Lost Forests Trek

Trekking in the Lakes District off the tourist track
14 days / 13 nights
From $3,188 per person, double occupancy for 2007

Pricing good through Dec 2003.
2 passenger minimum.
Single supplement is $1,142

Day 1: US - Santiago
Arrive in the morning. Free day in Santiago. You may wish to set up a day trip to Vina del Mar, Valpariso or a winery. Overnight at Hotel Plaza San Francisco.

Day 2: Santiago - Pucón
Board bus towards Pucón. Overnight in the bus. (B)

Day 3: Pucón
Early morning reception at Pucón bus station. After breakfast, rest of the day at leisure to explore actively this area - sunbathe, swim on the sandy shore of Lago Villarrica, birdwatch in the Delta, soak in a rustic hot spring, fish, mountain bike, raft or kayak a wild river, take a Spanish lesson, shop, climb the great snow cone of the Villarrica Volcano, or just relax. After dinner we dance "la Cueca" with local folklorists. Overnight in a Hosteria.

Day 4: Pucón - Cani Range
Rise early and travel by van into the wild Andes, gaining elevation as we follow the clear and crashing Liucura River to its source at the base of the Cañi Range. With light packs we climb to this rarely walked ridge through virgin Coihue and Lenga forests. On top, surrounded by five volcanoes, we enter the primeval world of the Acraucania. We lunch at pristine Lago Alicia, explore in the forest and descend at the end of the day to the Panqui hot springs. We soak, dine, and soak again before climbing between clean sheets within colorful tipis under the Southern Cross.

Day 5: Back to Pucón
Morning at leisure. Then, we ride back to Pucón. Here we will enjoy the rest of the day doing any of the activities mentioned before until our dinner party before leaving Pucón. Overnight in a Hosteria.

Day 6: Pucón - Puerto Varas
Early departure southwards (370 kms) toward Puerto Varas on the shore of the wonderful Lago Llanquihue just in time for lunch. After relaxing and admiring the beauty of the perfect white cone of the Osorno Volcano reflected in lake’s waters, we walk around the town. We spend the night in a Hosteria in Puerto Varas.

Day 7: Cochama Wilderness
After an early breakfast we are ready to trek with packhorses deep into the ancient wilderness of Cochamo. The personal gear and camp equipment has been carefully loaded onto horses by skilled "arrieros". We need only to carry a light pack, rain gear and a camera. Those who prefer granite cathedrals, water slides, fishing, good food, and an easy trail follow the pack horses approx. 5-6 hours to La Junta and establish our camp by the river. Those who desire forest cathedrals, waterfalls, heavier packs, simple food and steeper trail followed by some bushwhacking, hike and climb for approx. 7 hours to El Mallin Alerce Wilderness and camp by the lake.

Day 8: La Junta
From La Junta there are day trips along the historic trail to the indescribable El Arco Waterfall with hanging Alerce valleys, and the best fishing and photography. Above the high El Mallín, perhaps Earth's most ancient forests, we gain exhilarating stitches of granite and a wild panorama. We spend a second night at these campsites.

Day 9: La Junta
After breakfast, we will trek around 4 hours back to La Junta to spend one more night beside Cochamó river, on a soft green lawn with white sandy beach, after a rewarding dinner.

Day 10: La Junta - Puerto Montt
We load the van and drive 2 hours to Puerto Montt. Lunch en-route. Onwards to the ferry crossing at the Reloncavi Estuary, and beyond, to the "last bus stop in Chile" is Hornopirén, the end of the road and the gateway to the new million acres Parque Pumalin. From your room at a classic Hotel you will be able to watch the pelicans, terns herons, gulls and blackneck swans in the fjords.

Day 11: Cahuelmo
We go with the tide, south to "Place of the Dolphins". The deep blue fjord of Cahuelmo was sacred to the exterminated "Huilliche" indians. The ancestral shell midden home to the legacy of their millennial presence in this magic fjord, containing many hot tubs where we can bath after swimming in the sea that the tides bring right to our camp. Overnight camping in Cahuelmo.

Day 12: Cahuelmo
Our traditional "lancha chilota" (wooden boat) will cruise Cahuelmo and neighboring fjords. You may want to fish and walk the riverside, gather shellfish, kayak to Lago Abascal, birdwatch, climb to the hanging alerce valley, or eat and bath, doing it again backwards. Overnight camping in Cahuelmo.

Day 13: Puerto Montt
We depart with the tide, back to the world, arrival at Puerto Montt. In the evening time for shopping in the many craft stores and celebrate a farewell lunch. Later, we board the night bus back to Santiago. Overnight in the bus.

Day 14: Puerto Montt - Santiago
Early morning arrival in Santiago. Day of leisure. Depart on international flight in late evening.

Contact us to book the Lost Forests Trek or a customized tour of travel in Chile.