April 19th ,2015
Still feeling waterfall happy from my solo trek to Salto Claro I find myself packing my day bag the next morning for a another waterfall-centric excursion towards Ojos de Caburga, though this time I’m not alone, I manage to pick up two ideal day tripping companions in the form of Rob and Bethan a truly lovely welsh couple I’ve been getting to know the past few days at Refugio Hostal.
We start late, since it’s a simple enough day, finding the bus station at the corner of Palguin and Uruguay streets and climbing into one of the small local buses to the town of Caburga set on a gorgeous lake. The buses leave every half hour and cost 700 CLP per person to Ojos de Caburga.
We climb aboard and head out of the charming little town of Pucon around 11:30, the Villarrica volcano looming above us as we leave the town behind. A little more than half an hour later the bus driver tells us it’s time to get off and we climb out onto the main street before taking a dirt road to our left with lots of signs advertising the attraction. I’m told in summer time this place is crawling with tourists, but this far into the fall there’s just a few people loitering around, lending even the dirt road a serene feeling.
Now here’s a small piece of advice, unless you’re comfortable swimming across the river (It’s very cold! Don’t go down this first road like we did, instead walk further along the main road and find the second entrance, owned by a different family, it has much better views of the falls and i’m told the entrance is the same price at 1,000 CLP (2 CAD) per person.
Either way, we don’t know this and walk the maybe ten minutes to the site entry, paying the fee and then deciding to take the short 600 meter trail to the Laguna Azul which is famous for it’s sapphire blue waters. Sadly when we get there, much like ottawa blues fest, it’s blue(s)ness has been greatly exaggerated.
The little lagoon is charming enough I suppose, a tiny little stream of water trickling down a rock face feeding the little lake. While the water might not be particularly blue today, it is quite clear and we pass a few minutes wandering around this little pool before heading back towards the main attraction, Ojos de Caburga.
The summer over and snows of winter not yet arrived the water levels are very low, though it does not ruin this beautiful sight where under ground waters converge with several small rivers and form several different cascades. Here in fact there is more of a blue cover, and I must admit some of the pools do have a look of eyes about them.
Either way, I climb out onto some rocks which cross one of the rivers, getting wet up to my waist as I go, trying for a better view of the three falls. The main ones across from us already visible but I am gifted better views of the two other falls. (they are one of the reasons to take the other entrance.)
We eventually pack up and head to check out further trails around the falls only to discover that they don’t exist. After briefly hopping a fence but getting nowhere the the magically soft forest floor I convince Robb and Bethan to head back to where we were. I mean I’m not going to just walk away from a bunch of waterfalls without getting wet. Who do you think I am?
We return to our first view point and this time instead of climbing on the rocks I just take off all clothes save my boxers and swim across the icy river, scrambling up onto the shore of the opposite bank and hurrying down the paths of the other property closer to the main falls. Some stunned Chileans make room for my dripping body to go past them, laughing as I shiver in the autumn air. I slide myself under a wooden bridge near the falls and wade into the water. Luckily or unluckily for you the reader Robb and Bethan have agreed to document this whole thing.
The waters are freezing and before long my extremities are beyond numb, aching pain swelling in my mind like an ocean wave approaching the shallows as I reach the side of the cascades.
I edge my way in along slippery and uneven underground rocks invisible to my eyes. It wouldn’t really matter if I could see them, as soon my lids are pressed closed against the water cascading over me, rendering me utterly blind. I love this sense of barely being in control, lost in the utter madness that is the inside of a waterfall.
Eventually I’m forced to climb out and wade back to my point of entry. I think about swimming up to the other two lesser falls, but a combination of the incredible cold, Rob and Bethan waiting above, and definitely not being allowed to swim here at all pulls me out of the waters. Shivering, I hurry back up onto the bridge, up the path, plunging back into the chilling waters to cross back to my friends.
As we leave Ojos behind we meet a surprisingly fearless young chicken that will get eaten by someone crueler than I if it’s not careful. (What, you people don’t eat whole chickens? You disgust me.)
At any rate we head back to the main road and decide to catch another bus towards Playa Blanca on Caburga lake some 5 km away. we’re standing there a few minutes before one of us notices the stunning view of the volcano which seems to be smoking even more than before. I’ll admit that while in Pucon I’m really of two minds, I want to see an eruption, but at the same time I’ve heard they are somewhat dangerous.
Then we notice the lamb and it’s mother, watching it feed proving strangely interesting, as let me say this, the kid was into it.
Eventually a bus comes by and we pile in paying another 700 CLP (1.50) and sitting back for another 25 minute ride to playa blanca, the last stop on the route.
We climb out the of bus and, asking the bus driver, head a ways down the road looking for a path down the hill to our left towards the beach. It’s pretty obvious once we come to it and on our way down the easy path we meet another girl from Belgium who we spend the rest of our journey with.
We walk down onto one of the nicest non-salt water beaches I’ve ever seen, sprawling and golden, ending at the pure blue waters of yet another amazing Chilean mountain lake. A few snowcaps peeking out behind the rolling green hills that surround the water serve to complete the scene. I smile, as I hadn’t expected much, and this is certainly a beautiful place.
Once again I can’t help myself, peeling off most of my clothes and running into the pure mountain water. It’s bone chilling but not painful and I spend a decent chunk of time swimming out into the deeper water before eventually returning to the beach and donning my rain coat to cut the significant wind.
Together we wander along the beach all the way back to the town of Caburga, an easy thing to do with the low water levels of the alike. We amble past some huge driftwood logs and cool looking brown rocks, the background colourfully painted boats out in the lake.
We make it back to the main road and end up walking up it for about half an hour, marvelling at the huge volcano ahead of us. More or less unbeatable scenery considering were essentially walking along a minor highway.
Eventually a bus bound back for Pucon drives by and we hail it down, climbing aboard and paying 800 CLP to be dropped off a block from El Refugio hostal back at the station.
Shortly thereafter we head over to Latitude 39 for a delicious dinner. You know a burger place is good when you can bring two vegetarians there and get nothing but good reviews. Stomachs filled with burgers and excellent homemade carrot cake we decide to take a stroll down to the lake for more amazing volcano views.
There we find a man playing fetch with his german shepherd with the stunning volcano as a backdrop. He seems surprised to see me snapping photos for him but I think it helps to show just how massive this volcano is.
As the sun starts to set we head back to the hostel for another night of relaxed conversation and travel stories in the welcoming social areas of Hostal el Refugio. What’s next for me? You guessed it.. more waterfalls… check back soon. While you wait here’s a few more pictures of the volcano at night, I’m getting a bit better at taking photos of it.
