Day
Tours in Central Chile
Chile
Traditional
Sleepy villages
with cobble-stone streets, tree-lined boulevards, and cheerfully
painted adobe houses tell of by-gone times. The reserved charm
of these places, their slow beat, and the reserved friendliness
of their inhabitants will often only be appreciated at second
glance.
We
recommend especially: Pirque (20 km south of Stgo.), Isla
de Maipo (70 km southwest of Stgo.), Vichuquén
(110 km west of Curicó), Villa Alegre and Yebas
Buenas (small towns south of Talca).
Waterfalls
Salto
del Maule
A mostly gravelled road
runs from Talca to the Andes towards Laguna del Maule and Pehuenche
Pass. A few kilometers beyond the police station at La Mina (sign
in here!) the road starts switchbacking up the mountain. In a
place where the left drop-off widens into a flat spot (after about
150 km), a hardly visible trail leads to the left and the waterfalls,
which are not visible from the road. The first falls drop about
80 meters over basalt cliffs. About 30 minutes on foot further
uphill, the second falls form a beautiful lagoon. Those who want
to go for a short hike can follow the stream to a place where
the volcanic ashes have formed strange sculptures.
Salto
del Laja
Much easier to reach
are the Río Laja falls that plunge into a deeply washed
out gorge in the shape of a huge curtain about 100 meters wide.
May to December are the best months for enjoying these miniature
Niagara Falls as there is noticeably less water in the middle
of Summer. Access via the Panamericana, 80 km south of Chillán,
Salto del Laja exit. Several hotels and camping sites.
River
Rafting & Canoeing
Descending
rivers like Maipó, Lontué, Maule, Achibueno or Lircay,
depending on season grade 3+, may be a great experience and is
possible even for beginners.
The
Maule Train
The
tracks between Talca and the coastal city of Constitución
are some of the last ones in Chile to still see passenger trains
run. The laid-back convoy consisting of an engine and a car keeps
following Río Maule and sometimes stops in the middle of
a field to let people get off and on. It reaches Constitución
several times a day after 2.5 hours, where you can walk on the
black lava beach with its high rock cliffs, or eat fresh fish
in one of the small restaurants along the boardwalk.
The
Putú Dunes
About
25 km north of Constitución, a widely unknown geographical
rarity runs along the coast, a vast area of sahara-like sand dunes.
Five kilometers after the last intersection towards Putú,
a track turns off to the left. After few minutes, you will reach
the edge of the dunes which seem to run north and south all the
way towards the horizon - a great day tour.
Vineyards
Central
Chile is famous for its top-notch wines. It is especially worthwhile
visiting the old vineyards with their adobe cellars and landscaped
parks. Many winemakers are within a half-day trip of Santiago,
Curicó or Talca, and most of them offer guided tours that
are often free, as well as winetasting.
Some
traditional-style Viñas lure their guests with their cellars
full of tasty treasures and large estates, such as Concha y
Toro in Pirque (25 km south of Santiago), Cousiño
Macul in Peñalolén (a suburb of Santiago), Santa
Rita near Buin (50 km south of Stgo.) or Undurraga
near Talagante (35 km west of Stgo.) Further south, a competition
between two "wine routes" (Ruta del Vino) has sprung up. These
cooperatives of vineyards offer special tours for tourists around
Santa Cruz, as well as Talca.
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