Cambios

* [http://www.pirehueico.cl Buses Pirehueico]

The trail begins with a venture into the property of Mapuches on the hill next to Lago Neltume. This can be done on horseback and provides a great opportunity to get to know the Mapuche culture, values, and way of life. Breakfast can be had here, along with the chance to buy things like cheese and other artesania. There is a sign marked 13 that you must make a right at on the way up the pass. From here, you have vistas of Lago Neltume, Volcan Villarica, and Rio Cua Cua. As the trail makes its way to Lago Mellizos, a fishery site, lunch can be had. To accomodate better the lunch break at Mellizos, a terraza can be built from the abandoned logs nearby. Javali footprints abound. After the lakes, a view of Volcan Lanin can be had on the downhill trail. The trail of the lakes is adjacent to the property of the subsitstence farming Mapuche community known as Liquiñe Alto. Lago Tranacoihue is heart shaped and together with Lago Pozo Verde are great resting spots on the way to make the first night´s camp at Lago Quilmo.

The majority of the difficulty lies in hiking up the hill of Pasa Alto from the start of the trail, which is rated as Hard. This takes 3 hours. After this, making the way down the Pasa and on to Lago Quilmo is rated Medium. It is mostly flat with minor changes in level between lakes.

'''Day 2''': Lago Quilmo to Camp Pozo de Oro

After breakfast, this trail departs from Lago Quilmo and it begins to meander through the forest to make an excursion to the Historic Monument known as the Tatu Trail. This segment walks through the underground caves of 12 foreign government refugees in the winter of 1980, who lived here during that time and then escaped. There is a monument that is visited each year by the surviving members of that group, and 2 caves in which they stayed in. After this segment, the trail winds up to Lago Chan Chan, which is a great spot to have lunch and take in the gorgeous virgin lake and its surroundings. After Lago Chan Chan, more hiking with great miradors bring the trail to Camp Pozo de Oro, tucked into a lush spot in the middle of the forest valley nearby a river.

Starting from Lago Quilmo is Easy, but once the Tatu segment starts it takes on the difficulty of Medium and keeps it until after Lago Chan Chan, after which is easier. The hike up and back to Lago Chan Chan is 2 hours round trip.

Distance: 6.5 Kilometers

This day trip from Camp Pozo de Oro gives a day of relaxation on the beach in the middle of the Patagonian rainforest, far away from it all. The hike down is an hour and a half, and the hike back up a little more than 2 hours. The beach is nestled on the banks of Lago Pireheuico, and is consisted of fine and larger grain sand, split by Rio Pozo de Oro. This trail can be done by foot, horse, or bike. After Breakfast at the Refugio, the hike should begin down to the beach and to return for dinner.

'''Day 4''': Camp Pozo de Oro to Camp Garcia “The Last Frontier”

Distance: 12 Kilometers

This is the longest and hardest day of the trail. It starts at Camp Pozo de Oro and ends at camp Garcia, in between being the trail which lies in virgin rainforest and is not always easy to cross. This is the most complicated stretch of trial and can only be done on foot. The trail crosses numerous creeks, and is marked only by machete marks in trees. It is a gorgeous stretch of untouched rainforest that rewards the hiker more and more each step. Miradors, like Punto Sol and Cumbre Lanin, and untouched creeks abound.

Distance: 8 Kilometers

About This day is the last day of the trail, it is more relaxed and has an open camino that allows the hiker some more breathing room after the previous day. Highlights are Mirador El Loro and Las Termas in Los Baños. The pace of this day will be more relaxed and suited to the hikers preference. It takes 2 hours to get to El Loro from Camp Garcia, and a little more than one hour from there to the hot springs, which await the traveler with a cafe, food, a beach, and privacy, complete with their own hot log. From El Loro the hikers can eye their destination and make their way down the trail to finish out the day and relish in their accomplishment of the hike.

'''Difficulty''' This day is rated Medium, for the consistence of the grade until El Loro. After that, it is a steep but very managable jaunt to the Termas.