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Things to Do in Pucón, Chile
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Plan language: EnglishMost popular attractions in Pucón, Chile
The best things to do in Pucón, Chile begin at Villarrica Volcano, whose 2,847 meter summit rewards climbers with views over Lake Villarrica's deep blue expanse. Just beyond town, Huerquehue National Park offers 18 kilometers of trails through ancient araucaria forests, while Ojos del Caburgua's twin waterfalls tumble into emerald pools.
1. Villarrica Volcano
Summit an active volcano and stare into a real lava lake. Feel the mountain grumble underfoot while crampons bite into its glacier.
Quick facts: An active cone rising to 2,847 meters hosts one of roughly half a dozen persistent lava lakes found anywhere on Earth. A March 2015 eruption blasted ash clouds thousands of meters high, yet those same slopes now carry guided summit treks most clear summer days.
Highlights: Reaching the crater rim lets you stare straight into a cauldron of molten rock, a swirling orange mass that hisses, bubbles, and vents sulfur into the cold air. At night that same lava tints the summit snow pink from below, a faint glow visible from lakeside towns 15 kilometers away.
2. Lake Villarrica
Snowcapped volcano views from a lake you can sail, swim, and paddle on. Expect cold clear water, a glowing lava crater after dark, and hot springs tucked into the shore.
Quick facts: Roughly 286 square kilometers of glacial melt fill a basin carved by ancient ice, with an active volcano looming over the shoreline. Cold currents keep summer swims near 15°C, yet local sailors still race across it on windy afternoons.
Highlights: From a kayak at dusk, the volcano's crater glows faint orange as magma churns below a snow-crusted summit, one of the world's few visible open lava lakes. Warm 38°C hot springs bubble right along the shore, letting you soak while gazing across cold blue water at snowy peaks.
3. Ojos del Caburgua
Impossibly blue water boils up from a volcanic sand crater in the middle of a rainforest. Stroll ten minutes along boardwalks and watch three glass-clear springs from raised lookouts.
Quick facts: Roughly 3,000 liters of 8°C spring water surge up every second from three volcanic pools here. The striking turquoise tint comes from minerals filtering through porous rock on a long underground route from the nearby volcano's slopes, and the largest pool drops about ten meters deep.
Highlights: From the wooden railing you can read the sandy bottom a full ten meters down, yet the water still glows in a color that shifts from jade green to sapphire blue as clouds pass overhead. A local Mapuche legend treats each pool as a literal "eye" connecting the surface to the mountain's hidden water tunnels, which is why the flow never drops even in the driest months.
4. Termas Geométricas
Seventeen steaming pools loop together along a 400-meter bamboo boardwalk above a rushing creek. Soak under a natural hot waterfall with steam rising into the trees.
Quick facts: Seventeen volcanic pools line a 400-meter wooden walkway suspended over a jade-green mountain creek. Waters arrive straight from geothermal springs, holding between 33°C and 39°C depending on which pool you slip into.
Highlights: Chilean architect Germán Philippi wove steel and native colihue bamboo into the hillside forest so the boardwalk looks like it grew there by chance rather than by plan. At the far end, a natural waterfall blends toasty spring water with icy creek water, and bathers who time it right can drift right under the falling torrent while steam curls off the surface around them.
5. Termas de Pucón
Volcanic heat straight from an active crater's underground plumbing powers these natural pools. Soak at 40-plus degrees with steam curling around you and volcano views overhead.
Quick facts: Volcanic groundwater heated deep under Villarrica's cone feeds these pools at a constant 38 to 43 degrees Celsius. Under open sky, bathers soak in a dozen-plus basins while Patagonian breezes keep their shoulders cool.
Highlights: No fence blocks the sightline from the main pool, so on a clear afternoon you can watch vapor venting from Villarrica's 2,847-meter crater while your own shoulders steam. A refreshingly cold plunge pool sits just steps away, and regulars swear by alternating 30-second hot and cold soaks to wake up every muscle.
6. Playa Grande
Swim in glacial water with a live volcano on the horizon. Black sand, crater-glow evenings, and cookouts that outlast the sunset.
Quick facts: Dark volcanic sand gives this lakeside strand a charcoal tint, a byproduct of the 2,847-meter volcano that looms directly over the water. Even during January's warmest days the lake sits near 18°C, so swimmers wade in for a bracing shock before baking on the black sand.
Highlights: After sunset, a faint orange pulse often swims inside the volcano's open crater, a lava lake casting a campfire glow across the water. The 2015 eruption turned that pulse into fountains of molten rock arcing over the summit, sending swimmers scrambling ashore while the whole sky glowed scarlet.
7. San Sebastián Church
An evening stroll rewards you with a glowing wooden chapel beneath a snow-streaked volcano. Hear the bell, breathe the resin, and watch light crawl across hand-planed floorboards.
Quick facts: Fragrant native lenga wood lines every surface, and hand-split shingles on the roof get replaced about every decade. From the plaza, the chapel's sharp spire frames the smoking 2,847-meter volcano that anchors the whole valley skyline.
Highlights: Look up and the ceiling arches overhead like the upturned hull of a rowboat, every curved rib hand-planed and fitted without nails by local carpenters. On clear afternoons a shaft of sun pours through the round west window and slides across the floorboards until it lands on the simple wooden altar, as if the building itself keeps time.
8. Caburgua Lake
Where else can you loll on black volcanic sand with a smoking volcano across the water? Expect freezing turquoise swims, a hidden waterfall, and barely-crowded coves.
Quick facts: Turquoise meltwater from the volcano above feeds a lake ringed by pure black volcanic sand that turns hot enough to sting bare feet by midday. Bathing suits lose their appeal fast when you test the water, which hovers near 5°C even in February, and the shoreline visibly creeps and retreats with the mountain's snowmelt.
Highlights: A short forest path leads to a 15-meter basalt cliff where the entire outflow pours into a churning gorge, and on calm mornings you feel the thrum in your chest before you ever see the falls. Locals will tell you the black sand is volcano ground up and delivered by eruptions, so the grit under your towel is literally volcanic history.
Where to Stay in Pucón, Chile
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Traditional Sweet Dishes
Kuchen de Frutas
This fruit cake came from the German settlers who founded Pucón in the early 1900s. It is topped with apples or berries and is a proud staple of every local bakery.
Sopaipillas Pasadas
These pumpkin fritters are fried until puffy, then soaked in warm chancaca, a raw cane sugar syrup. They are a beloved winter treat across southern Chile and are extra popular around rainy Pucón days.
Berlines
Introduced by German immigrants, these round, pillowy doughnuts are dusted with sugar and often filled with jam or manjar, a caramel spread. They have become a classic sweet snack in Pucón's cafés.
Traditional Savory Dishes
Curanto
This Mapuche and Chiloté feast is cooked in a pit lined with hot stones and covered with nalca leaves. It layers seafood, meats, sausages, and potatoes, making it a dramatic and beloved dish around Pucón.
Cazuela de Vacuno
This hearty beef stew is the ultimate comfort food in Chile and includes corn, pumpkin, potato, and rice. Its rich broth is said to warm anyone after a day in Pucón's cold mountain air.
Empanada de Pino
This baked turnover holds a filling of seasoned beef, onions, raisins, olives, and a slice of hard-boiled egg. It is a national icon, and Pucón bakers make their own rustic version with local wood ovens.
Traditional Beverages
Licor de Oro
This golden liqueur has Mapuche roots and is made in the Araucanía lake region around Pucón and Villarrica. It has a sweet anise flavor and is often sipped after meals as a warming digestif.
Mote con Huesillos
A classic Chilean refreshment, it combines cooked wheat berries with rehydrated dried peaches in their sweet syrup. In Pucón, it is sold from street carts on warm summer days near the lake.
Chicha de Manzana
This lightly fermented apple drink comes from southern Chile's orchards and has a sweet, fruity tang. Locals in Pucón enjoy it during autumn festivals when the apple harvest arrives.
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Most popular day trips
Villarrica
Historic lakeside town west of Pucon with craft markets and beaches
Huerquehue National Park
Ancient araucaria forests and turquoise lagoons with easy hikes
Conaripe
Gateway to hot springs and the base of the Villarrica volcano
Curarrehue
Mapuche community known for natural hot springs and waterfalls
Getting there
Train stations
Victoria to Temuco regional line, connects to Santiago via bus at Victoria
Busy junction for EFE rail service from Santiago and Temuco
Buses from Temuco Airport or downtown Temuco reach Pucon in about 1.5 to 2 hours. For flexible timing, rent a car or book a shared shuttle.
Comments (6)
Loved the food here, the curanto and fresh salmon are worth it, but prices shocked me. Everything costs like Santiago prices in a tiny town. Budget more than you think.
Didn't think a town that gets this much rain could be this gorgeous. Volcano view from the plaza at sunset is unreal. Could've stayed a week instead of 3 days.
Most people show up at Termas Geométricas around 11 and stand in line. Go for the 9am entry, half empty and the water is cleaner. Book your shuttle the night before.
Pretty natural scenery all around, but the town center is one row of tour shops and overpriced sandwich places. Great for a base, not much to do when it pours.
Skip the agencies right on the main square, they all sell the same tour for double. Head two streets toward the lake, same operators, half the price, no hard sell on extras.