Confessions of a Western Wino: Summer Holiday in Villarrica, Chile

Lago Villarrica

Text and photos by Jason McKenney

The plane from Santiago was a tight fit. One of those small transports with just two seats on either side of the aisle. The flight lasted roughly ninety minutes into the Temuco Maquehue Airport in southern Chile. A rental car from the airport spawned an eighty minute drive to the picturesque community of Villarrica nestled amongst a range of mountain peaks beside a large lake of the same name (Lago Villarrica).

The volcano

The Villarrica Volcano (Volcán Villarrica) overlooks the lake from the west like a giant fixture from Tolkien. The top is snow-capped but constantly puffing white tendrils of steam. “It won’t blow,” promised one of the locals with a wink. “You can go ski on it if you want.” I think I’ll pass this time.

I am traveling with my wife’s family: her parents and sister. We have rented out one of the lake-front cabins in an area called Huimpalay-Tray. Several such cabins line the southeast rim of the lake. We picked up groceries for our 5-day visit at a small market along the highway. We grabbed sausages and bread, eggs and veggies, wine and ice cream, condiments and charcoal. Enough sustenance to live like Kings.

Jason at the entryway

These certainly aren’t cabins as Abraham Lincoln would know them. There’s a full kitchen, den, and three bedrooms with two bathrooms. The master bedroom has large windows presenting a perfect view of the tranquil lake. The feeling is of a spacious ski lodge with wood paneling, vaulted ceilings, and a cozy furnace in the main room.

The kitchen is stocked with dishes and silverware. We give all of it a good rinsing after putting away the groceries. A maid shows up each morning to tidy up while we’re out exploring. It is pampered living but within the confines of a magnificent natural scene that’s miles away from any urban disruptions.

A Chilean Answer to the Alps

Pathways away from the water

It’s the week between Christmas and New Year’s in South America which means it’s the height of summer holiday. Families have filled up the other cabins. Young people are riding jet skis. Dads are firing up grills. Moms are lounging in the sun. The lake is as placid as a duck pond. Like a giant mirror, it reflects the natural habitat around it in remarkable ways until a speedboat skims across the surface pulling screaming skiers behind it. The ripples spread out for miles in their wake.

Overcast on the lake

Much of our time was filled with walks along the lake, grilling chorizo, and sucking down Terremotos (white wine with pineapple ice cream). There are several pleasant nature hikes that lead off in various directions away from the water. Spectacular National Park Reserves lie to the east of the lake. Beyond those reserves lies Argentina.

Some of the hikes are quiet and peaceful. Trails lead through shaded archways of old trees and fresh flowers. Birds chirp, squirrels rustle, but hardly a sound can be heard from the busy lake. Other trails go past small waterfalls that roar with power. The water is runoff from the mountains above, gaining speed and momentum on its journey west.

Small waterfalls can be found
up the mountainside

Sightseeing Tour on the Lake

The harbor of Villarrica offers sightseeing boat tours that traverse the entirety of the lake. The lake itself extends nearly 13 miles east to west and seven miles north to south so there is plenty of room to stretch your legs. Roaming out with my wife and her sister, we paid a few pesos to ride one of the tour boats. It is summertime, but the wind off the water on this morning was cold forcing us to tighten our jackets and pull down our hats.

The shoreline was overflowing with greenery. Nearby hills were covered with grass and dotted with pine trees like a scene from The Sound of Music. Silver-blue mountains lined the horizon in the east like broad swipes from a painters brush. Fluffy clouds hung low and still from the blue sky above like sleeping angels.

Tiny speed boats sped around us. A couple of kayakers paddled by, giving us a wave while on their merry way. The white snow on the volcano glowed brightly in the sun like a giant headlamp. Like the eye of Sauron watching our every move.

Near the middle of the lake is a tiny island that reminded me of somewhere Huck Finn might hide out. It couldn’t be bigger than a soccer field but it’s covered with a thick layer of trees and brush. I wanted to swim ashore, build a campfire, and escape the world for a few days. Instead our boat eventually made its way back to the harbor and the equally pleasant “reality” of another day in Villarrica.

A Last Supper in Pucón

On the southwest edge of the lake is the little town of Pucón. It’s filled with shops for tourists, restaurants, and bars. There is also a small casino stocked with one-arm bandits and a blackjack room. After blowing a few thousand pesos on the slot machines (that’s just a couple dozen dollars US), we went out to eat. My wife’s father is of Syrian descent and he loves his Middle Eastern cuisine: falafel, stuffed vine leaves, hummus, and lamb. This was our last night at the lake. We found a great Arabian place in Pucón and gorged on Middle Eastern food and rich Chilean wine.

The next day we would have to leave. We would cram ourselves back into a tiny plane and fly north to Santiago. This short trip would then feel like just a dream. But those visions of the smoking volcano, the open lake, and the joy gained from family bonding would remain with each of us.