The Monte León National Park protects a charming coastal area with intact wildlife in the argentinian province Santa Cruz in Patagonia. You can see penguins, whales, sea lions and other marine and coastal animals.
The national park is relatively new (founded in 2004) and therefore still has little infrastructure to offer. Its size is 62,168 hectares.
background
history
The area of the national park used to belong to an estancia, but has already been sporadic by travelers and researchers such as the famous geographer Francisco Perito Moreno visits. In 1996, the preparatory work for a nature reserve began, but it took until 2004 before the park was finally established. The US multimillionaire and radical eco-activist played a key role in this Douglas Tompkinswho bought the estancia and bequeathed it to the Argentine state to establish a national park.
landscape
The landscape belongs to the Patagonian steppe, which is hilly here. Some of the hills are curiously shaped, so the park got its name ("Lion Mountain") from a formation that the Egyptian Sphinx of Gīza resembles.
Flora and fauna
While the flora is adapted to the dry steppe and is mainly limited to grasses, cacti and thorn bushes, the fauna is the main reason for a trip to the park. Most importantly, it is one of the best places to see penguins in Southern Patagonia. There are still colonies of sea lions, Commerson dolphins (toninas) and orcas (killer whales), as well as a large number of bird species, from cormorants to sea eagles. Among the land mammals, the guanacos (wild llamas) stand out, as they live here largely harmless.
If you want to watch the penguins, you should know that they only stay in Monte León between September and April.
climate
The climate is cool, temperate and dry. In summer you can expect temperatures of around 20 degrees, while in winter it is usually less than 10 ° C, and snow can also occur, albeit rarely. The water (at most 13 ° C in summer) is already too cold for swimming here, even if there are some spectacular sandy beaches in the park.
getting there
The park itself can so far only be reached with your own car or a tour operator, buses only serve the entrance to the park on Ruta Nacional 3 (25 km from the coast). The starting points are the two small towns Puerto Santa Cruz (50 km north) and the closest one Comandante Luis Piedrabuena (20 miles north), both at or near the Ruta Nacional 3 located. The provincial capital offers the best infrastructure Río Gallegoswhich, however, is already 200 km south. The way to the park is a 25 km long gravel road, which can be impassable during prolonged rainfalls (which are however rare).
Near the entrance to the park at kilometer stone 2385 there is a visitor center in the old estancia, where you can find out about the condition of the path and the nature conservation regulations. The official administration of the park is in Puerto Santa Cruz (Address: Belgrano y 9 de Julio, (Z9300) Puerto Santa Cruz, email: [email protected]; Tel / Fax: (02962) 489 18)
Fees / permits
Entry to the park is free (as of 2009). It is forbidden to enter the park with pets, and hunting is also prohibited.
mobility
Tourist Attractions
The Penguin colony houses around 75,000 pairs in the breeding season (September to April) and is one of the largest on the South American coast. Another attraction is the curious mountain Cabeza de León (Lion head), which gave the park its name. There are also some archaeological sites that cannot be easily visited.
activities
There are a few short footpaths to and from the animal colonies Cabeza de Leónsome of which are paved and as nature trails provide information about the various elements of nature. You should bring binoculars with you to observe the birds, as you cannot get too close to the animals.
shop
kitchen
Everything has to be brought by yourself. You should be generous with water in particular, as there is no topping-up point.
accommodation
Hotels and hostels
In Río Gallegos, Comandante Luis Piedrabuena and Puerto Santa Cruz there are hotels. Those in the provincial capital are often occupied by workers, which is why a reservation is recommended.
camping
It is allowed to camp in the park. However, no wood may be collected here, so a gas stove is recommended.
security
Mussels and other seafood should not be eaten as they are often toxic marea roja (an accumulation of poison) that can be fatal to humans.
trips
literature
Web links
- Monte León National Park (official website of the National Park Administration, Spanish)
