“The land must be cared for and defended. We are part of nature; it is the legacy of our parents and the future of our children.” Despite his thinness and short stature, Silverio Loncopan’s words sound forceful and convinced that summarize the spirit of the Mapuche people. He left his seventies behind a long time ago and continues to live, alongside Isidora and his children, the land of his ancestors in Kurarewe, a small town in the Chilean Araucanía, in the south of the country, a little less than 150 kilometers southeast of the regional capital, Temuco.
Along with some thirty families in the area, this Pewenche farmer -Andean Mapuche- a few years ago overcame initial reluctance and opened the doors of Urako -stone water in Mapudungun, the indigenous language- to tourism, the 30-hectare farm his family, convinced that by making his way of life known he would stop the decline of his people and help to eliminate the stigma that he has suffered for centuries. There, among chestnut trees, araucarias, cinnamon trees -the sacred Mapuche tree-, wetlands and sheep, in the heart of the Trancura valley, his life passes slowly, surrounded by an overflowing nature.
And it is that Araucanía, a region located next to the Argentine border, about 700 kilometers from Santiago, is simply spectacular. Those who mostly come to this corner are mainly from Santiago, who do so attracted by the beauty and natural richness of its green landscapes sheltered by the Andes mountain range and its innumerable active tourism activities.
However, the emergence of Mapuche tourism in the region, awarded in 2021 as one of the best socially responsible tourism experiences worldwide within the framework of the ITB Berlin (one of the most important travel fairs on the planet), has opened new expectations to the local offer. The proposal flees from the folklorization of an indigenous people charged with identity, the most numerous in Chilean territory.
The promoters of the innovative initiative, Rutas Ancestrales Araucarias, recognize that those who are interested in Mapuche tourism travel to Araucanía expressly for this purpose. Most of them are international European and American tourists with a previous knowledge of the culture, willing to live an immersive experience in first person. They are still few, but the attraction is growing and the number of those who are willing to publicize their own projects has also increased in recent times.
This is the case of Juana Coñuequir, who at the age of 58 runs a traditional orchard to protect seeds. Her vegetable production, intended for sale and family consumption –allows her to support five children and seven grandchildren- she cares for the legacy of her ancestors. “These seeds have fed my family in the past and will feed my family in the future,” she says.
Or like Juanita Becerra, a weaver who uses traditional Mapuche techniques and natural dyes in her small workshop, a job she shares with other women and children in the region. From the top of a hill, surrounded by vegetation and with views of the Quinquilil volcano, known as Colmillo del Diablo, Juanita finds the inspiration to make her creations in nature.
Simón is a geographer and grandson of Silverio, although he has raised him as a son. He has offered to accompany us and help us understand the essence of the Mapuche people; the importance of games, nature, water, its magical spirit, ceremonies and fraternity, and the oral transmission of history and culture generation after generation around the fire in a ruka -the typical house- .
He defends the need to open up to tourism, like his grandfather, who hosts foreigners in his home who want to participate in cultural learning, live with them, share a tablecloth and conversation, and sleep without luxuries, with the simplicity of someone who lives honestly from what gives you the land The experience is enriching and provides a vision that is different and complementary to that usually offered by a mere pleasure trip.
And it is that today, Araucanía is an excellent travel destination for nature lovers; a beautiful amalgamation of forests, volcanoes, rivers, lakes and hot springs -like those of Huife, which leave the foreigner hardly breathless. Beyond a cultural immersion, its natural reserves host an endless number of adventure sports in its rapids, lava fields and canyons; hiking trails, and ski resorts, with white sports centers and towns like Pucón, a lively town known as the Chilean capital of adventure tourism. Beyond the seasonal offer, the possibilities are endless throughout the year.
But if something characterizes his landscapes -an endless edge for instagramers and photography lovers in general- they are the volcanoes and the araucarias. These thousand-year-old trees with fireproof bark -also known as Araucanian pines or stone pines- whose “fruit” has been a traditional food of the Mapuche people, can reach 50 meters in height.
It is hard to get used to moving around the region without looking into the distance, in search of a volcano, especially in winter, when the snow covers the peaks with a white blanket, and to overcome the temptation to immortalize them. The Villarrica is the most active in the country; its last eruption dates from 2015 -its fumarole is an iconic image-, and crowning it has become an attraction for trekking fans.
At 2,847 meters high and of medium difficulty, the ascent lasts between six and eight hours, and always requires, be it summer or winter, to be accompanied by an official guide. Pucón is a good point in which to contract the service. During the journey and from the top, the views of the national park, the crater, the other volcanoes and the different lakes that surround it -it is located between the Villarrica and Calafquén lakes- are spectacular.
Melipeuco, another of the tourist centers of Araucanía, located about 120 kilometers northwest of Pucón, is the gateway to the Conguillío National Park, another paradise of flora and fauna, lava, lakes, lagoons, and volcanoes. The Llaima stands out, at 3,195 meters, the second most active and visited in the country, and the Sierra Nevada, at 2,554 meters, now extinct.
Limited to 1,400 visitors a day, to which are added those who stay in the campsites and glamping sites in the interior, they can walk, bike or drive different routes, an experience that becomes a spectacle for the senses.
The landscapes are incredible and very diverse among themselves. The Valley of the Moon is an essential stop, an almost magical place shaped by different lava flows from Llaima, where the sand dunes and rock formations transport us to a lunar valley. An equally fascinating landscape is provided by the Green Lagoon, where the Allipén River is born, whose waters, coming from the melting ice, are responsible for its appearance changing depending on the time of year, and the Arcoiris Lagoon, with emerald tones that contrast with the volcanic slag and vegetation, from which araucarias and other local species stand out.
The area, outside the park, also offers exciting activities such as rafting on the Truful Truful, a sacred river for the Mapuches, which is born between the Llaima and Sierra Nevada volcanoes. For this reason, the descent in an inflatable raft, between spectacular jumps, seems like a good way to put an end to a trip through the heart of Araucanía, the pure essence of Chile.
