Round The World: Volcán Osorno - a silent beautiful power

The road to the volcano in itself was an adventure. A dirt muddy track that they were doing road works on wound from Puerto Varas along the lake side to the volcano park entrance. Once in the entrance, we began one of the best drives I’ve done.

Winding road through forest on the lower part of the mountain, moving up to hair-pin bends higher up with views over the lake, up to the snow-capped volcano and across valleys. It was breath-taking. We drove up into the snow-line, stopped for me to find a geocache and to have a good snow fight! It was the first time JP had been in snow and he was as excited as I was. I think his only regret was letting me drive up and not skiing on the volcano. I loved the driving I have to say!

As a consolation for not going skiing, we took the snow lift as high up the mountain as it would go! It was a proper T-bar cable that never stopped. You moved into position and waited for the seat to take your feet out from under you as you reached up to pull the T bar down for safety. It was perfect. So quiet, so clear and all the time the snowy peak looming toward us, our shadows following us on the white ground and the slight squeak of the wheels as the lift climbed.

On the whole, the volcano for me was probably one of my highlights of my trip. I don’t know if words can fully describe the feeling of climbing this sleeping snow-capped, cold, quiet volcano. With forests and snow and rock surrounding the snaking road that takes you up into the snow and the views of valleys, lakes and other volcanos in the distance half covered by hanging cloud.