Chile is a country with a very unique geography: it's approximately 200 km wide and over 5,000 km long, meaning that from its border with Peru to its gateway to Antarctica, we encounter very different landscapes: desert, forests, rivers, lakes, dunes, islands, and volcanoes, each with a unique charm. However, for most who live and visit this country, the most beautiful part of it is the South; that is, the South of the South. But where does this mythical South they talk so much about actually begin?
The capital of Chile is Santiago, located roughly in the middle of the country (viewing Chile lengthwise). Therefore, everything above Santiago is often considered the North and everything below the capital is the South. However, there's an implicit understanding that the South itself begins in Pucón, a city located about 800 km from the capital. From there, we find Valdivia, Panguipulli, Osorno, Temuco, Puerto Montt, Frutillar, and Puerto Varas, among other popular destinations for travelers to that area. Precisely in that area, in the Los Lagos Region and about 60 km from Puerto Varas, we find the Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park, where one of the main attractions is the Petrohué River Falls. Entrance to this attraction costs around $4 for Chilean residents and around $8 for foreigners. For teenagers, ages 13 to 17, it costs a little less (children under 12 enter free, whether they're residents or foreigners). It depends on the time of year you go, but I recommend traveling in spring or early fall, when it's not as cold. Once you pass through the gate, you'll walk along a path, and in no more than twenty minutes, you'll come across platforms with views of the incredible turquoise waterfalls crashing against the rocks amidst the beautiful vegetation.
It's hard to capture in a photograph or a post how incredible it is to be there. Seeing the mountain range and the force with which the water flows between the rocks, creating a deafening sound, can be overwhelming, in a good way. It reminds you of the force of nature, the power of water, and then, when the river calms down after passing over the rocks, the flow of its current makes you think of serenity and how beautiful it's to be able to contemplate these natural spectacles. City life sometimes makes us forget this, but the world is a beautiful magical place.
One of my favorite moments while touring this place was to climb a tree and watch the river flow from above. Seeing the turquoise waters, feeling the coolness of the air, the warmth of the sun on your skin, is like wanting to stay there all afternoon. Because southern Chile is a region with lower temperatures it also tends to have more precipitation than the north of the country, so if you go in the late fall, winter or early spring it is likely that the day will be cloudy, or rainy, and no doubt, with the thaw the water levels will rise. But if you manage to go on a clear day, there's a point in the park from which you can see the Osorno Volcano in the background. I didn't have the opportunity to see it (that's why I don't have that picture), but I have seen pictures and it's a surreal landscape like so many in southern Chile. Being in this kind of place also feels like time travel. When you see the river, if you forget about the platform on which you are standing, you observe a scene that has remained unchanged for many years. Erosion by the force of water is changing the landscape over thousands of years, but beyond that, this is a territory that remained virgin - without the presence of man - for a very long time and 100, 200 or 500 years ago it looked more or less as we see it now, which generates a sense of wonder, but at the same time reminds us that in the cosmic order of the universe and in the lifetime of this beautiful blue planet, we humans are newcomers.
So if you ever visit Chile, or if you go south, near Puerto Varas, don't hesitate to include this stop in your itinerary. It's one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen. The color of the water is breathtaking, and as I said, it's a reminder of the majesty and power of nature. Have you ever been to southern Chile? Have you seen a similar place anywhere else in the world? I'd love to know what other wonders this planet holds, so don't hesitate to leave a comment and tell me about your experiences. See you soon.
