Once the park reopens, you will discover a magic kingdom that you have all to yourself. The fjords that plunge into the sea rival Norway's and are simply magnificent, and the remote, natural hot springs make for a divine way to end the day, especially if you've been kayaking. Of course, it rains profusely at times, and that can test your patience, especially when setting up camp. If you cannot stand the mud and watching your fingers turn to prunes, consider a boat trip with interior sleeping arrangements.
Hiking -- So far, the park has a dozen trails, ranging from lengthy, multiday ones to easy, short walks. At Caleta Gonzalo, trails include the 3-hour round-trip Sendero Cascada, which meanders along a footpath and elevated walkways through dense vegetation before terminating at a crashing waterfall. The Sendero Tronador, 12km (7 1/2 miles) south of Caleta Gonzalo, takes visitors across a suspension bridge and up, up, up a steep path and wooden stepladder to a lookout point, with views of Volcán Michimahuida, then down to a lake with a campground, taking, round-trip, about 3 1/2 hours. The Sendero Los Alerces is an easy 40-minute walk through old stands of alerce.
Other Activities -- Pumalín offers horse pack trips and trips to the remote Cahuelmó Hot Springs, all with advance reservation only. You can also tour an organic farm; sign up for boat trips around the fjord and to the sea lion rookery; or take flights over the park. Contact the official outdoor operator for the park, Alsur Expeditions . It offers daily transportation to the hot springs for an expensive $46 (£31).
Organized Tours -- The northern section's hot springs and fjords are accessible only by boat. Tours can include kayaking, camping or on-ship lodging, and hiking. The park's "official" tour operator is Alsur Expeditions, in Puerto Varas at Del Salvador 100 (tel./fax 65/232300; www.alsurexpeditions.com), which has horseback riding and trekking tours, specializing in sailing aboard their small yacht (Puerto Montt-Chiloé-Pumalín) or kayaking, using a Chiloé-style support boat. But the best sea kayaking is with Altue Sea Kayaking, based out of Santiago, at Encomenderos 83, Las Condes (tel. 2/233-2904; www.seakayakchile.com), with outstanding kayak trips around Pumalín, which they normally combine with a kayak tour of Chiloé (where they own a coastal lodge). Altue also has a motorized support vehicle. Austral Adventures, Lord Cochrane 432, Ancud (tel. 65/625977; www.austral-adventures.com), an American-owned operation based out of Chiloé, specializes in sailing, bird-watching, and fly-fishing journeys from Puerto Montt to Pumalín, including Chiloé, aboard their newer Chiloé-style boat. Lastly, the company Yak Expeditions focuses on kayaking and getting from one place to another by kayak and without a support boat. It is a quieter, more activity-oriented journey, with camping as lodging where there are no lodges (tel. 2/227-0427, 9/892-8761, or 9/299-6487; www.yakexpediciones.cl).
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
