Panguipulli Lake
(Land of lions)
View of Panguipulli Lake, in the South of Chile
The Panguipulli Lake has a surface of 23.227,91 acres, and it is to an altitude of 426,51 feet, 41,01 miles of Lican Ray. Is the largest and perhaps most beautiful of the seven lakes. In its west shore there are a moraine glacier area, low and waved, with excellent agricultural land. Towards the mountain range, the steep mountain is covered with forest, which makes difficult the land travel. The coastal route, that allows the access to the south of the lake, where it is its water-drainage, just was opened in the 1980’s.
If you continue advancing by the same road from Lican Ray, you will pass through Coihueco, in a bay with great houses surrounded by forest, with access to beaches in the 63 and 65 kilometer. Then, a peninsula is crossed with splendid view towards the bay’s in order to take a road in cornice that has as a background to the Mocho Choshuenco volcano. Down there, are small and warm beaches, surrounded by native forest.
In km 81 the small village of Punir is crossed to retake the border in the beautiful Punir beach (km 82). Near 0,62 miles after the small village of Toledo you will see an old center of a timber activity; still it conserves the supervisory house and the rest of its wharf of boarding next to the beach.
The road continues in ascent through a peninsula and reaches the bridge on the Llanquihue River (km 95). Also it will reach a crossing, where you must take the left route towards the valley that comes from the Pirihueico Lake. This road was opened in 1946 in the middle of an dense forest. At the present time, the forest has almost disappeared and predominate fertile cleared land, where to graze the cattle and where by the electrical laying and its pylons pass through.
Towards to km 99 another bridge is cross on the Fui River that runs deep and boxed. After 437,45 yards go to the left; in 1,24 miles you will arrive at the Neltume Lake, with 890 hectares. The Neltume Lake counts with a pretty beach in its opening, good for the bath and camping.
Retake the main road, in km 104. In km 109 Salto of the Huilo Huilo is signalized to the right. It is entered by a short road that crosses a small bridge on the Fui River, which runs at great speed between rocks by a tagus of 32,81 feet of wide and, then, falls in a spectacular jump. Leave the car before the bridge. Through footpaths you can reach at the viewpoints and also to go down until the bottom of the river.
The Jump of the Huilo Huilo was originated during a volcanic eruption that deposited a hard lava mantle that the river almost has been able to erode through a narrow channel. At the end of the mantle, the waterfall has caused a deep throat covered with forest and ferns.
Less than 0,62 miles, through the main road, you will pass through Neltume, with 1,903 inhabitants, town where a slanting wood industry settled in 1943. In km 116, it is arrived at the beautiful beach of the Pirihueico Lake, which means water worm and has 9.884,22 acres. To the arrival of the Pirihueico Lake it is the modest small village of Fuy Port, with 302 inhabitants, warehouse and pension. It just can see a part of the narrow lake of curved form and place cover with a dense forest. It does not have footpaths or ways by the shore. There is a concrete ramp to launch boats and a ferry that communicate with Pirihueico Port, in the other shore, where lodging and beach with camping areas are found.The barge “Mariela” has departures by arrival order, with duration of 1:50 hour.
Between January and February there are trips every day with departures from Fuy Port to 7, 13 and 18 hours; returning from Pirihueico Port to 10, 15:30 and 20 hours. Between March and April the departures from Fuy Port are Monday to Saturday, to the 7 and 14 hours, Sunday to the 14 hours; returning from Pirihueico Port, from Monday to Saturday to 10 and l7 hours, Sunday to the 17 hours. Of the 1st of May to the 2nd of November, the departures from Fuy Port are Monday to Saturday to 7 and 12:30 hours, Sunday to 12:30 hours; returning from Pirihueico Port, are Monday to Saturday to the 10 and 15 hours, Sunday to 15 hours. Of the 2nd of November to the 31st of December, the departures from Fuy Port are Monday to Saturday to the 7 and 14 hours, festive and Sunday to the 14 hours; and returning from Pirihueico Port, are Monday to Saturday to the 10 and 17 hours, Sunday to the 17 hours. The values of transfer are: cars $10,000, light trucks $15,000 and pedestrians $500.
From Fuy Port there is a road that cross a river towards the access control of the Huilo Huilo Reserve. It is an eco-tourist project of 135,91 acres, developed by the Forest Complex and Lumber Panguipulli. In its interior there are ways that cross landscapes with native forest, rivers, jumps, lagoons, spas and one volcano. The reserve counts with lodging, a pier, stables and numerous footpaths. In addition diverse guided activities are organized.
Return from Fuy Port, in km 116, by the same road. In km 136 it will arrive at Choshuenco, with 622 inhabitants. It is a small locality that was departures port of the wood of inner valleys. There is a hostelry with a good restaurant; it is suggested to ask for the menu before consuming. Small hotels and a camping area can be found in this area. Very concurred in summer, the better beaches are towards the mouth of the Llanquihue River.
Island located in Panguipulli Lake, Chile
From Choshuenco advance by the southeast side of the lake to arrive at the bay where the houses of the Chan Chan Ranch, in km 139 are. More ahead, it is arrived at the shore of the precious Enco River, empties of the Panguipulli, the one that receives, as well, waters of the Pellaifa, Calafquén, Pullingue, Pirihueico, Neltume and Lacar lakes in Argentina. In the road it was Cancaguasi, a boundary of fishing with a precious Park constructed by English in the decade of 1940.
After crossing a sandy section covered with renovales, in km 148, we arrive to the small village of Enco, old port by where the wood left towards the Riñihue town.
From Enco it leaves a track in badly estate, apt for long walk that go up to the Mocho Choshuenco National Reserve, with a surface that reaches the 18.621,86 acres. The Mocho Choshuenco National Reserve has numerous and beautiful places apt for ski without facilities, a particular refuge and a precious viewpoint to the Riñihue Lake. The Mocho Choshuenco National Reserve includes the area of Mocho volcanoes, 7.946,19 feet of altitude – which last eruption was in 1863 -, and the Choshuenco, of 7.923,23 feet, that is a volcanic rocky summit ruin of the strong slope, that gives origin to a glacier in its South slope. In the hillside it will see forest of Valdivian type that it extends until approximately 3.937,01 feet of altitude. The Mocho Choshuenco National Reserve does not count with park ranger. The entrance is free.
Remake the road by the shore of the Panguipulli Lake until arrive at the crossing from the city of Panguipulli (km 203). Take to the left and, after 0,62 miles, turns to the right. In km 212, it will arrive at Calafquén. Calafquén is a seashore of recent formation, with a beautiful beach and pretty summering houses, but without tourist equipment. In Calafquén it was the delivery point where the boat arrived delivering the timber from Coñaripe.
Leave Calafquén by the riverside. Towards to the km 217 it is the small village of Chaura and, in the km 222, the crossing with the Capuchin mission. The road follows straight to Villarrica. Another option is to turn to the right to bordering 10,56 miles the Calafquén lake, by a rubble road, and to return to Lican Ray in the km 239.
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