Termas Puyehue -(18km)- Anticura -(11km)- Pampa Frutilla -(14km)- Antillanca -(18km)- Aguas Calientes
The Trek to Pampa Frutilla is one of the most beautiful Treks I came across in the Region of Los Lagos, Chile. The path takes you through every terrain typical for Patagonia.
The starting point is in Anticura at the CONAF devision. You can take a bus there from Osorno which drives there once a day at 5pm or you can take the more frequently driven route to the bus station "Termas de Puyehue" in the morning and walk the last 18km to Anticura.
The first part of the trek starts off in a jungle, followed by a burnt forest sprouting new trees and Murta berry bushes and ending in the volcanic pampa of strawperries and deep blue lagoons (at about 1300m). Anticura to the Pampas is a distance of 11km but is not to be underestimated on account of bamboo growing into the path. I spent about half of the trail squating or on my knees fighting my way along the jungle trail with my huge backpack. After the forest clears, you'll walk along mars-like volcano terrain. At the pampas I refilled my water bottles ans spent the night at the lagoons.
The second part of the trek decends from the pampas back into the forest and then acends up the steep mountain covered in snow. At the peak of 1910m you have a clear view of volcanos Osorno and Untiagudo in the distance as well as volcano Casablanca which is just a few hundred meters away. After the "cumbre" you climb down the mountain and travers along the southern side of a small volcano covered with red sand until you reach the crossing of the hiking trail "La Govinda" which would take you down to Lago Rupanco. Take the trail uphill until you can see the Refugio Antillanca (ski resort) which is then only 2km further down. This part of the trek covers a distance of about 14km.
At the refugio, you'll have to walk the remaining 18km to Aguas Calientes along the gravel road, where you can catch a bus back to Osorno.
Check out the wikiexplora page "Pampa Frutilla" for more information or view my gallery.
