Seniors Descend To The Los Rios Region

My wife and I love Chile having spent time with students in Temuco, a short distance south of Santiago. These seniors hope one day to drive the entire length of the country from the Atacama Desert all the way to Los Rios.

The Los Ríos Region‘s capital is Valdivia, pop. 356,396. Valdivia, one of the most beautiful cities in Chile, was founded in 1552, rediscovered in 1645 and strongly fortified in the 18th century. The German immigration transformed it to one of the most important industrial centers in Chile with factories of beer, mills and tanneries.

Oh Those Rivers (rios)

The Futaleufú river, at the top of Chile’s Patagonia, is one of the most captivating in the world. The valley it runs through is stunning and majestic, a special, sacred place, surrounded by snow-capped mountains, dense forests, glaciated lakes and other roaring rivers.

However, as is so often the case in pristine areas such as this, the watershed faces many threats, from hydroelectric interests wanting to dam the wild rivers to the potential construction of contaminating mines, as well as unsustainable development and the entrance of invasive species.

The original Los Lagos Region was one of the largest, most diverse regions in the country. Los Rios is properly named with many tributaries that promote some of the best fishing in the world. Chile is like a long spinal cord extending along the Pacific Ocean.

Senior Travelers Like Valdivia and Fly Fishing

Valdivia seems to be the place senior visitors want to be, located near hot springs, lakes and a plethora of fly fishing hot spots.  With many miles of premium trout water, you can fly fish all day without seeing another soul. The city is recognized nationally for having outstanding human resources, with one of the biggest concentrations of masters and PhD’s per capita in Chile and one of the most important centers for scientific studies in the world.

 Valdivia is located 520 miles south of Santiago, near the Valdivia River’s mouth and the port of Corral, on the Pacific Ocean. The economy is oriented to forestry, while the other provinces are more active in fishing and cattle farming.

La Cruces Forest, also known as Valdivia Rainforest Valdiviana or temperate rainforest is an evergreen forest. It is considered a good representative of the oldest forests in the world, with an unusual diversity of tree species, many of which are unique in the world.

We recall that the family we were staying with in rural Temuco took us to a forest with trees that looked like they belonged to a prehistoric era. The trees are called Araucaria or monkey trees or Chilean Pine. Because of the great age of this species it is sometimes described as a living fossil.

Seniors, make plans now to visit the Los Rios Region, bring along your fly fishing gear and a good South American appetite.   jeb