Petrohue Falls & Lake Esmeralda

This tour is a photographer’s dream. Start with a drive to the tiny port of Petrohue in the Vicente Perez Rosales National Park, and board a catamaran for a cruise on Lake Todos los Santos, known as Lake Esmeralda because of its vivid, blue-green color. Enjoy lunch in the Puerto Varas surroundings before your drive to Petrohue Falls. You’ll stop along the way for a short walk through the woods to the Petrohue River, where the waters plunge over hard volcanic rocks to form wild, gushing cascades.

The path is well-marked and has railings, but some parts are uneven and crooked and can be muddy after a rainfall. On the return to the port, you’ll drive through the beautiful, lush countryside dotted with weathered clapboard barns and churches. You’ll stop at the handicraft market in Puerto Varas. Here, you’ll have magnificent views of Lake Llanquihue, the largest lake in Chile, and snow-capped Osorno Volcano. You’ll see the highlights of Puerto Montt on a short orientation drive.