Puerto Varas Tours
Volcanoes, Lakes and Forests
Puerto Varas sits on the shore of Lake Llanquihue, facing the perfect snow-capped cone of the Osorno Volcano. Founded by German settlers in the nineteenth century and known as the city of roses, it is a small, walkable town of wooden houses, lakeside cafés and gardens that bloom all summer.
It is also the gateway to the northern edge of Chilean Patagonia and often the first stop on our Patagonia tours. From here you can climb the slopes of the volcano, sail across Lake Todos los Santos, visit the island of Chiloé or cross the Andes by lake to Bariloche.
Browse our Puerto Varas tours below, or combine them with the rest of Chile: many travellers pair a few days in the Lake District with Torres del Paine and the Atacama Desert, and we build the whole route as a single tailor-made trip.
From November to March, when the days are long and the temperatures mild. The Lake District is green because it rains all year, so even in summer it is worth packing a waterproof jacket. Autumn, in April, brings beautiful colours and fewer visitors.
Three nights is ideal: one full day for the Osorno Volcano and Petrohué Falls, one for a hike or a trip to Chiloé, and one free day to enjoy the lake. Add a day if you want to include the lake crossing to Bariloche.
Very. Distances are short, the activities are easy to adapt to children, and there is always a lake beach, a boat trip or a short forest trail nearby. It is one of our favourite bases for family trips in Chile.
Fly into Puerto Montt, around a two-hour flight from Santiago. The airport is about half an hour’s drive from Puerto Varas, and we arrange the private transfer for you.
Yes, and it is one of the most scenic border crossings in South America. The Andean Lakes Crossing combines boats and short bus rides across several lakes to reach Bariloche in a single day, through the heart of the Andes.
It is the northern gateway to Chilean Patagonia. The landscape here is the Lake District: temperate rainforest, volcanoes and lakes, rather than the steppe and granite spires of the far south. Many travellers see both on the same trip, flying from Puerto Montt to Punta Arenas or Puerto Natales.
What Makes Puerto Varas Different From the Rest of Patagonia?
The volcanoes. Osorno, Calbuco and Puntiagudo rise above the lakes, and on a clear day you can see several of them from the waterfront in town. Few places in South America put this many volcanoes in a single view.
The forest is different too. Instead of open steppe, the Lake District is covered by temperate rainforest, with giant ferns, waterfalls and rivers of an almost unreal green. Vicente Pérez Rosales, the oldest national park in Chile, starts less than an hour from town.
And the pace is gentler. Puerto Varas is a place for easy hikes, boat trips, long lunches with local salmon and a German-style afternoon cake. It is the softest start to a trip through Chile, and it balances perfectly with the longer days further south.
Whether you want a few relaxed days on the lake, an active trip with volcanoes and rivers or the first stop of a longer journey to Torres del Paine, every Puerto Varas tour we design is private and tailor-made. Explore all our Patagonia tours to plan the rest of the route.
Best Tours in Puerto Varas
These are the experiences we build most Puerto Varas itineraries around, from half-day trips to full days in the Lake District.
Osorno Volcano & Petrohué Falls
The classic full day. Drive up the slopes of the volcano for the view over the lakes, walk to the turquoise Petrohué Falls in Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park and sail on Lake Todos los Santos.
Lake Todos los Santos
An emerald lake surrounded by forest and volcanoes, reachable only by boat beyond the small port of Petrohué. The navigation is part of the day tour and of the lake crossing to Bariloche.
Paso Desolación Hike
A full-day hike on the slopes of the Osorno Volcano, through volcanic sand and native forest, with views of Lake Todos los Santos, Puntiagudo and Tronador. The best option for travellers who want a real mountain day.
Chiloé Island
A day trip to an island of wooden churches, stilt houses and fishing villages, with its own myths and food. The UNESCO-listed churches of Chiloé are one of the most unusual sights in Chile.
Frutillar
A small lakeside town half an hour away, with German heritage, historic houses and the Teatro del Lago, a concert hall built right on the water. An easy half day that pairs well with an afternoon in Puerto Varas.
Andean Lakes Crossing to Bariloche
Cross the Andes from Chile to Argentina by boat and bus, through Lake Todos los Santos, Lake Frías and Lake Nahuel Huapi. The most scenic way to connect Puerto Varas with Bariloche.
Who Are Puerto Varas Tours Best For?
For travellers who want a gentle start
For travellers who want a gentle start
If your trip includes long treks further south, Puerto Varas is the perfect place to begin: easy walks, lake views and good food to settle into the rhythm of Chile.
For families
Short drives, boat rides, waterfalls and lake beaches. The Lake District is one of the easiest regions in Chile to travel with children.
For road trippers
The Lake District is ideal for self-driving, with good roads, short distances and small towns around every lake. We plan the route, the stops and the car for you.
For couples
Lakeside hotels, volcano views from the room and quiet evenings in town. Puerto Varas is one of the most romantic stops on a trip through Chile.
For travellers combining several regions of Chile
Puerto Varas connects easily by air with Santiago, Punta Arenas and Puerto Natales, so it fits neatly into a longer route through the Atacama, the Lake District and Patagonia.
For travellers who want a gentle start
If your trip includes long treks further south, Puerto Varas is the perfect place to begin: easy walks, lake views and good food to settle into the rhythm of Chile.
For families
Short drives, boat rides, waterfalls and lake beaches. The Lake District is one of the easiest regions in Chile to travel with children.
For road trippers
The Lake District is ideal for self-driving, with good roads, short distances and small towns around every lake. We plan the route, the stops and the car for you.
For couples
Lakeside hotels, volcano views from the room and quiet evenings in town. Puerto Varas is one of the most romantic stops on a trip through Chile.
For travellers combining several regions of Chile
Puerto Varas connects easily by air with Santiago, Punta Arenas and Puerto Natales, so it fits neatly into a longer route through the Atacama, the Lake District and Patagonia.
