Meet your guide at the Puerto Montt airport and transfer to the charming town of Puerto Varas. After checking in at your hotel, set out on a guided walking tour through this lakeside town, situated along one of Chile's largest lakes with breathtaking views of the Andes and the active Osorno and Calbuco volcanoes. The tour concludes back at the hotel, allowing time to explore the town at your own pace and experience the unique German-Chilean cultural blend. In the evening, gather for a welcome dinner at a local restaurant. 

Your day begins with a morning visit to Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park, with views of Osorno, Puntiagudo, Calbuco, and Tronador volcanoes set against the temperate rainforest. Ascend to 3,000 feet for a hike to the red crater. Back in the valley, explore the Petrohué River, its basalt formations, and waterfalls before heading to Lake Todos los Santos for lunch at Petrohué Lodge. In the afternoon, travel along Lake Llanquihue for a rewilding activity with the NGO Legado Chile, joining scientists in fieldwork supporting local wetlands restoration. Finish the day with a drive to a local brewery for a beer tasting and Chilean barbecue.

Elevation Gain: 3,000 feet / 914 meters

Today, cross to Chiloé Island on a 35-minute ferry ride with views of the Andes and glimpses of the island’s first villages, marked by wooden church towers that reflect Chiloé’s unique cultural heritage. Explore the island’s northern villages, enjoy an oyster tasting, and take a boat ride near a breeding colony of Humboldt and Magellanic penguins, as well as other bird and sea mammal species unique to the Humboldt Current. 

Depart in the morning to explore the River Chepu Natural Sanctuary, where you will enjoy a boat ride through the river’s sunken forest, perfect for spotting local wildlife. Next, take an easy hike to "Muelle de la Luz," one of the many wooden docks that are located at various points around the archipelago, each with a different symbolic meaning for the local inhabitants. Then, visit a local family home to experience a traditional Chiloé dish, Curanto—a mix of seafood, pork, and chicken cooked in an earth pit in a building called a Fogón. After lunch, head south to Castro, where you stay for the next two nights.

Begin your morning with a walking tour of Castro, visiting the iconic palafitos (houses on stilts) and exploring the local markets, where, with your guide, you purchase ingredients for tonight's dinner. Head to the island’s west side for an easy, two-hour hike to Muelle Las Almas, another symbolic wooden dock with breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean. Return to Castro just in time to prepare dinner alongside a local chef, using the fresh ingredients you gathered directly from local producers at the market earlier today.

Hike Distance: 6 kilometers / 3 miles (2 hours)
Difficulty: Low 

On your final day in Chiloé, explore the eastern canal villages of Dalcahue, Achao, and Quinchao. Visit several UNESCO World Heritage churches and spend time with local carpenters who are working to preserve the traditional art of boat-making using native wood and ancestral techniques. Enjoy lunch at the cocinerías, community-run food markets led by local women, before returning to the mainland, back to Puerto Varas.

Today, begin exploring the Route of Parks of Patagonia with a 40-minute flight over the fjords to Chaitén. There, your local guides will introduce you to the conservation and rewilding efforts in the El Amarillo area of Pumalín Park. After a stop at the administration center, take an easy 3 km hike along the Darwin Frog Trail, named after a rare amphibian native to the region. Enjoy a boxed lunch in a scenic spot before heading to your lodge, stopping along the way to walk the Alerce Forest Trail, home to trees over 2,000 years old. Spend the evening in the cozy Caleta Gonzalo lodge, within Pumalin Park.

Hike Distance: 3 kilometers / 1.8 miles (1 hour)
Difficulty: Low 

After breakfast, you explore various sections of the park, starting with a medium-difficulty, 5 km hike to the active Chaitén Volcano (about 4 hours) and then taking shorter trails and viewpoints along the road connecting Pumalín Park. The landscapes offer diverse views of glaciers, volcanoes, fjords, and rivers, providing a great chance to learn about the temperate rainforest and its wildlife, including unique plants, amphibians, birds, and, with a bit of luck, some of it's elusive mammals. Spend the evening at leisure in Caleta Gonzalo before dinner.

Hike Distance: 5 kilometers / 3 miles (4 hours)
Difficulty: Medium

In the early morning, explore the area of the park near the Caleta Gonzalo fjord before driving to Chaitén for your return flight to Puerto Varas. 

Transfer from your hotel to the local airport for your different departure flights.

EXTENSION OPTION: If traveling further south along the Route of the Parks is of interest, ask your trip planner about a 5-day extension to this tour in the Aysen Region, including the Marble Caves, National Park Queulat, and Cerro Castillo National Park.