Petrohué Falls and Osorno

The Petrohué Falls are the most visited natural sight near Puerto Varas, and one look explains why. The Petrohué River, fed by the glacial waters of Lake Todos los Santos, squeezes through a bed of dark volcanic rock left by past eruptions of Osorno, splitting into channels of astonishing turquoise and white. There is no single huge drop; the appeal is the colour, the power and the contrast between pale water and black basalt, with the cone of Osorno often rising in the background. Wooden walkways and short trails take you to several viewpoints within an easy half hour, and you can walk further along the river and through forest paths if you want a quieter angle. A day tour from Puerto Varas typically combines the falls with a drive up Osorno and a stop at the shore of Todos los Santos or a lakeside lunch, and the tours at this price are shared groups with a driver-guide. Expect around six to eight hours door to door, allow for a small park entrance fee and bring a camera, because the light on the water is as good as anywhere in the region.

The falls sit inside Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park, Chile's oldest national park, created in 1926. The surrounding forest is temperate rainforest with coigüe, ulmo and tepa trees, and ferns and moss cover every surface that stays damp. A small visitor area near the falls has a snack bar and craft stalls selling woollens and local sweets, and you will hear the roar of the river well before you see it. The river itself continues toward the Reloncaví Estuary and is also used for rafting, which is covered as a separate activity in this guide.

Because the falls are so easy to reach, they can be busy around late morning when tour buses arrive. If your schedule allows, aim to be there early or after lunch when groups thin, and walk a little beyond the main viewpoint, since most visitors do not go far. In winter and spring the flow is larger and the colour can be milkier, while summer water is typically clearer and a deeper green. Swimming is not permitted, the rocks are slippery and the current is dangerous, so treat the railings as serious boundaries.

Photography deserves a note. The best colour comes when the sun is high enough to light the water, usually late morning to early afternoon, but crowds peak at the same hour, so patience at the railings pays off. A polarising filter helps with glare on the pale water, and a slow shutter speed turns the rapids into silk if you can steady your camera on a railing. Wet rock and spray make the boardwalks slick, so zip your bag against the mist.

Beyond the main viewpoint, a short trail leads through the forest to quieter stretches of river where you can often stand alone for a few minutes. The craft stalls near the car park sell woollen hats, gloves and local preserves, and the snack bar serves empanadas and hot drinks, handy on a cold day. If you have a car and an early start, reach the falls before the first tour buses and then continue to the lake at Petrohué for a calm half hour on the shore.