Chile Travel and News | By Raul Silva M.
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| Image: verticetv |
As you probably already know, Chile is administratively divided into 16 Regions. The Región De Los Lagos or Décima Region (Tenth Region) as it is also known, is located in the Center-South of the country, bordered on the North by the Región De Los Rios, on the South by the Region De Aysén, on the East by the Argentine Republic and the Pacific Ocean on the West.
Its capital is the city of Puerto Montt and the provinces that make up the region are 4, from N to S: Osorno, Llanquihue, Chiloe and Palena. According to the 2015 census, the regional population was 841,123 inhabitants.
The local economy is primarily based on agriculture, forestry, livestock, fishing, salmon farming, the dairy industry, services, and tourism, all supported by a wide range of natural landscapes, traditional foods, folk music, and cultural traditions—especially in the province of Chiloé. German colonization, mainly between 1850 and 1910, has left a significant legacy in many aspects of regional life.
How to Get There
Island of Chiloe
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| Image: iglesiasdechiloe.cl |
ed one of the 25 World's richest territories in Biodiversity, therefore a top priority for the conservation of Nature. Parque Tantauco is one of the most important places for trekking in Chile, the trails total almost 150 km, with routes of low and high difficulty in the southernmost and wildest part of the Greater Island of Chiloe.
Important tourist places are also the towns of Ancud, gateway to Chiloé, founded by the Spaniards in 1768; Castro, the current provincial capital, with a very typical architecture in addition to the Iglesia de San Francisco (San Francisco Church) declared a World Heritage Site; Dalcahue, small town located 25 km North of Castro; Chonchi, known as "La Ciudad de los Tres Pisos (The City of the Three Floors), because it is built on three natural levels. On the other hand, the old Churches of Chiloe, the 16 that have been declared World Heritage by UNESCO and the rest, all belonging to the "Escuela Chilota de Arquitectura en Madera" (Chiloe's School of Religious Architecture in Wood), have unique characteristics that have earned recognition all over the world. Here you can learn more about tourist places in Chiloe
Puerto Montt is the regional capital of Los Lagos, strategically located on the Reloncavi Gulf, at 1,033 km. South of Santiago. Founded in 1853 by Vicente Pérez Rosales, Puerto Montt was built by German and Chilean settlers in a territory rich in fishing resources and covered by a thick cold jungle where the Larch prevailed, one of the longest-standing trees in the world.
City of Puerto Montt
The city, characterized by its cozy shore-side scenery, represents the North gate of the vast Patagonian territory and is also the main business center of southern Chile. The main services offered are related to tourism, salmon and aquaculture industry, agriculture, livestock, transport and telecommunications. During the high season (December to March) thousands of tourists from different parts of the world can be seen in restaurants, streets and squares attracted by the dozens of tourist attractions in the area.
Puerto Montt's commercial and tourist infrastructure includes a Sea Port, Airport, Bus Terminal, road connection, hotels, gastronomy and all related services, offering high quality standards for travel and tourism industry as well as congresses and conventions.
"Angelmo" Fishermen's Market and Tourist Center
The small bay of Angelmó lies 3 km from Puerto Montt downtown. Currently, Angelmó is the most important tourist attraction in the city since here are concentrated the Maritime Terminal that connects with the province of Chiloé and the Regions of Aysén and Magallanes, there is also the Craft Fair, a Fishing Terminal to sell the products brought by the locals and a large Seafood Market where these products are sold in small restaurants.
Vicente Perez Rosales National Park
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| Image: Villa Peulla |
Museo Colonial Aleman (German Colonial Museum)
The Museo Colonial Alemán, inaugurated in 1984, is located in the town of Frutillar, mainly dedicated to preserve the legacy of the German immigration in the area of Llanquihue Lake. It is made up of a group of five buildings covered with wooden tiles, in the style of Southern Chile. At the entrance is located La Llavería, where currently are carried out administrative activities of the museum, then you can visit La Casa del Molino (The Mill's House) with a large sample of objects, documents and explanatory panels of the different historical stages shown in the exhibition, outside the house there is El Molino de Agua (The Water Mill), one of the first machines used by the settlers on the shores of Lake Llanquihue, around 1870. Other facilities are La Casa del Herrero (The Blacksmith's House), with machines, carriages and tools of the time; El Campanario (The Bell Tower), a circular barn where the sheaves of wheat were gathered and finally on the hill you get to La Casa Patronal (Main House) built in 1889, where you can see how the houses of the German settlers were thanks to the economic development they got. Near the Casa Patronal there is a Family Cemetery, as was customary at the time among some immigrant groups.
Llanquihue Lake and Surroundings
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| Puerto Varas and Llanquihue Lake |
Lago Llanquihue, 22 km away from Puerto Montt, is the second largest lake in Chile, its name comes from the "Mapudungun", autochthonous language meaning "sunken place". It is a tourist destination recognized worldwide, on its banks are towns and cities of great scenic beauty, having as backdrop the volcanoes Osorno, Puntiagudo, Calbuco and Tronador.
Worth mentioning are the city of Puerto Varas, with its Sagrado Corazón de Jesús Church, beautiful and imposing Temple which can be seen from any point of Puerto Varas; the Waterfront of the town of Frutillar Bajo, a must see, here is also the Teatro del Lago (Theater of the Lake), artistic center amidst a beautiful setting where every year a festival of Art Music called "Semanas Musicales de Frutillar" takes place; Ensenada, main tourist center on the eastern shore of Lago Llanquihue, a place of a beauty difficult to find in other parts of the World, in addition to its good infrastructure to serve tourists; the small town and commune of Cochamo, between the Reloncaví Estuary and the border with Argentina is another favorite destination for ecotourism lovers.
Lakes Llanquihue, Todos los Santos and many others in southern Chile as well as the entire surroundings are suitable for various adventure tourism activities such as sailing, windsurfing, rafting, kayaking, water skiing, recreational fishing, mountaineering, skiing, etc. Learn more about tours around Llanquihue Lake
Parque Nacional Alerce Andino
Following the Carretera Austral, 46 Km. SE of Puerto Mont lies this protected area whose name translated into English would be "Andean Larch National Park", because of the 20,000 hectares of this tree which once covered hundreds of thousands of hectares in this part of Southern Chile. Today there are only 42,000 hectares, protected by the Chilean State.
It is worth mentioning that the Larch Tree is one of the oldest on the planet, it can live from 3,000 to 4,000 years, grows only 1 centimeter every 15 years and despite this it can reach 50 meters high and 3 to 4 meters in diameter.
In 1982 was created this Natural Reserve, precisely to protect these true relics of Nature, although the Park also includes other native species such as the Coigue de Magallanes, Coigue de Chiloe, Lenga, Tenio, Mañío and Canelo. Alerce Andino is open all year round although the most suitable time to go is Spring-Summer season, there are trails for trekking, the whole area is very rainy so you should take the appropriate precautions.
Carretera Austral (Chile's Southern Way)
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| A view of the Carretera Austral Image: vialidad.cl |
Undoubtedly, the Carretera Austral, also known as Ruta 7, is one of the most panoramic roads in the World. The geography of this part of Chile is very difficult but many of the landscapes are worthy of a postcard. It is a road in constant expansion, there are currently almost 1300 km between Puerto Montt and Villa O'Higgins, with paved parts (the least), other gravel and certain sections that must be made in ferries. The next paragraph also includes places of the XIth Aysen Region.
Among the outstanding sites can be mentioned Hornopiren, the North Gate of the Carretera Austral; Parque Pumalin, one of the largest and most important Private Nature Reserves of Chile and South America, of great scenic beauty; La Junta, North access to the Aysen Region; Parque Nacional Queulat, one of the most visited by tourists who travel along Route 7; Laguna San Rafael National Park, the largest in the Aysen Region, with incredible landscapes of millenary ice from the Northern Ice Field; La Catedral de Marmol (The Marble Cathedral), mineral formation of calcium carbonate in the middle of the blue waters of General Carrera Lake, a series of wonderful caverns through which tourists can navigate in small boats.
Among the outstanding sites can be mentioned Hornopiren, the North Gate of the Carretera Austral; Parque Pumalin, one of the largest and most important Private Nature Reserves of Chile and South America, of great scenic beauty; La Junta, North access to the Aysen Region; Parque Nacional Queulat, one of the most visited by tourists who travel along Route 7; Laguna San Rafael National Park, the largest in the Aysen Region, with incredible landscapes of millenary ice from the Northern Ice Field; La Catedral de Marmol (The Marble Cathedral), mineral formation of calcium carbonate in the middle of the blue waters of General Carrera Lake, a series of wonderful caverns through which tourists can navigate in small boats.
Town and Comunne of Futaleufu
The basin of Futaleufú River is a very important tourist area in the Los Lagos region, recognized worldwide by fly fishing lovers, also thanks to its fast Class V rapids for the practice of rafting, horseback riding and mountain biking. Despite being a remote mountain area, almost lost on the map and very close to the border with Argentina, the place has good infrastructure to receive visitors, with a varied culinary offer and accommodation. Another place nearby, emblematic and true paradise for lovers of recreational fishing is Lake Espolon, also full of charming places. From Futaleufu you can reach Argentine territory through the Trevelin International Pass.
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