Fray Jorge National Park Chile

This park, declared by UNESCO a World Biosphere Reserve, features an extraordinary natural phenomenon: it is a typical Valdivian forest situated in a coastal desert area. As the annual rainfall never exceeds 113mm (4.4 in), the existence of this forest depends entirely on the condensation of the coastal fog called camanchaca. In an area of approximately 400 hectares (880 acres) cinnamon trees, terabinth shrubs, tepa trees and a wide variety of ferns flourish, at 1,250 km (781 mi) away from where they normally grow.

Created in 1941, Fray Jorge Forest is a true natural relic, an hydrophile forest from the quaternary period. That is to say, this is a sample of what Atacama Desert was during the last glaciation, around 30.000 years ago, when the humid forest reached very low latitudes.

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Bosques de Fray Jorge National Park Basic Information

Location

Región de Coquimbo, 150 kms (94 mi) south of La Serena. Fray Jorge forest is located 30º30'S; 71º35'W in an area of the Cordillera de la Costa called Altos de Talinay. It reaches the Pacific Ocean to the east and Limarí river to the south. Its highest peaks are the hills Mozambique (560 m), Centinela (556 m) and Punta del Viento (667 m).

How to get there
Santiago - Ovalle: By car. Leave the city through the road that leads to Cerillos de Tamaya. The first part of the road is paved, and the rest is gravel. Pass the turn off that goes towards Cerrillos and follow the road that leads to the Pan-American highway (36km from the west of Ovalle), cross it and continue on the gravel road until you reach the National Park.

When to go
Year round, but it is open to public only in weekends and holidays.

Other nearby attractions

Talinay National Park, Socos Hot Springs.

Activities
Trekking, wildlife observation, photography.

Climate
Average annual rainfall is 113mm (4.4 in). Average relative humidity is 85%. The maximum temperature is 23°C (73°F) in January, and the minimum 7°C (44°F) in July. In the interior areas of the forest, rainfall fluctuates between 800 and 1000 mm (31 and 39 in.) every year.

Services
Accommodations, food, nurseries, transportation and trails.

Opening Hours
Low Season (April to November)
Thursdays to Sundays and holidays: 9:00 to 17:30.
Closed from Monday to Wednesday.

High Season (December to March)
Mondays to Sundays: 09:00 to 17:30.
Closed on the 25th of December and 1st of January.

Entrance fee
Adults: Chileans and foreigners CLP 1.600
Children: Chileans and foreigners CLP 600

Services

Infrastructure and Services in Bosques de Fray Jorge National Park

Administration
The Park Administration is located 4km (2.5 mi) away from the Environmental Information Center, and 25km (16 mi) from the Pan-American Highway.

Park ranger offices
Located in Park Administration, 5km (3 mi) from the entrance.

Contact
Park administrator: Mario Ortiz Lafferte
E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Delegations or organized groups must be authorized and have a reservation made in Limarí Provincial Office. Phones: (53) 620058 - 630046 or write to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , with an anticipation of 10 days.

Camping areas
El Arrayancito: administered by CONAF, it is located in the semi-desert area, 5km (3 mi) from the Environmental Information Center. There are 13 sites available with camping stoves, firewood, large table areas, running water and clean bathrooms.

Accommodation and food
There are seven beds and a kitchen available in the administrator’s house for special visits or researchers.

Services outside the area:
Gasoline: there is a gas station on kilometer 370 of Route 5 (North), 40km (25 mi) from the park.
Telephones: available in Seca Gorge, 55km (34 mi) north of the National Park
Medical care: Posta Cerrillos de Tamaya, which is 50 km (31 mi) from the park, or the Ovalle Hospital, which is 75 km (47 mi) from the park.
Food shops: Cerrillos Pobres: 22km (14 mi) from the park.

Recommendations

To make your visit more enjoyable and to help us protect our natural environment, please consider the following recommendations:

The best time to visit the park is during spring, from August to October, except during national holidays, when the amount of visitors increases dramatically.
Regarding equipment, it is important to wear warm clothes, especially when visiting the trails of the forest.

Attractions

Attractions in Bosques de Fray Jorge National Park

What to see
Environmental Information Center
Interpretive trail in the water-loving forest
Mouth of Limarí river
Coastal Area
Administration house (over 100 years old) What to do

What to do

Excursions: throughout the park.
Wildlife observation: especially in Hydrophile forest trail.
Environmental information: in the Environmental Information Center.

Trails

Interpretive trail of the Water-loving Forest
It is located 10 km (6 mi) from the Environmental Information Center. You can tour the Hydrophilic forest and observe the factors which work together to preserve it in a semi-desert environment. This route takes about 40 minutes.

Nature

Natural Heritage in Bosque de Fray Jorge National Park

The park is located in the region of Coquimbo, in the Andean-coastal area called Altos de Talinay. The highest peaks above sea level are the hills Mozambique (1,836 ft.), Centinela, (1,853 ft.) and El Viento (2,187 ft.).

The only natural water resource the park holds is the Limarí river, which can be found 10km (6 mi) from the administrative area.

Flora
The existence of the Valdivian humid forest at this latitude is determined by the permanent coastal fog, an extraordinary phenomenon that creates a suitable microclimate in which terebinth shrubs, cinnamon trees, myrtle, ferns and creepers can grow. These species are visible in the higher areas of the reserve.

The flora of the park includes species of flowers such as- varilla brava, guayacan, caper, cactus and uvillos: they are visible along the side of the road from the entrance gate until the foot of the hill. Matins, rosemary and huiganes, can be found in Las Vacas Gorge.

Closer to the administration, by Las Lechuzas stream, on the bank of the Limari river and on the coast of the park there are papaya trees. During spring, depending on the rainfall, one may see añañucas, azulillos, lily of the valley and chives throughout the park and on both sides of the road leading to the forest.

Fauna
Birds are the main wildlife attraction of the park. In the lower areas, namely Aguadas, Las Vacas Gorge, Agua Las Cabras and the Administration sectors, one may see Chilean tinamous, quails, long-tailed meadowlark, austral blackbirds, common diuca finches, hummingbirds and Chilean mocking-birds.

Eagles, are visible from the entrance of the Casa El Mineral sector, as are great horned owls all around the Administration house, picnic areas, the mineral sector and the Guanaca sector. In these last two sectors it is also possible to see barn owls.

In the Limarí river, both in its shores in mouth, you can see wild ducks. Foxes are found in all sectors of the park and the chungungos in the coastal sections.