Pucon & Volcon Villarrica

So we had our first experience of an overnight bus in Chile, we´d heard they were pretty good and they surpassed our high expectations. It was like travelling on a plane but only much better (if not slightly slower). The seats were comfy, and there is an onboard attendant who places a pillow behind your head before you sleep and serves you breakfast in the morning - amazing !! We rocked up in Pucon in the morning and made friends with one of the many roaming stray dogs over a coffee before we checked into the new hostel. The hostel was ok, very different from La Casa Roja - much smaller and without the party atmosphere, just what we needed. Pucon is in the Chilean Lakes District and the skyline is dominated by Volcon Villarrica, at 2847m. The hostel owner was soon asking us if we planned to join a group to climb the volcano the following day - Jon signed up, but Nik decided to have a chilled day instead....she was put off by the fact that we would be leaving at 3.30 the following morning and the tales of falling rocks to be dodged on the way up !!
That afternoon we had a stroll round Pucon, which is a very nice place and definately where the rich Chileans come for they holidays. We headed down to the lakeside beach but didn´t hang around as it was like a scene from the Costa del Sol, packed with hundreds of people with towels laid out 6 inches or so from the neighbouring group. That night we tried to get an early night, given the 3am start the following day, but the group of people partying outside the room had other plans and it was gone midnight by the time we nodded off - just what was needed prior to climbing a mountain !
So Jon was up at 3 the next day, and on the road by half past to start walking up the volcano at just after 4. There was about 20 of us and 4 guides and for the first couple of hours we walked in darkness with only the moon to light the way. It was pretty tough going and after 2 hours or so we had to don our mountaineering gear, crampons included, to walk up a huge ice field.

Early morning hiking the volcano

The sunrise on the way up was stunning as were the views but it was very cold and pretty tough going. We were shown how to use our ice axes in case we slipped as it would have been a long slide down without it. The views from the top, when we eventually got there after about 6 hours of walking uphill, were truely amazing and more than justified the effort. We got to peer into the crater but unfortunately didn´t see any lava and couldn´t hang around for too long because of the poisonous sulphur gases the volcano was emitting.

From the top of Volcon Villarrica 2847m

The journey down was great fun as we got to slide down the ice field we had struggled up. We eventually made it back into Pucon at around 2pm and the expedition was celebrated with a cold bottle of volcano beer - why not ?!? It was then off for an afternoon nap as I was proper knackered.

Post volcano volcano cerveza

That night we both headed out to soak our muscles in some nearby hot springs, which were beautiful. The first pool we found was a bit cold but we soon tracked down the hot one and it was like soaking in a hot bath - a pleasure we haven´t experienced for far too long.

Hot springs, Pucon

Soaking those aching muscles

The following day, our last in Pucon, we bumped into the fellow Stokies Jon & Vicky again and headed out to a festival at night where there was a cueca competion (the traditional Chilean dance), which was pretty funny to watch. It was then back to the hostel to pack our bags and get ready for the early morning departure further south to Puerto Varras.

written by

jonnik on February 26, 2008 from Pucon, Chile

from the travel blog: Jon & Kenty's Grrrrrand Tour

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