Want to take a side trip? One of the links below might prove interesting ...
Want to read up on Chile?  Our Bookstore features many books at a discount.
International Travelers' English Exchange Library - a unique service which originated at el Refugio
Personal Anecdotes of Chile ... may give you some insight into what makes Chile unique
1.First Encounter
2.Batchelors Beware!
3.Brush with the Law
Chilean Secrets ... ssssh!: a repository of useful info for foreigners
1. Discounts on Hotels
2. Domestic air travel
3. Travel in Comfort
4. Chilean terms
,,, more

More Images of Lican Ray and Inaltulafquen Inn.
1. Beach Vendor
2. Fish Bake
3. Map of Lican Ray
,,, more

Other Useful Links
For the links below you'll need to use your Browser's [BACK] button to return here ...

The Latin American Travel Advisor: Sound advice for safe travel in 17 South and Central American countries.
CHIP: Get daily news and exchange rates for Chile in English.
Weather Forecast: (in Spanish) Lican Ray is between Temuco and Valdivia.
Hoods Woods: Check this out if you want to learn to REALLY survive!
Chilean Links a listing of other useful sites
Reciprocal Links ... we scratch each other's backs ...

 

Hosteria - Inaltulafquén - Inn

When you travel through the picturesque "Lakes District" of Chile you will want to  discover for yourself, a rustic and homey North-american-style Bed & Breakfast Inn located in Lican Ray, situated on the north shore of Lake Calafquén.

When the unique resort town of Lican Ray was "re-born" and saved from being flooded by an aborted dam project, this Inn was the first "hotel" available to the traveling public. During its early years it was "THE place" to stay for sports fishermen and travellers who wanted the best accomodation the community offered. For a time it was know as the "Hotel - Refugio" and many locals still refer to it by this name.

   Lake Calafquén (Lago Calafquén in Spanish) is a fairly warm lake fed by waters running off of the active Volcano Villarrica. The beaches are formed from dark pulverized volcanic lava. This dark color helps warm the lake by picking up the sun's heat. The lake was stocked with fresh-water salmon fingerlings imported from Canada and became famous among Chilean sportsmen as one of the best fishing lakes in the south with fresh-water salmon up to 7 kilograms being caught. The lake's popularity waned in the 1980's when it became over-fished, but now the fish are again being caught in good sizes, but so-far the crowds of fishermen have not yet returned.

Local boatsmen are available for sports fishing trips for between $25 and $50(US) per day, with best rates being available in the off-peak months (December or March). Tip:  Make sure you obtain a required fishing permit before throwing out your line.
 

A veteran travel agent told me that Chile used to be a favorite destination for lone female travelers because it was so safe but that for a time the country suffered from a bad image in the popular press which scared off a lot of travelers. Today that's all history and travelers of both sexes not only find travel easy and safe, but are delighted with the spontaneous friendlyness they find in the Chilean people.


When you stay at Hosteria -- Inaltulafquén -- Inn , you may be told to go jump-in-the lake as soon as you wake up in the morning. This isn't hard because it is situated right in front of the Playa Grande (Spanish for the "BIG beach" ... keep reading and who knows how much spanish you might learn!) you can swim, fish, sun-bathe, rent paddle boats, water bicycles and other acquatic vehicles only a few steps from the door. Here you often experience some of the most dramatic and spectacular sunsets which you've seen anywhere.

On clear nights -- which are frequent during the summer -- you'll be nearly blinded by the multitude of stars visible and often you'll see the red glow of the still active volcano Villarrica.

If you ask some fun-loving Chilean how many stars you can see on one of these nights he'll likely tell you "fifty," but don't be mis-led by this answer. Fifty in spanish is a pun which also means "countless", That is "sin cuenta" instead of "cinquenta," which sounds the same. (Don't you ever believe it if someone tells you that hispanics never make puns! -- however be careful using this English term because in Chilean usage it means to pass wind.)
 

The entire Lakes District is the home of the Arucana Indians, which is reflected in the names of many places in the zone.

As you may have guessed, even the name of the Inn Inaltulafquén comes from their language: It means " refuge beside the Lake." The Arucanians (also referred to as Mapuches) are the only Indian race that successfully opposed the Spaniards in their attempts to conquer America.

Lican Ray is unique in Chile, in as much as most of the residences are summer homes owned by absentee owners. For the foreign tourist this presents an opportunity to visit the area without great hoards of people if you choose to visit in the off-peak periods.

Generally speaking the weather in this area is excellent in the months of December through March but the place doesn't fill with tourists until January and February.

November and April can also be pleasant in this area since Lican Ray has a micro-climate which tends to keep it warmer than the surrounding area.
Day trips from Hosteria -- Inaltulafquén -- Inn include visits to several Hot Springs (called "Termas" in Spanish) in the area.

The Termas of Coñaripe (con-ya-REE-pay) are just 33 Km away, Liquiñe (lee-KEEN-yay) are 58 Km and Huife (WE-fay) are 84 Km.

Fishermen can find full or half-day trips decending the Tolten River from Villarrica. Bird-watchers are in paradise.

White-water rafting excursions are available on the Trancura river from nearby Púcon.

In the busy tourist season discos operate from midnight til dawn every day.

In the winter (June - August), Skiing at the Villarrica Ski area is barely a one-hour drive away.

Lican Ray is part of the Municipality of Villarrica which was twinned with the city of Magog in Quebec, Canada in 1996.

It is usually reached via Villarrica which is just 23 Km away on a paved road. Temuco is only 113 Km and Santiago is 788 Km.

Excellent bus transportation is available to all these points and mini-buses run as frequently as every 20 minutes between Villarrica and Lican Ray. Cost for these trips is less than 75 cents (US).

 Hosteria -- Inaltulafquén -- Inn offers a warm familiar atmosphere, the original

 English-language traveler's exchange library, bar service with Chile's typical

Pisco Sour and Vaina, guest meal service (try the Pink Lake-Salmon in butter-sauce ... mmmm), and homey, cosy rooms.

Reservations for Hosteria -- Inaltulafquén -- Inn may be obtained by using this e-mail form, phone at +56 (45) 43-1115, or mail to : Hosteria -- Inaltulafquén -- Inn, Cacique Punulef 510, Casilla 681, Lican Ray, Chile.

Rates are about US$40 including breakfast, in the busy season, but off-season when there's less staff to pay you could expect to stay for about $25(US) per person. Discounts are negotiable for groups or stays of several days.

How to find Hosteria -- Inaltulafquén -- Inn

General information about Chile, Lican Ray, etc., available via E-mail at this link, however, unless you ask specific questions you may receive a copy of this page's information in response to your request.

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  Last Updated 26 May 2004 by jdf