Road Trip From Pucon
Pucon is of course very famous for all its treks, aquatic activities, volcano ascent, gastronomy... Whatever the traveling guide you will be using, it will be well described.
What is mostly unknown is the very nice one-day road trip you can start from Pucon.
Today I will describe the itinerary of maybe the nicest road in the area.
It starts by the Camino Internacional to Currarehue, along the nice valley of the Trancura river. Paved road to Currarehue, Km 36 from Pucon. Once at Currarehue, you have to follow the direction of Reigolil (to the north, it's well indicated in Currarehue). You will ride an unpaved road, and from there really starts the nice part! Driving along the Maichin River and along the cliffs whose summits represent the Argentinian border. You will cross the small, along-the-road village of Reigolil.
After that you will see the snowed summits of Solipulli glacier.
Keeping driving, you will ride along a canyon with the Blanco river with is turquoise and torrential waters 60 meters down below.
A few kilometers forwards, you'll reach the northern shores of the Caburgua lake with the Villarrica volcano in the background. A nice place for having lunch!
Then keeping riding the same road still unpaved, you'll reach the less urbanized Collico lake and follow its shore for almost 10 km. After that you will drive on a partly paved road keeping the direction to Villarrica. At the following crossroad you'll have to take the direction of Villarrica on the left hand side (you could also keep straight away to Cunco on a paved road and then back to Villarrica, but this option is far less interesting, it's just good if you're running out of time).
You 'll be again on an unpaved road, going to Flor del Lago (you will have another crossroad, always keep the direction to Villarrica). Take time to take a breath at the wooden look out point above the all area of Villarrica town and lake. Awesome place at sunset!
Keep riding and you'll reach a paved road following the direction to Villarrica (25 min to Villarrica once you reach the paved road).
During winter time , you'll definitely need a 4*4 vehicle. During summer time, if the weather condition have been dry for a few days you could do it with a smaller vehicle riding carefully.
Depending on your ability to ride unpaved road, it will take between 6-8 hours driving making the full round-trip.
Enjoy it and let me know about your experience!
All the best,
Guy