Passage to Chile

Day 1 – Bariloche – Puerto Varas

Today, you’ll be collected from your hotel in Bariloche and transferred by bus to the harbour. Here, you’ll board a large catamaran and set sail on your lake crossing from Argentina to Chile via Puerto Frias. The lake is circled by snow-capped mountains covered in thick pine forests and your journey is packed with panoramic views. The boat will dock at the scenic village of Puerto Frias at the foot of Mount Tronador. This is the border crossing into Chile, so once you’ve had your passport stamped, you’ll board the bus to the other side.

Around midday, you’ll arrive in Peulla, Chile where you can grab some lunch. Afterwards, you’ll continue by boat across Lago Esmeralda, passing through Vicente Rosales National Park, the oldest National Park in South America. Here, dozens of waterfalls cascade down from the mountain side and you’ll sail so close you can feel the water spray. Next you’ll board a bus to Petrohue Falls. The falls are pretty modest in height, but the huge mass of water being forced through the nar-row opening in the rocks is breathtaking.

Finally, your bus will follow the shores of the lake until you approach Puerto Varas, where you’ll see smoke rising from the chimneys of the German-style cottages with the Osorno volcano towering over the background. In Puerto Varas, you’ll be dropped off at your centrally located guesthouse. The guest-house has a handful for simple rooms with private bathrooms, a communal area in the attic and a cosy fireplace to warm your toes after a long trip.