Top Puerto Varas Day Trips & Excursions

Visit an active volcano and other natural highlights of Southern Chile. Begin on the southern shores of Lake Llanquihue and enter Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park. Marvel at the turquoise waters of the Petrohué Waterfalls and the tranquil beaches surrounding Lake Todos los Santos. Lunch in Ensenada at the foot of the Osorno Volcano. Travel up the volcano to a ski resort for striking views of the Petrohué River Valley.

Chiloe is famed for its wooden churches, stilted houses, and rich folklore, and is best explored in the company of a guide who can explain the significance of each. Dive deep into the culture of Chiloe on this full-day tour of the northern part of the island, leaving from Puerto Varas. Spot birds while sailing down the Chacao canal, see UNESCO-listed churches, and visit a local artisan market.

Get close the Chilean culture and the incredible landscapes that Chile offers you. Feel the spray of the majestic Petrohue Falls and the virgin nature that surrounds the place; visit "Laguna Verde", Spanish for "Green Lagoon" at the foot of the conical Osorno Volcano. Enjoy a breathtaking view of Todos Los Santos Lake and meet the history which surrounds this nature.

Known for its dramatic landscape at the foothills of the Andes, Puerto Montt is best explored outside the city limits. Visit three of the area's top attractions on this shore excursion from the port, including a stop at Petrohue Waterfall, the German city of Frutillar, and the City of Roses, all while taking in incredible views of the surrounding lakes, mountains, and volcano. This tour includes all entrance fees and transportation.

Let your guide handle the logistics and relax while discovering the charming town of Frutillar in Chile's Lake District region. Enjoy hassle-free round-trip transport from Puerto Montt and Puerto Varas and travel down a rural road for an authentic view of the region. Explore the town as your guide points out the influences of German settlers and provides insight into local life here.

Discover the unique history and heritage of one of Chile’s largest islands on this full-day tour to Chiloè Island, including hotel pick-up from Puerto Varas and round-trip transport by ferry from Pargua. Visit the historic village of Chacao, explore the island capital of Castro and tour the Ancud Museum. Finally, pick up some unique souvenirs as you browse the stalls of the renowned Dalcahue crafts fair.

Admire the shimmering lakes and soaring peaks of the Chilean Lake District on this 6-hour tour from Puerto Varas, including hotel pick-up. Soak up the scenery as you travel to the Osorno Ski Center, located at 3,937-feet (1,240-m) on the Osorno Volcano, and enjoy panoramic views of Llanquihue Lake and Calbuco volcano below. Then, head to the Vicente Perez Rosales National Park, where you can hike through the evergreen forests, visit Todos los Santos Lake and be awed by the Petrohué Falls.

Discover the vibrant wildlife of Chile’s Lake District on this full-day tour to Alerce Andino National Park from Puerto Varas, including hotel pick-up. Follow the legendary Settlers Road to Puerto Montt as you journey to the park, then spend the day exploring the ancient forests and glittering lagoons of Alerce Andino. Make the most of the vast network of hiking trails and keep a lookout for native creatures like Pudú, Venado Chileno and puma, as well as condors, kingfishers and hummingbirds.

Visit Puyehue National Park on a full-day tour from Puerto Varas that includes free time to hike, soak in natural hot springs, and sightsee. Hard to access without a private vehicle, Puyehue National Park offers lush forests with views across the Andes Mountains; with pickup and drop-off at Puerto Varas hotels, this Puyehue tour takes care of logistics for a hassle-free day of exploring.

Discover the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Chiloe Island on this full-day tour from Puerto Varas. Cross the Canal de Chacao to reach the isolated island and get a look at the sea lions and various bird varieties. Discover the myths and traditions that surround the island as you explore the cities of Castro and Dalcahue and their respective landmarks.

We will go to the town of Pargua and take a ferry to sail the Chacao Channel, which will take us to the Island of Chiloé. Visit the town of Chacao, and after a few minutes touring the town, we will go to the town of Puñihuil, to the sector of the Pingüineras. After that, take a 30-minute navigation to the islets to appreciate Humboldt and Magellanic penguins. After our boat ride through the bay, we will return by a coastal road to the city of Ancud, famous for its local craft market. After a few minutes in Ancud, we will take route 5 to connect with a interior mino where we can observe the Chilote field.

Enjoy a relaxed day trip to the Osorno volcano with hassle-free pickup and drop-off from select hotels in Puerto Montt and Puerto Varas. Accompanied by a guide, enter Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park and enjoy panoramic views of Petrohué Lake as you follow a trail up the volcano. Afterward, you have the option to take a chairlift (own expense) to enjoy even more unbeatable views of the landscape.  

Get up close to the wildlife of Chiloè Island on this full-day tour from Puerto Varas, including hotel pick-up and round-trip transport by ferry from Pargua. Spot black-necked swans, flamingos and cormorants at the Caulín Spa bird sanctuary in Ancud; tuck into fresh oysters (own expense); and view Magellanic and Humboldt penguins on a cruise around the coast. That’s not all: see some of the island’s UNESCO-listed churches and visit the museums and crafts markets of Ancud.

In the morning we will pick you up at your hotel in Puerto Varas for our drive to the island of Chiloé, which includes a nice 30 minute ferry crossing during which we can observe sea lions and maybe dolphins. Once on the island, we continue south to the fishing village of Dalcahue. We will take our time to explore the beauties and culture of this beautiful small fishing village. You will learn a lot about how traditional life in Chiloe is and was during the last years. We continue our journey to Castro, the capital of Chiloe, to observe the traditional palafitos (houses built on stilts along the shore) and visit the majestic wooden church (an UNESCO World Heritage Site). We will stroll through town and stop at the crafts market featuring wood and woolen products from the region. In the late afternoon we will return to Puerto Varas driving along the eastern coastal road passing by several small fishing villages.

Immerse yourself in the mesmerising landscapes of Chile’s Lake District on this 6-hour tour from Puerto Varas, including hotel pick-up. Enjoy views of Lake Llanquihue, Laguna Verde and Osorno volcano; sample smoked salmon from the Pescado River and browse for handicrafts in Ensenada village. After lunch at a local restaurant (not included), head to the Vicente Perez Rosales National Park, where you can hike through the forest, visit Petrohuè Falls or cruise the Todos Los Santos lake (extra costs apply).

Explore the natural wonders of Chile’s Lake District on this full-day tour from Puerto Varas to the Vicente Perez Rosales National Park. Pass through towns like La Poza, Ensenada and Peulla; admire the Petrohué Falls (extra cost); and cruise across the Todos los Santos Lake in a catamaran. After a delicious 3-course or box lunch (depending on option selected), choose from optional activities like hiking, kayaking, horseback riding or a 4WD safari, and enjoy the park’s scenic rivers, forest valleys and soaring cliffs.

Discover the beauty and tranquility of southern Chile as you explore the Vicente Pérez Rosales Park during this full-day excursion. Visit the Petrohue Waterfalls and see where the river flows over volcanic lava rocks. Then head to the village of Peulla to get a look at a group of volcanoes and admire the beautiful landscape before heading back to Puerto Varas.

You should prefer us because we are close and friendly with our passengers and we always have more time in each place, because we deliver clear and accurate information, because we have a flexible itinerary and we always adapt to the needs of our passengers, and why with Austral tours Chile you will always travel for less ...! Usted debe preferirnos por que somos cercanos y amables con nuestros pasajeros y siempre contamos con mas tiempo en cada lugar, por que entregamos información clara y precisa, por que tenemos un itinerario flexible y siempre nos adaptamos a las necesidades de nuestros pasajeros, y por que con Austral tours Chile siempre viajarás por menos...!

Experience the adventure of climbing up one of Southern Chile’s most iconic attractions: the Osorno Volcano, considered by experts to be the perfect volcano in terms of shape and color. Enjoy the climbing experience of the Osorno Volcano, with its perfectly snow-capped craters. In order to get to this milestone, we have to travel along the south bank of the Llanquihue Lake for 50 minutes on one of the most scenic roads in the country, winding between green fields and the lakeside landscape. Approaching the base of the volcano, we find the village of Ensenada, which is where we enter the Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park. On the way up, we will enjoy a panoramic view of the Petrohué Lake, and also see one of the volcano’s inactive craters. Another great experience will be the viewpoints where you can enjoy panoramic views of the Llanquihue Lake and the neighboring volcanoes.

In Frutillar you can embrace the relaxed atmosphere full of colored houses, vibrant gardens, tea rooms and the modern Teatro del Lago. Discover this charming lakeside destination, with a landscape formed by the Llanquihue Lake and several stunning volcanoes. You can see the influence of the German settlers, with the spectacular old cottages, many converted into guest houses, the delicious Bavarian gastronomy as well as the kuchens and apple strudel sweets. Located on the eastern bank of Llanquihue Lake, Frutillar charms visitors with its beauty all year round. On our tour, we will take a rural road used by the local farmers, where we can see the agriculture and the cattle which are so common to the region. You will also discover another reason to fall in love with Frutillar – the Teatro del Lago.

We will begin our day heading towards the Pacific Ocean, where we will sail on the Chacao canal and visit Chacao, and village that dates back to the Spanish colonial time. We continue onwards to Puñihuil, the small island of Puñihuil is a protected national monument and a paradise for bird watchers. It is the only place in the world where both Humboldt and Magallenic Penguins nest next to each other. We head back towards Ancud to visit San Antonio, a local museum full of interesting history, myths and legends, as well as an artisan market that will make this trip truly unforgettable.

A full day tour visiting the northern part of the mythical island of Chiloé, its stilted houses, its markets and the churches declared as World Heritage sites by Unesco. A full day, magical tour leaving from Puerto Varas. In order to delve into the Chilote world, we begin our day by taking a boat down the Chacao canal for 30 minutes, where we spot a wide variety of birds, before arriving to the village of Chacao to visit its square and church. We will continue on to Castro to stop for lunch. Then, we will visit the stilted houses of Rio Gamboa, the square and its church which was declared a Unesco World Heritage site. Next, we will visit the recently restored Nercón Church (1890), which is a national monument and is also on Unesco’s protected list. The day continues in Dalcahue, where we stop on the waterfront to take in the wonderful natural landscape and visit the local artisan market, museum and church.

Discover the natural wonders and gastronomic heritage of lakeside Llanquihue on this 6-hour tour from Puerto Varas. Discover Llanquihue’s German colonial history, sample the city’s famous Bavarian-style sausages (extra cost) and get a glimpse of local life as you pass dairy farms, salmon farms and breweries. After visiting the memorial to the German colonists, head to nearby Frutillar, where you can tour the German Colonial Museum and visit the Teatro del Lago (Lake Theater).

Uncover the colonial history and heritage of Chile’s Lake District on this full-day tour from Puerto Varas, including hotel pick-up. Journey along the ancient Route of Settlers, stopping to admire the scenery around Llanquihue Lake and visit the Memorial to the German Colonists. After taking in the highlights of Llanquihue and Frutillar, climb to the ski resort of Osorno volcano, where you’ll be rewarded with magnificent views over the Lakelands.