Mapuche Authenticity in the Lake District

Get to the heart of the Mapuche culture, Chile’s most iconic indigenous group famous for resisting the Spanish Empire. Visit  the traditional Mapuche-style houses known as ‘Rucas, ’ taste authentic Mapuche cuisine and join the Mapuche community for a day. Travelers will toast wheat over the open fire, learn how to play Palín (a sport in Mapuche community) and even try on Mapuche folk dresses.

Welcome to Pucón, southern Chile’s must-see destination in summer and the home to Lake Villarrica. Hacienda Hotel Vira Vira is set in a beautiful and unique location close to Pucón, Chile. It features a 23 acre native park along the shores of the Liucura River and offers an oasis of peace and recreation.

Travelers will stay in the Vira Vira Hotel which features a new concept of vacation to life – we call it “The Elegance of Adventure”. A large range of exclusive activities and excursions will be a part of traveler’s  “all inclusive” stay in this luxury hotel. Start the day with a full breakfast at the hotel featuring delicious local ingredients, followed by kayaking on the lake, rafting on rivers like the Trancura, trekking on the area’s many paths or climbing a volcano. In the evening, enjoy local dishes in the comfort of a Relais & Chateaux category Hacienda.

Travelers will interact with Mapuche families to learn about their history, mythology, and the role of traditional medicines in their daily life routine. Stop by the Mapuche artisan stands, where artists hand make silver jewelry and textiles using natural fibers and pigments, and perhaps get the perfect souvenirs on the way back. The area is also home to many natural hot springs, including the therapeutic spas at Curacautín, Malalcahuello, Villarrica and Curarrehue. Most of them have been tested to have beneficial therapeutic effects. Travelers are more than welcomed to request a special, luxurious treatment in any of these spas. During the winter, travelers can go skiing or snowboarding down the slopes of volcanoes like Llaima, Lonquimay or Villarrica or plan an off-piste adventure like snow trekking or cross-country skiing.