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The Queulat National Park is a national park on the Carretera Austral in the Great SouthChile. It is included Puyuhuapi and is one of the largest parks in the region. The mountain and coastal region is characterized by temperate rainforests, glaciers and fjords. The biggest visitor magnet is the "Veintisquero Colgante" hanging glacier.
background
history
The national park was founded in 1983 and is located in an almost completely natural landscape, through which only the Carretera Austral crosses. The wild primeval forests offer an incomparably pristine nature experience.
landscape
Flora and fauna
The birds in the park are not particularly shy and can therefore be easily photographed. You rarely come across foxes or even pumas.
climate
The climate is very rainy, but even in winter it only snows very rarely in the lower elevations. It is best to find out about the current weather for Puyuhuapi (e.g. Windguru) shortly before arrival. The glaciers are always hanging deep in the clouds.
getting there
You can only get there via the gravel road in this section Carretera Austral respectively. The best starting point for tours in the national park is the fjord settlement Puyuhuapi, between Chaitén and Coyhaique/Puerto Aysén/Puerto Cisnes. Most of the attractions are south of Puyuhuapi.
All buses along Carretera Austral can drop passengers off at the relevant attractions.
Fees / permits
The transit through the national park on the Carretera Austral is free. Entry to the national park (e.g. for the hanging glacier) costs CLP 5,000 for foreigners (children 2,500, disabled people 1,500).
For a visit to the "Bosque Encantados" you have to pay an extra fee of 3,000 CLP.
mobility
The distances between the various attractions are so great that they can only be overcome by car / bus or by bike. Hitchhiking is a time-consuming affair due to the high demand and the low number of carpooling options, but it is definitely possible.
Tourist Attractions
The two main attractions of the park are the hanging glacier and the hike in the "Bosque Encantado". Both of these can be reached with short, easy hikes, which are described below.
activities
"Veintisquero Colgante" hanging glacier
The hanging glacier Veintisquero is the main attraction of the park, which can be reached by a 2 km long cul-de-sac on the Carretera Austral 20 km south of Puyuhuapi. There is a parking lot, several campsites (see below) and various possibilities to explore the area. The glacier tongue hangs over a steep rock face and chunks of ice regularly plunge into the depths at the edge of the cliff with thunderous noise. Even if you are not granted this impressive experience, the glacier tongue above the steep face with its large waterfall remains an impressive eye-catcher. The best light on the glacier and the steep face is in the last hours of sunshine.
Mirador Veintisquero Colgante
After a hike through dense and impressive rainforest, you get a good view of the hanging glacier here. This moderately difficult, three-hour hike (there / back) is definitely worthwhile. The difference in altitude to the starting point is only 250 m.
Laguna Témpanos
The glacier lake can be reached on a short and easy hiking trail within 15 minutes from the car park. Here you have a nice perspective of the somewhat distant glacier with the lagoon in the foreground.
Here you can get even closer to the glacier on boat trips (4-6 people, CLP 5,000 p.p.) in a small fishing boat or kayak tours (CLP 10,000) to the end of the lagoon. What is particularly interesting is the perspective of the glacier, which is enthroned a few hundred meters above you on the steep face a good distance away.
"Bosque Encantado"
The "Bosque Encantado" (Eng. Delighted forest) is a rustic forest hike to another glacier lagoon. The starting point is the parking ranger's house near the parking lot at Queulat Pass (500 m). This is about 7 km north of the junction of the spur road to Puerto Cisnes on the Carretera Austral or 50 km south of Puyuhuapi.
The hike takes about 3 hours and costs CLP 3,000 entry. Bicycles and rucksacks can be left with the park rangers for a small fee (1,000 / 500). The hiking trail is open daily, the latest starting time is 5 p.m.
Cascada Padre García
This impressive waterfall is located in the middle of the jungle at the northern foot of the Queulat Pass on the Carretera Austral (40 km south of Puyuhuapi). There is a small parking lot for hikers from which you can quickly overcome the 200 m to the waterfall.
Shopping / kitchen
There are no shops or restaurants in the national park itself. These can only be found in Puyuhuapi.
accommodation
There are camping facilities in the area of the Veitisquero hanging glacier. Hotels and hostels can only be found in and around Puyuhuapi and by the fjord along the Carretera Austral. These accommodations are not located in the national park itself and the attractions can only be reached from there by bus / car or bike.
camping
- Camping P.N. Quelat. Campsite at the starting point for the hanging glacier, spaciously parceled out in the woods, warm shower, running water and a shelter with a table on each parcel.Price: CLP 5,000 (p.p.).
In addition to this campsite, there are two more simple ones directly on the Carretera Austral and thus just outside the park. These are also very close to the 2 km long cul-de-sac to the starting point for the tours to the hanging glacier.
security
trips
The closest settlements / parks are in the south:
- Puerto Cisnes, Port city (90 km from Puyuhuapi)
- Lago Los Torres National Reserve, small reserve on the Carretera Austral (95 km from Puyuhuapi)
- Puerto Aysén, important port city near Coyhaique
- Coyhaique, Capital of Región de Aisen
And in the north:
- Chaitén, Port city with connections to, among others Chiloe, last larger town before Puerto Montt, the northern end point of the Carretera Austral
