Conguillio National Park
Chile
Conguillio was the most expensive national park we visited in Chile, but it was money well spent. The small section we hiked through ended up being much more beautiful than we expected, and I was sorry we only had enough time to spend one day here.
Sendero Sierra Nevada
Distance: 12.3 km
Hiking Time: 3:07 hr
Ascent: 650 m
Sierra Nevada is an extinct volcano located in the middle of Conguillio National Park. The most popular trek in this region, Sendero Sierra Nevada, is an out-and-back route to a series of lookouts over the snow-covered mountain. We knew this would probably be our last long-distance hike in Chile, and also the final time we would be surrounded by the striking mountainous scenery that we had greatly admired over the last few weeks.
For much of the trek, the trail weaved through a pretty, peaceful forest, on a path that wasn't too steep or difficult. When we arrived at the first mirador, we discovered the view was almost completely obstructed by trees. We continued on to the second, where we could see Sierra Nevada surrounded by a broad lake at its base. A little further along the trail we also spotted Volcan Llaima, the second most active volcano in Chile after Villarrica. I had considered climbing to its summit, but I think I was all volcanoed out.
At one stage Danny pointed out that I had almost stepped on a tarantula, the large spider sitting deathly still in the middle of the path. As we were bending down to have a closer look, a local man wandered up behind us. He calmly picked up the spider, let it run free all over his hand, then gently placed it down beside the trail, out of danger. Under no circumstances could anyone have persuaded me to do that.
Eventually, we left the forest behind and walked along a ridgeline lined by short bushes that obscured most of the views. Slowly but surely, more of Sierra Nevada’s slopes came into sight as we progressed along the trail. Long, narrow waterfalls crashed down its sides, and patches of ice began to appear on the path. Once again monkey puzzle trees were present, standing tall above the rest of the forest. It was definitely one of the more picturesque hikes we had undertaken in Chile.
After crossing over the last few patches of soft snow, we arrived at the final mirador looking out from Sierra Nevada. Now we were granted a full, front-on view of the ice-covered Volcan Llaima, partially reflected in the lake's surface. More snow-capped mountains sat off to the side, while bright green foliage carpeted the slopes and the valley. It was a jaw-dropping sight. It seemed we were incredibly lucky to have the spot to ourselves, because on the way down we passed well over 100 people making their way up to the lookout. Good thing we like to start our hikes early.
Back at the car, we drove down the road to Laguna Arcoiris (Rainbow Lagoon). Around the lake was a short, 1 km loop, half of it on sharp, black, volcanic rocks. The bright turquoise water was so clear that I could distinctly see tree trunks scattered across the bottom of the water. Several of the trunks had moss or algae growing along them, which shone a fluorescent yellow-green under the surface. I stood transfixed by the colours, never having seen anything like it.
Our last stop was Cascada Truful Truful, where another short trail awaited us. We were lead gently down to a river, where a small but powerful cascade was crashing down into the water below. Most of the falls we had visited were situated in dense forests, but this one was sitting in a wide, open plain. Further along the trail, we came across a dramatic view of the river bending around the corner of a grooved cliff, which was just as photoworthy as the waterfall. Even though it wasn’t the longest hike, it was well worth the detour. If time had permitted, we definitely would have checked out more of what Conguillio had to offer. I guess it would have to wait for another time.
