Routes · Americas
London to Chile's Lake District: Puerto Varas and Chiloé
London → Puerto Varas → Chiloé (Castro)
Volcanoes, lakes & wooden churches Best season (general guide): Dec–Mar
Chile's Lake District is a green land of volcanoes, lakes and forests, and the island of Chiloé, to the south, has its own culture and traditions. This route spends three nights in Puerto Varas and three on Chiloé. From London you'll connect through Santiago to Puerto Montt.
How to pace it: Spend days one to three in Puerto Varas: day one, the lakeshore; day two, Osorno volcano and Petrohué falls; day three, lake or kayak day. Then spend days four to six in Chiloé (Castro): day four, ferry to Chiloé, then Castro; day five, wooden churches tour; day six, Chiloé National Park coast.
Puerto Varas sits on the shore of Lake Llanquihue, looking across to the perfect cone of Osorno volcano. German settlers built many of its wooden houses. A drive around the lake leads to the Petrohué Waterfalls, where turquoise water rushes over volcanic rock.
A short ferry crossing takes you to Chiloé, an island of fishing villages and green hills. Castro, the main town, is known for its palafitos, colourful houses built on stilts over the water.
The island's wooden churches, built by local carpenters using traditional methods, are listed by UNESCO. Curanto, a dish of seafood, meat and potatoes cooked in a pit, is a local speciality. Chiloé National Park, on the Pacific coast, has trails through forest and dunes.
December to March is the driest time and the best season, but rain is possible in any month.
In Puerto Varas, the lakeside promenade and cafés with kuchen, a German-style cake, reflect the town's heritage. On Chiloé, markets in Castro and Dalcahue sell woollen goods and crafts, and seafood restaurants serve fresh fish. Ferries to smaller islands offer a glimpse of quieter village life.
Good to know: A hire car is the best way to explore, and car ferries cross to Chiloé frequently. Pack waterproofs and layers.
Long summer evenings leave time for a lakeside walk after dinner, and on Chiloé the wooden shingles of churches and houses are worth a closer look.
Suggested outline
London
Puerto Varas
A lakeside town facing the cone of Osorno volcano, with the Petrohué falls nearby.
Chiloé (Castro)
Island of wooden churches, stilt houses and seafood stews.
"Palafitos, Castro, Chiloé, Chile - panoramio.jpg" by rodoluca, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons· licence
Day by day
- Day 1 · Puerto Varas — Arrive; the lakeshore· London → Puerto Varas (by air) — long-haul; may arrive the next calendar day
- Day 2 · Puerto Varas — Osorno volcano and Petrohué falls
- Day 3 · Puerto Varas — Lake or kayak day
- Day 4 · Chiloé (Castro) — Ferry to Chiloé; Castro· Puerto Varas → Chiloé, Castro (by road and ferry)
- Day 5 · Chiloé (Castro) — Wooden churches tour
- Day 6 · Chiloé (Castro) — Chiloé National Park coast
- Day 7 · Chiloé (Castro) — Travel home from Chiloé, Castro· Chiloé, Castro → Puerto Montt (by road and ferry), then Puerto Montt → London (by air)
A suggested pace only; expedition days are set by the operator.
Flights, leg by leg
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- London → Puerto Varas (LON → PMC) · Check today's price Search fares LON → PMC · 3 Dec ↗
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Puerto Varas
Nearest airport: Puerto Montt Search fares · Puerto Montt ↗
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