Pucon & Puerto Varas, Chile

Saturday Nov. 10th 2012
We arrive in Pucon at 8am and as soon as we got off the bus a woman asks us if we need a room, we had a place in mind but we decide to go see what she has to offer. Hostel Nora at a few streets from the terminal. Very happy we went to see, because the small hotel is very rustic, welcoming and for 6000 pesos a night each (12.56$ Can.). We decide to take the room and stay there, the room is a bit small with bunk beds, but the rest is very good and has a kitchen we can use, do we can live with the small room. Very nice place and the lady ''I suppose her name is Nora' is very charming and helpful. We go walk into town and go to the agency ''Aguaventura'' to confirm and register that we will go climb the Villarrica volcano the next morning. We also go walk on the beach and see the lake. In the evening we go for supper with a friend I had met before in Potosi and Uyuni.

 

 

 

 

 

Villarrica Volcano

Sunday Nov. 11th 2012
Today is my birthday and what a great gift to myself than to go climb a volcano (45 000 pesos = 94.24$ Can.). We get up very early because we need to be at the agency at 6h45. We get to the base of the volcano at around 8am to start going up. We start with a chairlift ride that brings us as high as it can. From there really starts the ascent. On the way up we make a few stops to rest a bit, but the ascent is mainly easy and not as hard as I could have expected. I was expecting a challenge a little more big, but I am absolutely satisfied of my day. We arrive at the very top at around 11-11h30. We will stay at the summit for a good while to take pictures and rest before going back down. We go back down the best way there is, by sliding down, it was like going back into childhood, and it takes almost an hour and a half to make it all the way down (because we have to stop and wait in some spots). Back in town to the agency at around 3h30pm. A good hot shower well deserved and we go back into town to meet up with friends, we buy a few beers and a bottle of wine and go sit on the beach for the end of the day. After the sun went down we go to the restaurant with 4 friends, for a good supper and a few more drinks (after all it is my birthday). I'll be back at the hostal around 1am.

 

 

 

A look behind from the top of the volcano

 

The fuming crater

 

How to get back down

Click on image to see the whole album from Pucon

 

How to end a birthday well

Monday Nov. 12th 2012
Easy morning and I get up later than usual, due to the evening of the night before. We leave at around noon to go back to the same agency has the day before, but this time we are going for a relax day at the ''Termas Geometricas'' at 1h30 from Pucon. 31500 pesos (65.97$ Can.) is what we paid to go. It's a site of warm pools all warm because of natural hot springs from the mountains. An awesome place with a total of 17 pools hot and cold. There are two waterfalls, one of them is pretty big and cold as ice, but the warm pools are in between 35 to 40 degrees Celsius. We spend an awesome day going from one pool to another. Back in Pucon at around 7pm, we make supper and get our luggage ready for the next morning.

 

 

 

 

 

The tall waterfall (and very cold)

 

Tuesday Nov. 13th 2012
Leave Pucon for Puerto Varas at 8am, for 7000 pesos (14.66$ Can.). We get there at 2pm, and have a walk into town in the afternoon and then we go up to the mirador in the evening. Very nice little town but less attractive than Pucon was. We stay at Hostel ''Compass del sur'' for 10000 pesos (20.94$ Can.), a little more expensive but less running around.

 

 

View on the lake and on volcano Osorno

Click on image to see the other pictures of Puerto Varas

 

Wednesday Nov. 14th 2012
The sky is grey in the morning so we simply stay at the hostel. In the afternoon we go out for a while, walk in town and along the lake, and we visit a small museum on the side of the lake, but not much more and head back on our steps a little later. Stop at the supermarket and make supper and spend an easy evening.