The place: Puyuhuapi, Aysén

Puerto Puyuhuapi , Patagonia Aysen

Puerto Puyuhuapi

Puerto Puyuhuapi is found 30 minutes by boat from the Lodge. As is often the case in Chile’s southern lands, the history of the village was born from perseverance and tenacity.

The colonization of Puyuhuapi began in 1935 when two young Germans, Otto Uebel and Karl Ludwig, arrived searching for lands to which to emigrate with their families from Germany, motivated by their spirit of adventure and a fear of war in Europe. The colonization policy in Chile, with the aim of exercising sovereignty in the vast unpopulated lands of Patagonia, granted land to those who made it habitable and productive. They chose the end of the Fjord Puyuhuapi and with the help of some men from Chiloé they began to erect the first constructions and started the complex task of converting virgin forest into fertile land through a system of grazing, in order to begin farming work. Later, Walter Hopperdietzel and Ernesto Ludwig arrived. With the jungle and sea as natural borders, they could only reach other destinations via sea or by opening
up passages through the jungle with axes, machetes, or knives. However, despite the difficulties, Puyuhuapi was progressing. It was declared a town, with which supplies improved, it was attracting more German pioneers, especially after the Second World War, and more men came from Chiloé looking for work.

In 1945, the textile engineer Walter Hopperdietzel founded the rug factory in order to provide employment for the women who accompanied workers arriving from the island of Chiloé, and this was, up until a few years ago, one of the main sources of work in Puyuhuapi. With great skill, sitting in front of great handcrafted looms, the women of the town weave colorful rugs of excellent quality knot by knot. These are widely known in Chile and made with 100% pure sheep wool. Today, it is still possible to order these rugs, which are sent all over the world.

Puerto Puyuhuapi has approximately 500 inhabitants and continues developing, with inhabitants who work in farming, tourism, and fishing in the area.