The 12 Best Puerto Varas Tours & Lake District Day Trips

1.Osorno Volcano & Petrohue Falls Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 121 reviews · 7 hours · from $59Our pick

Start in Puerto Varas with a scenic ride along Lake Llanquihue, climb Osorno Volcano to its ski center, then walk through Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park to Petrohué Falls. English and Spanish guides such as Nelly, Javier, Jenny, and Paula lead the seven-hour outing. Optional chairlifts, boat rides, lunch, and park entry cost extra.

“Incredible trip with very knowledgeable guide, excellent driver and stunning landscapes.”

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2.Osorno Volcano and Petrohué Falls Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 104 reviews · 10 hours · from $69

Travel from Puerto Montt to Lake Llanquihue, Osorno Volcano, and Petrohué Falls with a Spanish-English guide in a group of up to 14. You will walk through forest, see turquoise water rushing over polished lava, and ride optional chairlifts toward Osorno’s glaciers. Extra fees apply for park entry, lunch, boat rides, and lifts.

“Our guide Jenny was very nice and knowledgeable. she made sure we left in time for each activity. incredibly nice places and the boat ride with the Osorno volcano as a backdrop was very nice. however, due to the several stops we had only 1 hour at the volcano. so there was no time to hike around but it was amazing when we reached the highest accessibile point of the volcano. we did get to touch some ice eventhough it was summer.”

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3.Chiloe Island Full-day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★3.6 · 77 reviews · 10 hours · from $72

Travel from Puerto Varas to Chiloe by road and ferry, then visit Chacao, Ancud, Castro, and Dalcahue. You will see stilt houses, churches, craft markets, historic sites, and island traditions with an English or Spanish-speaking guide. Mauro is one named guide praised for his warm manner and strong local knowledge. Expect a long day with substantial driving.

“Enjoyed the trip. Lots of time in the van but also time to explore the different places. Lovely boat trip in the fjord and great lunch ( both wanted cash).”

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4.Peulla Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 57 reviews · 10 hours · from $66

From Puerto Varas, you travel by bus through Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park, stop at Petrohué Falls, then sail Todos los Santos Lake by catamaran to Peulla. Guide Alfredo is praised for clear, funny explanations. Lunch and Peulla activities cost extra, so bring cash and sturdy shoes.

“It was a brilliant day from start to finish. the scenery spectacular and the tour allowed you to enjoy in the best way. very comfortable and at a great pace.”

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5.Todos los Santos Lake and Villa Peulla Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 52 reviews · 10 hours · from $55

Travel from Puerto Varas or Puerto Montt to Petrohué, sail for about two hours across emerald Todos los Santos Lake, and spend time in Peulla, a 120-person village on the Andean Crossing route. English and Spanish guides lead the day. Fernando and Guillermo have guided recent departures. Optional canopying, horse riding, and 4x4 trips cost extra.

“Une très belle excursion, encadrée par Fernando et Guillermo. La vue sur les volcans depuis le lac est juste incroyable, et le petit village de Peulla mérite d’être connu !”

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6.Full Day – Peulla navigation

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 49 reviews · 12 hours (approx.) · from $62

Leave Puerto Varas by bus for Petrohué Falls, then cruise nearly two hours across Todos los Santos Lake beneath Osorno, Puntiagudo, and Tronador volcanoes. In Peulla, you have about five hours for lunch, a waterfall walk, or optional 4x4, canopy, and horseback activities. Spanish and English guides accompany the day.

“El almuerzo del hotel es fome, es muy de colación de casino además es caro en cuanto a relación calidad/precio/tamanño plato.,sin bebestible (jugo), etc”

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7.Tour Guiado en Kayak por Rio Maullin / Medío dia en Pto. Varas

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 47 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $115Top rated

Meet Cahuil Adventure in Llanquihue for a guided kayak trip from Lake Llanquihue into the Maullín River. Guides including Philippe, Steve, or Andres provide instruction, safety gear, local stories, snacks, and a photo record. Finish with pizza and craft beer after about two and a half hours on the water.

“We had the best day of our trip so far! The river and its surrounds were lovely - clear, deep water as well as shallow parts with interesting flora, a steady current, beautiful surrounds and lots of birds to watch. Phillipe was a great guide with lots of info about the habitat and guidance about kayaking in this area. Between him and Steve the whole activity was a pleasure - really nice to chat with them at the end over pizza and a beer. Highly recommend this day trip.”

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8.Osorno Volcano Day Trip by Air-conditioned Van

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 17 reviews · 5 hours · from $49Best value

Ride from Puerto Varas to Osorno Volcano Ski and Mountain Center in a climate-controlled van with an English, Spanish, or Portuguese-speaking guide. Enjoy about 80 minutes at 1,240 meters, add a chairlift ride to 1,450 or 1,750 meters, and warm up with coffee and a snack before returning.

“Este tur es de suerte segun como amanesca el día, si puedes subir o no a la segunda estacion o si tienes posibilidad o no de visibilidad hacia el lago. El servicio de transporte no tiene nada que ver con ello. Nuestro guia muy amable y nos fue explicando todo al paso que ibamos llegando al volcan.”

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9.Full Day to Termas del Sol & Cochamo Valley

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 11 reviews · from $55

Travel from Puerto Varas along Route 225 beside the Reloncaví Estuary to Termas del Sol, with four hours for hot springs and photos. Then visit Cochamó’s wooden houses, Chiloé church, and waterfront. A bilingual guide handles hotel transfers, but entrance, food, towels, and swimwear are your responsibility.

“Excellent guides, they made the trip very pleasant, they were punctual and very friendly. I totally recommend it.”

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10.Osorno Volcano, Petrohue Falls Full-day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 5 reviews · 7 hours · from $58

Travel from Puerto Varas along Lake Llanquihue to Osorno Volcano, then walk through Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park to Petrohué Falls. A bilingual Spanish, English, or Portuguese guide leads this small-group day trip, with hotel pickup, volcano views, optional chairlifts, and time for photos. Food, drinks, and entrance fees cost extra.

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11.Puerto Montt & Puerto Varas Private City Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · 4 hours · from $120

Travel by private vehicle from Puerto Varas or Puerto Montt with a live guide in Spanish, English, or Portuguese. See Puerto Montt’s German Colonists monument, Angelmo Market, Pelluco and Chinquihue, then continue to Puerto Varas, Philippi Park, Llanquihue Lake, and Puerto Chico. The tour lasts four hours and includes hotel pickup and drop-off.

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12.Osorno Volcano Tour Shore Tour in Private

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 3 reviews · 6 hours

Meet your English or Spanish-speaking guide at Puerto Montt port for a private six-hour trip through the Lakes Region. Visit the city, Petrohué Falls, Lake Llanquihue, Osorno Volcano viewpoints, and Puerto Varas. Guides William and Guillermo have led this route, with pickup and return at your cruise ship.

“We booked a small group of three private tour with William as our guide and we couldn’t have been more pleased. The itinerary was great and William whisk us away early to help us beat the big tour buses to the destination points. The volcano was amazing, the waterfalls were beautiful and the little town of Puerto Varese was exceptional. A little German town on the Shores of a magnificent lake with generations of history. I highly recommend this tour for anybody else who really wants to enjoy one day shore excursion in Puerto Montt.”

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