Tourism in Temuco, La Araucania region in Chile

The experience: Secrets of araucania - Self drive tour

This tour will take you driving your own car to an area of southern Chile that is recognized for its beautiful views and especially by the Mapuche community and that would be the Araucania Region.  The idea is to enjoy nature, but also you to be able to meet indigenous communities directly, being able to share with them and sleep in a “ruka”. This experience in the Araucania Region will be unique, knowing the traditions of this community not as a tourist but as one of them.

The progam

7 days/6 nights

Welcome to the Araucania Region! Your program will start at Temuco. Pick up the rental car at the new airport of Temuco and start driving to the capital of Araucanía. A visit to the city hill Ñielol with its own observatory/museum is worthwhile. Accommodation Hostal Pewman Ruka.

After breakfast, we would highly recommend you to visit the market of Temuco before start driving to the Mountain range to visit the Pehuenche native people. On your way there you can visit the waterfalls “La princesa” and “Del Indio”.

Drive below the volcano Sierra Nevada through the “Tunel los Raices”, which was once the longest tunnel in South America, passing by the volcanoes Lonquimay and Llaima in direction to the reserve Quinquen.

Simple & cozy accommodation at  a Pehuenches home.

After a morning walk with the Pehuenche family through the forests of the holy Araucaria trees, we continue cross the Gualletue National Park and the Conguillio National Park via the Ruta Interlagos to Villarica, Pucón and finally Curarrehue. Accommodation Casa de Campo Kila Leufu

The Andean village of Curarrehue in the Araucania Region is strongly influenced by the culture of the Mapuche Indians who dominate the region.

From here you can take walks to the surrounded Araucaria forests and to different lakes. A very nice experience is to visit the natural thermal springs “Los Pozones” by night.

Accommodation Casa de Campo Kila Leufu

From the extreme east of Chile on the Argentinian border, we pass the volcano and lake Villarica in the Araucania Region to the Pacific coast to visit a Huilliche community.

Mehuín, our destination, thanks to its beautiful sandy beach, is one of the most important seaside resorts in the “Región de los Ríos”. Here you will not only learn about the history and culture of indigenous people but also about concrete and current challenges about having to organize life together with the state and the business community. Accommodation Hotel Regenbogen del Mar.

You will drive along the Pacific coast, with wonderful views to the Budi Lake. Here you will stay in a Lafkenche-Mapuche community in a “Ruka”, the traditional housing of natives.

At first hand, you will learn something about the traditional medicine of the Mapuche, their handwork, life and religion.

Overnight stay in the Ruka family Painefil

Last day! You will have to drive via Puerto Saavedra where you will see an impressive sandy beach. Then you keep driving until you get to the City of Temuco, Chile.

You can fly from here to Santiago or to the south. Let us know what you want to do, we will love to help you organize all the details. 

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