Lake Todos los Santos
An emerald lake with no road along it, crossed by the boat leg of the old Andean route to Argentina.
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Todos los Santos is a long glacial lake in Vicente Perez Rosales national park, dammed at its western end by lava from Osorno and coloured a strong green by suspended volcanic sediment. No road runs along it: the only way from Petrohue at one end to Peulla at the other is by boat, which is why the crossing survives as the middle leg of the Cruce Andino, the bus and boat route over the Andes to Bariloche in Argentina that has run in some form since the early twentieth century. Tronador, Osorno and Puntiagudo stand around it, and the shores are dense Valdivian forest.
What you actually see
- A green glacial lake - coloured by volcanic sediment.
- Dammed by Osorno's lava - at its western end.
- No road along the shores - the boat is the only through route.
- Part of the Cruce Andino - the old crossing to Bariloche.
When to go
December to March; boat services are reduced in winter. A full day.
Honest expectations
Boat schedules are limited and the Cruce Andino is sold as a package rather than as separate legs. Rain is very frequent, and the mountains are often hidden. Peulla has almost no services beyond its hotels.
Nearby
Petrohue falls are just downstream; Peulla and the Argentine border are east.
What to pack for Lake Todos los Santos
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
