Mapuche Lafkenche Nature and Ancient Culture on Lago Budi

A canoe is really the best way to quietly insert yourself into the environment,

without disrupting the birds and wildlife along Lago Budi.

Unique Nature and Culture are the two things that Lago Budi (Lake Budi) has in abundance. The preservation of both has in large part been an accident of geography, politics, and history; however, it has served to maintain both this great natural resource and the culture of the Mapuche Lafkenche Indians that call Lago Budi home. This is rapidly changing as transportation to the Lago Budi area improves. The Mapuche Lafkenche Indian community around Lago Budi have accepted this, and are now taking steps to protect themselves with widespread sustainable tourism and environmental projects to promote and protect the lake called the Nature and Ancient Culture Project.

Lago Budi, has only recently started to become a tourist destination in Southern Chile. Most Chileans have in the past, and still do, opt to spend their vacation time in places like Pucón. Ethnic and environmental tourism is a relatively foreign concept to Chilean Culture. It is only as the foreign tourism industry has started to grow, that places like Lago Budi have begun to establish themselves as a real destination alternatives. For the foreign tourist that travels from half a world away, often spending thousands of dollars or Euros to get to Chile, the resort towns like Pucón are simply not sufficient to hold their attention for more than a day or two. There is much more within a few hours. Lago Budi is simply one of the most fascinating alternatives in the Araucanía region.

The Mapuche Lafkenche Indians figure if the tourist are going to come, they should take control from the start of how they are going to impact the environment, economy, and most importantly their culture. To the Lafkenche there is really no separating the three. They want more than to just have a say in the development of the tourism industry around the lake, but to acutely run the tourism industry.

Their most important goal in mind is to move tourism beyond Lago Budi being a place for a day trip, and take it to the level of being an international destination in its own right. This has recently been a problem we have encountered among many local tourism agencies. They often confuse what Chileans would like to do, with what foreign tourist would like to experience. If trips to Lago Budi can be arranged at all, they are simply quick photo stops and back to Temuco the same day.

The Mapuche Lafkenche Nature and Ancient Culture project is designed to solve this problem. We are impressed by longterm vision the Mapuche Lafkenche Nature and Ancient Culture project has put in to action. There are many shameful examples of indigenous tourism projects, and ecotourism projects for that matter also, where the money flows out of a region as fast as it came in. Very little tourism money is really finding its way in to the pockets of the people who live there. We would point to Machu-Pichu in Peru or Lago de Atitlan in Guatemala as some examples of this sort of bad tourism development.

The project is designed to coordinate all the existing smaller projects and businesses in the area into a full tourism infrastructure. One of the more interesting is a series of Lafkenche Ruka's, or traditional Mapuche houses, built alongside modern cabins that ring the shores of Lago Budi. There is more than a little modern tourism insight that goes into this combination. As fascinating and fun as it might be to spend a night in a Lafkenche Ruka, the reality of staying in a Ruka for more than a night or two might not be so conducive to keeping a tourism industry going. The Cabins add that modern comfort, to allow someone to both explore firsthand what it was like to live in a Ruka, and get a good night sleep. For a family, this would be a perfect place to let the kids stay in the Ruka, and mom and dad get some piece, quiet, and comfort in the cabin next door. Your stay includes a chance to sample traditional Mapuche foods.

Hiking and Canoing around the lake

Lago Budi is filled with hundreds of species that exist no where else. It is the only saltwater lake in South America, and sits just a few kilometers from the ocean. This creates an ecotourism paradise that mixes the flora and fauna of both ocean and inland lakes into one unique ecosystem. It is not unusual to see the marshland filled with dozens of different bird species all competing for the best fishing spot along the shore.

comfortiable modern cabins with king size beds

To really get to know this ecosystem you should both hike around the lake and take a canoe or boat trip. The hiking trails around the lake are extensive, and to do the complete hiking circuit could easily take a week. However, day trips are more than possible to the various parts of the lake. Public transportation exist to even some of the most remote areas, via boat, bus, or even private driver. There is a fairy that does a regular route to all the major towns along the lake twice a day. The project has also established a network of Lafkenche hiking and cultural guides to help you get around and plan your trip.

A canoe is really the best way to quietly insert yourself into the environment, without disrupting the birds and wildlife along Lago Budi. The Lafkenche Mapuche use a traditional dugout log canoe. These trips with a guide can easily be arranged by the project, and are an excellent way to get to see some of the more remote parts of the lake, including the forested islands.

There is also an extensive calender of Lafkenche cultural events that the Mapuche are working hard to promote. In combination with the ecotourism aspect, this makes it possible to easily spend a week in the area of Lake Budi, Boca Budi, and Puerto Savedra. When you consider the cost of hotels in Pucón, along with the cost of perhaps watching it rain for a week on the ski slopes of the Villarrica volcano, a few days or a week at Lago Budi is an option that can do more than rescue your vacation to the region; it is perhaps a vacation in its own right.

Schedule and Activities programed in Lake Budi for 2006

Programs

Price p/p

July 20^th We Tripantu, Mapuche New Year

$6.000.-

December 8^th Lof Trawun Lago Budi, lago Budi Mapuche Communities annual meeting

$6.000.-

Circuits	Price p/p
Circuit around Araucania Coastal Area (Lafken Mapu) 2 days, 1 night Available from October to April Minimum 10 person group Food, lodging and transportation from Temuco included	$66.700.-
Eco-tourism Circuit in Lake Budi 3 days, 2 nights Available from October to March Minimum 10 person group Food, lodging and transportation from Temuco included	$153.000.-
Nature and Ancient Culture Circuit 1 day Available year round Minimum 5 person group	$53.500.-
Tren-Tren Circuit, The Mystical Hills 1 day Available from October to March Minimum 2 person group The price does not include transportation from Temuco	$25.300.-
Excursion Arts and Mapuche Wisdom in Lake Budi 1 day Available year round Minimum 5 person group The price does not include transportation from Temuco	$21.500.-
Excursion Ad Lewfu View of the Lake Llaguepulli ½ day Available from October to March Minimum 2 person group The price does not include transportation from Temuco	$16.500.-

Contact: Pablo Calfuqueo

Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Website: www.lagobudi.cl

Location: Lago Budi, Chile

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Mapuche Lafkenche Nature and Ancient Culture on Lago Budi

Hiking and Canoing around the lake

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Mapuche Lafkenche Nature and Ancient Culture on Lago Budi

Hiking and Canoing around the lake

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