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Alerce Andino National Park: A Well-Kept Secret

Bordering the southern shore of Lake Chapo between the Reloncaví Sound and Estuary, you'll find Alerce Andino National Park. Half of its nearly 40,000 hectares are completely covered by dense forests featuring alerces (larches) and other varieties of typical local trees such as the coigüe and the mañío. In addition to these green giants, the park's impressive natural wonders include an enormous mountain massif, deep valleys and more than 50 lagoons, plus unmatched views of Lake Chapo and the Chaicas and Lenca River Valleys.

Keep an eye out for the park's residents, which include the elusive pudú (a small Chilean deer), pumas, grey foxes, viscachas and the adorable monitos del monte ("little mountain monkeys"), small marsupials native to southern Chile and Argentina. You may even be lucky enough to enjoy the unique spectacle of a condor flying through the blue skies of southern Chile.

There are a number of trails that can be enjoyed by anyone in reasonably good physical shape. If you decide to extend your stay, you can camp out or check into one of the park's three lodges.

Featured Destinations of Puerto Varas and Puerto Montt

Frutillar		Puerto Montt
Puerto Octay		Puerto Varas

Tours you can do

Getting There By Bus Local buses provide service to the park from Puerto Montt. By Car From Puerto Montt, take Route V-65, which connects Puerto Montt and Lake Chapo (46 km). You can also reach the park from the Carretera Austral, which runs along the Reloncaví Sound before reaching Lenca, where you'll find a road to the park. Although beautiful, this route is only accessible to four-wheel drive vehicles.