route of the national parks in chile
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The Route of the National Parks in Patagonia, Chile

The Route of the National Parks
Patagonia, Chile

The Route of the Parks is a vision of territory conservation for Chilean Patagonia, promoted by Tompkins Conservation Chile. This scenic route runs 2,800 km between Puerto Montt and Cabo de Hornos, crossing 17 National Parks. It protects 11.8 million hectares and inspires economic dynamism as a consequence of the conservation of more than 60 surrounding communities.

 

 

What is the Route of the National Parks in Patagonia?

The Route of the Parks is a green lung for Chile and the world. After the Amazon, it is the place with the highest carbon storage in South America. It has a high ecological value due to the level of endemism and biodiversity of its temperate rainforests, subantarctic, wetlands, ice fields and the most extensive fjord system on the planet. These ecosystems present a high degree of naturalness, low human influence, and are a refuge for endangered species such as the huemul and huillín, as well as important buffer zones to counteract climate change and the crisis of species extinction.

The Patagonian Parks Route crosses 1/3 of Chile and invites you to protect the incomparable beauty of the end of the world. Today more than ever we know that without healthy ecosystems, with all their complexity of species, relationships and processes, there is little opportunity for human societies to flourish. The Route of the Parks raises the urgency of reconnecting with nature and working on development models that are harmonious with biodiversity, which promote healthy, vibrant and beautiful environments for all life communities on earth.

 

 

The Route of the National Parks in Patagonia: Map

Check our map with the national parks included in the Route of the National Parks in Patagonia:

 

The Route of the National Parks in Patagonia - Chile

 

 

The Route of the National Parks in Patagonia: Ecology and Conservation

The Patagonia Park Route is one of the last wild places and a lung for the planet. Data from a recent study shows that the Park Route plays an important role in mitigating global warming, given its current carbon pool. The research is based on a new dataset produced by the United Nations World Environment Conservation Monitoring Center (UNEP-WCMC), with additional calculations from the National Geographic Society and cartographic data provided by Tompkins Conservation Chile.

This research shows that both the soil and the biomass of the ecosystems present in the 11.8 million hectares that the Route protects, store 6,608 million metric tons of carbon. With an average of 558 tons of carbon per hectare, the Route of the Parks is one of the richest carbon sinks in South America, storing almost 3 times more carbon per hectare than the forests of the Amazon.

The planetary importance of this vast territory is also reflected in its high degree of naturalness, as it houses pristine places, still untouched by man, which preserve ecological processes on large scales of space and time. Almost 20% of the route’s surface is made up of peatlands, the main regulator of the climate by storing 10 times more carbon than any other ecosystem, while the North and South ice fields make up the third largest reserve of fresh water in the world.

The eco-regions present in the Route of the Parks have a high level of endemism and biodiversity, originating a mosaic of life of extraordinary richness, from sea to mountain range. Large ocean currents converge in the sea and the most extensive estuarine system in the world unfolds, with a coastline that borders fjords, peninsulas, archipelagos and more than 3,000 islands, which exceeds 80 thousand kms. in extension, equivalent to twice the circumference of the Earth.

 

The Route of the National Parks in Patagonia: 17 national parks

The amazing route of the national parks of Patagonia include 17 national parks in total, from Alerce Andino to the Cabo de Hornos. Check details:

 

 

The Route of the National Parks in Patagonia
Alerce Andino National Park

The trees that inhabit the Andean Larch are heirs of ancient lineages. This ecoregion remained isolated from the ice that covered the area 12 thousand years ago, forming forests that today are a world icon for their endemism: one in three species does not occur anywhere else on the planet. Vertical granite walls surround the fifty lagoons of the park and its rugged geography has protected millennial Alerces, present in more than half of the surface of this valuable ecosystem located south of Lake Chapo and classified as a Forest Biosphere Reserve. Rainy Temperate of the Southern Andes.

The Alerce Andino National Park was created on November 17, 1982. It has an area of ​​39,255 hectares. It is located in the province of Llanquihue, in the communes of Puerto Montt and Cochamó, between the basin and the Reloncaví estuary, in the mountainous area that extends south of Lake Chapo.

The Alerce Andino National Park is part of the Temperate Rainforest Biosphere Reserve of the Southern Andes.

The predominant plant formation is the forest made up of the larch, evergreen, coigüe de Magallanes and lenga forest types. The most representative species is the larch, which occurs in almost 20,000 hectares of the park, developing preferably above 400 meters above sea level and associated with the Chiloé coigüe, tineo, mañío and cinnamon.

Meanwhile, its fauna highlights the presence of mammals such as the pudu, puma, güiña, gray fox, chingue, and little monkey. Among the birds, the condor, the black woodpecker, the huet huet, the kingfisher, the peuco, the real duck, the caiquén, the cachudito and the torcaza stand out. The native fish species is the percatrucha.

 

 

The Route of the National Parks in Patagonia
Hornopirén National Park

The Hornopirén National Park, “Horno de Nieve” (Snow oven) in Mapudungún, is part of the evergreen forest ecoregion, recognized for its rich biodiversity, level of endemism and its ecologically intact remnants of ancient trees. It is part of the World Reserve of the Biosphere of the Temperate Rainforests of the Southern Andes and protects almost 9 thousand hectares of Alerces. The Hornopirén volcano, although outside its limits, crowns the landscape and its mountains and valleys are sculpted by snowdrifts, lakes, lagoons and rivers such as Puelo Chico, Ventisquero and Blanco, which empties into the Comau fjord, in the commune of Huailahué.

The Hornopirén National Park was created on October 19, 1988. It is located in the commune of Hualaihué, province of Palena, east of the town of Hornopirén and has 48,232 ha.

Hornopirén National Park is part of the Temperate Rainforest Biosphere Reserve of the Southern Andes. The park is covered with vegetation in 50% of its surface, the main forest types being larch (almost 9 thousand hectares), evergreen, coigüe de Magallanes and lenga. The rest is made up of rocky areas, snows, lakes, lagoons and snowdrifts. Meanwhile, among mammals it is possible to find around 25 species, among them the puma, the güiña, the quique, the chilla fox, the mink, the nutria, the pudu and the huemul stand out. Among the birds, around 123 species can be found in the area. The flying quetru, the condor and the black woodpecker stand out.

Recommendation: the tour of the different trails requires, due to its proximity to the glaciers and its harsh climate, to wear appropriate clothing for the existing conditions, such as: mud, rain and temperatures below zero at night.

 

 

The Route of the National Parks in Patagonia
Pumalin – Douglas Tompkis National Parks

The deep forests of Pumalín descend into the fjords, creating one of the most spectacular coastlines on the planet. Hundreds of waterfalls break off the snowdrifts and fall on the granite walls, while the Michimahuida and Chaitén volcanoes crown the landscape. The undisputed protagonist is the threatened Larch: 25% of the total remaining species in the country take refuge in this National Park and its almost 3 millennia tell the timeless history of this pristine ecosystem in the province of Palena.

The Pumalín Douglas Tompkins National Park was created on February 28, 2018.  In 2005, being a private protected area, it was declared a Nature Sanctuary, according to Exempt Decree No. 1,137 of August 18, 2005 of the Ministry of Education. After 12 years operating as a private park, on March 15, 2017, a protocol of agreement was signed between the ministries of the Environment, National Assets, Undersecretary of Tourism and the National Forestry Corporation.

This park is made up of a total area of ​​approximately 402,392 hectares, of which 293,338 were donated by Tompkins Conservation to the Chilean State. It is located within the communes of Cochamó (21,810 ha), Hualaihué (118,972 ha), Chaitén (250,752 ha) and Palena (10,857 ha) in the provinces of Llanquihue and Palena, Los Lagos Region. This national park is inserted within the Biosphere Reserve of the Temperate Rainforests of the Southern Andes, declared by UNESCO in September 2007, due to its great biodiversity of global importance, since it represents two biogeographic regions: the South Andean province and the province of Valdivian forest.

Flora and fauna
Flora: it has larch forests, a threatened and protected species as a natural monument and existing forest species such as: evergreen: luma, tepa, cinnamon, tineo, tiaca, coigüe de Chiloé, coigüe de Magallanes, ulmo; olive tree and male mañío. In addition to cypress from Guaitecas, cinnamon, notro, hazelnut and tineo.

Fauna. Mammals: mountain monitor, mouse-eared bat, long-tailed bat, long-tailed mouse, olive mouse, woolly mouse, southern wrestling, nutria, culpeo fox, ferret or quique, chingue, güiña, colo colo cat, puma, huillín or otter river, chungungo, huemul, pudú. Birds: South American partridges, divers, penguins, peaks, pelicans, cormorants, herons, condors, bandurrias, swamp crows, flamingos, swans, geese, ducks, jotes, harriers, dancing hooves, hawks, owls, turtledoves, hummingbirds, woodpeckers, swallows, thrushes, tench, loicas, diucas, etc.

 

The Route of the National Parks in Patagonia
Corcovado National Park

The magnificent Corcovado Volcano rises 2,300 meters above sea level and welcomes this pristine ecosystem with difficult access, composed of evergreen forest, fjords, bays, rivers, deep valleys and dozens of hidden lakes. Created thanks to the donation of more than 84 thousand hectares of Tompkins Conservation and the incorporation of public land, it has large tracts of land that are still untouched and largely unexplored. Secret corners sheltered by the Corcovado Gulf and Tic Toc Bay, in the Chaitén commune.

Corcovado National Park was created on January 7, 2005 and its surface covers 293,986 hectares. Much of the territory is located in the commune of Chaitén, province of Palena. In this park the temperate rainforests, unique in the world, are preserved, represented in the evergreen forests of Puyuhuapi and high montane deciduous scrub. In addition, endemic fauna species of the southern hemisphere, mainly of Antarctic origin, and with conservation problems, such as: huillín (Lontra provox), güiña (Felis guigna), chungungo (Lontra felina), becacina (Gallinago paraguaiae) and puma (Felis concolor), among others

 

 

The Route of the National Parks in Patagonia
Melimoyu National Park

The Blue Whales are the protagonists of the coasts of Melimoyu. It is estimated that 10% of the world population of these cetaceans come to the Corcovado Gulf to feed during the Krill summer. Dozens of rivers are born from the snowdrifts and drain into the channels and fjords, depositing organic material from the forest and peatlands, creating a rich biodiversity and active wildlife. A pristine ecosystem of the Cisnes commune with incredible landscapes, dominated by the imposing Melimoyu volcano or “four horns”, in Mapudungún, long ago considered the gateway to the mythical City of the Caesars.

 

The Route of the National Parks in Patagonia
Queulat National Park

“Sound of Waterfalls” in the language of the Chonos, was sighted for the first time at the end of the 18th century by the Jesuits who were looking for the entrance to the mythical City of the Caesars. Today the beauty of Queulat National Park, near Puyuhuapi, is admired by thousands of visitors who arrive attracted by its evergreen and Andean Patagonian forests, waterfalls, fjords, steep walls, mighty rivers and its famous hanging glacier, which can be spotted from the Carretera Austral.

The Route of the National Parks in Patagonia
Isla Magdalena National Park

The rugged landscapes, deep ravines and dismembered coasts, have made Magdalena Island a perfect refuge for species such as Penguins, Cormorants, Sea Lions and Huillines. Located between the mainland and the Guaitecas archipelago, in the Río Cisnes commune, it is one of the largest islands south of Chiloé and 80% of its surface is protected. At its center, the Mentolat volcano rises 1,660 meters among the exuberant flora of the North Patagonian mountain range.

 

The Route of the National Parks in Patagonia
Cerro Castillo National Park

The magnificent Cerro Castillo rises 2,318 meters above the communes of Coyhaique and Río Ibañez, and around it a trekking circuit unfolds that has been cataloged as one of the most beautiful in Chile. The Lenga and Ñirre forests are perfect refuges for the Huemules and it is not unusual to see some specimens in the vicinity of Portezuelo Ibañez, on one side of the Carretera Austral. The hanging snowdrifts form lagoons of intense turquoise color, giving life to unique landscapes that amaze visitors from all over the world.

The unit is located in the Aysén Region, communes of Coyhaique and Río Ibáñez. It was created on June 19, 1970 (as a national reserve), and has an area of ​​138,164 hectares.

The unit stands out for the protection of the fauna species huemul (Hippocamelus bisulcus), puma (Felis concolor), guanaco Lama guanicoe), Patagonian chingue (Conepatus humboldti) and red fox (Pseudalopex culpaeus), among others. With regard to flora, deciduous forests predominate with the presence of lenga (Nothofagus pumilio), ñirre (Nothofagus antarctica), notro or plum (Embothrium coccineum) and calafate (Berberis buxofolia).

In the area there is a tendency towards a cold steppe and trans-Andean continental climate with steppe degeneration, encompassing a large part of the trans-Andean slope of the Andes mountain range, with a very cold temperature and snow in winter. Cerro Castillo National Park stands out for its hiking trails to its main peaks, Cerro Castillo (2318 masl) and Cerro Las Cuatro Cumbres (2273 masl). It also has camping facilities.

 

The Route of the National Parks in Patagonia
Patagonia National Park

Immense valleys, molded by the Chacabuco River, form a natural corridor traveled since ancient times by nomadic ethnic groups and a great diversity of fauna. The scene of large cattle ranches, today the pastures have been recovering after a century of overgrazing and are home to one of the highest levels of biodiversity in the Aysén region. The Patagonian steppe in all its splendor, mountain ranges, lengas and ñirre forests that turn red in autumn, dozens of lagoons and spectacular lakes such as Cochrane and Jeinimeni give life to landscapes of breathtaking beauty, an active wildlife and tell the history of one of the most important ecosystem restoration projects in the country.

The Patagonia National Park was officially created on December 11, 2018, consisting of a total area of ​​304,527.75 ha.

Most of the territory that currently makes up the Patagonia National Park, integrates the surface of the former Lago Jeinimeni National Reserve and the former Lago Cochrane National Reserve (Tamango); including the Valle Chacabuco sector, an area donated to the State by the Tompkins Conservation Foundation, within the framework of the Patagonia Parks Network initiative.

 

 

The Route of the National Parks in Patagonia
Laguna San Rafael National Park

The magnificent landscapes of San Rafael are a mosaic composed of fjords, channels, islands, estuaries and ice. Declared a Biosphere Reserve, it is the main gateway to the Northern Ice Field. The San Rafael glacier attracts the gaze of visitors from all over the world, who embark from Puerto Chacabuco or Puerto Tranquilo to appreciate the greatness of its untouched horizons and its ecological biodiversity. Charles Darwin, Fitz Roy and Alberto de Agostini are just some of the historical figures who have made known the spectacular nature of this hidden corner of the Aysén region.

 

 

The Route of the National Parks in Patagonia
Bernardo O´Higgins National Park

It is the largest park in Chile and one of the largest in the world, with 26% of its surface in the Aysén region and the remaining 74% in the Magallanes region. The 49 glaciers of the Southern Ice Field are its undisputed protagonists and make up the third largest extension of continental ice on the planet, after Antarctica and Greenland. Its icon is the Pío XI glacier, the largest in the southern hemisphere and the only one that is not in decline in this area. It also stands out for being a refuge for species such as the Huemul and one and two-haired sea lions. Sailing is the best way to get into the beauty of these landscapes that formerly sheltered the Kawésqar ethnic group.

The Bernardo O’Higgins National Park administratively corresponds to the communes of Tortel (Capitan Prat province, Aysén Region) and Puerto Natales (Ultima Esperanza province, Magallanes Region and Chilean Antarctica). In this last province is the largest extension of the park. It was created on July 22, 1969.

The park stands out for its large ice surfaces and also for the culture and vestiges of the Kaweskar or Alacalufe ethnic group. It also stands out for the protection of fauna species such as huemul, one and two-haired sea lions. Among the birds are the imperial cormorant, condor, eagle and cahuil gull. In terms of flora, evergreen trees dominate, such as the Magallanes coigüe, Güaitecas cypress and cinnamon.

 

The Route of the National Parks in Patagonia
Pali Aike National Park

“Desolate place where the devil dwells” was the name with which the Aonikenk called these places of incredible lunar appearance, located 196 kms. from Punta Arenas, very close to the border with Argentina. Low-rise volcanic cones, caves, various craters, basalt walls and lava scoria tell the story of recent eruptions and are a paradise for geologists, volcanologists and anthropologists. The plateau of no more than 200 meters. It was actively traveled 11 thousand years ago by pedestrian ethnic groups and the Magellan steppe today houses an active wildlife, composed of species such as the Guanaco, Puma, Zorro and Ñandú.

 

The Route of the National Parks in Patagonia
Kawesqar National Park

It covers a large part of the archipelagos of the Provinces of Magallanes and Ultima Esperanza, as well as half of the surface of Riesco Island. Its landscapes are a mosaic made up of mountain ranges, forests, glaciers, fjords, lakes, wetlands and valleys that make up virgin ecosystems of incomparable beauty and habitat for a great diversity of species. The Montañas fjord and the Sarmiento mountain range are some of the natural wonders of this park, which attracts the eyes of visitors from all over the world.

 

 

The Route of the National Parks in Patagonia
Alberto de Agostini National Park

It is the third largest park in Chile and owes its name to the Salesian priest who explored, photographed, climbed and was moved by the majesty of the Darwin mountain range, a 35-kilometer cordon. that is fragmented in the Pacific originating deep fjords, sculpted by the snowdrifts of the third ice field of the country. Located about 800 nautical miles south of Punta Arenas, in the Navarino commune, it is part of the Cabo de Hornos Biosphere Reserve, declared by Unesco, for being considered one of the 24 most pristine ecoregions on the planet. It protects species such as Sea Elephants and has lush vegetation, spectacular glaciers such as Marinelli and beautiful formations such as Mount Sarmiento.

 

W Circuit in Torres del Paine, Chile

 

The Route of the National Parks in Patagonia
Torres del Paine National Park

Declared as the Eighth Wonder of the World and Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO, the Paine massif is known as one of the most beautiful mountains on the planet. Formed 12 million years ago, it is geological poetry and a magnet for trekking and climbing lovers, making it the third most visited park in the country. The complete circuit, called “Circuito Macizo Paine”, as well as the “W”, are among the must-see walks in Chile and the world. They offer a spectacle of turquoise lakes, glaciers, forests and extensive pampas, habitat of species such as Puma, Huemul, Ñandú and Guanaco.

 

 

The Route of the National Parks in Patagonia
Yendegaia National Park

Immense pampas, fjords, channels and unexplored mountains make up this unique territory declared as a Biosphere Reserve and ancestrally traveled by the Selknam by land and the Yaganes by the coast. “Deep Bay” is the meaning in the Yagán language of the name of this park in Tierra del Fuego that was born thanks to the donation of more than 38 thousand hectares from the Yendegaia Foundation, led by Douglas and Kristine Tompkins, and the incorporation of more than 111 thousand hectares by the State. The Darwin Mountain Range and Lake Fagnano frame these pristine edge-of-the-world landscapes of unparalleled beauty.

 

 

The Route of the National Parks in Patagonia
Cabo de Hornos National Park

It is the only place in the world where the waters of the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans meet and its history evokes the legend of hundreds of sailors who braved its waters in search of the southernmost end of the planet. The park is surprising for the great diversity of seabirds, including the giant Petrel, and for its valuable Subantarctic forest, which grows squat to adapt to the hurricane-force winds. It is located in the Wolaston Archipelago, in the Hermite Islands group, it is part of the Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve declared by Unesco. It also protects 2,967,036 hectares of sea, being the first protected wild area in Chile that includes terrestrial and marine ecosystems as a whole.

 

 

 

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