EXPEDITION8

NATURE AND ADVENTUR2E EXPEDITION - III - 8 DAYS - 7 NIGHTS

• GUEST PROVIDES:
• Trekking: comfortable clothes, trekking shoes, backpack, water bottle with water, jockstrap, sunglasses, sunscreen. Horseback Riding: comfortable clothes, trekking shoes, sunscreen, and jockstrap. Rafting: Able to swim, older than 12 years old, physical condition according to the activity. Mountain Bike: comfortable clothes, backpack, sunglasses, and sun protection. Canyoning:  Sporting shoes that will get wet, extra pair of shoes for after the activity, warm clothes, rain/wind jacket, bathing suit and towel.  We recommend that you wear under long wear shirt and pants.
• REQUEST EXPEDITION #8

You will be greeted in the Puerto Montt airport. Transfer to Yan Kee Way Lodge, accommodation in Bungalows - Chalets, welcome cocktail and dinner in our Latitude 42° Restaurant. Free time to rest, read by the fireplace or take advantage of our spa facilities.  Retire for the night.

Following breakfast, we will depart Yan Kee Way Lodge, at 10:30 a.m., for a 15-minute journey to Vincente Pérez Rosales National Park and the start of our expedition.  We will arrive at Petrohué, situated on the shores of Todo Los Santos Lake.  Petrohué was established as small port on the lake by the early pioneers of this region.  Here we will board a catamaran to cross the lake to a pioneer settlement known as Peulla.  Teddy Roosevelt, who crossed this beautiful emerald colored lake, is reputed to have said that it was the most beautiful lake that he had ever seen in the world.  During our 22-mile crossing, of approximately 1hour and 45, we will enjoy spectacular views of volcanoes Osorno, Puntiagudo and Mount Tronador.  Tronador is a 12,000-ft volcanic peak, which straddles the Andean boarder between Chile and Argentina. It takes its' name from the sound of calving glaciers and giant snow slides.  Our destination, Peulla, was an historic transfer and lodging point for early day pioneers whom crossed the Andes by watercraft, foot and on horseback. The lake, first discovered by Jesuit Priests in the late 1600's, was one of a combination of navigable lakes; connected to relatively low mountain passes on the route between Chile and the Pampas of Argentina.  These geographical characteristics made this a natural transportation corridor for the early settlers in Chile to settle in the area now known as San Carlos de Barilochi, Argentina. It was here, at Peulla, that they transferred their goods from the trail to hand built watercraft to complete their journey through the Andes to and from Chile and Argentina. In Peulla you will have the opportunity to eat lunch (optional) and to visit the waterfall "Velo de la Novia" (Bride's Vail) and enjoy the local area.  At 16:00 p.m. we return on the catamaran to Petrohué.  Transfer to Yan Kee Way Lodge.  This expedition provides you with a wonderful opportunity to enjoy the natural splendor and appreciate the history and cultural origins of this region while boating through the Andes.  Transfer to Yan Kee Way Lodge.  Free time to rest, read by the fireplace or take advantage of our spa facilities.  Dinner and retire for the night.

Breakfast.  Free time to enjoy the surroundings.  Lunch at the lodge.   At  2:15 p.m., we leave Yan Kee Way for the Volcanoes Park, where we'll encounter our horseback-riding trail, "Sendero del Oro" . We'll begin our adventure toward the route used mysterious miners of long ago, who between the years 1920 and 1930 extracted gold from secret mines in the hills Azul and Quemado; mines that still have not been discovered.  We'll wind our way through the forest to an observation point, "Salto de Piedras".  Then we'll the cross the river "Blanco" to the slope of the hill "Quemado", where we will behold beautiful vistas of volcanoes, lakes and rivers.  Continuing our journey, we'll trek through the native forest to "Laguna Escondida", where we will refresh ourselves with its cold waters. Finally we'll visit the farmhouse of a local couple who will welcome us with delicious refreshments (onces) and provide us with an enriching intercultural experience.  Return to Yan Kee Way Lodge. Free time to rest, read by the fireplace or take advantage of our spa facilities.  Dinner and retire for the night.

After an early breakfast we'll depart Yan Kee Way Lodge at 08:00 a.m. for the Burbuja area at a 4,430 feet altitude, this is where we'll start our "Down Hill".  From the Burbuja (refuge) we'll begin a trek  toward the last ski lift tower (approx. 1-hour), where we'll be able to experience the spectacular view from the summit of the volcanoes Osorno and Calbuco, to Llanquihue Lake and the Andean Mountain Range.  After discussing safety instructions, we'll begin the descent by roads and paths surrounded by lush vegetation.  We'll end our expedition by visiting the area of "Laguna Verde", and then return to Yan Kee Way Lodge.  Lunch and free time to rest, read by the fireplace or take advantage of our spa facilities..  Dinner and retire for the night.

Following an early breakfast we'll depart Yan Kee Way Lodge for Petrohué at 07:45 a.m..  Early in the morning we will board the boat in Petrohué, which will take us across the Lake Todos Los Santos for a voyage of approx. 15 minutes to Playa León.  Here we'll ascend through a small valley until we reach a forest of Coigües, Arrayanes, and other massive trees that will surround us.  We continue trekking through creeks and up and down small gorges until we arrive at River León.  After a short stop we continue our trek until we arrive at a fabulous valley of Alerces (Similar to Redwoods'), millennial autochthonous trees.  Either at River León, or during any given time during our trek, we can choose from a great number of perfect spots to enjoy a rest and our picnic lunch.  On our return, our boat will be waiting for us at Playa León to take us back to Petrohué. Lunch and free time to rest, read by the fireplace or take advantage of our spa facilities.  Dinner and retire for the night.

Day 6 - Yan Kee Way Lodge & Raftin g Expedition

Following breakfast, we will leave Yan Kee Way Lodge, following the south shore of Lake Llanquihue,  for our departure point on the River Petrohué, . The Petrohue River was the venue for the 1999 Chilean National Rafting Championship and our destination for the white water rafting expedition.  We have spectacular view of Lake Llanquihue and the volcanoes Osorno, Puntiagudo, Tranador and Calbuco.  Passing through the small town of Ensenada, we quickly arrive at the river and the section of rapids we will challenge.  We suit up for our expedition in the provided clothing and equipment appropriate for white water rafting including wet suits, spray jackets, life-vest, helmets and paddles. Our expert-guides give us a brief introduction about the section of the river we will run and the necessary instructions in safe practices for our expedition. Following our instruction session, we begin the white-water rafting expedition. The s ection of the river that we will run is class 3 to 4. Our expedition will take us approximately 10.5 miles down river and approximately one and 1/2 hours to complete. Our adrenaline levels surge as we pass through the breath-taking beauty of the valley through which the Petrohué River flows.  Volcanoes and temperate rain forest surround us as we are thrust along by the white foaming power of the rapids.  Many remark on the visual setting and compare it to the jungle-like landscapes of Southeast Asia. It is no wonder that some call this area the cool jungle. During our ride we will encounter native birds such as Cormoranes, Kingfishers, Golondrinas and tiuques; if we are lucky we will catch a glimpse of Huillín (small otters).  Return to Yan Kee Way Lodge, lunch in our Latitude 42° Restaurant. Free time to rest, read by the fireplace or take advantage of our spa facilities.  Dinner and retire for the night.

After our breakfast we depart Yan Kee Way Lodge and travel through Villa Ensenada to the skirts of Volcano Osorno, to the entrance of Vincente Perez Rosales National Park and the Laguna Verde area.  Our expedition takes us along the skirt of the volcano, where we will enjoy the native plant and animal life until we arrive at a location known as "Los Pilleyos".  We continue into Vincente Perez Rosales National Park to visit an area where we may see the glacial run-off from the volcanoes' slopes and glaciers, together with other points of interest.  We will then proceed to the famous Petrohué waterfalls or "Los Saltos". The falls were created, first by the enormous lava flows of Osorno Volcano, which cut-off the flow of water between Lake Todo Los Santos and Lago Llanquihue and formed a new outflow from Todo Los Santos, now known as the Petrohué River.  The volcanic flows created a rise in the land that immediately came under attack by the power of the river.  The lava was, and is being sculpted into unusual forms by the power of river.  The flora and fauna of the temperate rainforest abound in this area.  We will take short hikes to "Los enamorados" and "Carrilemu" where we will learn about the different types of rocks, vegetation, and animals that live in this temperate rainforest.  We will complete our expedition with a to visit Todos Los Santos Lake or as it is also known--"Emerald Lake,"--so named for the deep emerald color of its waters. You will want to take photos from the beach while enjoying picnic lunch.  Return to Yan Kee Way Lodge. This is special expedition for the family and for those who lo ve the outdoors and wish to see and photograph t he flora and fauna of this area.  Return to Yan Kee Way Lodge for lunch.  Free time to rest, read by the fireplace or take advantage of our spa facilities.  Dinner and retire for night.

Following breakfast, we depart from our beach at 10: a.m. in a boat for a cruise on Lake Llanquihue, which is the third largest natural lake in South America.  Small towns, many of which incorporate the word "Puerto" in their names, surround it.  Puerto Varas, founded in 1854 by German colonists in their efforts to colonize this beautiful, verdant but forest covered land.  In the years thereafter, additional small towns sprung up around natural ports, using the lake as the only means of transportation in the area.  Yan Kee Way Lodge is located in the South East corner of the Lake, in a small bay or "ensenada" which was once the port of Ensenada, and now is a small village with the same name.  Our Lodge location is unique; perhaps the only place in th e world like it. Volcano Osorno terminates at the waters' edge, forming the North Eastern shoreline of the bay. It is one of, it not the only, places in the world where one can see a volcano in a stand alone setting.  The most similar comparisons are Fuji in Japan and Mt. Rainier in Washington State.  Unlike other volcanoes, Osorno is not lost amidst a surrounding mountain range.  One can see precisely where this 8,730-foot volcano begins and ends.  Our expedition departs from the beach in front of Yan Kee Way lodge.  On the water, we'll have the opportunity to appreciate the scale of the lake and its surroundings.  It's easy to imagine what the early day colonists must have felt in their small boats as we look at the wooded shore line and contemplate their thoughts as they moved across the expanse of this lake using oars, the wind and, finally, steam for propulsion.  We will enjoy a pleasant trip along the shore of the Lake, were we will see beautiful landscapes near the impressive cone of Osorno Volcano.  The lush native vegetation covers the many lava fingers that fan out, reaching out into the lake, creating, a series of small coves along the shoreline.  Depending on the day and the season you will spot local wild life along the wooded shoreline.  The waters are clean and clear. One may see through the water, to dept hs of over 30 feet, to t he lake bottom.  During the fall, you may have the opportunity to spot salmon and trout that use the fine bottom sands, gravels and underwater springs for their spawning grounds.  Return to Yan Kee Way Lodge, lunch and transfer to  "El Tepual" airport.

STANDARD PACKAGE INCLUDES: Included: Transfer PMC/Yan Kee Way / Yan Kee Way/PMC, welcome cocktail, all meals, accommodation in or, excursions identified, equipment, specialized guides, accident insurance.  (*Bungalows - Two -story units in a duplex arrangement located in a wooded setting. **Chalets - 1,400 sq.ft. 2-bedroom suites, 2-bath w/living room & separate terraces and entries.  Can be divided into 2 units.) Not Included: Wine, liquor and drinks, tips, taxes, anything not listed in the program.