Puerto Varas
Puerto Varas is a small lakeside town with views of Lake Llanquihue and its volcanoes, and a base for the national park.
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Puerto Varas is a lakeside town in Chile's Los Lagos Region, on the shore of Lake Llanquihue. German settlers founded it in the 1850s, and the timber houses with steep roofs still show that. The town centre is walkable, with the lakefront, the Plaza de Armas and cafés close by. From the waterfront, the snow-capped cones of Osorno and Calbuco rise across the lake.
The town is a base for Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park. Petrohué's waterfalls and the lakes near Todos los Santos are a day trip away by road. Puerto Varas suits travelers who want lakes, hiking and a slower pace. December to February is the driest and busiest stretch; spring and autumn bring fewer crowds and more rain. Plan two to four days, with one full day for the national park and more if you plan longer hikes.
Puerto Varas in five
- Rent a car for the lake roadsBuses run to Petrohué, but a car lets you stop at the lake shore and viewpoints when you choose. Puerto Montt's El Tepual airport is a short drive away.Getting around
- Carry Chilean pesos for small shopsMany bakeries, roadside stalls and rural lodges take cash only. Withdraw pesos in town before you head out to the lake roads.Money and costs
- Check the volcano alert levelCalbuco, near Puerto Varas, erupted in 2015 and forced evacuations and flight disruptions. SERNAGEOMIN publishes the alert level for each volcano.
- Declare all food at Chilean customsFruit, meat, dairy and plant material must be declared on the arrival form. Undeclared items can be confiscated.
- Buy an eSIM before the parkMobile signal thins out along the lake roads and inside the national park. Set up a data eSIM before you leave the airport.Phones and eSIM
Things to do in Puerto Varas
See all attractions in Puerto Varas
Need to know
- Currency
- Chilean peso (CLP)
- Entry
- Visa-free short stays for many passports; some need a visa Read more
- Emergency
- 133 police, 131 ambulance, 132 fire
- Tipping
- About 10% in restaurants if no service is added
- Time
- UTC-4, UTC-3 in daylight saving months
Weather by month
- Rainy days
- Festival
- Best
- Good
- Mixed
- Poor
- JanuaryPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh19°Low11°Long days, busyJanuaryPartly cloudy
Good
- High
- 19°
- Low
- 11°
- Precipitation
- 75 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Long days, busy
- FebruaryClear9 rainy daysHigh19°Low11°Warm, long daysFebruaryClear
Best
- High
- 19°
- Low
- 11°
- Precipitation
- 69 mm
- Rainy days
- 9
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, long days
- MarchPartly cloudy12 rainy daysHigh17°Low10°Calmer, mildMarchPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 17°
- Low
- 10°
- Precipitation
- 128 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Calmer, mild
- AprilRain15 rainy daysHigh14°Low8°Autumn colorAprilRain
Mixed
- High
- 14°
- Low
- 8°
- Precipitation
- 192 mm
- Rainy days
- 15
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Autumn color
- MayRain17 rainy daysHigh12°Low7°Rain, quietMayRain
Poor
- High
- 12°
- Low
- 7°
- Precipitation
- 226 mm
- Rainy days
- 17
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Rain, quiet
- JuneRain20 rainy daysHigh10°Low5°Cold, wetJuneRain
Poor
- High
- 10°
- Low
- 5°
- Precipitation
- 278 mm
- Rainy days
- 20
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, wet
- JulyRain18 rainy daysHigh9°Low5°Coldest, wetJulyRain
Poor
- High
- 9°
- Low
- 5°
- Precipitation
- 214 mm
- Rainy days
- 18
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Coldest, wet
- AugustRain20 rainy daysHigh10°Low5°Cold, wetAugustRain
Poor
- High
- 10°
- Low
- 5°
- Precipitation
- 242 mm
- Rainy days
- 20
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, wet
- SeptemberRain17 rainy daysHigh11°Low5°Wet, spring startsSeptemberRain
Mixed
- High
- 11°
- Low
- 5°
- Precipitation
- 176 mm
- Rainy days
- 17
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Wet, spring starts
- OctoberRain16 rainy daysHigh13°Low6°Green, mildOctoberRain
Best
- High
- 13°
- Low
- 6°
- Precipitation
- 143 mm
- Rainy days
- 16
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Green, mild
- NovemberRain15 rainy daysHigh16°Low8°Showers, quieterNovemberRain
Good
- High
- 16°
- Low
- 8°
- Precipitation
- 118 mm
- Rainy days
- 15
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Showers, quieter
- DecemberPartly cloudy12 rainy daysHigh18°Low10°Long days, busyDecemberPartly cloudy
Good
- High
- 18°
- Low
- 10°
- Precipitation
- 93 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Long days, busy
Average daily high and low in Puerto Varas, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.
Festivals: Jan Frutillar Musical Weeks · Feb Frutillar Musical Weeks
Right now in Puerto Varas
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
14
- Feels like
- 13°
- Humidity
- 52%
- Wind
- 12 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 8%
Puerto Varas
05:40 PM
Monday, November 2
- Today15°8°8%Monday: Drizzle. High 15°, Low 8°. Chance of rain 8%.
- Tue12°10°98%Tuesday: Rain. High 12°, Low 10°. Chance of rain 98%.
- Wed15°9°66%Wednesday: Rain. High 15°, Low 9°. Chance of rain 66%.
- Thu13°8°100%Thursday: Rain. High 13°, Low 8°. Chance of rain 100%.
- Fri14°7°25%Friday: Drizzle. High 14°, Low 7°. Chance of rain 25%.
- Sat13°10°2%Saturday: Cloudy. High 13°, Low 10°. Chance of rain 2%.
- Sun15°10°0%Sunday: Clear. High 15°, Low 10°. Chance of rain 0%.
Updated 02:59 PM local time · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Money
Mid-market rate1 USD = 990.8 CLP
Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API
Every year
- Jan–FebFrutillar Musical WeeksPuerto Varas
Day trips by train
- Petrohuéabout 1 hour by roadLake Todos los Santos and the Petrohué falls, with the Osorno volcano in view.
- Frutillara short driveA lakeside village with German heritage and the Teatro del Lago concert hall.
- Puerto Montta short driveThe coastal city and airport, with the Angelmó fish market.
Before you go to Puerto Varas
Rules for Puerto Varas, checked
- Visa rules depend on your passport. Check the requirements on the Servicio Nacional de Migraciones site before you fly.Source
- Declare all food, plant and animal products on the customs form at arrival. Undeclared items can be confiscated.Source
- SERNAGEOMIN sets volcano alert levels. Check the level for Calbuco and Osorno before any hike or flight.Source
Plan around Puerto Varas
Regions, parks and getting between them
Read the guideGetting aroundCar, bus and airport transfers from Puerto Montt
Read the guideMoney and cardsPaying in pesos and where cash still matters
Read the guideVisas and entryWho needs a visa and what to declare
Read the guideWhere to stayLakeside, Petrohué and Puerto Montt bases
Read the guidePhones and eSIMData for maps and gaps in lake-road coverage
Read the guidePuerto Varas FAQ
Is Puerto Varas worth visiting?
Yes, for two or three days. The lakefront, the German-built town centre and Petrohué give a clear picture of the lake region, with the Osorno volcano in view.
How many days do you need in Puerto Varas?
Two days cover the town and Lake Llanquihue. Add a day for Petrohué and Lake Todos los Santos, and keep a spare day in case rain hides the lake views.
How do you get to Puerto Varas?
Fly into Puerto Montt's El Tepual airport, a short drive away. From there, take a taxi or a bus, or drive a rental car.
Where should I stay in Puerto Varas?
The lakefront centre for walks and restaurants. Petrohué if you want lake views at dawn and have a car. Puerto Montt if you fly out early.
Do I need a car in Puerto Varas?
Not for the town, which is walkable. A car helps for Petrohué, Frutillar and the lake viewpoints, because buses give you fewer stops and fixed times.
Is Puerto Varas or Puerto Montt a better base?
Puerto Varas for lake walks and quieter evenings. Puerto Montt for early flights and a bigger city, a short drive away.