Crossing the Andes by road and ferry Daily from Puerto Varas (Jan-Apr and Sep-Dec 2008) Rest of year: Monday to Friday with overnight in Peulla. This journey from Puerto Varas to Bariloche - 3 lake crossings interlaced with 4 separate road journeys - routes through one of the few chinks in the Andean wall. Here, sapphire and emerald glacial lakes are flanked by sheer rock faces, monkey-puzzled piedmonts, and conical snow-capped peaks. The trip may be undertaken in a single day, or with an overnight stop in Peulla - a sleepy mountain hamlet with a couple of lakeshore hotels. Our comment "If the weather holds, this is one of the most beautiful journeys in the world."

Read more about: The Chilean lake district