Toubkal Trekking

Villarrica Volcano Climb from Pucón

If you’ve ever fantasized about standing atop an erupting volcano, gazing down into the churning lava like a volcano lord, then Pucón, Chile, is the vacation for you. But, caveat—this isn’t your run-of-the-mill “hike in the park” outing. This is Villarrica, one of Chile’s most volcanically active, and the hike is just as exciting as it sounds.

Who Needs a Gym When You Can Climb a Volcano?

Ditch the extortionate memberships and clammy elliptical trainers. If you want to generate a good sweat, Villarrica Volcano will have you sweating buckets. At 2,847 meters (9,341 feet) above sea level, these giant titans may not be the world’s tallest mountain, but do not be misled—its height will have you gasping for air as if you’ve just finished running a marathon inside a sauna.

The ascent begins early, and though the ascent is brutal, it’s not really dull. It’s like a roller coaster ride, but with more rocks, less screaming, and every now and then a glimpse to pause you and tell yourself, “Why in the world did you do this?” But, hey, that’s just the journey, 

The Gear Game: Dressed to Impress (Even If You’re Not)

And even before you go and contemplate venturing onto the volcano, you’ll be decked out with the gear so you appear as some kind of combination of superhero mountain-climber and snow-suit-marshmallow. It’s essential—because, let’s be honest, hiking up an active volcano isn’t exactly the kind of thing you do in a pair of flip-flops.

You’ll get ice axes, crampons, helmets, and a very stylish full-body suit that makes you look like you’re about to break into a high-stakes heist. Not to mention, the guides look like they’ve been doing this for years, so they walk you through every step while you wonder if you’ll survive the next few hours in one piece.

Let’s Talk About the Lava (Because That’s the Point, Right?)

After a couple of hours of sweaty uphill slogging, the real fun begins—the summit. Standing at the top, you can look out over the vast, pristine landscape of the Chilean Andes, but the best part? The smoking, bubbling, hot-as-heck crater. That’s the money shot right there.

No, there’s no lava fountain spewing up every five minutes (though, let’s be real, that would be very dramatic), but you’ll still feel the heat radiating from the depths below. It’s like entering the belly of the beast, where raw power of nature is unleashed in all its glory. And sure enough, you can even catch the occasional spout of smoke, as if the volcano is making you a very considerate “hello” from deep inside its blazing core.

The Descent: Sliding Down Like a Kid on a Sled

The best part of any adventure is always the way down, right? Well, the Villarrica downhill is not exactly a leisurely stroll back to base camp. No way, you get to ride down on a technique called “glissading,” which is basically just a high-falutin’ name for sliding down the mountain on your butt, like you’re in the universe’s best slip-n-slide.

The joy of this is absolutely unbeatable. You’ll feel the wind rushing by, the snow spraying up around you, and a grin plastered across your face because, well, who doesn’t love an adrenaline-fueled slide down a volcano?

Post-Climb: Reward Yourself with a Hot Drink (and Maybe Some Bragging Rights)

After surviving Villarrica, it’s time to celebrate. Maybe a hot drink, maybe some photos for your Instagram feed—heck, maybe you’ll even start planning your next active volcano adventure (because once is never enough, right?). Regardless of your plans, you’ll walk away from the Villarrica Volcano climb with an experience you’ll talk about for years to come.

Who knows? Maybe one day, you’ll look back and laugh at the thought of sliding down a fiery mountain for fun. But, hey, that’s just the kind of thing you do when you’ve climbed Villarrica.