Chile’s Atacama or Patagonia legs.