The most beautiful national parks in Patagonia. National parks of chile National parks of chile

Juan Fernandez Islands. Discovered by chance in 1574 by Juan Fernandez, these islands are located in the Pacific Ocean, 670 km west of Valparaiso. The islands are distinguished by unusual flora and fauna - some of the plant species that grow here you will not see anywhere else in the world. The only mammal native to this region is the fur seal, which was on the verge of extinction in the last century. Among the 11 species of birds in the Juan Fernandez Islands, the hummingbird stands out.
Despite the fact that the islands are named after Juan Fernandez, the most legendary person associated with them is Alexander Selkirk. This unlucky but resourceful Scot was shipwrecked near the islands and thereby inspired Daniel Defoe to write the book Robinson Crusoe. Selcreek was forced to settle on the islands, and lived alone in a cave for 4 years before being rescued by two British privateers. Despite the fact that such isolation was very painful both spiritually and physically, Selkirk’s story ended happily, and after returning to England he became a celebrity.
National Park"Torres del Paine". It seems that the tall granite pillars of Torres del Paine point directly into the sky above Patagonia. The pillars, which look like vertical drops and reach a height of 2,600 meters, are the main attraction of the main national park. South America. But the whole nature of “Torres del Paine” is also impressive - valleys with sparkling blue lakes, winding streams and rivers, cascading waterfalls, huge glaciers and impenetrable forests. Torres del Paine is one of those places on the planet where the hand of nature has created especially magical pictures. The park, covering an area of ​​180,000 hectares, is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Animals such as guanacos and Chilean deer are protected by this organization. In the park you can find more than 150 species of birds (including flamingos, condors, black swans, eagles, etc.), about 25 mammals (such as foxes, pumas), as well as more than 200 species of plants.
Laguna San Rafael National Park. This park is the birthplace of icebergs. Here you can see a stunning sight - sheets of ice sliding into a neon blue lagoon. The ice field consists of 19 main glaciers, which have recently undergone significant melting under the influence of high temperatures. But don't worry - the ice will last here for several more millennia. San Rafael Park is also home to many wild animals such as pudus, pumas, foxes. And the area of ​​glaciers is home to penguins, albatrosses, otters and sea lions.
Chiloe National Park. Charles Darwin once visited this region, which later became a densely forested park. Scientists are still studying the unique flora and fauna of the park. It is located throughout coastline Pacific Ocean and consists mainly of coniferous evergreen vegetation. More than a hundred species of birds visit the coast and forests of this area.
Vincente Perez Rosales National Park. This main national park in Chile is perhaps the most beautiful. It is located in the south of the District of Lakes, so it is surrounded on the eastern side by many crystal clear bodies of water. In addition, there are two famous volcanoes nearby - Puvehu and Osorno. One of important features park - the emerald waters of Lake Todos Los Santos, where you can see the magnificent reflection of the Osorno volcano with its perfectly symmetrical cone. Volcano Osorno poses a challenge to climbers, although climbing it requires high qualifications and special equipment. In winter, the park turns into a magnificent ski resort.

Chile (Spanish Chile, official name - Republic of Chile (Spanish República de Chile) is a state in the southwest of South America, occupying a long strip of land between Pacific Ocean and the Andes. In the west it is washed by the Pacific Ocean, in the east it borders with Argentina, in the north with Peru, in the northeast with Bolivia.

Congillio - Los Paraguas - National Park of Chile. Located in the south of the Andes, together with the Alto Bio-bio forest reserve it makes up the Araucarias Biosphere Reserve. The national park is located in the Araucanía region in the province of Malleco (province)

La Campana is a national park in Chile. Together with national reserve Lago Peñueles constitutes the La Campana - Peñueles Biosphere Reserve. The national park is located in the provinces of Valparaiso and Quillota (communes of Juhuelas and Olmue)

Rapa Nui National Park (Easter Island) (Rapa Nui, Spanish Rapa Nui) is a national park in Chile, located on Easter Island and adjacent islets. With its fame and status as an object World Heritage The island owes UNESCO recognition to its numerous stone sculptures

Fray Jorge is a national park in Chile. Together with the national parks Taliney and Punta del Fiento, it forms the biosphere reserve of the same name. Fray Jorge National Park is located in the province of Limari (Coquimbo region) near the municipality of Ovalle.

Javascript is required to view this map

Lauca National Park located in the northern part, 160 km from port city Arica, in close proximity to the border with. It is located among the Andean mountains, covering a large plateau area. Its appearance, formed mainly from majestic volcanoes, makes a colossal impression and annually attracts thousands of travelers who come here to admire the extraordinary landscapes that reflect the beauty and grandeur of the surrounding nature.

Features and general information . The territory of Lauca National Park, which has the status of a World Biosphere Reserve, covers an area of ​​almost 138 thousand hectares, including the foothills and plateaus of the northern part of the Tarapacá region. The main volcanoes of the reserve are Guagliatiri, with a height of more than 6 thousand meters, and Acotango, which is only a couple of tens of meters behind it. Also noteworthy are the volcanoes of Parinacota, rising to 6,340 meters, and Pomerape, known as the Payachatas twins. Animal world Lauqui is not very diverse, but vicunas, llamas, alpacas, guanacos, tarucas, pumas and viscachas are found here regularly. Birds include the Andean goose, mountain ibis, giant coot, silvery grebe, Chilean flamingo and Andean condor. More than 400 varieties of vascular plants grow in the Lauca National Park. The park's vegetation is well adapted to harsh natural conditions, and in total about 400 different species grow here. Given the impressive height mountain peaks, visiting these places is not recommended for people who are afraid of heights and have health problems. Entrance to the park for adult visitors is paid, but the prices are purely symbolic.

A brief excursion into history. Lauca National Park was founded in 1970 and during this time has become one of the most popular tourist sites in Chile, offering not only beautiful natural landscapes, but also a number of unique archaeological sites, attracting the attention of thousands of history buffs and ancient artifacts from all over the world.

Climate. On weather conditions In the park, the high location relative to sea level has a significant influence. Average temperature air temperature in the summer months in Lauka ranges from +12 to +20 degrees, and in winter it ranges from 0 to -5. At night, the thermometer drops even lower. The most optimal time period for visiting the park is considered to be from September to December and from March to May, when it is warm and there is little rainfall.

How to get there. Transport. To get to Lauca National Park, you must first fly to, and from there take a domestic flight to Arica Airport. From this city there are bus routes in different directions, including to the reserve.

Attractions. One of the most scenic spots The park is Lake Chungara, located at an altitude of more than 4.5 thousand meters above sea level and covering an area of ​​21.5 square meters. km. It is surrounded by extinct and snow-capped volcanoes, which gives the area even more color and grandeur. This picturesque natural oasis is home to pink flamingos, Andean ducks and geese, guanacas, vicunas, foxes, llamas, and other exotic animals. An excellent addition to the image of Chungara are the baths located in the caves. Connoisseurs of archaeological treasures should definitely visit Tambo Quemado, as well as the Las Cuevas and Chacus Incaico Las Cuevas caves. In them, at one time, evidence was found that human life existed on the territory of Lauki 9 thousand years ago. Researchers were led to this fact by fragments of fossils from the fire pits of ancient people. The village of Parinacota, built from volcanic rocks, has retained the charm of the 17th century, and in the village of Chucuyo there are curious houses made of adobe with thatched roofs. The inhabitants of the park are the Aymara Indians, who for many years have been preserving the centuries-old traditions of their ancestors, engaging in animal husbandry and periodically organizing various pagan holidays.

Infrastructure. Tourist center, located in Parinacota, about 20 km from Lake Chungara, allows park visitors to find out the answers to their questions, and in the vicinity of the lake there are places for camping and several equipped areas for short stops. Fishing, mountaineering and trekking are popular ways of spending active time among tourists.

Lauca is of great interest to travel enthusiasts, boasting beautiful natural scenery and many interesting places. Every year, the park is visited by thousands of people who derive great pleasure from staying in this unique reserve, located among the majestic Andes, the snow-white peaks of which sparkle invitingly in the light of the bright rays of the sun.

This decision is largely due to the tireless efforts of American philanthropists Doug Tompkins and Christine McDivitt Tompkins, who donated the largest amount of private land to the government in history. Christine Tompkins donated 400,000 hectares of private land that she and her late husband purchased and restored over 25 years.

Presidential Decree

On Monday, these lands were added to another 3.5 million hectares, about which President Michelle Bachelet issued a decree.

“These beautiful lands, with their forests and rich ecosystems, expand the network of national parks to more than 4 million hectares,” Bachelet said in a statement. Thus, national parks in Chile increased by 38.5%, representing 81.1% of Chile’s protected areas.” The new parks will complement existing protected areas such as Torres del Paine, Los Glaciares, Perito Moreno and Los Alerces national parks.

Conservation efforts

The American couple has spent decades and hundreds of millions of dollars working to preserve the land and wildlife in parts of Chile that they have been able to protect from exploitation and degradation. The effort required enormous effort, as Doug, the founder of The North Face, and Christine, who was the CEO of the Patagonia brand, faced stiff resistance from local residents. They saw the couple as just foreigners who were only interested in the land, which they would not allow to be used for logging or grazing.

“National parks are born out of pain, headaches and a lot of hard work, both physically and politically,” Christine said. “It was impossible to achieve this without a miracle.” But miracles are just the result of hard work.”

Non-profit organization

Together with her husband, she created Tompkins Conservation, a non-profit organization that works with local residents, to help preserve and restore territory in Chile (an area the size of Switzerland), providing jobs and wages. Because these 10 million acres of protected areas are not contiguous, President Bachelet also announced plans to create a network of parks connected hiking trail 2400 kilometers long.

Nature conservation in Chile

This move affirms Chile's reputation as a leading country in conservation and protection. environment, which emerged after the creation of one of the largest marine reserves in the world surrounding Easter Island.

Protecting vast areas is the culmination of decades of work by the Tompkinsons, although Doug, unfortunately, was never able to see the final result. He died in Chile in 2015. However, Christine initiated the transfer of protected areas to the state, because she is confident that the main value of nature is not in its benefits to humans or the possibility of exploitation, but in its pristineness and beauty.