Villarrica may be one of Chile's most active volcanoes but that hasn't stopped adventure seekers from far and wide to climb up to its summit. And who can blame them? At a height of 2,847, Villarrica rises above an ephemeral lake, a picturesque town and breathtaking landscapes that make for heart-wrenching views. The majestic volcano casts an eerie red glow over the scenery, which makes the picture that much more dramatic.
Located 750 km south of Santiago, the volcano is also known as Rucapillán, which means “devil's house” in Mapuche, and is the westernmost of three large stratovolcanoes that trend NW-SW obliquely perpendicular to the Andean chain along the Mocha-Villarrica Fault Zone, along with Quetrupillan and the Chilean portion of Lanin, are protected within Villarrica National Park.
But Villarrica is a special volcano for many reasons. Villarrica may be one of South America's most active volcanoes, but what puts on the world map is its lava. With its lava of basaltic-andesitic composition, Villarrica is one of a small number worldwide known to have an active (although intermittent) lava lake within its crater. The volcano tends to generate strombolian eruptions with ejection of incandescent pyroclasts and lava flows. The mix of rainfall with melted snow and glacier ice can lead to gigantic mud and debris flows, like the ones during the eruptions of 1964 and 1971.
All in all, this volcano stands out internationally and, therefore, is one of the nine volcanoes currently monitored by the Deep Earth Carbon Degassing Project, which collects data on the carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide emission rates from subaerial volcanoes.
Although guided ascents are popular during summer months, many tour guides claim that the experience is better when the volcano is snowed in, which makes sledding down the slope that much more gratifying. Apparently, it is also easier to climb the volcano when it is snowed in. One of the best times to climb Villarrica is in December when spring is ending and the snow starts to melt.
Although it is not a particular difficult quest, proper gear and a certified guide are needed to climb the volcano. Even though it is not common, some explorers have gone missing in previous years. Also, proper gear is necessary as it's slippery and you need a gas mask when you come close to the crater.
One tour operator that has been highly rated by travellers is Sierra Nevada. The tour costs 75,000 pesos (US$112), which does not include meals nor the ski lift. If you wish to take the ski lift and skip over one hour of trekking at the bottom of the volcano, it costs 10,000 Chilean pesos (US$15). This option is recommended for those hikers who are not used to climbing, as the first stretch of the quest can be a bit daunting and it is quite steep, and it might exhaust you before starting the many hours of ascent. Taking the chairlift also allows you to soak in the breathtaking views of the landscape.
Make sure you take food with protein and slow carbs. Make sure you take something that has sugar but that it releases it slow like an oat flapjack. Although something very sweet like a chocolate bar might give you energy right away, it has the opposite effect after a the sugar rush and it will make you feel more tired afterwards. Try to ration your food and your water. You don't want to drink too much water and feel heavy afterwards; you might also want to avoid eating heavy meals and feel sluggish afterwards. Try to take almonds, protein bars, dried fruits, cereals, and sandwiches or wraps with brown bread filled with salad, eggs or turkey ham. Take snacks so you can have something small on each break. No matter how tired you are, don't forget to breathe properly.
When you make it to the summit, you can to see the lava lake up close paired with a view of the landscape, volcanoes, lake, and town behind the clouds.
But the fun doesn't end after making to the summit. Thanks to its snow-capped peak, you get to sled down the first stretch of the volcano even during summer months. After sledding, descending the volcano can be slippery and tricky because the ground is somewhat unstable and the hill is quite steep.