Austral Road Guide, Alerce Andino National Park

Information of Alerce Andino National Park

Located in the Seno and the Reloncaví Estuary, a mountainous area south of Lake Chapo, it is located in the province of Llanquihue, communes of Puerto Montt and Cochamó. It has an area of ​​39,255 hectares.

How to get to the Alerce Andino National Park:
The Park is accessed by Route V-65 that connects Puerto Montt-Correntoso-Lago Chapo, in a distance of 46 km. From the village of Correntoso to the nursery of the Park there are 2.5 km.

40 km away from Puerto Montt along the Carretera Austral, bordering the Seno de Reloncaví, Lenca is located, a place from which a path of penetration is born that enters the Park through the Chaicas River Valley, towards the Caiquenes Lagoon, at a distance of 15 km. The road is passable exclusively for four-wheel drive vehicles. In the km. 7 the daycare center of the sector is located.

Tourist Information:
Ranger Office:
The Park has four nurseries located in Correntoso, Sargazo, in the sector of Lago Chapo and in the Chaicas River Valley. The Correntoso nursery is occupied by a park ranger. In the nursery of the Chaicas river valley, the presence and vigilance of an additional park ranger is maintained. In Sargazo nursery another works.

Flora and Fauna:
The predominant vegetation formation is the forest constituted by the alerce, evergreen, coigue de Magallanes and lenga forest types. The most representative species is the larch, which occurs almost on 20,000 hectares of the park, developing preferably over 400 meters above sea level and associated with Chiloé coigüe, tineo, mañío and canelo.

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

Camping Areas:
Correntoso Campismo Area: It is located in the access to the Park from Correntoso. It has 5 units that have an inn, stove and trash can.

Hiking trails:
The Park has a network of interesting trails that allow to know primitive sectors and beautiful forests and lagoons. The trails are suitable for backpackers and other visitors who show good physical condition. The main sections are the following:

Correntoso-Río Pangal: Extension: 3,200 m. Approximate duration of the route: between 130 minutes to 2 hours.

Río Pangal-Refugio: Extension: 2,100 m. Approximate duration of the route: 45 to 60 minutes.

Lake Sargazo-Laguna Fría: Extension: 4,500 m. Approximate duration of the tour: 3 hours.

Saltos Río Chaicas: Extension: 500 m. Approximate duration of the tour: 20 minutes.

Laguna Chaiquenes-Laguna Triángulo: Extension: 3,000 m. Approximate duration of the tour: 2 hours.