There is a kind of hike that is not chasing a summit or an adrenaline hit — it is after the forest. This eight-kilometre trek crosses araucaria woodland, the tree that has been on Earth for two hundred million years and grows here on its home ground, linking one high-altitude lagoon to the next, almost without warning.
In the open stretches, on a clear day, the silhouette of Lanín volcano appears on the Argentine border. It is the kind of view that justifies the early start by itself.
The trail
Difficulty is low to moderate. There are no technical sections and no exposure: eight kilometres of mountain trail with gentle ups and downs, on uneven ground of roots and rock.
The araucaria dominates. Mature specimens are over a thousand years old and carry that umbrella shape that resembles nothing else. Between them the lagoons appear, very cold and very clear, each a different colour depending on the hour and the light.
We walk unhurried. The point of this trip is not covering ground — it is being inside the forest for as long as possible.
How hard is it
Moderate. Anyone who walks with some regularity manages it comfortably, but it is not a stroll: several hours on your feet over natural terrain with gentle, sustained gradient.
It is the best entry point to mountain trekking in the area, and a good way to test yourself before considering the volcano.
When to go
The comfortable season runs spring through autumn, when the trail is clear. In winter, snow transforms the route entirely and access may be restricted.
Autumn is probably the best moment: the ñirre and lenga turn red around the permanent green of the araucarias, and the contrast is hard to match. In summer the trail is at its best and the lagoons tempt you to put your feet in, though the water is freezing all year.
What to bring
- Hiking shoes with grippy soles — there are roots and loose rock
- Layers: it cools quickly at altitude even when it is warm below
- A windproof or waterproof jacket
- At least 1.5 litres of water
- Food for the trail
- Sunscreen and sunglasses — the open sections are exposed
