Lago Todos los Santos | Chilean Patagonia

The destination

The Emerald Lake:
only accessible by boat

Nicknamed 'Lago Esmeralda' for the intense turquoise colour of its waters, this lake is enclosed between the snow-capped massifs of the Osorno, Puntiagudo and Tronador volcanoes. Its defining feature is the complete absence of road access around its perimeter.

Optimise your itinerary by visiting this lake on the same day as Petrohué Falls — the jetty is less than 5 minutes by car from the waterfalls.

This isolation has kept its ecosystem pristine, with dense virgin coihue forests falling directly to the clean water. It forms the aquatic section of the legendary Andean lake crossing to Argentina.

The place

Lago Todos los Santos El Esmeralda aguas turquesa volcán Osorno Patagonia

Bosque virgen orilla Lago Todos los Santos volcán Tronador Patagonia

Lago Todos los Santos aguas esmeralda con volcanes y bosque virgen Parque Vicente Pérez Rosales Patagonia

What to do

Activities &
trails

Lake navigation

The only way to explore the lake. Catamarans and local boats offer everything from short bay trips to the full crossing to the remote village of Peulla, sailing over emerald-coloured water.

Navegación — km 30 min–4 hrs

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Trails in Peulla

On the far eastern side of the lake (accessible by boat only), this small eco-village offers easy walks through pristine Patagonian forest with waterfalls such as the Cascada de los Novios.

Easy 2–4 km 1–2 hrs

2–4

km

Lake crossing to Argentina

An epic journey known as the Cruce Andino. Combining boat legs and buses crossing the Andes, it runs from Petrohué through Peulla, across the border to Puerto Blest and on to Bariloche, Argentina.

Excursión 2 días — km 2 días

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Nature

Wildlife, flora &
natural highlights

Great Grebe (Huala)

Elegant, large diving waterbird with a slender neck, easily spotted on the calmer areas of the lake.

Torrent Duck

Exclusive resident of the Andean rivers that drain into the lake; an exceptionally agile swimmer against the current.

Trout

Thriving in the pure, icy, crystal-clear water, this is the primary target for sport fishing in the area.

Magellanic Coihue

The giant of the landscape; a perennial, monumental tree that dominates the dense virgin forest right down to the water's edge.

Tepú

Dense native shrub fundamental to the austral evergreen understorey, whose intricate roots form networks in the wettest areas.

Condor

Spotted majestically riding the thermal currents above the volcano summits surrounding the lake.

Before you go

What you need
to know

Practical tips

→Vehicular access ends at the Petrohué jetty — without a boat, there is no way to enter the lake.

→For the full lake crossing to Argentina, prior booking with authorised operators is mandatory.

→The open-lake wind is very cold even in summer — a windproof jacket is vital.

→Optimise your itinerary by combining the lake and Petrohué Falls on the same day — the jetty is less than 5 minutes by car from the falls.

→Confirm catamaran departure times before visiting — frequencies drop sharply outside high season.

How to get there

From
Apart Hotel Colón

Get to Petrohué (see Petrohué Falls page), then take a boat from the jetty. Approximately 1:10 hr by car to Petrohué (72 km). Boat departures follow fixed timetables by season.