You might consider a 2-hour trip to Villarrica to stroll the streets, have lunch, and drop in to visit the Museo Histórico y Arqueológico, Pedro de Valdivia 1050 (no phone), with displays of Mapuche items and trademark silver pieces and jewelry. Outside, you'll find an authentically thatched ruca, a traditional Mapuche home. The museum is open Monday through Friday from 9am to 1pm and 3 to 7:30pm, and the entrance fee is $1 (50p). The festival Muestra Cultural Mapuche takes place here in Villarrica from January to late February, with music, handicrafts, dancing, and other activities; for more information, call the visitor center at tel. 45/206618.
Huifquenco Fundo -- Whether you are staying in Villarrica or Pucón, a trip to the Huifquenco Farm, Camino Villarrica, Huifquenco at Km .5 (tel./fax 45/415040; www.fundohuifquenco.cl), is a must. Opened to visitors in 2002, this 862-hectare (2,129-acre) estate is the third largest in the region and boasts over 5,000 head of cattle, bulls, wild boar, llamas, and sheep, among other animals. Choose to tour the farm on your own horse or relax and enjoy the view in one of their antique carriages. A real-life huaso leads you along a magnificent tree-lined road, past lagoons, and along rolling meadows with fantastic volcano and lake views. Get a feel for farm life in the region; go fishing, cycling, or canoeing; or take in a rodeo show at the media luna. Finish off your tour with a Chilean-style barbecue. Full- and half-day tours are available, and special programs are available upon request. Contact the farm directly for transportation to Huifquenco and a bilingual guide.
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.
