A Great Day For Osorno Volcano and Petrohue Waterfalls in Patagonia Chile
We had a fun day booked to the Osorno Volcano and Petrohue Waterfalls in Patagonia Chile for our port day in Puerto Montt. As the Oceania Cruises Marina came into the harbour, we saw volcano peaks on the horizon. This was the first but not last view we got from different perspectives of the peaks around Puerto Montt.
We had an awesome experience in our last port when we visited Magdelena Island for penguins from Punta Arenas. It looked like this was another perfect day day for an outdoor adventure!
First View Of The Osorno Volcano Over Lake Llanquihue
We got in our tour bus and it headed towards the Osorno Volcano. Our first stop was at Lake Llanquihue. This was the second largest lake in Chile and its name meant “submersion”
We got a great view of the Osorno Volcano. And we were so very glad our guide pulled in when the view of the peak was clear. Osorno was a conical stratovolcano like Mt Fuji in Japan. We remembered when we visited Mt Fuji in Japan how quickly such great views were shrouded in clouds.
We grew more excited as we continued our day trip to the Osorno Volcano and Petrohue Waterfalls in Patagonia Chile.
Heading Up The Osorno Volcano In A Chair Lift
We continued around Lake Llanquihue and took the twisty road up the Osorno Volcano. The bus parked when we arrived at the base station for the chair lift. In the winter, this was a fully functioning ski station. In the summer months, there was hiking to the top but a permit was needed.
We only had one hour for this stop on our day trip to the Osorno Volcano and Petrohue Waterfalls in Patagonia Chile. From the base station we could take the chair lift or walk up along the paths. We decided we wanted to go higher for a great panoramic view and paid for our lift ticket.
David and I got on different chairs and took pictures of each other during the climb and again on the descent. As we climbed on Tramo 1, we got a great view down to the base station and the parked buses. The view behind us got better and better.
As we approached the Primavera station, we saw the Tramo 2 chair lift that went further up the Osorno Volcano. We had a little time to explore on this level but not enough to go further up on this visit.
Views From The Osorno Volcano
When we got off at the Primavera station, we took some time and admired the Osorno Volcano (Volcán Osorno). This conical stratovolcano marked the beginning of the Chilean Patagonia. At 2,652-metre (8,701 ft) tall is was nicknamed “the King of the South”. Osorno was one of the most active volcanoes in the southern Chilean Andes. There were 11 eruptions recorded between 1575 and 1869. Although at this time is was dormant.
With a zoom lens we got a great look at the snowy peak of the Osorno Volcano. Much of the top of the volcano was covered in glaciers. Although in the winter, additional snow covered the peak.
When we looked in the other direction, we were treated to an amazing panoramic view over Lake Llanquihue with the Calbuco Volcano in the distance. While tranquil on our visit, the Calbuco Volcano was an explosive volcano that last erupted in April 2015 and spewed a funnel of ash high into the sky.
We started down the paths we found at this level. The volcanic sand around us was deep in places. So we stayed on the wooden path. We saw people walking up from below and were very glad we took the chair lift up.
As our time ran out, we headed back to the chair lift and headed back down to the bus. But our trip up the Osorno Volcano was a highlight of our day trip to the Osorno Volcano and Petrohue Waterfalls in Patagonia Chile.
See The Osorno Volcano and Petrohue Waterfalls In Patagonia Chile
It was about a 45 minute drive to our next stop at the Parque Nacional Vicente Perez Rosales. Our guide marched us at a quick pace through the park to the Petrohue Waterfalls. Along the way we glimpsed mountains in the distance, dry river beds and even caught sight of a culpeo (Patagonian fox). Every now and then, we got a peek view of the Osorno Volcano.
We approached the Petrohue Waterfalls along the Petrohue River. The blue green water drew us in. And then we saw the cascading falls.
When we moved to the viewing platform, we saw more waterfalls as they cascaded over sharp volcanic lava fields. But the big draw was the stunning view of the Osorno Volcano in the distance. We were sure that the view would be even more stunning earlier in the year when the water flows were higher.
When we had enough of the views, we returned along the path to the entrance. We were so glad we got this stop and saw the Osorno Volcano and Petrohue Waterfalls in Patagonia Chile.
A Stop In Puerto Varas For Lunch
We had one more stop on our day trip. When we reached Puerto Varas, we had lunch at the Radisson Hotel. It was an ok lunch. But not the lunch at the llama farm our tour information stated. After lunch, we enjoyed some free time and explored this charming town.
Our first stop was on the waterfront with yet another view of Lake Llanquihue. The picture frame was the iconic spot for photos with a view of the Osorno Volcano.
We wandered along the waterfront and found the funky statue. The wreck of the Santa Rosa Steamboat sat on the sand.
From the waterfront, we headed back and wandered around the German-style architecture. Puerto Varas was known as the “City of Roses”. As we walked around the town, we saw why it had this name.
We enjoyed this final stop at the charming small town of Puerto Varas. A great way to end our day trip from Puerto Montt in Patagonia Chile.
Awesome Views Of The Osorno Volcano and Petrohue Waterfalls In Patagonia Chile
It was a beautiful day for a trip from Puerto Montt for awesome views of the Osorno Volcano and Petrohue Waterfalls in Patagonia Chile. We caught stunning views from so many different vantage points. It was hard to pick our favourite stop! This was a beautiful stop in Patagonia Chile on our South America cruise. We would definitely want to return and explore at a slower pace on our own.
When we returned to our cruise ship, we continued our cruise though the Chilean Fjords in Patagonia Chile. There were so many more stunning sights ahead of us. The next cruise port was in Casablanca, Chile. And our wine tasting day trip was a very different way to enjoy this part of Chile.
Have you visited the Orsono Volcano and Petrohue Waterfalls in Patagonia Chile? Where was your favourite viewpoint?
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The Osorno volcano reminds me very much of Mt Fuji in Japan – almost perfectly cone-shaped. We visited the area years ago during a 2-months trip to Chile. There live many German immigrants in the area and the bakeries do very tasty German-style cakes. Seems you had a great day!
We did have a great day exploring the area around the Osorno Volcano. We would love to go back and see more one day.
What a wonderful adventure! I’ve never been to south America and Chile is on my list. I’m so scared of heights so would need my husband to sit with me on the lift! The volcano is stunning and so is the waterfall.
We were so glad we got to see the Osorno Volcano from so many different spots. And it was definitely worth a trip up in the cable car to get that panoramic view!
Wow, what an amazing adventure of natural beauty and wonder! I love that you were able to zoom in on the ice at the top of the Osorno Volcano, and then head down to that lovely rushing aqua water of the falls. It would have been enough for me to declare it a perfect day – but then to see the gorgeous roses in Puerto Varas? That’s the icing on the cake. So glad the weather cooperated for you, too!
We were really quite amazed as we moved from one great spot to another. One day we will go back and take it at a bit of a slower pace. But we were so glad we got so many great spots on our tour.
This sounds like so much fun! I’d love to visit someday!
We were really happy with our choice of day trip this day!
What a stunning looking area. The chair lift definitely looked like the best option! I love your photos of the top of the mountain, just beautiful. And the colour of the water Petrohue River is fabulous.
We were so glad we went up in the chair lift for the views. Just one of the amazing perspectives we got on this day.
What a beautiful volcano, and perfect weather for it. I’d love to stay in that dome tent halfway up the mountain!
It was indeed the perfect day to see the volcano from all of our stops. We were worried the fog would close in but the top of the volcano stayed clear for the whole day.
Stunning photos but that chair lift scares me a little! Would love to visit someday..thank you for the recommendations.
If you ever get to this part of Chile, we would definitely recommend a day spent chasing the views of the Osorno Volcano.
Wow, this looks like such an awesome experience! And, the photos you captured are so beautiful.
We really did love all the great views we got of the Osorno Volcano.
This looks like an amazing trip and beautiful photos! And I would have definitely done the chair lift too 🙂 Thanks for sharing!!
Even though we had a rushed visit at the top, the trip up in the chair lift was definitely worth it!
Life seems great when you are retired and traveling! You two have the best adventures. I think I would love to visit Patagonia in the summer time.
We were definitely glad we got to visit the Patagonia area. Just a taste test but we will definitely plan to return.
You weren’t joking that you were about to see it from every angle, hahaahaha. Volcanoes are such a cool landscape, one of our favorites. Amazing photos of those glaciers too!
We loved every stop on our day trip. Indeed fun to catch the volcano at every point.
What a great post about your day in port, it’s really useful for ideas of key places to see. I really liked the idea of taking the ski lift up the Osorno Volcano, it must have been fun but a little scary! Your photos of your visit to the waterfalls showed how beautiful the area is, the water was so blue!
This was a really full day in port for us. But we were so happy with the excursion we picked.
Amazing! What great pictures you were abl to take. And the volcano looks incredible, but I must say I would definitely enjoy the waterfalls more. Thanks for sharing!
We sure loved the variety we found on our day trip.
Love this post! All of your experiences sounds absolutely fantastic. Patagonia has been very high on my list for awhile and I did not even realize that the Osorno Volcano is there. That would be such an amazing experience!
We loved the views we got of this part of Chile. One treat after another. I hope you do get to visit.
The Petrohue Waterfalls are already so beautiful that I can’t imagine what a sight it’d be when the water flows are even higher. And what epic views of the Osorno Volcano! You really did go on the perfect day. I feel like with my luck with weather, I’d probably see nothing but clouds hahaa. Do you think you’d go back next time for skiing?
It was wonderful to have a fully sun day to explore this beauty. We would have hated to miss all those views of Osorno in the distance.
What a cool experience! I love that there is a chairlift that will take you up the volcano.
The chair lift was a great way to get a panoramic view of the Osorno Volcano and the local area.
Patagonia is stunning. I visited on the Argentina side but would love to see the Chile side as well. I love that you can ride the chair lift in Osorno Volcano to get incredible views!
We definitely want to go back and explore more of both sides of Patagonia. So many amazing sights!
Patagonia is simply breathtaking and what a wonderful way to explore it. Such spectacular views. Love the chairlift! Looks like the weather was kind too.
We did indeed have amazing weather for our visit to this part of Patagonia. Simply lovely!
I’ve been fascinated with volcanoes since I was a kid so this is truly something I’d love to see in person. The closest I got was in Hawaii to volcanoes national park but the terrain here in Chile looks completely different, the surrounding area is so pretty. Love the views and the activities there. A bucket list place for sure
I hope you do get to visit this part of Chile one day. We were delighted with all the great spots we visited and with so many views of the stunning Osorno Volcano.
This looks like such a wonderful trip. I would love to visit Patagonia one day, it seems like such a special place
You should definitely have Patagonia on your travel wish list!
Looks like a great day trip. All of South America seems to have amazing volcanoes. For some reason, I was surprised to see the chair lift but what an awesome way to save some time and effort!
The Osorno Volcano is actually used as a ski area in the winter. So the chair lift gets people up for skiing in the winter and for sightseeing in the summer.
What an incredible experience to be able to go to the top of a volcano and see those views. The waterfalls look incredible to visit as well. Looks like an amazing trip!
It really was quite an amazing day with views of the Osorno Volcano and the Petrohue Waterfalls too.
Wow you have been to some of the neatest places by cruise! I’ve yet to experience a cruise but want to more and more! My favorite view Osorno Volcano is by far from the waterfalls! It is a breathtaking sight! The views from the chair lift are incredible too. Adding this experience to my bucket list!
This cruise segment might be the favourite of all we have done. So many great stops in South America.
Chile looks amazing! I enjoyed seeing the beautiful views and reading about your experience there. I’d definitely love to visit Puerto Varas for the scenery alone.
We were amazed on all of our travels in Chile. We will definitely head back one day.
That volcano! Wow! And you were so lucky to have such great weather. I have not been there but it is on my list. We hope to do Patagonia and Bolivia in ’23. Meanwhile, great post. I love how you took separate chair lifts up…that is totally something I would suggest to my hubs and he would roll his eyes but do it anyway. Haha
I hope you do get to visit Patagonia. We loved all of our stops but it was just a taste test. Lots to see!
The Petrohue waterfalls in Patagonia is stunning with natural beauty in abundance.The photo frame at Puerto Vartas overlooking the lake is amazing!Visiting such scenic destinations is so refreshing.
We sure loved every stop on this tour. A perfect day!
Chile has been on my bucket list for the longest time! The more I read about it, the more overhwhelmed I feel about building an itinerary for 2 weeks, there’s just way too much to see and do! I love your pictures and description of the Osorno Volcano as well as the Petrohue waterfalls. What lovely places!
We just got some taste tests of Chile but we do know we want to go back and see more. You would have an exciting 2 weeks!
This is amazing! I loved Petrohue River and the views from there. Remind me of Mount Fuji in Japan ? Great article, well done!
The Osorno Volcano definitely reminded me of Mt Fuji too. Great to catch views from everywhere on a sunny day.
I’ve been to Patagonia in Argentina but haven’t visited in Chile. I’d like to go and now I have a great guide. Thanks!
I hope you do get to go back and see the Chilean side of Patagonia. We sure found some lovely spots!
Patagonia is high on my bucket list. We were supposed to go in 2020, but then, well, we all know what happened. Thanks for a great post that I’ve added to our itinerary for when we get to travel abroad again.
I am so happy to add the Osorno Volcano and Petrohue Waterfalls to your Pategonia list. It was a stunning day!
It’s always nice to be on top of a volcano and reminded us of Mount Vesuvius in Italy.The Petrohue waterfalls is truly stunning with the feel of natural beauty all around. Chile has been on our bucket list for sometime and therefore it was nice to get a feel of Patagonia to start off with.
There are so many great spots to visit in Chile. Hope you get a trip booked.
Chile looks fabulous and has been on my list for years!
You will definitely not regret planning a trip to Chile!
Gosh this is gorgeous! I have been to Argentinian Patagonia but not on the Chilean side. I have always wanted to trek the W so its on the list, and now Osorno is too! Thank you for a great read <3
I am happy to have introduced you to the Chile side of Patagonia. A few more posts coming to tease you!
You got so lucky with the weather and lack of clouds! How beautiful it must have been, and yay for the funicular!
We were a bit worried when we saw the clouds hanging out at the top of Osorno. But they moved off and we had a lovely day of views.
Oh this is so beautiful thank you for sharing…Stunning simple stunning
Our day at the Osorno Volcano and Petrohue Waterfalls was indeed a perfect one!
Seriously – just the title of your post is amazing. Volcano+waterfall@Patagonia. Damn, you can’t lose with that, eh? But I also remember when I visited volcanos in places like Costa Rica or (yes) Mt. Fuji in that I never saw the peak; they are indeed shrouded with clouds most of the time, so neat you started with a great view. I must say, too bad you were on a scheduled tour from a ship and didn’t have all the time and flexibility needed, but really, the view from the lift chair, the glacier-like ice, is capital. I’ll look forward to reading about your wine-tasting trip next.
We too lost Mt Fuji into the clouds when we visited. So we were happy that at each new site the view of the Osorno Volcano remained clear. We have a couple of blog posts coming up on our visit to Chile. Our cruise gave us a great taste test and certainly put Chile on our list for a longer return visit.
I offered my senior son a trip anywhere he wants this summer. Our plan was Russia, but that is now off the table. He told me last night that his next choice is Patagonia! I am so excited and your posts like this give me so many ideas!
I hope you do get to schedule a trip to Patagonia. There are several other posts coming to help with your planning.
What a double whammy having the chair lift and the stop offs at the view points of both the river and the volcano. Its just a shame you didn’t get longer to enjoy the views but it sounds like a wonderful cruise stop.
It was great to get so many stops and views of the Osorno Volcano on this port. But we definitely want to go back and spend more time. A good taste test.
The view of the mountain is absolutely breathtaking! The chair lift looks like an amazing experience as well to see everything. I know chair lifts are usually for snow so it’s pretty funny to see it with dirt below.
It was great that they used their ski chair lifts in off season for tourism. A great spot for a panoramic view.
Sounds like an absolutely magical day! As soon as I saw your first photo, I thought, “they were so lucky to go on a clear day.” I would have 100% taken the chair lift up as well!
We were indeed so very lucky to have a perfect day for the views of the Osorno Volcano.
It seems like you were able to squeeze in so much sight seeing in one day in port! Taking a ski lift to the top of a volcano sounds perfect! I love that you could see it from the cruise and then throughout the day too.
We had an amazing day in port with so many great sights. The first view from the cruise ship sure set our expectations.
I love the wide variety of landscapes you were able to see in a short amount of time! Since the cities in this area look so green, those views of the brown soil and the snow are really striking as you ascended the volcano. Puerto Montt looks like an interesting city to explore too, and Puerto Varas sounds like it’s the kind of small town I’d love – The City of Roses! I would have to check that out!
I hope you do get to check out this part of Chile one day. We loved every stop on our day trip. But really would have loved more time.
You had a 2-4-1 kind of adventure here on this trip! It looks like you’re on another planet on the volcano with the sand there. The falls are so pretty and adds an edge to your trip. Patagonia looks absolutely mesmerising!
We were delighted with all the sights we got on this trip. Patagonia is indeed a great place to visit in Chile.
Very intersting since I’ve been to the Argentinian part of Patagonia – and presumably, Chile is more beautiful. Nevertheless, this trip will always have a special place in my heart since it was the last big trip before covid….Chile, however, still remains on my list.
This was our last trip before Covid too. And we really were so glad we saw some great spots in Chile on that trip. We may have been stranded cruising in South America, but that was an amazing trip with so many great memories.
What a great trip! I was in Chile but had only a week for my trip. So I didn’t have enough time to see Osorno Volcano and Petrohue Waterfalls. I had no idea there is a Chair Lift, and it’s such an easy way to reach the top. I hope to do that one day. Also, waterfalls look impressive.
I hope you get to visit the Osorno Volcano on your next visit to Chile. We were glad we saw this on our trip.
Wow I hadn’t heard of this volcano before. Just look at that backdrop behind the city. I’d love to hike here, I always love how the plant life and forest grows on volcanoes, so nourished and vivid in colour.
We loved the chance to find great volcano views from so many different spots. Definitely a spot to visit if you are in Chile.