The Saltos del Petrohué are a series of short, wide, immensely powerful chutes where the Río Petrohué — fed by Lago Todos los Santos — tears through narrow channels in black, glassy volcanic rock from a recent Osorno eruption. The contrast between the milky turquoise water and the black stone is the photographic draw.
A short boardwalk loop crosses the falls at several points. The setting, with Volcán Osorno rising behind, is one of the postcard images of southern Chile. The falls are inside Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park, an hour from Puerto Varas. Best visited mid-morning before the tour buses arrive from Puerto Varas and Puerto Montt.