LATIN AMERICA CHILE DESTINATIONS


rom the lunar landscapes of the Atacama Desert to the rugged peaks of Patagonia, Chile is one of the most geographically diverse countries on the planet, and now other regions are opening up to adventurous travellers. If your clients are looking for


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somewhere to get off the beaten track in this long, thin country, here’s a taste of some of the adventures that await.


w THE LAKE DISTRICT The Chilean Lake District stretches for 250 miles from Temuco to Puerto Montt, a region of serenely beautiful landscapes – snow-capped volcanoes, ice-blue glacier lakes and evergreen forests. Around 500 miles south of Santiago, Pucón – whose


closest airport is Temuco, just a 60-minute flight from the capital – is the epicentre of the northern lakes, with a stunning setting on the shores of Lake Villarrica. It has developed into a


year-round destination for adventure lovers. You can climb up – or ski and snowboard down – the still-smoking Villarrica Volcano, raft the Trancura River’s fast-flowing rapids, kayak across mirror-still lakes and hike through the lush forests of Huerquehue National Park, before easing weary muscles in the region’s hot springs. Now operator &Beyond has


brought its African know-how and conservation ethos to its first Latin American lodge, a 20-minute drive from the lake shore. The Hacienda Hotel Vira Vira – star of the BBC’s Life


Beyond the Lobby – reopened as &Beyond Vira Vira last September with doubles from $525 per person half board and $685 on an all-inclusive basis, including most excursions and drinks. Surrounded by wild nature, the


18 suites and riverside villas mix golden wood and indigenous Mapuche artefacts to great effect. The farm-to-fork dining makes the most of produce from its organic garden and homebred livestock, and there’s a huge range of activities on offer, from helicopter flights over Villarrica Volcano, to hiking, horse riding and meeting local weavers.


w CHILOÉ ISLAND Southwest of the Lake District lies the wild and isolated archipelago of Chiloé, a land of myths


and legends, bucolic green landscapes and hardy farmers and fishermen. Until recently, it could be


reached only by a 30-minute ferry ride across the Chacao Channel, but now Latam Airlines flies from Santiago five times a week to Castro’s Mocopulli airport, while the long-delayed – and controversial – Chacao Bridge project, which will provide a road link to the mainland, is slated to be completed by 2023. Hike through the forests of Chiloé National Park, where the fauna includes the shy pudú, the world’s smallest


7 February 2019 travelweekly.co.uk 67


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