CityBuddy
Saltos de Petrohué
Best time to visit
Visit late morning on a clear day, when sunlight burns off the mist and the water glows its brightest turquoise. Summer months of December through February offer the most reliable clear skies.
Budget tips
Entry costs about 4,000 CLP per adult and is covered by the same ticket that admits you to the broader national park. Pack your own snacks and water, and go on a weekday to skip the entrance queue.
Recommended for
Families, Photography enthusiasts, Nature lovers, Road-trippers
Plan your visit
1.5-2 hours
About
Quick facts: Volcanic eruptions from Osorno volcano sculpted the basalt channels that funnel this river's frigid water. Each second, glacial meltwater from the Andes surges through with a striking turquoise tint, dropping roughly 20 meters in a series of cascades before flowing toward the sea.
Highlights: Visitors feel the ground tremble before they ever see the froth, and the water keeps a glassy, unnatural turquoise even as it thrashes sideways through narrow lava alleys. On sunny mornings, the spray catches the light over the volcano's snowy 2,652-meter cone, which rises directly behind the falls.
Insider tips
- Wear a rain jacket or quick-dry layer, since heavy spray coats the raised boardwalks running right beside the falls.
- Photograph from the lower wooden platform around 11 a.m., when the angle fits both the volcano and the blast of water into one frame.
- Skip the gift shop and instead walk the short river loop to see the basalt channels upstream of the main drop.
- Arrive right at the 9 a.m. opening to capture the flow before tour buses crowd the viewing platforms.
Where to Stay in Puerto Varas
Selected by City Buddy based on guest reviews and proximity to top attractions
Search all hotels in Puerto VarasPowered by agoda
