Siete Lagos 1 - Lago Panguipulli
Photos by Don and Lois Porter
2/18/2006
On Monday, January 23, 2006 we picked up our rental Toyota at the agency a few
blocks from our cabaņa, loaded our stuff, and left Valdivia at 8:20am. We drove
east to Panguipulli, arriving around 10am. Panguipulli is on the shore of the
lake of the same name, which means Land of the Puma in the Mapudungun language
of the native Mapuche people. The town was founded in 1946 as a result of the
rapid development of forestry industry in the region. The priest Bernabe de Lucerne
built an impressive Swiss-style church here in 1947. We walked along the lake
shore, enjoying the birds, then had a cup of coffee near the plaza and left at
11:30 for Coņaripe. From there we went on to Villarica, where we spent the night.
After other adventures on Lago Calafquen, we returned to spend Tuesday night
in Panguipulli. Lacking help from the tourist office, we found a room with a
shared bath over a restaurant for 6,000 Chile Pesos (US$12) each, including breakfast.
We were tired, but the room was HOT until we managed to open the broken window
so we got cross ventilation. Then the room cooled down rapidly and we both slept
well. On Wednesday morning, we drove east along the beautiful northern shore
of Lake Panguipulli. The pavement lasted for 23 km, then we continued another
25 km on gravel to Neltume and the Huilo Huilo Falls.
