The best months to vacation in the Chilean Lake District is from October to April. This gives you the very best weather with lots of sunshine, long days to explore in and forests in full leaf. The austral seasons are the reverse of the northern hemisphere, so this equates to spring rolling through summer into fall.

The summer months (January and February) will be busiest with South Americans on their summer vacations. Whilst we always do our best to steer you clear of the crowded areas, if you have the flexibility then you may enjoy traveling at some of the quieter times either side of the summer. You still have stable weather, long days and very pretty scenery of course, so it's win-win.

Visiting in these months also means Patagonia is wide open for you to explore along Chile's Carretera Austral or the famous Torres del Paine National Park.

The Chilean Lake District is broadly split into two; Pucón to the north and Puerto Varas to the south being the most popular bases. Both offer some really beautiful walks in national parks to blend in with some of the other activities on offer, as well as time spent relaxing or following your nose when you're there.

Pucón and the Northern Lake District

Sitting against the foothills of the Andes between lakes and volcanoes, Pucón is a beautiful place.

You'll find plenty of great trails in the nearby Huerquehue National Park, a place of temperate forests and striking blue lakes. If you're up for a challenge then the iconic Villarrica Volcano can be summited on a seven hour morning hike. Besides that there's horse-riding, mountain biking, white water rafting and, for something more gentle in nature, the natural hot pools alongside the river in Huife.

This northern Lake District is also known as Araucania and is the heartland of the Mapuche people. These are Chile's largest indigenous group, representing about 4% of the country's population. The Mapuche put up pretty fierce resistance to Spanish colonisation to the extent that they had de facto independence from the government in Santiago really up unitl the late 19th century. For much of this time relations between the Mapuche and the rest of the country were stable, with trade going on freely.

However, it does mean that the northern section of the Lake District has a distinctive feel to it with a more obvious indigenous (i.e. non-Mestizo) population than is the case anywhere else in Chile, except perhaps in the far north.

Trip idea: Hidden Treasures of Central Chile Road Trip

Puerto Varas & the Southern Lake District

Puerto Varas spreads out along the southern shores of Lake Llanquihue, across which the views to perfect cone-shaped Osorno Volcano are stunning on a clear day. Although it is very much a tourist venue mainly catering for outdoor and adventure activities, the city retains its own strong cultural identity.

The Mapuche influence of the northern Lake District peters out until it is replaced with the Germanic and Jesuit cultural influences of Puerto Varas and Chiloé respectively. The architecture, and culture, of the southern lakes is very strongly influenced by the waves of German immigration in the 19th century.

Expect to see 'kuchen' (cafes/cake shops) all over the place with most people stopping for afternoon tea. The church of Iglesia del Sagrado Corazon de Jesus is perhaps the most emblematic building in Puerto Varas. It was built in 1915 and modelled on similar churches from the Black Forest area of southern Germany. It is made entirely of oak.

The Vicente Perez Rosales National Park is pretty spectacular too, encompassing a huge chunk of land all around the Lago Todos los Santos, including Osorno Volcano. It has a number of well-marked walking trails to suit most energy levels.

Chile to Argentina: Lakes, Wine & Active Adventures

The area is a great base for exploring the surrounding national parks and it's not too hard to veer off the tourist circuit and see something special. For example, the Alerce Andino National Park is a very beautiful, little-known national park, a ninety-minute drive away. Here you'll get the chance to admire trees that can live for up to 3,000 years in a splendid example of old-growth rainforest.

We are particularly fond of the Huilo Huilo reserve, part of a unique and little-explored ecosystem in the Patagonian temperate rainforest territory, set right in the Andes. You can combine that with Puerto Varas and Pucón on this lovely trip, which can be shortened as needed: Hidden Treasures of Central Chile Road Trip

Venturing south from Puerto Varas down Chile's Carretera Austral opens up a world of off-the-beaten-track discovery, from rainforest to mega mountains down to the creaking glaciers of the icefields.

One place we absolutely love, which is in the far south of Chile's 'Los Lagos' lake region is Futaleufú. Water is a key feature in this part of Patagonia as well, but we're talking rivers more than lakes. Futa is home to some of the very best river rapids in the world, which means you can get a taster of 'proper' white-water rafting without needing any previous experience. The lodge you stay at is also one of our favorite in all of South America. You really must visit if you're looking for a bit of an adventure, with all the creature comforts that go with our vacations.

You can read all about it on this epic 'trip-of-a-lifetime' type vacation: Hidden Highlights of Chile's Carretera Austral

The Lake Districts of Chile and Argentina are beautiful parts of the world, with lakes, forests and volcanoes spread out amid the Andes mountain chain. Therefore things can get very busy here, especially in the height of summer.

One place you should absolutely go, but be really careful about is the area around Lago Todos Los Santos and Petrohué Falls.

This is a pretty compact area down a narrow side road off of Lago Llanquihue. It's where mighty Osorno Volcano (which is truly incredible) meets the aforementioned lake and falls. Visit on a summer's day and you are essentially visiting the world's most spectacular car park. There are coaches, minibuses, 4x4s, SUVs and hatchbacks everywhere. It's a chore getting in and the same getting out.

We visit the area on our trips but usually with a guide so that you can instead head off into the forests above the lake to enjoy more peaceful views and see lots of native birdlife.

Part of the reason for all the busyness is because this is dropping off and setting off point for the famous Andean lake crossings which connect Puerto Varas in Chile and Bariloche in Argentina. If you've done a bit of research on the area, no doubt you'll have read about or been sold the idea of this crossing.

It sounds spectacular right? Sailing across mirror lakes between snowcapped Andean peaks and emerging into a whole new country with postcard views to go explore. That's all great, but we do think it's one where the idea outstrips the actual experience. You are going in convoy with large groups of travelers and other boats on one of the busiest routes in the area. It can be loud, impersonal and a bit stressful. Beautiful yes, but all of those things too. Bariloche itself is also not really the place to be in Argentina - you can read more about that here.

The solution? Go by road. Take the 'local' route and do a bit of off-the-beaten-track discovery on the way. The further you get from Puerto Varas, the quieter and more scenic the road gets - you just pull over whenever a viewpoint or interesting sights impels you to do so.

We love the juxtaposition of everyday life unfolding alongside the natural wonders here; people selling homemade honey and marmalade outside neatly-trimmed gardens, apple trees popping up here and there, herds of cows grazing in cleared pastures. Behind it all, the immensity of epic volcanoes reaching for the sky, or the vast glistening surfaces of deep blue lakes around the next corner. It's like your local corner shop hanging a Van Gogh behind the counter...

The border crossing is less fun, we'll be honest. This is far and away the busiest border we've been to, but we promise it will be worth it as you get into Argentina. Heading towards Villa la Angostura, you pick up the iconic Ruta 40 highway, which at this point is part of the famous 'Siete Lagos' (Seven Lakes) road.

The two border controls are actually 39km apart. In between is a remarkable landscape of trees that were killed off by the 2011 eruption of Puyehue Volcano, which buried them in up to 5m of ash. It's a sad, but eerily beautiful sight.

There's a lot to love about Chiloé. The wooden churches are splendid, the penguins adorable and those palafitos are ridiculously photogenic. But behind them, are many stories and myths passed down through the generations. For four centuries this was a major stopping point for trade ships making the perilous journey around the Cape Horn. So the traditions, beliefs and folklore of Chiloé are as colourful as the island’s stilt houses.

It's this cultural texture, as well as the postcard views and architectural achievements, that we want to share with you. So yes, talk to us about Chiloé and we'll help you to understand if it's right for you versus dedicating your time to other parts of Chile, or going into Argentina.

It's easy to combine Chiloé with the Chilean Lake District. You basically just get the short ferry across from Pargua, southwest of Puerto Varas, and you're there. It's easy, especially if you have your own hire vehicle.

We find that three nights is a good amount of time to spend on Chiloé Grande, the main island of the archipelago. This would ideally be spent in the company of our wonderful guide Brett and sleeping in his cabin, which looks out across the water. During the course of the three or four days you’ll have ample time to get out to visit both sides of the coastline and the island’s most historic and culturally-rich settlements.

Have a look at this self-drive trip for an idea of what to expect: Chile to Argentina: Lakes, Wine & Active Adventures

The Argentine Lake District, for sure! As mentioned in the previous answer, the border crossing is beautiful and really interesting if you go by road and you come out right on the famous Seven Lakes Road. Instead of busy Bariloche (which you can visit when passing) we prefer you to stay in a combo of Villa la Angostura (population 25,000 versus Bariloche's 200,000) and a stunning eco lodge nestled in mountains, lakes and forest further south. We could tell you more about it here, or you could skip straight to the good stuff on this trip, which can be tailored to you: Chile to Argentina: Lakes, Wine & Active Adventures

We'd also suggest you explore more of the lakes area in Chile itself. As mentioned previously, there is much to enjoy to the north of Puerto Varas around Pucón and up into the winelands south of Santiago. For that trip, take a look at our Hidden Treasures of Central Chile Road Trip.

And please do also consider a drive down Chile's southern highway - the Carretera Austral. The road begins at Puerto Montt, just south of Puerto Varas and leads through the rainforests and river rapids of the far south of the lakes region at Pumalín and Futaleufú. From here it rolls south to the epic mountains and glaciers. The 'full' version of the trips begins in the Lake District: Hidden Highlights of Chile's Carretera Austral

We've gone into lots of detail on the previous answers, so we'll keep this one nice and brief with a short list of our favorite activities for the Lake District:

• Walking/hiking with a private guide in national parks (Puerto Varas)
• Birdwatching with a private guide (Puerto Varas)
• Kayaking on the lake (Puerto Varas & Pucón)
• Watching sunset over Osorno Volcano from your hotel's garden
• Mapuche community visit (Pucón)
• Horse riding in the hills (Pucón)
• Soaking in hot springs (Pucón)
• Rafting for all abilities (Futaleufú & Pucón)
• Self-guided walks in ancient temperate rainforests (Pumalín)
• Driving around lakes and pulling over frequently to enjoy the views!
• Drinking German beer and eating German cake