We, a delegation from the German Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR), carried out a reconnaissance mission to the Chilean Andes to strengthen bilateral cooperation in natural hazard assessment and risk management and prepare joint international projects. At Osorno Volcano, we directly witnessed a debris-flow event that was triggered by intense rainfall on a snow-covered catchment. This first-hand observation underlined the critical role of snow–rain interactions in initiating rapid mass movements on volcanic slopes. In the Cajón del Maipo, we investigated catchments where massive, hydrothermally controlled debris flows occur frequently, shaping the landscape and threatening downstream communities. We met with SERNAGEOMIN, the Universidad de La Frontera (UFRO, Temuco; Ivo Fustos), SERNAPRED, CopLAC Chile, and the German-Chilean Chamber of Commerce (AHK Chile) to exchange knowledge and explore collaboration. These field experiences and institutional exchanges provided us with valuable insights into Chilean approaches to volcanic and hydrometeorological hazards and revealed clear opportunities for joint development of early warning systems, geomonitoring, and applied research in high-risk Andean environments. We gratefully acknowledge Elisabeth Schöpfe and Torsten Riedlinger (DLR) for facilitating the connections that made this mission possible.