Our most recommended things to do in Castro

From Puerto Varas: Chiloe Island Full-day Tour

From Puerto Varas: Chiloe Island Full-day Tour

Spend a full day touring around the Island of Chiloe. Reach the island by ferry to explore the towns of Chacao, Castro, and Dalcahue. Marvel at the houses on stilts in the water. See churches and experience craft markets. Relax with an easy and convenient return hotel transfer. Begin your tour as you are picked up at your Puerto Varas hotel. Drive south along Panamericana Route 5 for about 80 miles (129 km) to arrive at the town of Pargua. Cross the Chacao channel by ferry to go to Isla Grande de Chiloe. Visit the town of Chacao, founded in 1567. Admire the town square and the picturesque buildings. See the church and travel to the city of Ancud. Take in the Plaza de Armas, crafts market, the museum and Fort of San Antonio, and other historic sites. Continue to Castro, the capital of Chiloe Island. Appreciate the handicrafts market and head to Mirador del Barrio Gamboa, known for its famous Palafitos, which are houses sitting on stilts in the water. Finish your trip with a visit to the port city of Dalcahue, known for its Sunday craft fair where locals from the islands bring their handicrafts.

From Puerto Varas or Puerto Montt: Chiloé Island Tour

From Puerto Varas or Puerto Montt: Chiloé Island Tour

Depart from Puerto Varas or Puerto Montt, depending on the option selected. Begin your day by taking a boat down the Chacao canal for 30 minutes, where you spot a wide variety of birds, before arriving at the village of Chacao to visit its square and church. Continue to Castro to stop for lunch at your own expense. Visit the typical stilted houses in the Gamboa district, the main square, and the Nercón Church which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Originally constructed around 1890, the church is considered a national monument. Travel onwards towards Dalcahue, where you will stop on the waterfront to take in the wonderful natural landscape and visit the local artisan market, museum, and the Church of Our Lady of Sorrows, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site and national monument.

Puerto Varas: FullDay Chiloe Island Tour Castro and dalcahue

Puerto Varas: FullDay Chiloe Island Tour Castro and dalcahue

Your full-day tour will leave from Puerto Varas early in the morning before taking the Panamericana Route 5 south for about 80 miles. It is at this point that you will reach the town of Pargua. Once in Pargua, you will take a ferry that will allow you to cross the Chacao Canal and reach Isla Grande de Chiloe. From there you will go to the town of Chacao, one of the oldest villages of the island which was founded in 1567. This town has a typical square which contains a curious and picturesque building of strong color. Whilst there you can also visit the church, which is one of more than 150 churches in Chiloé. Later you will go to Castro, the capital of Chiloé Island. You will visit the local Church of Castro (which has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000), a handicrafts market, and the Mirador del Barrio Gamboa (where you can appreciate the famous "Palafitos"). You will then finish your tour visiting Dalcahue, which is famous for its craft fair on Sundays. It is here that locals bring varied handicrafts for marketing from the outer islands of the archipelagos.

Muelle del Tiempo: dune and sea.

Muelle del Tiempo: dune and sea.

On this trip we are going to visit one of the most wonderful docks in the island, with amazing views to the pacific ocean, and a trekking of almost two hours on the trees. Cucao is a recognized beach for his views, the landscape, the mix between sand, grass and dunes. This place it´s located only one hour from Castro, the main city in Chiloé. We can pick up you in your hotel, or the place that you prefer, we go in a SUV that it´s prepared for trips like this, so you don´t have nothing to worry about.

Penguins in Chiloé

Penguins in Chiloé

Our adventure begins with a scenic drive from Castro, heading towards Puñihuil. The journey takes about two hours, offering breathtaking views of the lush landscapes of Chiloé as we make our way to the bay. Upon arrival at Puñihuil, we’ll board a boat that will take us on a 30-minute tour around the waters, where we’ll have the unique opportunity to see the famous Humboldt and Magellanic penguins in their natural habitat. Along the way, we'll also spot various species of birds that inhabit the area, making for an unforgettable wildlife experience. As we make our way back, we’ll pass by the picturesque Pumillahue Bay, known for its serene beauty, and we’ll also get a chance to admire the striking Piedra Run, a large rock formation that adds to the area’s charm. Our next stop will be the historic Fort San Antonio in Ancud, where we'll explore this important piece of Chiloé’s military history and learn about its role during colonial times. After the visit to the fort, we’ll begin our journey back to Castro, concluding the day with plenty of memories of the diverse landscapes and fascinating wildlife of Chiloé.

Lemuy Island: Churches and trees in Chiloé.

Lemuy Island: Churches and trees in Chiloé.

The first step on the tour it´s the pickup on your hotel, then we go ahead to Lemuy Island, it´s a trip of an hour from Castro, then we arrive to a ferry, which is a trip that is like 5 minutes to the island. When we arrive to the island, we have a lot of attractions, like a viewpoint, a park and three churches that are world heritage named by the Unesco, and by the way, you are going to learn a lot of the Chiloé Island history and his traditions.

Go beyond Castro

Our most recommended things to do in Castro

From Puerto Varas: Chiloe Island Full-day Tour

From Puerto Varas: Chiloe Island Full-day Tour

Spend a full day touring around the Island of Chiloe. Reach the island by ferry to explore the towns of Chacao, Castro, and Dalcahue. Marvel at the houses on stilts in the water. See churches and experience craft markets. Relax with an easy and convenient return hotel transfer. Begin your tour as you are picked up at your Puerto Varas hotel. Drive south along Panamericana Route 5 for about 80 miles (129 km) to arrive at the town of Pargua. Cross the Chacao channel by ferry to go to Isla Grande de Chiloe. Visit the town of Chacao, founded in 1567. Admire the town square and the picturesque buildings. See the church and travel to the city of Ancud. Take in the Plaza de Armas, crafts market, the museum and Fort of San Antonio, and other historic sites. Continue to Castro, the capital of Chiloe Island. Appreciate the handicrafts market and head to Mirador del Barrio Gamboa, known for its famous Palafitos, which are houses sitting on stilts in the water. Finish your trip with a visit to the port city of Dalcahue, known for its Sunday craft fair where locals from the islands bring their handicrafts.

From Puerto Varas or Puerto Montt: Chiloé Island Tour

From Puerto Varas or Puerto Montt: Chiloé Island Tour

Depart from Puerto Varas or Puerto Montt, depending on the option selected. Begin your day by taking a boat down the Chacao canal for 30 minutes, where you spot a wide variety of birds, before arriving at the village of Chacao to visit its square and church. Continue to Castro to stop for lunch at your own expense. Visit the typical stilted houses in the Gamboa district, the main square, and the Nercón Church which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Originally constructed around 1890, the church is considered a national monument. Travel onwards towards Dalcahue, where you will stop on the waterfront to take in the wonderful natural landscape and visit the local artisan market, museum, and the Church of Our Lady of Sorrows, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site and national monument.

Puerto Varas: FullDay Chiloe Island Tour Castro and dalcahue

Puerto Varas: FullDay Chiloe Island Tour Castro and dalcahue

Your full-day tour will leave from Puerto Varas early in the morning before taking the Panamericana Route 5 south for about 80 miles. It is at this point that you will reach the town of Pargua. Once in Pargua, you will take a ferry that will allow you to cross the Chacao Canal and reach Isla Grande de Chiloe. From there you will go to the town of Chacao, one of the oldest villages of the island which was founded in 1567. This town has a typical square which contains a curious and picturesque building of strong color. Whilst there you can also visit the church, which is one of more than 150 churches in Chiloé. Later you will go to Castro, the capital of Chiloé Island. You will visit the local Church of Castro (which has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000), a handicrafts market, and the Mirador del Barrio Gamboa (where you can appreciate the famous "Palafitos"). You will then finish your tour visiting Dalcahue, which is famous for its craft fair on Sundays. It is here that locals bring varied handicrafts for marketing from the outer islands of the archipelagos.

Muelle del Tiempo: dune and sea.

Muelle del Tiempo: dune and sea.

On this trip we are going to visit one of the most wonderful docks in the island, with amazing views to the pacific ocean, and a trekking of almost two hours on the trees. Cucao is a recognized beach for his views, the landscape, the mix between sand, grass and dunes. This place it´s located only one hour from Castro, the main city in Chiloé. We can pick up you in your hotel, or the place that you prefer, we go in a SUV that it´s prepared for trips like this, so you don´t have nothing to worry about.

Penguins in Chiloé

Penguins in Chiloé

Our adventure begins with a scenic drive from Castro, heading towards Puñihuil. The journey takes about two hours, offering breathtaking views of the lush landscapes of Chiloé as we make our way to the bay. Upon arrival at Puñihuil, we’ll board a boat that will take us on a 30-minute tour around the waters, where we’ll have the unique opportunity to see the famous Humboldt and Magellanic penguins in their natural habitat. Along the way, we'll also spot various species of birds that inhabit the area, making for an unforgettable wildlife experience. As we make our way back, we’ll pass by the picturesque Pumillahue Bay, known for its serene beauty, and we’ll also get a chance to admire the striking Piedra Run, a large rock formation that adds to the area’s charm. Our next stop will be the historic Fort San Antonio in Ancud, where we'll explore this important piece of Chiloé’s military history and learn about its role during colonial times. After the visit to the fort, we’ll begin our journey back to Castro, concluding the day with plenty of memories of the diverse landscapes and fascinating wildlife of Chiloé.

Lemuy Island: Churches and trees in Chiloé.

Lemuy Island: Churches and trees in Chiloé.

The first step on the tour it´s the pickup on your hotel, then we go ahead to Lemuy Island, it´s a trip of an hour from Castro, then we arrive to a ferry, which is a trip that is like 5 minutes to the island. When we arrive to the island, we have a lot of attractions, like a viewpoint, a park and three churches that are world heritage named by the Unesco, and by the way, you are going to learn a lot of the Chiloé Island history and his traditions.

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What people are saying about Castro

Overall rating

4.8
(20 reviews)

A spectacular treatment, the explanations have been great and the guide shows that he knows and likes the subject. Advice from places to shop to places to try typical products is greatly appreciated. Very happy!

We really enjoyed the trip and our guide was wonderful. There were a couple of hiccups along the way which were out of our guide hands, however she handled then very professionally. Would definitely recommend.

Excellent, not to be missed, Ana is very kind, the bus is comfortable, the places are beautiful. I would do it again.

The tour is long and was enough to get an overview of the entire route and the particularities of the region.

Beautiful trip that gave you an idea of life on Chiloë. The distances are large.