In the south of Chile in the Lake District (also known as Green Patagonia), blue and emerald lakes meet wild rivers, hot-springs and active cone volcanoes. The region runs 360km/255miles from Pucon to Puerto Montt and is known for its spectacular scenery including giant tree species like Larch, Araucaria, Coihue, Cipres etc, and diverse birds and mammals. The Lake district is home to the indigenous Mapuche community whose struggle to regain land lost under colonialists has drawn worldwide media attention.
The Chilean Lake District offers a wide array of outdoor sports, ranging from trekking and hiking though scenic parks to kayaking and whitewater rafting and swimming in and cruising on the multitude of lakes. In total there are twelve main lakes in the region and six volcanoes. It is a very popular destination in summer and Santiaguinos and tourists from across the world flock to the beaches around the lakes.
