Tour Guide, Pucon, Chile
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Thanks to its natural attractions, Pucón is one of the favourite destinations within Chile for both national and international tourists. Located at the shores of the Villarrica Lake and next to the active Villarrica Volcano. It has a magical combination that allows enjoying the beach and water sports in the summer and its Ski Center in the wintertime.
Located 870 kilometres from Santiago and only 110 from the region's capital Temuco, the city has good access roads, many long-distance buses and an airstrip where charters coming from Santiago land in the summer season. With lots of accommodation facilities, there is a choice for everyone: from cabins and local houses for rent, up to five-star-hotels.
Pucón's downtown consists of 12 easy-to-walk blocks. Here, you will find the main public buildings and institutions, plus a huge number of restaurants and stores. The beach of black sands runs for about 4 kilometres from the Peninsula until the entrance of the Trancura River into the lake. Towards the left of the Peninsula, there is a small beach called “La Poza”, with a pier from which excursion boats leave and also private boats dock.
Out of Pucón, following the Internacional Road to Argentina, there is a bike lane that runs until the airstrip at El Claro. Next to the International Road, there are several cabins, pubs, some restaurants, and the Shopping Center Alto Pucón, known by the locals as the “Mall”.
Nevertheless, Pucón's surroundings with rivers, lakes, waterfalls, national parks and mountains, give the area its special flavour. Among the activities you can do around, here we mention some:
Ascension of the Villarrica Volcano
Technically easy to climb, the ascension doesn't require previous mountaineering experience, but a good physical condition is a must. It is obligatory to make the climbing with a certified guide and the necessary equipment unless you can prove your experience by the membership of a mountaineering club, or similar. There are several agencies in Pucón which offer this excursion leaving at 06.30 AM, reaching the summit at about noon and returning to Pucón around 4 PM.
Huerquehue National Park
At about 30 kilometres from Pucón, there is this National Park in the middle of the Andes. It has a beautiful Araucaria forest and three small lakes that you can reach after a 2-hour-walk uphill. The entrance to the park is by Tinquilco Lake, which you can reach by car (gravel road). Buses Caburgua has about three departures daily to the park, or you can hire a day excursion with a tourism agency.
Rafting
The Trancura River, which runs into the Villarrica lake, has interesting rapids you can ride with rafts. Special for people who loves the adrenalin flowing, it is possible to do it all year round.
Hot Springs
Due to the volcanism, there are about ten hot spring centres in the region, most of them at about a 40-minute-ride from Pucón. The facilities vary from very simple pools to modern thermal resorts with restaurants, cabins, spa, and massages.
Horseback Riding
It is possible to make horseback ridings from half-day to several days through beautiful landscapes like the slopes of the Volcano, by the mountains of Quelhue or the Valley of Catripulli. You don't need to be an expert rider, because for these excursions a guide rides along and you are provided with the right horse according to your experience. In TravelAid, you can get help in organizing these excursions.
Cycling
There are interesting routes you can either walk or follow with a rented bike. The most popular excursion is to ride to the Caburgua Lake using the main paved road, and then take gravel roads passing by the waterfalls Ojos de Caburgua and Salto de Carileufu, returning to the city after riding along the mountains and crossing the hanging bridge at Quelhue.
Fishing
During the fishing season, there are specialized agencies that can show you the best rivers and lakes for fishing. Or if you wish, just watch the nature and the great number and variety of birds you can only take a good look at by boat.
Skiing
In the slopes of the Villarrica Volcano, there is a ski center with several tracks and lifts, run by the Gran Hotel Pucón. The season usually starts in July and ends towards the beginning of October (weather depending). The characteristics of the snow make the center a very good place to practice snowboard. In the city, it is possible to rent the full equipment and hire transport to take you to the ski center (about 20 minutes from Pucón).
Canopy
Some years ago started the first Canopy circuits in the region, turning this new activity into an instant hit. The idea is to move from one tree to the next using ropes and a harness, and even cross over rivers, a full adventure. There are several circuits around Pucón, each with a different grade of difficulty and extension.
Area Tour
There is no better way to visit the attractions of the region than taking an area tour. Generally, the tour lasts a half-day and takes you to Caburgua, the Ojos de Caburgua, Tres Saltos and finishes with a visit to one of the hot springs of the Liucura valley. Most of the agencies offer this tour, or you can also hire a taxi to take you to discover the zone.
Besides all the activities mentioned above, add the ones that are meant for the Summer Season, like the traditional New Years's Eve party with fireworks that are launched from the beach in front of the Gran Hotel Pucón. The cultural activities include concerts of well-known artists, theater plays, painting exhibitions and special shows for children. And in sports, competitions like the Triathlon Half Ironman, the Open Rafting and the International Desafío de Los Volcanes, among others.