If you love a good road trip—and volcanoes—consider South America for your next driving adventure. In Chile’s Lake District, you’ll travel through villages perched on shimmering lakes and volcanoes looming over thermal springs—all connected by a drivable, picturesque road. Setting off from Puerto Montt, a 1.5-hour flight from Santiago, this driving route weaves through a never-boring landscape of German colonial towns, snowcapped peaks, and pristine national parks.
Whether you’re looking for a road trip punctuated by meandering day hikes or high-speed adventure sports, the Chilean Lake District delivers year-round possibilities. Use this guide as a starting point—after all, the best part of a road trip is getting a little lost and ending up somewhere surprising but exactly where you’re supposed to be. Thanks to the Lake District’s well-maintained roads and welcoming hospitality, you may want to linger longer.
Hike Vicente Perez Rosales National Park
Your Lake District journey begins in Puerto Montt, where frequent flights arrive daily from Santiago. After picking up your rental car (consider a 4WD vehicle if visiting during winter months), make the 20-minute drive to Puerto Varas. Perched on the southern edge of Lago Llanquihue, this “City of Roses” offers arresting views of the active Osorno Volcano and Calbuco Volcano. Its natural beauty, combined with the German-style architecture characteristic of the town’s immigrant history, creates a dazzling setting.
Hotels are plentiful here, and many, like the Hotel Cabaña del Lago, have lake and volcano views. German cuisine is also abundant. For an authentic casual meal, try Club Aleman Tropera. Originally opened as a meeting place in 1885, the restaurant now specializes in traditional German sandwiches, spätzle, bratwurst, and craft beer.
From this base, spend your second day exploring the well-maintained trail system of Vicente Perez Rosales National Park. The 7.8-mile Mirador Cerro La Picado trail (moderate difficulty) includes a panoramic view of six impressive cones, plus the lakes Llanquihue and Todos los Santos.
Then, head north to Frutillar, another lakefront gem rich with German charm, black-sand beaches, and gin-clear lake waters. Settle into the Anoka Apart Hotel, where a boutique hotel’s comfort meets a cabin’s coziness, before exploring this UNESCO-recognized Creative City. Time your visit right, and you might catch a performance at the highly regarded Theater del Lago or the Frutillar Musical Weeks, a classical music festival that takes place annually in the beginning of the year (January 26–February 3 in 2025).
Ski or go white water rafting in Pucón
Explore Pucón’s waterfalls and rivers on a canyoning adventure.
Courtesy of Sernatur Chile
From Frutillar, follow Route 5 north to Lago Villarica/Pucón. To break up the day’s four-hour drive, stop for lunch in Lanco. Try the tortillas de rescoldo, or ember tortillas, a traditional flatbread cooked on hot coals at Los Hornitos de Lanco (on Route 203).
Pucón with the Villarrica volcano in the background
Courtesy of Sernatur Chile
After lunch, it’s 1.5 hours to Pucón, where another postcard-perfect view—this time of the snow-capped Villarrica volcano overlooking the lake—will welcome you. This region caters to the adventure traveler, so whatever sport gets your heart pumping, you can likely pursue it from Pucón. Choose from skiing in winter and white water rafting, canyoning, and ziplining in the warmer months.
Parque Nacional Huerquehue offers a network of day hikes with lake and volcano views.
Courtesy of Surnatur Chile
Hikers should head to Huerquehue National Park. Peppered with more volcano views, the Los Lagos Trail is a 7.5-mile hike that weaves between ancient forests and mountain lakes.
With all the driving and hiking you’ve done, check into Hotel Antumalal, a Bauhaus-inspired boutique hotel with an on-site restaurant featuring panoramic lake views and organic produce grown on the premises.
Visit Termas Geometricas hot springs in Villarrica National Park
One of 18 naturally heated pools at Termas Geometricas in Villarrica National Park
Courtesy of Sernatur Chile
Make your way south on S-95 T for a three-hour drive to Huilo Huilo—and leave plenty of time for a detour at Termas Geometricas. The award-winning thermal hot spring has 18 naturally heated stone pools. Tucked deep within the forest of Villarrica National Park (recommended 4WD vehicle), it’s a truly enchanting place to unwind. The facility will provide what you need; just bring your bathing suit. From there, it’s a 1.5-hour drive to the Huilo Huilo Biological Reserve via Ruta 201/203.
Huilo Huilo Biological Reserve is best known for its rainforest and spectacular waterfalls, especially the thundering Huilo Huilo Falls, which you can view from the Huila Falls Trail, which is an easy one-hour hike. Another choice is to hike the Volcanic Cavern Portal via the Geological Trail (also easy and about an hour) to explore the ancient caverns caused by a prehistoric eruption.
Camping and cabins are plentiful in the area. Stay inside the Reserve to experience an entirely different spectacle. It offers 10 architecturally unique accommodations, with several designed to make you feel you’ve traveled to another realm. The Montaña Mágica Lodge is a fantastical mountain-shaped hotel out of a fairytale. Or perhaps you’d prefer the Hotel Reino Fungi, constructed to resemble a mushroom. The full-service hotels provide tour information, spa services, and local cuisine, guaranteeing your time in the Reserve will be unforgettable.
Stay in historic Osorno
On the final leg of your Lake District tour, head back toward Puerto Montt on Route 5, a four-hour drive. If you’d like, stop and stay a night in Osorno, a historic city on the banks of the Rahue River. Check into the Santuario Patagonia, where shipping containers have been turned into charming tiny homes.
Once back in Puerto Montt, the Lake District’s gateway city, check into the Hotel Don Luis, centrally located a block from the Bay. Then, head to the Angelmo Market (open daily 8 a.m.–6 p.m.). While primarily a fish market, you can also find souvenirs like Mapuche crafts or the local licor de oro, made from aguardiente, whey, saffron, and lemon peel. End your journey with a peaceful stroll back to your hotel along Puerto Montt’s waterfront, an ideal place to reflect on the unforgettable adventures of your Lake District road trip.
