Sights

Puerto Varas [1] is the gateway for sights such as Volcán Osorno [2] and Lago Todos los Santos, in Parque Nacional Vicente Pérez Rosales [3], and the Cochamó [4] backcountry. Varas is also the staging point for adventure activities such as white-water rafting, hiking, climbing, mountain biking, horseback riding, and fishing. Paved Ruta 225 follows the lakeshore east to Ensenada; at a fork two kilometers farther east, the main road goes northwest to Petrohué [5], while another paved route heads southeast to Ralún, Cochamó [4], and Puelo.

Conventional travel agencies include Andina del Sud (Del Salvador 72, tel./fax 065/232811, www.andinadelsud.cl [6]) and TravelSur (San Pedro 451, tel./fax 065/236000, www.travelsur.cl [7]). For activities-oriented operators, try Alsur (Del Salvador 100, tel. 065/232300, www.alsurexpeditions.cl [8]) or Aqua Motion (San Francisco 328, tel. 065/232747, www.aqua-motion.com [9]).

Most of adventure-travel agencies rent mountain bikes and other outdoor-sports equipment. Just north of the pier, Canoas Tour (Av. Costanera s/n, tel. 065/233587) rents kayaks for lake use, but KoKayak (Ruta 225, Km 40, tel. 065/346433, www.kokayak.com [10]) organizes more ambitious kayak trips.