Hello lovely people: the third of my occasional blogs from Chile – Argentina – Chile

It’s been a great week since leaving Santiago

Our adventure out of the city starts with our first Chilean bus journey. We were expecting chaos but all was calm at the Terminus Alameda. Our Condor bus with semi-cama (half reclining) seats was clean, comfortable, air conditioned and left on time. We had great seats – top deck front – the best to admire the countryside views. The road – nearly all motorway/dual carriage way – was good and traveled mostly through a verdant, agricultural plain: fields of wheat, corn, fruit trees (mostly apple and pear we think), other crops we could not identify and some vines. Plenty of Road side fruit stalls, many laden with oranges and lemons. Mountains in the not-too-far-distance. The time passes easily

We change buses at Talca, leaving the smart Condor inter urbano for a local one, we have nearly two hours to wait, not much happening in Talca or the bus station so we amuse ourselves watching random people and dogs and with a sustaining snack (!!) of coke and chips . . .

The local bus to our destination in Vilches Montes was our first (and to date only) non-charming encounter. I showed the driver the stop we needed, as provided by the host of the place we are staying, and he didn’t know it, couldn’t understand it. Appeared reluctant to let us on! The problem was partially resolved by phoning the Hosteria host, Marion, and passing our phone to the driver so she could talk with him. She later explained he was new, first day on that route, didn’t know the area or her hosteria which everyone else does and that he was not nice – and most un-Chilean. We managed to get off at the correct bus stop though by means of Marion’s conversation, google maps and another passenger who pointed out “La Maravilla” to the driver. I think maybe he was just panic stricken having to deal with two foreigners his first day on the job!

La Maravilla is in a very rural setting, rolling hills, very lush, beautiful garden, swimming pool, star gazing terrace, great dog. Very basic room but all good. Marion is a German who has owned and run the place (three rooms, several cabins) since 2014 after a long spell as an “on-the-ground” rep for a German travel agency running Chilean tours. Warm, hospitable, with lovely staff and much useful local knowledge it is a great stay

We have two full days to explore and at Marion’s suggestion spend the first walking two trails in the forest to the western edge of the national park which has brought us to Vilches. It is glorious: lofty trees, dappled shade, great vistas at the end of each trail. We see a few people but not many; hear lots of bird song and spot a few but they are very camera shy! Waiting for the bus we discover a great cafe/bar with outside terrace serving cold beers and empanadas. Bliss

The following day we walk a trail in Riserva Nacional Altos de Lircay. The bus takes us to a spot 2.3k from the park entrance – we wonder why but the answer becomes apparent – the paved road runs out and the unmade road is very rough. The staff at the park entrance are delightful, and surprised that we are from the UK, this is a park little known outside Chile it seems. We deal with formalities of route and payment and set off. Our destination is “Punto 6” – a linear walk along the side of the valley which opens up to a magnificent vista at “Punto 4” – but 6 is the recommended end point because it has picnic tables, fresh drinking water to replenish our bottles and toilet facilities. About six hours there and back we are told

Well, it was a hard slog, especially in contrast to the previous day! More route march than hike: worried about the time constraints of the last bus back (we caught the first bus there) we did not spend as much time stopping and viewing the scenery and looking for wildlife as we usually would. The ascents were steep and the trail – clear and well marked – was nearly all stone from boulder to pebble in size and a constant trip hazard. I found I spent way more time looking where I was putting my feet than at the landscape, frustrating! The light was challenging too: the trees along the trail were shorter and denser than those encountered the previous day and created areas of deep shade followed by areas of bright light where the trees thinned out. Sunglasses constantly on and off!

It was beautiful, and we had some great wildlife spots: a glitzy patterned lizard and a colourful bird, both apparently delighted to pose for our cameras; and two Magellanic woodpeckers knocking seven bells out of a tree, a magnificent sight and sound, but the last couple of Ks – outside the park, back to the paved road, were really hard

It was a big walk and as it transpired we could have spent a little longer as we made it back in time for the penultimate bus (an hour before the last one) – although taking it did mean Andy had a very rushed end of walk beer and I didn’t get mine til we were back at La Maravilla but the call of a swim, shower and dinner outweighed a beer on the cafe terrace, no matter how delightful . . . .

The following morning saw us retrace our steps to Talca by local bus, a couple of hours wait (this time we occupy ourselves with beer, bread and pebre) and our inter urbano Turbus to Villarrica. Extensive internet research suggested the journey would be five hours but it was actually seven and a half. Great views along the way including of Volcán Villarrica. We are staying in an hosteria just out of town, La Colina, run by an American woman Chantel and her Chilean partner Rodriguo, both young, both charming. It is properly night-time dark when we arrive so we do not appreciate fully the view but enjoy a pisco sour on the terrace followed by a glass of wine and a tabla of meats and cheeses

We have three full days and use them by exploring the towns Villarrica and Pučon which both sit on the shores of Lagos Villarrica and then nearby Lican Rey and Coñaripe which both sit on nearby Lagos Calafquén, travelling by local bus

Day one we explore Villarrica, dominated by its volcano, a low key seaside – more accurately lakeshore – town; then a bus to Pučon which is bigger, livelier, with a marina and lots of shopping – well known names in outdoor gear in particular. Both have a very relaxed, holiday vibe

Day two is a bus to Lican Rey and a glorious wooded peninsula walk through a Mapuche natural reserve: great views of the lake, beautiful trees and lunch in the central Mapuche cultural village (well, four cafes . . .). The seaside vibe is even more obvious in this town than at Villarrica and Pučon and the black volcanic sand covered beaches on the lakeshore are packed with holiday makers

Day three and another bus, to Coñaripe and private transfer to “Termas Geometricas” – an astonishing complex of 20 geyser fed hot baths and one cold waterfall fed one – connected by a 500 meter wooden walkway in what what previously a ravine with no access. The scenery is beautiful and the pools range in temperatures from 36 C – pretty tepid – to 45 C – and a couple were closed as too hot. We found any above 41 C way too hot and only managed knee deep in the cold pool at 9 C (that’s seaside Folkestone winter temperature, we haven’t cracked this cold water open water swimming!)

Volcán Villarrica: also known as Rucapillán is apparently Chile’s most active; there is an monitoring system and since 6th January 2023 the exclusion zone has been increased from 500m to 1,000m after some “activity”. It sends smoke into the sky all the days we are there and despite its roiling lava is still snow clad on its high slopes. We read that the last fatalities were after an eruption in 2015: 15 people die from noxious gas inhalation after moving back too quickly after an evacuation. Life appears to carry on all around it without any fears or concerns!

We have loved exploring lush, verdant, green lakeside Chile. We think it will be a great contrast to Chile part II which starts in the northern,high desert of Atacama, but more of that later

Until next time, adios amigos
ALISON