The surroundings of the city have a great attraction, the route of the waterfalls in Pucón, great waterfalls of crystalline water that reach a height of 90 metres. In this article we detail how to get there, what to see and the activities you can do there.
The waterfalls route in Pucón is a must if you like adventure and nature. The area of Palguín, located about 30 kilometres from Pucón, is one of the best places to live this experience.
Here, you will find different waterfalls surrounded by a lush natural environment with vegetation and trees native to the area. You will also be able to enjoy entertaining activities such as hiking, canopy, among others to do with the family, and even hot springs.
The town of Palguín is a magical place immersed in nature that allows you to totally disconnect despite being only 25 minutes by car from the centre.
You can visit as many waterfalls as you like in the area, but you should know that the waterfalls are located on private land, so you will have to pay a small fee for access to each of them.
🔎 Travelling around the area? Check out this article about things to do in Pucón in 3 days.
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How to get to the Palguín waterfall and the nearby waterfalls?
To get to the Palguin area you can take a tour or you can go by car, logically the latter is the most advisable, to walk at your own pace and not in crowds.
Getting to the waterfalls of Pucón by car
To do the route of the waterfalls in Pucón in your own car, you must leave the centre and take the international road towards Caburgua. After about 15 kms, take the road to Curarrehue and after about 15 minutes walk you will find the entrance to the waterfalls of the Palguin Alto area.
Reaching the Paguín waterfall by tour
We recommend you to buy the tour directly at the agencies when you are already in Pucón. Most of the agencies are located on the main avenue Bernardo O’higgins.
The tour includes return transport by van, entrance fees to the sites and a local guide. You can meet them at the tourist agency or arrange for them to pick you up, as long as you are on their route. Tours in this category usually start at around 10 a.m.
Getting to the waterfalls route in Palguín by public transport
There is no direct public transport to the waterfalls. However, there is one option that can get you very close.
Buses going to Curarrehue are obliged to pass just outside the main road of the waterfall route. This tour departs from the centre of Pucón, with the Curarrehue Buses, and the first departure is 6:30 a.m.
Ask the driver to drop you off on the Palguin Alto road or the waterfall road (route S-941). If you choose this option, you will have to venture out and hitchhike to reach your destinations. There is also the option of walking, but you should bear in mind that the nearest one (Los Mellizos) is 4 km from the start of the route.
If you decide to hitchhike in the summer season, you won’t have any problems, as the area is very busy.
How to do the route of the waterfalls in Pucón (Palguín area)
In this sector there are 5 consecutive waterfalls, and you can visit as many as you want, but you must know that in each of them you will do a small trekking, as well as, you will have to pay an individual entrance fee in each one of them.
📝 Travel tip: If you don’t want to pay many times this amount, I recommend you to go directly to the higher waterfalls with more entertainment.
After 4 km you will come across the first waterfalls called “Los mellizos” (the twins); then you will come across the waterfall “La Mula“, which are the smallest waterfalls, no more than 20 metres high.
Following the same road inland we find “El palguín”, “La china”, and “El león”, waterfalls that fluctuate between 70 and 95 metres in height.
You certainly can’t miss the “La China” waterfall, a natural beauty 80 metres high, which is well worth seeing.
That’s not all! If you want to add adventure to your visit in “La china“, you can do an entertaining canopy tour for 25 USD.
At the top of the road you will find “El León“. The highest waterfall of all with 95 metres of water in free fall, a true spectacle of nature that you can’t miss.
Although there are several natural waterfalls in the Palguín area, we recommend the most popular ones in order of route.
🔎 Another activity to do in Pucón is to visit the Villarrica volcano.. Find out all the information for the ascent of the Villarrica volcano in this article.
Los Mellizos waterfall
At km 4 of route S-941 you will find the entrance to Palguin Adventure Park, a place that offers several attractions. The main attraction of the place is the Los Mellizos waterfall, a waterfall of no more than 12 metres. who has gained a lot of popularity on Instagram because of her beauty.
What else does Palguin Adventure Park have to o
er
Hiking: to visit the waterfall, you must hike for about 20 minutes. This trail is safe for everyone, but caution should be exercised with children on some slopes.
– Suspension bridge: on this trail, you will have to cross a beautiful suspension bridge to continue your way to the waterfall.
– Arborism: Arborism consists of moving from one tree to another through circuits of bridges. For this practice you will use safety equipment, just like the canopy.
– Cafeteria: They have a cafeteria refuge, perfect for recovering your energy.
La China waterfall
Back to the main road, and following the route of the waterfalls, the third and not to be missed is La China waterfall, a natural beauty 80 metres high.
Entering the waterfall area, you will find the ticket office where you pay the entrance fee, then there is a short path that will lead you to the show. But before that, you will have several stops where you can take some photos.
The waterfall brings a lot of force, but has enough space for the more daring to plunge into the cold waters.
If you want to add adventure to your visit to Salto de la China, you can do an entertaining canopy tour, gliding through the trees and even flying over the waterfall. This circuit has a maximum height of 170 metres.
The canopy includes training and evaluation of your performance prior to the activity, complete equipment for the activity. It is about 1.5 kms over 7 cable sections.
El León Waterfall
At the end of the gravel road, you will find el León waterfall. It is the highest waterfall in Palguin with 95 metres of free falling water, a true spectacle of nature.
Here you have the possibility to follow a 300 m long path through the vegetation. to get to see the waterfall.
Probably the biggest attraction of the place are the hot water jars. These are located right in front of the waterfall, in the middle of nature, which makes it a unique sight on this circuit.
On the site where the jars are located they offer a drinks menu, including alcoholic beverages and cocktails, dressing rooms and lockers. The use of tinaja corresponds to 1 hour 30 minutes. If you go in high season, you should book at least two weeks in advance.
📝 Travel tip: remember to bring your own towel, sandals and swimming costume to enjoy the jars.
Recommended excursions to do in Pucón
If you are in the area of Pucón and want to live an adventure in nature, we recommend you to do some of these tours:
- Tyrolean traverse in Villarrica National Park
- Villarrica volcano trekking
- Rafting on the Trancura River
- Excursion to the Geometric Baths
Useful information about the route of the waterfalls in Pucón in the area of Palguín:
- All the sites have their own parking and toilets.
- Remember to wear comfortable clothes and shoes.
- Don’t forget sunscreen.
- Download the map in advance, as on the main road to the waterfalls you will lose your phone signal. [Anyway it is only one way and back, very difficult to get lost].
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