Day 15 Hiking around Osorno Volcano, Chile

We were picked up at 9.00am and taken on a scenic drive along the shore of Lake Llanquihue to the Vicente Perez Rosales National Park in Northern Patagonia.  At the entrance we saw a Patagonian Grey Fox who kindly posed for photos.  



We were then driven for 12 kms up the mountain slopes to the ski resort where there is a chair lift but as it is spring here there is no skiing and the chair lifts are not in operation.  We were then taken on a 1.5km hike up to the snowline on the volcano.  Coming down we helped the guide by picking up bits of plastic and other rubbish discarded by other visitors.  It felt very cold but the brisk walking warmed us up and we  had a hot chocolate at the ski lodge at the end.  

 
View from the Osorno Volcano slopes
 

 
On the slopes of Osorno Volcano 

 
Chimango Caracara

 
Top of the Osorno Volcano

 
The start of the snow line

 
White Bridled Finch

 
Snowman at Ski Lodge

 
View to the lake (very misty) from Osorno Slopes

 
 
Video of Chimango Caracara 

We were then driven to the El Solitario footpath, in the foothills of Osorno volcano, which showed a distance of 6 kms.  This was a hard walk, particularly because the guide went off at a very fast pace and we struggled to keep up with him and we could only look at the path in front and not at the surroundings.  We did ask him to slow down but he didnt so we just continued at our own pace which he didnt seem happy about.  He did show us a lot of the trees and shrubs that are native to this part of Chile but didnt seem that knowledgable on the fauna.  The walk was just under 7 kms and we were met at the end by the minibus.

 
View from walk

 
View from Walk

 
Giant Palm

 
Green Backed Firecrown Hummingbird 
one of only 2 species found in chile

 
Our lunch stop

 
Broom that grows in many places in the National Park

 
Dried up river bed.  It will be a river again when
there is an avalanche or when there is melt water 
from the volcano next spring 

We then went to see the rapids on the Petrohue River and then did a nearby short walk on the shore of Lake Todos Los Santos.  

 
Rapids on the Petrohue River

 
The Petrohue River

 
House boats on Lake Todos Los Santos

 
Lake Todos Los Santos

 
The rapids on the Petrohue River

We had been extremely lucky with the weather as rain had been forecast during the afternoon but it just started as we commenced our drive back to the hotel.  After a couple of hours the sun came out and we walked into the town for dinner.  Both Osorno and Calbuco Volcanos were cloud free and in full view.

 
Osorno Volcano (left) and Calbuco Volcano (right)

The temperature dropped dramatically and it was about 5C when we left the town and felt more like freezing.  We dont have coats so are relying on fleeces only.  The hotel bar had some musicians playing with a very nice log fire burning and we soon warmed up over a drink. 

 
Hotel Bar and log fire





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