One of Chile’s most popular nature reserves offers expansive vistas of awesome volcanoes and possible glimpses of rare wildlife.
Visit Villarrica National Park in southern Chile in summer to go walking, mountain bike riding or bird watching in the shadows of mighty volcanoes. In winter, skiing, snowboarding and snow trekking are great ways to enjoy the epic views from its volcanoes.
Villarrica National Park covers almost 245 square miles (630 square kilometers) of prairies, volcanoes and towering araucaría forests. The park is divided into the Rucapillán Section around the Villarrica volcano, the Quetrupillán Section by the Chinay camping site, and the picturesque Puesco Section by the Argentinean border.
A ski lift takes you straight to the base of the park’s highest, most active volcano. Reaching 9,338 feet (2,847 meters) above sea level, Volcán Villarrica provides epic views. From its crater rim, you can see the boiling lava below you, but it’s a steep return hike to get there and the return trip can take all day. The Villarrica Volcano Ski Center provides gear, maps and tours for both climbing and skiing.
Most hiking trails in the park take at least half a day, but there are also strenuous 5-day hikes that traverse the park. You may spot pumas, condors, pudúes (small deer), quiques (a skunk-like mammal) and mountain monkeys, among other rare and endangered species.
The Craters Viewpoint of the Los Cráteres trail can be reached in an hour, but you should allow 4 hours for the return trip. For unforgettable views of the Quetrupillán volcano and the lakes of Caburgua and Villarrica, hike the Los Nevados (“Snowy”) trail for the day.
Villarrica National Park is in La Araucanía, a forested alpine region near the Argentinean border. The park stretches out between Curarrehue, Panguipulli, Pucón and Villarrica.
The access fees to the park and also the Villarrica volcano are payable to CONAF, the National Forest Corporation of Chile. The park’s administrative headquarters is in the popular tourist town of Pucón on the shores of Lake Villarrica. You can pay extra to camp overnight near the Quetrupillán CONAF station of the park.
Remember that rain is common in this area, especially between March and August, and that it can get very chilly and stormy quite suddenly, even in summer.
