Four Itchy Feet

March 1, 2025. Puerto Varas, Chile.

Today, we drove the perimeter of Lake Llanquihue near Puerto Varas, Chile. This scenic loop offered incredible views of the lake and the two prominent volcanoes nearby. The road was pristine, the landscape lush and green, with farms bordering the roadside and hundreds of cows calmly grazing in the fields. What an amazing contrast to the arid east side of the towering Andes!

The most stunning sight was undoubtedly Osorno Volcano—a perfect, symmetrical peak, seemingly attempting to imitate its larger counterpart, Mount Fuji, on the other side of the Pacific. As we circled its base, the drive provided us with numerous breathtaking vantage points. Nearby stood its older cousin, Volcán Calbuco—like a grouchy old man with a shaved head. Having erupted 36 times—13 of those in the 20th century—its most recent eruption, without warning, was in April 2015. We can even see him from the balcony of our Airbnb.

Along the road, we stopped to pick ripe berries, which were both abundant and delicious. When there were no berries to be found, vibrant hydrangea flowers in a spectrum of colors lined the roadside.

This was the perfect first day in Chile.