Exploring the surroundings of Pucón
Welcome to discover the nature of Pucón: glacial lakes, ancient araucaria forest, volcanoes and wildlife, all within a short drive of the estates.
Getting here
- Santiago to Temuco
- About 1 h 15 min by air
- Temuco airport (ZCO) to Pucón
- About 1 h 45 min by road
- Pucón aerodrome
- Seasonal flights from Santiago
- Pucón to the Argentine border
- About 1 h 30 min to 2 h
Lake Quillelhue and Villarrica National Park
Lake Quillelhue is a glacial lake about 75 km east of Pucón, beside the international road to Argentina and close to the Mamuil Malal border crossing. It lies in the Puesco sector of Villarrica National Park.
The lake is ringed by forests of araucaria, the monkey-puzzle tree that can live for many centuries, and by coigüe and lenga. On clear days the snow-capped cone of Lanín Volcano, on the border between Chile and Argentina, rises above the trees.
Marked trails lead from the lake through the araucarias to smaller lagoons, and the park ranger station at Puesco has information for visitors.
Lake Quillelhue and Villarrica National Park
Lake Caburgua
Lake Caburgua lies about 25 km north-east of Pucón. Its deep, clear water and white-sand beaches such as Playa Blanca make it a favourite for swimming, boating and kayaking in summer, and the Caburgua Private Estate is close by.
The Magellanic woodpecker
The Magellanic woodpecker (Campephilus magellanicus), carpintero negro in Spanish, is the largest woodpecker in South America, up to about 45 cm long. It lives only in the old forests of southern Chile and Argentina.
The male, like the one in this video, has a bright red head and crest; the female is black with a curled crest and a touch of red at the bill. Pairs move through the coigüe and lenga forest drumming on the trunks and digging out beetle larvae, and the sound often gives them away before you see them.