Otoño in Puyuhuapi

Puyuhuapi is a small village nestled on the shores of the Ventisquero Sound along the Carretera Austral in Chile's Aysén region. Founded by German settlers in the 1930s, the village retains a charming frontier character with its carpet factory, wooden houses, and the legendary Termas de Puyuhuapi lodge accessible only by boat. During autumn, de marzo a mayo, this remote corner of Patagonia takes on a deeply atmospheric quality.

The surrounding temperate rainforest, dense with coigüe, lenga, and ferns, transforms subtly in otoño as deciduous species add golden accents to the predominantly green canopy. The village sits at the junction of the Carretera Austral and the road to Queulat National Park, home to the famous Ventisquero Colgante (Hanging Glacier). In autumn, the glacier viewpoints are framed by follaje otoñal and often wrapped in dramatic mist.

The termas are perhaps Puyuhuapi's greatest otoño attraction. The Termas de Puyuhuapi, set on the fjord shore and accessible by boat, offers a luxurious soak with views across the water to forested mountains. Simpler termas options also exist along the road. Self-driving the Carretera Austral to reach Puyuhuapi is an adventure in itself, with the paisaje otoñal adding warmth to the already spectacular route through this wild and wet region.