Two rivers meet in Valdivia: the Calle-Calle and the Cau-Cau. The city is also the capital of the Los Ríos Region. The Río Cruces offers a different perspective: it is 125 kilometers long and feeds the Carlos Anwandter Nature Sanctuary wetland. This places an urban river confluence alongside a river that feeds a wetland. For your explorations, this offers two clear starting points: Valdivia and its river landscape, and the Río Cruces and its connection to the wetland.
Discover forests and protected areas
In Alerce Costero National Park, the forest includes ancient Alerce stands at the northernmost edge of this tree species’ range. For nature enthusiasts, this offers a specific focus: it is not just about the forest as a landscape, but also about the distinctive distribution of Alerce trees. Its location at the northern edge gives this forest a perspective of its own.
Another highlight is the area around Panguipulli. Villarrica National Park extends into this part of the region and protects 53,460 hectares with diverse species and ecosystems. Huilo Huilo Biological Reserve preserves 100,000 hectares of Valdivian rainforest in the Andes of Panguipulli. The two areas offer different perspectives on the region’s natural environment: one is a park with diverse species and ecosystems, the other a vast rainforest.
At Huilo Huilo, the offerings include thermal baths, dining and nature expeditions. The expeditions focus on environmental education and the protection of native species such as the Huemul. This brings nature experiences, learning and species conservation together, with thermal baths and dining complementing these offerings. If you are interested in the connection between nature and conservation, this is a particularly concrete starting point for planning your trip.
Experience Valdivia by the river
Valdivia offers a variety of ways to get to know the city: visitors can stroll through the Universidad Austral Botanical Garden and visit the Fluvial Market. Craft breweries are also part of the city’s visitor attractions. This means there is more to Valdivia than its river landscape: from the botanical garden and market to local breweries, while the river remains at the heart of your explorations.
At Muelle Schuster on the waterfront, operators offer boat trips on the Río Cruces and Chorocamayo Nature Sanctuary. Check with the respective operators before your trip. A boat trip adds another perspective on the water to your city visits; the garden, market and breweries offer different highlights. The experiences you choose to enjoy in Valdivia can therefore reflect the themes that appeal to you most.
Find the right focus
When looking for accommodation in the Los Ríos Region, you can start by considering which places and themes will shape your trip. Valdivia combines the river confluence with a garden, market, breweries and boat trips. In the Panguipulli area, protected areas and rainforest take center stage at Villarrica National Park and Huilo Huilo Biological Reserve. This distinction gives your search direction without prescribing a set itinerary. Whether you are more interested in urban discoveries by the river, ancient Alerce forests, or Huilo Huilo’s nature and educational offerings, the region offers different perspectives that you can organize around your travel interests.
Discover more destinations: Valdivia Province, Ranco, Río Bueno, Metropolitan Region, Valparaíso, Antofagasta, Coquimbo Region, Magallanes and Chilean Antarctica Region.
Go to the main travel overview: Chile.
