“Easy” Hikes, Giant Steps, and the Chilean Definition of Flat.
Day 43 – From Ancient Trees to Missing Trails: Another Day in Paradise.
The day started under grey skies, and I thought, “Well, one cloudy day out of 43 isn’t too bad. You can’t have a perfect photo day every day.”
But clearly, the weather gods didn’t get that memo. Because the moment we hit the road toward Alerce Andino National Park, the clouds vanished as if someone swiped the sky clean with a blue brush. Suddenly, it was another dazzling, camera-clicking day in paradise.
We took the scenic backroads, meaning we got lost a few times but discovered some hidden gems along the way, like secret little waterfalls that weren’t on any map.
By the time we reached the park, it had turned into a warm summer day, but the forest was a natural air-conditioner. The trail led us through lush Valdivian rainforest,
filled with Alerce trees, Chile’s answer to the redwoods, some over 3,000 years old and taller than my camera’s zoom capacity.
The hike ended at the tranquil Laguna Sargazo, a perfect mirror surrounded by green. Now, here’s the thing: Chileans clearly have a unique sense of humour
when it comes to rating hiking trails. This one was marked Easy. Easy???
Except that instead of leading down to a lake (as one might logically expect), it decided to go up. Steeply. Repeatedly.
By the time we crossed a wobbly hanging bridge and started the “gentle incline,” my lungs filed an official complaint.
They even built some charming wooden steps to help, for giants, apparently, because each one was at least knee-high. But once we reached the lake, all the huffing and puffing was instantly worth it. A tiny hidden beach, glassy water, and not a soul in sight.
Ten minutes after we left, a crowd of twenty hikers arrived. Perfect timing. The universe clearly rewarded our persistence.
We stopped at one of those secret roadside cascades for lunch. There’s something about eating a sandwich next to rushing water that instantly elevates it
to Michelin-star level.
Our next stop was supposed to be a walk along the Maullín River wetlands. Google promised birds, reeds, and tranquil paths.
Reality offered… a lovely promenade in the nearby town of Llanquihue, and not a single sign of the trail. So we strolled along the lakeshore instead,
admiring hundreds of statues celebrating the region’s indigenous art and culture. Honestly, it was even better.
By then, both Yoni and I could hear our beds calling our names (probably in Spanish). Tomorrow we leave Puerto Varas and head to the magical Chiloé Island,
where myths, mermaids, and wooden churches await. Stay tuned… this next chapter promises sea legends and probably more “Easy” hikes that aren’t.
