Villarrica Volcano

The basics

Villarrica Volcano is one of three volcanoes in Villarica National Park, home to 17 hiking trails and the exhilarating Downhill Rucapillan mountain bike trail. For thrill-seekers, the most popular way to experience the Villarrica Volcano is by climbing it: Guided hiking tours take you to the smoking, snow-capped summit and then let you slide down its sides via sledding trails. However, this activity isn’t for the fainthearted—it’s a challenging climb that takes you to an altitude of 7,874 feet (2,400 meters).

Things to know before you go

• The Villarrica Volcano is one of the most active in South America, which means tours can be prone to cancellation if volcanic activity proves too dangerous.

• You’ll need high-quality hiking boots and crampons to tackle the climb; most tour operators provide equipment as part of the experience.

• The sun is particularly strong on the volcano, so wear a high-factor facial sunblock, protective lip balm, and sunglasses.

• Wear layers, as you can go from feeling chilly to hot in a matter of minutes during the climb.

How to get there

Villarrica Volcano is at the top of Chilean Patagonia in the region of Araucanía, also known as the Chilean Lake District. Pucón is the most popular place to stay for access to the volcano; it’s a 40-minute drive to the base of the volcano from there. While Pucón has an airport, it only operates seasonal flights to and from Santiago. Temuco Airport offers year-round flights and is only a couple of hours away.

When to get there

There’s no bad time to visit Villarrica Volcano (unless it’s erupting, of course). In the austral winter (June–August), you can ski in Villarica National Park, while summer is the ideal time to swim in the lake and hike to the summit. December and January are the busiest times when Santiago locals escape the capital in favor of Patagonia’s serene nature.

The best views of the Villarrica Volcano in Pucón

If you don’t fancy summiting Villarrica Volcano, you can still enjoy spectacular views of it from many places in Pucón, a charming resort town on the shores of Lake Villarrica. One of the best places is Mirador la Poza on the waterfront. On a clear night after dark, you can see lava bubbling at the top of Villarica’s caldera—on Pucón waterfront, there are often locals willing to lend you their telescope for a small fee.