Pucon Travel Guide: What to Do, Where to Stay, and Local Tips
Pucón is a tourism hotspot located in the Chilean Lakes District. Visitors flock to this area in summer for the adventure sports the town has on offer, and in winter it attracts skiers and snowboarders to the Villarrica Ski Resort. It’s also home to dozens of thermal springs and hiking trails through the areas national parks. It's a scenic town that's enhanced by the views of the nearby volcano - Villarrica Volcano.
I have to say, if you want to experience everything Pucón has to offer, it's not the cheapest of destinations in South America. It was more in line with Australian prices than what you'd expect from a town in South America.
However, despite our low budget, we still had a beautiful stay there and managed to get a hike in (despite the heavy snow) and explore the town and surrounds. I just think next time I go back, I need to budget for some more activities (and ideally come in summer instead of autumn, so it’s not as snowy!).
Where we stayed:
Hostel French Andes
Cost per night: AUD$48/USD$31.90
Room type: Standard 2 bed apartment (double bed) with private bathroom
Website: https://www.booking.com/hotel/cl/hostal-french-andes.en.html
This small apartment was great for a couple of nights – it had a kitchenette and a cute outdoor area which would have been perfect to eat our home-cooked meals if it wasn’t so cold! It was about a 20-minute walk from the main town shops and restaurants, and just a couple of blocks from a couple of big supermarket chains. We really liked it here but after 3 days we wanted something a little bigger, and a bit warmer – the heating wasn’t amazing and I would be cooking dinner whilst in my jacket and beanie!
Ketrawe Lodge
Cost per night: AUD$57.85/USD$38.50
Room type: Tiny home, 1 bedroom (double bed)
Website: https://www.booking.com/hotel/cl/ketrawe-lodge.en.html
We slightly upgraded from our tiny apartment to a tiny house, and it was surprisingly a lot more comfortable than I expected! This was probably a lot to do with the heat pump that made it a lot cozier. Tiny houses are super popular in Pucón, and there are dozens on Airbnb – I would say this is the way to go if you have a hire car – they are generally out of the main town, surrounded in nature.
Where we ate:
ArtePizza Resto-Beer
What we ate: BBQ chicken pizza (halved)
What we spent: AUD$24/USD$16 (total)
This pizza was sooo delicious! There is only a small indoor area to eat, but it has a nice patio with fairy lights and music. They also do takeaway as well. The only downside was their lack of drink options - lots of beer, but not much in the way of if you don't drink beer or sugary sodas!
Ecole
What I ate: A 3-course meal for lunch – salad, vegetarian lasagna and a trifle dessert
What I drank: 2x Flat Whites
What I spent: AUD$26/USD$17.40
This vegetarian restaurant was INCREDIBLE! The food was so tasty, it was cheap (for Chile at least!) and it had a peaceful, tranquil vibe.
On the bucket list for next time…
The below activities we gave a miss due to time restraints, and as we had just come back from our Bolivia tour, we felt we had seen a lot of similar attractions on the tour. However, if you aren’t doing a Bolivia tour, I would recommend the below. Note - most tour operators in town offer these as tours that you can book on last minute.
Salto El Puma: If you are going to spend money to go and see a waterfall, this looks like the most incredible one from what I have seen in photos! Nearby is also Salto El Leon and Salto El China, which you need to pay separate entrance fees for – however they are all in the same National Park so only one National Park ticket is required!
Termas Geometricas: Coming in at AUD$70/USD$46.80, it’s one of the more expensive thermal springs but it’s also the most impressive with 17 pools! It’s located n Villarrica National Park, and is nestled in a secluded gorge surrounded by lush forests. As the name suggests, the design of the hot springs incorporates geometric wooden walkways, red-painted bridges, and decks. There is also a small café on site, offering snacks, drinks and light meals.
Summiting Villarrica Volcano: Due to the volcanic activity at the time, it wasn’t possible to climb to the summit of Villarrica Volcano. Tour companies were still offering climbs, but you wouldn’t reach the crater. It would have still been a spectacular hike, however if I was spending all that money (around AUD$170/USD$113 depending on the tour company) and all that physical effort, I’d want to see the crater!
What We Did:
Hike Sendero Nirrico
This hike was long, it was hard, and it was rewarding. As we went in May, the second half was hiking through snow which made it extra tough making sure we didn’t slip over! Click here to read more about this hike.
Hike Laguna Negra
This was another tough hike, with the top presenting a winter wonderland! You can read more about this hike here.
Drive up to Paso Tromen (the Argentinian border)
Also known as the Mamuil Malal Pass, the drive along the highway to Argentina was one of the most scenic drives we have done in South America. You drive through Villaricca National Park, with stunning views of Villaricca Volcano, and past lakes including Laguna Quiellelue. There are plenty of scenic lookouts, so allow for at least half a day to enjoy this road trip! There are also a few restaurants and cafes along the way, which looked very picturesque with fairy lights and outdoor seating.
Explore the town of Pucon
Pucon itself is a vibrant small town, similar to other adventure-capital towns such as Queenstown or Whistler. I spent a morning exploring the handicraft markets and op-shops, and they also have your big name outdoor clothing brands such as Columbia and The North Face.
Lake Villaricca is a short 5 minute walk from the town centre, that offers beaches to stroll along as well as water activities including kayaking, sailing and jet skiing. I can only imagine how buzzing the lake would be in the summer – unfortunately it was a bit too cold for most activities in May!
Top Tips:
When to go:
We travelled in May, however it was cold and the hikes had a lot of snow along them. I would recommend going in Summer months (November to March).
Getting there/around:
We hired a car from Puerto Montt airport and made our way up to Pucon. We didn’t realise how many toll stations we would have to go through – we ended up spending AUD$34/USD$16 on tolls.
Our car hire cost us AUD$214/USD$142 for 5 days and we spent AUD$211/USD$140 on petrol.
You can also fly into Temuco which is about 2 hours drive from Pucon, and hire a car or catch a bus from there.
There is also the option of an overnight bus from Santiago, and the buses are super comfortable!
You can easily explore Pucon without a car and using public transport and pre-arranged tours, however hiring a car offers a lot more flexibility. It was easy and safe driving there, the only thing to note is the after-work traffic which backs up along the whole highway, making it a long drive back if you have been out exploring all day!
What to bring:
Given the high altitude and desert climate, the temperatures drop significantly at night – make sure you bring a jacket and a beanie to rug up in!
On the other hand, it is also very hot during the day, so make sure you bring sunscreen.
Money:
Pucon is more expensive than other parts of Chile, so make sure you budget accordingly! The biggest ticket items are the activities, so if you want an action-packed stay, then you’ll need to factor those costs in.
As a quick guide, here’s what the main attractions cost as of May 2024 (prices vary depending on tour company)
Whitewater rafting: AUD$64/USD$42.50
Volcano hiking: AUD$170/USD$113
Waterfalls: from AUD$8/USD$5.30
National Park tickets: AUD$16/USD$10.60 (18+) (per park)
Thermal springs: from AUD$50/USD$33.50
Kayaking: AUD$64/USD$42.50
Bring cash (Chilean pesos) for things like entrances to waterfalls, however most shops and restaurants in town accept card.
National Parks:
As of June 2024, it is no longer possible to buy National Park tickets on the same day or to obtain them directly at entrances. Prepurchase your tickets at https://www.pasesparques.cl/
Prices were what I paid at the time in 2024, please check updated prices when travel planning!
Hostel French Andes
Ketrawe Lodge
Inside Ketrawe Lodge tiny home
ArtePizza Resto-Beer
Ecole
