Pucón clearly has a seaside town vibe. The somewhat lounge-like restaurants are everywhere, but it’s not unpleasant. On the contrary, it really gives a vacation feeling.
We arrived directly from San Carlos de Bariloche to Pucón with a stop in Osorno by bus. The journey took us about 14 hours to reach this city that borders a beautiful lake and is located just below a volcano.
Tristan had not informed himself about this city at all before coming, which made the discovery even more enjoyable. We arrived without any particular expectations, just with the desire to see what we would find there.
We stopped at an inn that was clearly one of the best in the city while still being reasonably priced. Its big advantage: it is located right by the beach. The beds were really comfortable and the food was good too. Honestly, a 5/5 for Soley Hostel.
Santiago
CHILE
A Holiday Atmosphere
From there, we begin to discover the surroundings. Pucón clearly has a beach town vibe. The lounge-like restaurants are everywhere, but it's not unpleasant. On the contrary, it really gives a vacation feeling.
The town is quite large, but the points of interest are ultimately quite close to each other.
Starting from the hostel to the casino, you come across a lively little square. A street performer was making everyone laugh by playing with the passing cars. At one point, he even got into a car to make the passengers dance. The whole square was laughing.
Right next to it, several food trucks were selling different things: hot dogs, crepes, burritos… We opted for a hot dog. And as often in South America, they are really well loaded. You could say that it really satisfies the appetite.
In the same area, we also discover a small craft market with about twenty stalls. It was really charming. Unfortunately, our bags are already well filled, so it’s impossible to leave with these pretty souvenirs. It will be for next time.
A city that remains alive late at night
Coming back to the inn, we pass through the park again. It is already 9 PM and yet the excitement is still at its peak. Children are playing Mario Kart on rolling dinosaurs, and cotton candy vendors still have long lines.
All of this makes the city truly welcoming. You can immediately feel that we are going to have very good days here.
The El Claro Waterfall
Our first day began with a small expedition into the jungle to see the Cascada El Claro.
Once we arrived at the park entrance, it took us about 30 minutes of walking to reach the waterfall. It is about 90 meters high, and the surrounding vegetation is so dense that we almost feel like we are arriving in an unexplored place.
We take the opportunity to have a picnic with this magnificent view, watching a few brave souls attempt to swim in the icy water.
On the return, we walk for about 40 minutes until we find the road, and we manage to catch a collectivo in less than five minutes. This saves us from taking an Uber and, above all, helps us save some money.
The Incredible Waters of Ojos del Caburgua
The next day, a new expedition to another part of Pucón.
This time we take a collectivo. After discussing with the driver, he knows exactly where we need to get off and drops us by the side of the road.
We then have about two kilometers to walk.
And at the end of the path, we arrive at the Ojos del Caburgua. The water is a totally transparent azure blue with several small waterfalls. It’s the kind of water that almost gives the impression it could wash away all impurities because it looks so pure.
An error and a little meeting
On leaving, we pass by a place that seems to show fish. Curious, we decide to enter for the equivalent of two euros.
And there... mistake.
We find ourselves in a carp farm. Small ponds filled with hundreds of carp stuck together. We are a bit disappointed and especially a bit sad to see this, so we almost immediately leave.
Fortunately, on the way back, we come across a little house that sells homemade cakes. A little girl welcomes us, ready to do business with her mom.
The cakes were delicious and it gave us back the energy for the two kilometers of walking that we had left.
Volcanic caves... failed
On the third day, we wanted to see the volcanic caves.
We decided to take the morning easy and go in the afternoon. Bad idea.
Since we do not have a vehicle, the route normally requires a 4x4. Our VTC drops us off about 15 minutes from the site, which already puts us late.
Upon arriving at the entrance, the person informs us that the last session is already full.
We still stay for a moment to enjoy the view before heading back on foot into nature until we find the road to take another VTC.
The Last Day
It’s our last day in Pucón, but we don’t really see it as a departure.
Tristan is going to climb the Volcán Villarrica, an active volcano but with relatively low activity. In the meantime, Mathilde is going to go zip-lining in the jungle with seven runs, including two over waterfalls.
Since we had to check out of the room by 11am, we leave our bags in lockers at the hostel. Very convenient.
Tristan’s wake-up call at 5am goes smoothly, a bit like a child before an exciting day.
The ascent of the volcano takes nearly ten hours in total. Meanwhile, Mathilde crosses the forest suspended on the zip lines.
It’s the first time on the trip that we separate to do two different activities, but in the end, it was perfect. We met up in the evening with lots of stories to tell each other.
Discover Pucón in photos
A city we would definitely return to
Pucón really left a mark on us. Between the lake, the volcano, the forest, and all the possible activities, the city has a lot to offer.
I think we will return someday.
It was really nice.
