Description of the attraction
Vicente Perez Rosales National Park is the oldest in the country. Created in 1926, it covers an area of 251,000 hectares. Its main attractions are the reliefs of volcanoes and mountains, dense forests of endemic species of evergreen trees and shrubs, and one of the most beautiful and unspoiled lakes in southern Chile, Lake Todos los Santos (Lake of All Saints).
This variety of landscapes with the dominant presence of volcanoes has made the park one of the top tourist destinations in the Los Lagos area. Within its borders, visitors can not only admire the scenery, observe the flora and fauna of the region, but can also enjoy the hot springs, skiing, canoeing or kayaking on the mountain river.
Vicente Perez Rosales Park is located 60 km from Puerto Varas. It was Chile's first National Park. It was named after Vicente Perez Rosales, the founder of the city of Llanquihue during colonization.
The main attractions of the national park are Lake Todos los Santos and the snow-covered Osorno volcano (2652 m). From here you can also see the unique volcano Puntiagudo (2498 m), which looms in the north, it is also called a "pointed volcano", and the Tronador Mountains (3491 m), bordering Argentina. From the highest point in the park, you can clearly see all the paths leading to the river, lake or waterfall that inhabit this natural paradise.
One of the great treasures of the park is the turbulent Petroue River, in the Mapuche language - "the place of midges". Initially, there was a large lake in this place, but repeated eruptions of the Osorno and Calbuco volcanoes divided the lake into two parts, forming Lianquihue and Todos los Santos lakes. The Petroue River became the only natural outlet of water from Lake Todos los Santos, forming a foamy waterfall, breaking through a canyon of volcanic lava rock.
You can take a walk along the hiking trails. In winter, you can go hiking in the snow, go mountaineering, in summer - rock climbing, horse riding, cycling, river kayaking or canoeing, fishing or watching birds and animals, and walking in the forest.
