Which Patagonia lake is the biggest lake in Chile?

General Carrera Lake is the biggest lake in Chile.

The lake lies in Patagonia and is shared by Chile and Argentina. Its Chilean sector is officially called General Carrera Lake, while the Argentine sector is known as Lake Buenos Aires. Of the lake’s roughly 1,850 square kilometres, about 970 square kilometres lie in Chile, making it Chile’s largest lake by surface area.

It is a deep, glacially formed lake surrounded by the Andes. Its western waters drain through Lake Bertrand and the Baker River toward the Pacific Ocean, while the basin also has a complicated glacial and tectonic history. The lake reaches about 586 metres at its deepest point.

A common mix-up is confusing it with Chile’s Lake Llanquihue or Lake Villarrica, both prominent tourist destinations but considerably smaller. General Carrera is especially famous for the Marble Caves, wave-carved formations along its Chilean shore, and for its striking blue water and sunny local microclimate. The lake is also called Chelenko, an Indigenous name meaning “stormy waters.”