Day 01
Calbuco Volcano Hike through Ancient Forest
Starts at:
- Puerto Varas, 9:00 am
Ends at:
- Puerto Varas, 18:30 pm
Location:
- Volcán Calbuco, Reserva Natural Llanquihue, Lake District, South of Chile.
Difficulty level:
- If we reach the viewpoint, it is easy-medium, 1.5 hours one way. Reaching the refuge is medium-high, 3.30 hours one way, depending on the pace and weather conditions.
Duration:
- 8-9 hours in total, with a 1.10-hour drive from Pto Varas or 40 minutes from Pto Montt to the park.
Programme:
- Although the trails remained without anyone going there, they are clear and safe with a professional trekking guide. This is a full-day trekking excursion to this special volcano, with its live scenery unfolding along the Río Blanco river. Luckily, the ancient forest with 3,000-year-old trees and the Alerce (Fitzroya cupressoides) are still green, alive, and healthy, along with other giant tree-like coigües. We will pick you up at your hotel in Puerto Varas or Puerto Montt, drive to Puerto Montt, and take the road southwards, enjoying the views of the Reloncaví sound and its amazing colours. After a 1-hour drive through the rural landscape, we start the walk at 300 metres (984 feet) above sea level at the shore of Río Blanco. The trail begins to ascend Volcán Calbuco, passing through the last lahar of the 2015 eruption. Your guide will explain how this happened and why. A truly brutal landscape opens up in front of us as we go deeper into the millenary woods. After a 1.30-hour walk, we begin to see old larches and arrive at the viewpoint, where we can have lunch and rest with Calbuco Volcano in front of us. If the weather is good enough to continue, we will carry on to the refuge at 1,000 metres (3280 feet) above sea level. The last section is very steep and enclosed by ancient larches and spectacular unspoiled vegetation of the Valdivian Forest. There are views of Puerto Montt and even the Pacific Ocean.
Timing and distance: 8 kilometres to walk one way, or 5 miles; 1.30 hours to the viewpoint and 1.30 hours more up to the refuge, then 2.30 hours down back to the car park.
