Cornelius Amann
October 06, 2026
5/5
Chile and Argentina Lake District: Puerto Varas to Bariloche
9 days from Puerto Montt to Bariloche: three nights in Puerto Varas with Osorno volcano and Chiloé, the Andean lakes crossing by boat, three nights in Bariloche and two in Villa La Angostura on the Seven Lakes Road.
9 days · Puerto Montt to Bariloche · up to 12 guests
The lakeside beach in Puerto Varas, on Lago Llanquihue Photo: McKay Savage from London, UK, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chile_-_Puerto_Varas_19_-_downtown_lakeside_Puerto_Varas_(6980393259).jpg)
The facts
At a glance
- Length
- 9 days, 8 nights
- Start and end
- Puerto Montt to Bariloche
- Group size
- 7 to 12 guests
- Longest drive
- 4 h on day 3No drive day is longer than 4 hours.
- Activity level
Easy
Mostly easy walking of one to three hours a day on forest paths, boardwalks and loose volcanic scoria, at about 1,200 m on Osorno and higher on Cerro Catedral by lift. The lakes crossing is a long day of sitting, with short walks between boats and buses. Two optional longer walks, about 12 km on the Arrayanes trail and about 20 km to Refugio Frey, can each be swapped for the boat or a free afternoon.
- Meals included
- 8 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 1 dinner
- Room of your own
- + CAD 1,415 (estimated price)
- Season
- November to March
Highlights
Why this trip
- Osorno volcano by summer chairlift in the clear morning, then the Petrohué falls after the coaches have gone
- A day on Chiloé: penguins at Puñihuil by boat, curanto for lunch and the island's wooden churches explained in Ancud
- The Andean lakes crossing from Chile into Argentina by three boats, with lunch in Peulla and your guide alongside
- Cerro Campanario at opening, then the Circuito Chico and lunch in Colonia Suiza
- The arrayanes forest on the Quetrihué peninsula, by boat or on foot along the 12 km trail
- The Seven Lakes Road at an unhurried pace, with lunch on Lago Lácar in San Martín de los Andes
- Three nights in Puerto Varas, three in Bariloche and two in Villa La Angostura: no one-night stops
What makes this trip different
Short drives, all published
Every drive is listed day by day, and none is longer than 4 hours.
Free time is part of the plan
Free time and choices are marked on the days they fall.
Solo without the penalty
A room of your own is + CAD 1,415 (estimated price).
Day by day
Itinerary
The longest drive is 4 h, on day 3.
Tap any stop on the map to open that dayClick any stop on the map to open that day
Arrive in Puerto Varas
El Tepual airport, Puerto Montt, to Puerto Varas
- Welcome dinner
- Stay in Puerto Varas
- Drive about 30 min
Fly into El Tepual airport (PMC) at Puerto Montt, usually via Santiago, and a driver meets you in arrivals for the drive of about 35 minutes north to Puerto Varas, on the shore of Lago Llanquihue, Chile's second largest lake.
Evening
Plan to land by about 4 pm so you are settled before the evening briefing; the latest arrival time is confirmed with your final itinerary. Puerto Varas was settled by German families from the 1850s, and the timber houses with steep roofs and the red and white Sagrado Corazón church on the hill still show it. On a clear evening the cone of Osorno volcano stands across the water to the east, with Calbuco beside it. Walk the lakeside promenade before your See Sight Tours guide meets the group to run through the week: the border crossing, what the weather can do and how the days are paced. Then we sit down together to a welcome dinner of southern Chilean food, with fish and shellfish from the Reloncaví Sound close by.
Included
- Pick-up at El Tepual airport, Puerto Montt (PMC)
- Welcome briefing with your guide
- Welcome dinner in Puerto Varas
Free time: Free until the evening briefing
Osorno volcano and the Petrohué falls
Puerto Varas to Ensenada and Osorno volcano, then the Saltos del Petrohué and Petrohué
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Puerto Varas
- Drive about 2.5 h
We leave at 9 am and follow the lake shore east to Ensenada, with Osorno filling the windscreen, then climb the road up its western flank to the ski area at about 1,200 m. Mornings are often the clearest time on the mountain, which is why we go up first. On a clear day the view runs back over Lago Llanquihue to Puerto Varas and across to Calbuco, which last erupted in 2015. In summer a chairlift takes you higher for a walk on loose red and black scoria; if wind closes it, we walk the marked paths from the road end instead.
Afternoon
Lunch is a sit-down meal in Ensenada. In the afternoon we drive into Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park, created in 1926 and the oldest in Chile, for the Saltos del Petrohué, where green water pours through channels of black basalt, quieter once the morning coaches have moved on. Then on to the black-sand shore of Lago Todos los Santos at Petrohué.
Evening
We are back in Puerto Varas by about 5 pm and the evening is yours.
Included
- Osorno volcano: the road to the ski area and the summer chairlift, with a walk on the upper slopes
- Sit-down lunch in Ensenada
- Saltos del Petrohué, with Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park entry
- The shore of Lago Todos los Santos at Petrohué
Easier option: Stay at the chairlift's upper station or the café at the road end while the others walk on the scoria.
More active option: A longer walk on the marked trails across the lava fields from the ski area, with your guide, if the weather is settled.
Free time: Evening free in Puerto Varas
Activity: The chairlift runs in summer when the wind allows. Scoria is loose underfoot; wear shoes with grip and bring a warm layer.
Chiloé: the Puñihuil penguins and Ancud
Puerto Varas to Pargua, the Chacao Channel ferry, Puñihuil and Ancud, and back
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Puerto Varas
- Drive about 4 h
This is the longest day in Chile: we leave at 8 am and are back in Puerto Varas by about 7 pm. We drive about 80 km south-west past Puerto Montt to Pargua and cross the Chacao Channel to Isla Grande de Chiloé by car ferry, about 30 minutes on the water plus any wait at the ramp, with ferry times we confirm at booking. First we head for the beach at Puñihuil, where small boats take us out to the islets of the Puñihuil natural monument; Humboldt and Magellanic penguins nest here from about September to March.
Morning
The boats run when the sea allows, which is usually best in the morning.
Afternoon
Lunch is curanto in Ancud, the island's dish of shellfish, meat and potato breads steamed under nalca leaves, eaten at a table. Afterwards your guide shows you Ancud: the Spanish fort of San Antonio, the last royalist foothold in Chile until 1826, and the visitor centre for the wooden churches of Chiloé, sixteen of which are on UNESCO's World Heritage List. Driving is about four hours in all, our daily cap, broken by the two ferry crossings, the boat and lunch.
Included
- Chacao Channel car ferry to Chiloé and back
- Puñihuil penguin colony by small boat
- Curanto lunch in Ancud
- Ancud with your guide: Fuerte San Antonio and the Chiloé churches visitor centre
Easier option: Stay in Puerto Varas for a free day on the lakeshore, or take the local bus to Frutillar, about 30 minutes north, for the Teatro del Lago and the German settlers' museum; your guide sets it up before we leave.
More active option: Walk with your guide from the centre of Ancud along the waterfront and up to Fuerte San Antonio, under an hour with a short climb at the end, while the van meets you at the fort.
Free time: Back in Puerto Varas by early evening
Activity: Penguin boats depend on the sea and may be cancelled at short notice; if so, we spend longer in Ancud and on the coast. Expect wet feet at the boat launch.
Across the Andes by lake to Bariloche
Puerto Varas to Petrohué, Lago Todos los Santos to Peulla, Puerto Frías, Lago Frías to Puerto Alegre, Puerto Blest, then Lago Nahuel Huapi to Bariloche
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Bariloche
- Drive about 3 h
Today is the reason many people come to this region: the Andean lakes crossing from Puerto Varas to Bariloche by three boats and four bus legs. It is a long day, about 11 hours door to door, but only about three hours of it are on the road. The crossing coach leaves Puerto Varas at about 8 am and stops at the Petrohué falls, which you saw yesterday without the crowd. At Petrohué a catamaran takes about 1 hour 45 minutes across the emerald water of Lago Todos los Santos, with Osorno behind and Puntiagudo and Tronador ahead.
Afternoon
Lunch is included in Peulla, at the head of the lake, where Chilean exit formalities are done. A bus then climbs through forest to the border at about 1,000 m and down to Puerto Frías for Argentine entry, a short boat crosses green Lago Frías to Puerto Alegre, and a short bus runs on to Puerto Blest.
Evening
The last boat takes about an hour down the western arm of Lago Nahuel Huapi, in Argentina's oldest national park, to Puerto Pañuelo, and a coach brings you into Bariloche in the early evening.
Included
- The Andean lakes crossing with your guide: Lago Todos los Santos, Lago Frías and Lago Nahuel Huapi by boat, with the connecting buses
- Lunch in Peulla
- Border formalities at Peulla (Chile) and Puerto Frías (Argentina)
- Your luggage carried through to Bariloche
Free time: Evening free in Bariloche
Activity: A long day mostly seated on boats and buses, with short walks between them. The boats have indoor seating; bring a warm layer for the open decks.
Cerro Campanario and the Circuito Chico
Bariloche to Cerro Campanario, Llao Llao, Bahía López and Colonia Suiza, and back
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Bariloche
- Drive about 1.5 h
We are at the foot of Cerro Campanario when the chairlift opens, at about 9 am and ahead of the tour coaches, and ride up a few minutes to the summit terrace at about 1,050 m. The view takes in Lago Nahuel Huapi, Lago Moreno, the Llao Llao peninsula and, on clear days, Cerro Tronador on the Chilean border. From there we drive the rest of the Circuito Chico, the loop of about 60 km west of town: the Llao Llao hotel on its hill and the chapel of San Eduardo, the shore at Bahía López, and the Punto Panorámico viewpoint over Lago Moreno.
Afternoon
Lunch is a sit-down meal at Colonia Suiza, a hamlet founded by Swiss settler families in the late 19th century. We are back in Bariloche by about 2:30 pm and the afternoon is free: walk the stone and timber Centro Cívico, the lakefront and Mitre street with its chocolate shops, or visit the Museo de la Patagonia on the square for the region's Mapuche and settler history.
Evening
Dinner tonight is your choice; Bariloche is known for lamb, trout and craft beer.
Included
- Cerro Campanario chairlift at opening
- The Circuito Chico with your guide: Llao Llao, the San Eduardo chapel, Bahía López and Punto Panorámico
- Sit-down lunch in Colonia Suiza
Easier option: Ride the Campanario chairlift both ways and see the Circuito Chico viewpoints from beside the van, with no walking beyond the terraces.
More active option: Walk up Cerro Campanario on the forest path, about 30 to 40 minutes of steady climbing, and ride the chairlift down.
Free time: Afternoon and evening free in Bariloche
Cerro Catedral, or a free day
Bariloche to Villa Catedral and Cerro Catedral, and back
- Breakfast
- Stay in Bariloche
- Drive about 1 h
A lighter day, with the choice in your hands.
Morning
In the morning we drive about 20 km to Villa Catedral and ride the lifts up Cerro Catedral, where the upper stations sit near 2,000 m among the granite spires that give the mountain its name; in summer they run for walkers when the weather allows. A short walk along the ridge looks down on Lago Gutiérrez and across to the peaks around Refugio Frey and, on clear days, Tronador.
Afternoon
We are back in town by early afternoon and the rest of the day is free. If you would rather walk properly, take the active option: a full day on the trail to Refugio Frey with a local mountain guide, about 20 km return with 700 to 800 m of climb through lenga beech forest to a mountain hut beside a granite tarn. If you would rather rest, stay in town, or book a boat to Isla Victoria or a lake kayak, priced when you book.
Evening
This is your third and last night in Bariloche, so the evening is for packing slowly and a last walk by the lake.
Included
- Cerro Catedral lifts and a ridge walk with your guide
Optional experiences
- Boat to Isla Victoria from Puerto Pañuelo, price shown at booking
- Kayaking on Lago Nahuel Huapi or Lago Moreno, price shown at booking
Easier option: Skip the mountain and spend the whole day in Bariloche at your own pace.
More active option: Hike to Refugio Frey and back with a local mountain guide, about 20 km and 7 to 8 hours, in place of the lifts, with a packed lunch we provide.
Free time: Afternoon and evening free in Bariloche
Activity: The Frey hike is rocky in its upper section; choose it only if you regularly walk six hours or more.
Villa La Angostura and the arrayanes forest
Bariloche around Lago Nahuel Huapi to Villa La Angostura, then by boat to the Quetrihué peninsula
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Villa La Angostura
- Drive about 1.5 h
We leave Bariloche at 9 am and drive about 90 km around the eastern and northern shore of Lago Nahuel Huapi to Villa La Angostura, a small town of timber and stone set in forest on the lake. From the pier at Bahía Brava an early boat crosses in about 45 minutes to the tip of the Quetrihué peninsula and Los Arrayanes National Park, which protects a forest of arrayán trees with cinnamon-coloured bark that is cool to the touch, some of them centuries old. A boardwalk loops through the trees, and we walk it before the later boats arrive. The easy way back is the boat. The active way is the 12 km trail back along the peninsula through coihue and cypress forest, with some short climbs, about three to three and a half hours with your guide.
Afternoon
Lunch is a sit-down meal in town for the boat group; walkers carry a packed lunch.
Evening
The afternoon and evening are free: walk to the lake at Puerto Manzano, or to the Río Correntoso, a river only a few hundred metres long between two lakes.
Included
- Drive from Bariloche to Villa La Angostura with your guide
- Boat to Los Arrayanes National Park, with park entry
- The arrayanes boardwalk
- Sit-down lunch in Villa La Angostura, or a packed lunch on the trail
Easier option: Boat out and back, with the boardwalk loop and lunch in town.
More active option: Walk the 12 km trail back from the forest to Villa La Angostura with your guide instead of the return boat.
Free time: Afternoon and evening free in Villa La Angostura
The Seven Lakes Road
Villa La Angostura north on Ruta 40 to San Martín de los Andes, and back
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Villa La Angostura
- Drive about 4 h
Today is the Camino de los Siete Lagos, the stretch of Ruta 40 that runs about 108 km north from Villa La Angostura to San Martín de los Andes, now paved all the way. We start at 9 am and take it slowly, stopping at the viewpoints rather than driving through: Lago Correntoso, the clear water of Lago Espejo, Lago Escondido in the forest, the Vuliñanco falls, Lagos Villarino and Falkner side by side, then Lago Hermoso and Lago Machónico before the road drops to Lago Lácar and San Martín.
Afternoon
It is about two hours of driving each way, about four in all, which is our daily cap; the stops, a short beach walk and a long sit-down lunch on Lago Lácar break it into short pieces. After lunch there is time to walk the lakefront in San Martín or climb to the Arrayán viewpoint above the town.
Evening
We drive back the same road in the afternoon, when the light falls on the lakes from the other side, and finish in Villa La Angostura with a farewell dinner together.
Included
- The Seven Lakes Road with your guide, with stops at Lago Espejo, Lago Escondido, the Vuliñanco falls, Lago Villarino and Lago Falkner
- Sit-down lunch in San Martín de los Andes
- Farewell dinner in Villa La Angostura
Easier option: Stay in Villa La Angostura for a free day and join the group for the farewell dinner.
More active option: Climb to the Arrayán viewpoint above San Martín de los Andes after lunch, about 40 minutes up.
Back to Bariloche and home
Villa La Angostura to Bariloche airport (BRC)
- Breakfast
- Drive about 1.5 h
Morning
A last breakfast with the lake outside, and an unhurried morning: walk down to the shore, or take the short path to the Mirador Belvedere for a final look over Lago Correntoso and Lago Nahuel Huapi. We leave Villa La Angostura at about 11 am and drive about an hour and a half back around the lake to Bariloche airport (BRC), east of the town, where your guide sees you to check-in and says goodbye. Direct flights from Bariloche go to Buenos Aires in a little over two hours, and most guests connect home from there. If you want more time, we can book extra nights in Bariloche or Buenos Aires before you fly, or link this trip with our Patagonia trip to Torres del Paine, the Perito Moreno Glacier and El Chaltén, with the connecting flights planned for you. Book a flight leaving Bariloche after about 2 pm; for an earlier flight we leave Villa La Angostura straight after breakfast, and a morning flight means a private transfer at the start of the day.
Included
- Drop-off at Bariloche airport (BRC)
Free time: Morning free in Villa La Angostura
Activity: Book a flight leaving Bariloche after about 2 pm.
- Puerto Monttstart
- Puerto Varas3 nights
- Bariloche3 nights
- Villa La Angostura2 nights
- Barilocheend
- Overnight stop
- Day trip
- By boat or train
Wildlife and weather: November to March is the season: long days, the lifts on Osorno and Cerro Catedral open for walkers, and penguins nesting at Puñihuil from about September to March. December to February is warmest and busiest; November brings lupins to the roadsides and March is quieter, with autumn colour starting in the beech forest. Rain is possible on any day.
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Before you book
Right for you?
Good for you if you want
- Travellers who want the Chilean and Argentine lakes properly, with two or three nights in each base
- People who like easy walks, boat days and scenery more than long hikes
- A first visit to southern Chile and Argentina, or a pairing with our Patagonia trip
Not for you if you want
- Anyone who needs step-free access: boats, ferries and scoria paths involve steps and uneven ground
- Travellers who want guaranteed sun: the Lake District is wet and the volcanoes often hide in cloud
- A trip that also covers Santiago, Buenos Aires or Torres del Paine in the same nine days
Book flights after we confirm your seat.
8 nights
Where you'll stay
Your hotels are named in your trip confirmation.
- Puerto Varas3 nights
- Bariloche3 nights
- Villa La Angostura2 nights
One price
What's in the price
Included
Accommodation
- 8 nights: 3 in Puerto Varas, 3 in Bariloche and 2 in Villa La Angostura
- Central hotels of a 3-star-plus standard with private bathrooms and heating; we name each hotel when we confirm your dates
- Rooms shared, or your own for a supplement
Transport
- Pick-up at El Tepual airport, Puerto Montt (PMC), and drop-off at Bariloche airport (BRC)
- A private vehicle and driver for the group in Chile, and another in Argentina
- The Andean lakes crossing from Puerto Varas to Bariloche: boats on Lago Todos los Santos, Lago Frías and Lago Nahuel Huapi and the connecting buses, with your luggage
- The Chacao Channel car ferry to Chiloé and back
- The Puñihuil penguin boat
- The boat to the Arrayanes forest from Villa La Angostura
Your guide
- A See Sight Tours guide with the group from day 1 to day 9, including the lakes crossing and both borders
- A local mountain guide for the Refugio Frey hike option
Activities
- Puerto Varas: Osorno volcano with the summer chairlift, the Saltos del Petrohué with Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park entry, and Lago Todos los Santos at Petrohué
- Chiloé: the Puñihuil penguin colony, Ancud, Fuerte San Antonio and the Chiloé churches visitor centre
- The Andean lakes crossing, with Peulla and Puerto Blest
- Bariloche: the Cerro Campanario chairlift, the Circuito Chico with Llao Llao and Colonia Suiza, and the Cerro Catedral lifts
- Villa La Angostura: Los Arrayanes National Park, with entry and boat
- The Seven Lakes Road to San Martín de los Andes
Meals
- 8 breakfasts
- 6 lunches: Ensenada, curanto in Ancud, Peulla on the lakes crossing, Colonia Suiza, Villa La Angostura and San Martín de los Andes
- 2 dinners: a welcome dinner in Puerto Varas and a farewell dinner in Villa La Angostura
Not included
- International flights to Puerto Montt and from Bariloche
- Travel insurance
- Visas, if your passport needs one
- Meals not listed: lunches on days 1, 6 and 9 and dinners on days 2 to 7
- Drinks
- Tips
- Optional activities, such as the Isla Victoria boat and kayaking
- Personal expenses
Extras
- Room of your own
- CAD 1,415 (estimated price)
When you can go
Dates and prices
Pick your start date when you request to book. We check that date and confirm it in your quote.
Prefer to travel without a group or guide? Ask us about arranging hotels, transport and city tours for you to travel independently.
Before you book
Booking terms
Nothing is charged now. Full terms and the cancellation schedule come with your quote, before you accept.
Business addresses
See Sight Tours Trips (USA): 3172 N Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89108, United StatesSee Sight Tours Trips (Canada): 5305 50 Avenue, #1091, Red Deer, AB T4N 4B6, Canada+1-888-961-6584Guest reviews
What guests say
Reviews from guests on our day tours.
Jane
October 06, 2026
5/5
Susan
October 06, 2026
5/5
Tom L
October 05, 2026
5/5
MandL83
October 05, 2026
5/5
Darren O
October 05, 2026
5/5
Good to know
Questions
What does the price include?
Eight nights in central hotels, 8 breakfasts, 6 lunches and 2 dinners, airport transfers at both ends, private vehicles and drivers in Chile and Argentina, the Andean lakes crossing with your luggage, the Chiloé day with ferries and the penguin boat, the Osorno, Campanario and Catedral lifts, the Arrayanes boat and park entries, and your See Sight Tours guide throughout.
How big is the group?
The small-group trip runs with 7 to 12 guests, so everyone fits in one vehicle, around one table at lunch and on one small penguin boat or two. Other Lake District group trips run with up to 16.
Who leads the trip?
A See Sight Tours guide is with the group from the airport pick-up on day 1 to the airport on day 9, including the lakes crossing and both border posts. Local drivers take the wheel in each country, and a licensed local mountain guide leads the optional Refugio Frey hike.
How fit do I need to be?
Easy fitness is enough. Most days involve one to three hours of walking on paths, boardwalks and loose volcanic scoria. Two optional walks are longer: the 12 km Arrayanes trail and the 20 km Refugio Frey hike. Each has an easier choice, such as the boat or a free afternoon in town.
I am travelling solo. Do I pay a single supplement?
A room of your own costs CAD 1,415 more than the shared price, and we show it before you book, with no surprise at checkout. Solo travellers get the same seat, table and guide as everyone else, and nobody is put in a lesser room or seat for travelling alone.
When is the best time to go?
November to March. The Osorno and Catedral lifts run for walkers in summer, penguins nest at Puñihuil from about September to March, and days are long. December to February is warmest and busiest; November and March are quieter. Rain is possible in any month.
What is the Andean lakes crossing like?
A full day from Puerto Varas to Bariloche by three boats and four short bus legs, about 11 hours door to door with lunch in Peulla. You cross Lago Todos los Santos, Lago Frías and Lago Nahuel Huapi and clear both borders on the way. Your luggage travels with the crossing, and your guide travels with you.
Will we see penguins on Chiloé?
Very likely in season. Humboldt and Magellanic penguins nest on the Puñihuil islets from about September to March, and the boats get close without landing. The boats launch from the beach and only run when the sea allows; if they are cancelled, we spend longer in Ancud and on the coast.
Do I need a visa for Chile and Argentina?
Canadian citizens do not currently need a visa for a short tourist stay in either country. Bring a passport valid for your whole stay, and we confirm the entry rules for your passport when you book. Do not carry fresh fruit, meat or dairy across the border on day 4.
Can I combine this with your Patagonia trip?
Yes. Our Patagonia trip covers Torres del Paine, the Perito Moreno Glacier and El Chaltén, starting in Punta Arenas and ending in El Calafate. The two regions are far apart, so we plan the connecting flights and any night in between when you book both.
How does booking work?
Choose small group or private and pick a start date, then request to book. We confirm your trip within 24 hours, and no payment is taken until we do. The small group starts from CAD 8,335 per person sharing, taxes included.
Can we travel privately or on our own dates?
Yes. Besides the small group, the trip comes as a private trip for your party only, on a date you choose, from CAD 15,005 per person. If you would rather travel independently on your own dates, ask us from the dates section and we will quote the same route without a guide.
See Sight Tours has been providing travel services across North America since 2006. Operating in 20 cities across Canada and the USA, the company specializes in small group tours that offer personalized, high-quality experiences for travelers.
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