Amidst towering mountains and deep fjords, beneath majestic peaks or throughout huge open landscapes, immense glaciers and sprawling ice fields unfold in Chilean Patagonia—for journey seekers, this makes an ideal invitation to expertise a situation paying homage to Antarctica.
With its 17 nationwide parks and greater than 28 million acres of pristine landscapes, the Route of the Parks of Patagonia in Chile is greater than only a vacation spot; it’s a set of extraordinary journeys that start and finish between the forty first and fifty fifth parallels south. Right here, nationwide parks and the encompassing communities take middle stage in an journey like no different.
This outstanding area affords one-of-a-kind experiences that transport guests to an period when ice dominated the southernmost reaches of the Americas. Positioned close to the Antarctic Circle, it’s residence to awe-inspiring wonders such because the Northern and Southern Ice Fields—right this moment the third-largest reserve of freshwater on the planet.
Irrespective of the place you start, the three areas that make up the route—Los Lagos, Aysén, and Magallanes—supply breathtaking expanses of ice. Whether or not exploring on foot, gliding throughout the water, or just admiring the view, guests are sure to be captivated by the sheer magnificence of Patagonia’s frozen landscapes.
From ice fields, to glaciers and icy lagoons, let’s take a look at among the parks on this route, and a number of adventures you’ll be able to get pleasure from in every one:
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Pumalín Douglas Tompkins Nationwide Park
Nestled within the Los Lagos Area, this was the primary protected space established by conservationist Douglas Tompkins, the American philanthropist and visionary behind the Route of the Parks of Patagonia. Spanning over 402,000 hectares, it stands as a testomony to conservation and pristine wilderness.
Its rugged terrain and steep inclines made settlement and street building almost unattainable, preserving this area in an virtually untouched state. At present, it shelters dynamic, almost pristine ecosystems, providing guests a glimpse into Patagonia’s uncooked and untamed magnificence.
Among the finest methods to expertise its everlasting ice is by venturing alongside the Ventisquero Amarillo Path, which results in a glacier descending from Michimahuida Volcano. The path begins 11 km from the doorway to the El Amarillo sector, the place you may as well unwind within the municipal sizzling springs, simply 4.5 km from the junction with the Carretera Austral.
Queulat Nationwide Park
Positioned close to Puyuhuapi, within the northern Aysén Area, this breathtaking park captivates 1000’s of holiday makers with its lush evergreen forests, cascading waterfalls, deep fjords, and dashing rivers. Its most well-known attraction, the Hanging Glacier (Ventisquero Colgante), will be admired straight from the Carretera Austral.
For these desperate to discover on foot, two outstanding trails stand out: the Mirador del Ventisquero path (2,5 hrs), providing spectacular glacier views, and the Laguna Témpanos Path (30 min), which results in the glacial lagoon itself. Throughout summer season, boats can be found to take guests even nearer to the towering partitions of ice.
Laguna San Rafael Nationwide Park
Declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1979, this park serves because the gateway to the Northern Ice Area. Its iconic glacier attracts vacationers from around the globe, who embark on journeys from Puerto Chacabuco or Puerto Grosse in Bahía Exploradores to witness its huge, untouched landscapes and extraordinary biodiversity.
The fjords and channels listed here are awe-inspiring, lined with towering Magellanic and Chiloé Coigües, in addition to Mañíos, Canelos, Tepa, and the Guaitecas Cypress—a few of which seem as historic, charred spires rising skyward amid peat bogs alongside the Témpanos River, the one navigable path to the lagoon.
Navigating these icy waters is an expertise not like another. With approved tour operators accredited by the Chilean Navy, guests could witness glacier calvings as colossal chunks of ice break free and even spot the northernmost household of leopard seals, who’ve made this glacial lagoon their residence.
Bernardo O’Higgins Nationwide Park
That is Chile’s largest nationwide park—and some of the expansive on the earth. Spanning each the Aysén (26%) and Magallanes (74%) areas, it’s residence to the Southern Patagonian Ice Area, a wide ranging expanse of 49 glaciers, forming the third-largest continental ice mass on the planet, surpassed solely by Antarctica and Greenland.
In an period the place glaciers are vanishing because of international warming, this park holds a uncommon exception. Setting sail from Puerto Natales, you’ll be able to witness the Pío XI Glacier, the biggest within the Southern Hemisphere—and the one one within the area that isn’t retreating. In reality, it continues to advance, defying the traits of our time.
Unforgettable experiences like these await alongside the Route of the Parks of Patagonia. We welcome you and invite you to find this rugged, wild and engaging territory, some of the lovely scenic routes on the earth. Journey it. Uncover it. Defend it.
Concerning the Route of Parks of Chilean Patagonia
Masking 1700 miles from Puerto Montt to Cape Horn, the Route of Parks of Chilean Patagonia encompasses 17 nationwide parks, defending greater than 28 million acres of pristine landscapes, fragile ecosystems and greater than 60 native communities; uniting the Carretera Austral, de Patagonian channels and the “path to the top of the world”. Most significantly, the Route of Parks of Patagonia represents a chance for native financial growth based mostly on tourism as a consequence of conservation.
Be part of ATTA to expertise Puerto Natales, Chile on the ATWS 2025!
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