Pucon

Where to stay

Most budget hostels cluster within a few blocks of Avenida O'Higgins, Pucon's main street, close enough to walk to Playa Grande on Lago Villarrica and catch shuttle vans to trailheads from the same strip. Staying in the centro keeps everything on foot, which matters in a town this compact.

Getting around

• Volcano summit slots with licensed guide companies fill days ahead in January and February. If Volcán Villarrica is open when you arrive, book a guiding company that same afternoon rather than waiting to see how you feel tomorrow.
• Buses between Temuco and Pucon are frequent and cheap, and Temuco is where Aeropuerto La Araucanía lands. Skip the private transfer van and take the bus from the terminal instead, the ride is straightforward and the price difference is significant.
• Los Pozones, a series of natural thermal pools on the road toward Huife, costs far less than the resort-style hot spring complexes closer to town. Going in the evening cuts the tour group crowds considerably.

When to go

April through May and October through November are the cheapest months, while January and February fill hostels fast with Chilean summer vacationers, and July through August draws a smaller but steady crowd for skiing on Villarrica.