Tours and Activities:

The Contulmo Mirrors

Lakes Lanalhue and Lleu Lleu are close to the town of Contulmo and show off their pure waters and the natural beauty around them.

Besides visiting Contulmo, a mandatory circuit that may be programmed from Concepción is touring around the most picturesque and crystal-clear lakes in the Nahuelbuta Mountain Range.

Lake Lanalhue, which in the Mapuche tongue means “lost soul”, lies 150 kilometers from the city and is the first one in the southern lake chain. Its 32-square-kilometer surface is dwelled by a colony of black-necked swans that make the surrounding scenery even more beautiful.

In the summer, the temperate waters of the Lanalhue are the site chosen to practice windsurfing, swimming and water ski, among other sports. As well, the beach invites visitors to spend the day enjoying the lake and the sunshine. The cabins, inns and hostels that surround the lake offer comfortable lodging and homemade interpretations of regional cuisine, which combines the traditions of the Mapuches and the German colonists.

The catamaran sailing across the lake sets sail at Puerto Peleco. The quiet tour also offers the chance to taste some delicacies of local cuisine and to listen to the stories told by an experienced guide. A more romantic version of this navigation is the night tour in the moonlight, and another interesting option is the proposal to have lunch on an unspoiled beach where the boat moors to let passengers go for a swim in the wonderful environment of the Lanalhue.


The Purest of Them All

The Lleu Lleu is the clearest lake in Chile and in the entire Latin American region. Its crystal-clear waters make up the last natural reserve in the area and therefore its preservation is so important that the national tourist entities along with the local Mapuche community regulate activities in the zone in order to reduce environmental impacts.

In order to access this marvelous lake, visitors must pass by Cañete (137 kilometers away from Concepción) and drive on along the Araucanía Road towards Tirúa. The bridge over the Lleu Lleu River lies 37 kilometers away from Cañete, but to reach Puerto Choque, on the southern end of the lake, they must go along 15 more kilometers (the last 5 along a gravel road). The native forests, the sown fields and the folkloric beauty of the Lafkenche families (Mapuches dwelling in the coast area) justify the journey.

Due to its environmental features, the Lleu Lleu is a good place for the practice of sport fishing as it contains a wide range of salmon, trout and silverside. Summer days also encourage visitors to sail along the four arms of the water body, which get deep into a wild landscape and to enjoy canoeing, windsurfing or swimming, among other activities. In turn, interpretation tours and cart rides offer a better way to observe the charm of the Lleu Lleu.

Contact

Catamaranes Alta Mar

, (4030000) , Concepción, VIII Región del Biobio
Cel: +56 994890585

See also: Hotels in Concepción and other accommodation venues