Adventures that endure: 2 days of hikes in the Andean Araucanía
Update date: 20 September 2023
Malalcahuello National Reserve, Conguillío National Park and Pucón
Day 1: Get to know the Malalcahuello National Reserve
Start your adventure at the Araucanía Airport in Freire, where, after a little over a 2-hour car ride, you will arrive at the Malalcahuello National Reserve.
The price to enter the reserve varies from $1,100 to $4,100. Here you will do the Piedra Santa trail, one of the most beautiful which crosses Sierra Colorado, the Piedra Santa Valley, and forests of monkey puzzle trees and coigües.
The trail is 16 kilometers (km) long. It takes around five hours and has medium difficulty. Along the way you can appreciate the majesty of Volcán Lonquimay, whose whitish settings will inspire you.
After your trek, head to the town of Malalcahuello to visit its thermal waters and spa, where you can relax and heal discomforts.
Before heading back to your accommodation, try the fascinating Mapuche cuisine at one of the restaurants in town.
Remember to take proper clothing for your hike, including comfortable shoes, a hat, sunglasses, and walking sticks if you need them.
Day 2: Sierra Nevada Trail
After having a good breakfast, you will travel a little over an hour and a half by car to get to Conguillío National Park, whose prices vary from $2,600 to $9,300.
Here you will do the Sierra Nevada trail, one of the must-do and most known hikes in the Araucanía Region due to its dreamy landscapes.
It will take around five hours to do 12 km with a moderate slope, which crosses the extinct Sierra Nevada volcano and passes through the Conguillío and Los Cóndores viewpoints. Along the way, you will have an excellent panoramic view of the fascinating Llaima Volcano.
For the afternoon, a two-hour car ride will take you to Pucón. There you can visit Villarrica Lake and eat at the restaurants and cafeterias that this famous tourist area in the south of Chile offers.
In the evening, you can dance and toast at some of the bars and discotheques in the province or go back to your accommodation and end your adventure.
Get your ticket in advance at aspticket.cl to enter the park.
Plan your perfect trip
- Take proper clothing for the trip
- Prefer hiring a tour registered with Sernatur
- Don’t forget your water bottle
- Wear sunscreen
- Avoid traveling with companion animals so as not to affect the local fauna