Discover the Los Ríos Region
Accommodation in Los Ríos Region
The Los Ríos Region brings together river landscapes, wetlands and extensive forests. In Valdivia, the Calle-Calle and Cau-Cau rivers meet; farther north, ancient Alerce forests grow in Parque Nacional Alerce Costero, at the northernmost edge of this tree species’ range. The Valdivian rainforest also shapes the region’s natural landscape. This gives you a practical question to consider when planning your holiday: would you mainly like to explore Valdivia’s urban attractions, or are natural areas and forests your main focus?
Forests at the edge of their range
Parque Nacional Alerce Costero is notable for its ancient Alerce forests: this is the northernmost edge of this tree species’ range. Anyone interested in trees and forest landscapes will find it a special point of reference for the region. Parque Nacional Villarrica offers a different focus. It protects 53,460 hectares with a variety of species and ecosystems. Its size and rich biodiversity make the national park a distinct natural attraction alongside the Alerce forests.
Reserva Biológica Huilo Huilo protects 100,000 hectares of Valdivian rainforest in the Andes of Panguipulli. Its offerings include thermal baths and dining. The nature expeditions focus on environmental education and the protection of native species such as the Huemul. Huilo Huilo thus combines rainforest with nature experiences centred on education and species conservation.
Valdivia, between rivers and city life
Valdivia is the region’s capital and lies at the confluence of the Calle-Calle and Cau-Cau rivers. The Río Cruces is also part of the regional landscape: it is 125 kilometres long and feeds the Santuario de la Naturaleza Carlos Anwandter wetland. The combination of city, rivers and wetland offers different ways to shape your stay, without every holiday day needing to be the same.
Operators at Muelle Schuster on Valdivia’s waterfront offer boat trips on the Santuario de la Naturaleza Río Cruces y Chorocamayo. If you would rather explore on land, you can stroll through the Jardín Botánico de la Universidad Austral or visit the Mercado Fluvial. Valdivia’s craft breweries are another option. Depending on your interests, you can shape your time in the city around a boat trip, a garden visit, a market visit or food and drink.
Choose the right focus for your accommodation
When looking for a holiday apartment or house, it helps to first decide which experiences you want to prioritise. If rivers, the wetland, the garden and the market are your main interests, you can focus your location search on Valdivia. If you mainly want to discover the Valdivian rainforest in the Andes, Panguipulli is a natural regional reference point, as Huilo Huilo is located there. These two priorities point your search in different directions, without requiring you to combine all the places mentioned into a single outing.
You can also include the region’s other subareas as you get your bearings: Provincia Valdivia: Valdivia, Corral and Panguipulli, Ranco and Río Bueno. This lets you connect your accommodation search with the part of the region that best suits your interests.
For the broader travel overview: Chile.
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