Isla Las Bandurrias

The Lakes District


Surrounded by the mountains some 20km or so from the Argentine border, the 4-hectare Isla Las Bandurrias' cinematic island setting is its selling point, but whether you're in the lovely main home or the idyllic cabin, rustic-chic furnishings and recycled design elements coupled with French antiques and wooden stoves aplenty make for the ultimate, solar-powered nature retreat.

It sure as hell ain't easy to get to and all the better for it. The late mother of OpenTravel's Cathy Berard built this little isolated patch of paradise in the middle of Lago Las Rocas, 20km south of Llanada Grande, from reclaimed cypress logs rescued from the lake and a fierce, off-the-grid determination. It's pricey, but the bill includes three meals (with wine) and afternoon tea, but not the boat transfer across Lago Las Rocas, which is CH$15,000 for up to eight people, arranged by OpenTravel.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby The Lakes District attractions

1. Cabeza del Indio

16.32 MILES

On a ridge 7km west of town is Cabeza del Indio, a rock outcrop resembling a man’s profile; the trail has great views of the Río Azul and Lago Puelo. The…

2. Feria Artesanal

16.77 MILES

Local craftspeople sell their wares at this market, along the eastern edge of Plaza Pagano, which boasts over 300 artists, who make and sell everything…

3. Cascada Escondida

17.24 MILES

Small but beautifully formed, this 'hidden' waterfall lies several kilometers north of El Bolsón, reachable via a gravel road or a walking trail from town.

4. Bosque Tallado

19.95 MILES

A signposted road leads from RN 40 up the wooded slopes of Cerro Piltriquitrón. From the end of the road, it's a 40-minute hike to the Sculpted Forest,…

5. Parque Nacional Hornopirén

25.94 MILES

Relatively unknown and not often accessed, Parque Nacional Hornopirén protects a lush wilderness of alpine terrain. It remains obscure mainly because…

6. Parque Tagua-Tagua

26.66 MILES

Carved out of virgin Valdivian rainforest 15km east of Puelo, Parque Tagua-Tagua is southern Chile's latest park. A private initiative funded by…