Patagonia National Park: the best destination to visit in Chile 2019 according to Lonely Planet

Evergreen vegetation, mountain ranges, snowdrifts, lakes, lagoons and impressive landscapes of Estepa Patagónica, this new National Park is evidence of one of the most important restoration projects in Chile.

The Patagonia National Park is a natural corridor that has been traveled from ancestral times by nomadic animals and ethnic groups. Located 18 kilometers north of Cochrane, this park used to house ranches that depleted the soil after centuries of overgrazing.

In 2014 Tompkins Conservation began to restore the area that today promises to be one of the most important parks in Patagonia.

Of cinematic landscapes, the Patagonia Park is the home of animals such as the fox, the southern vizcacha, the wild cat, the elusive cougar and the huemul, a small deer in danger of extinction. It is an excellent place for birdwatching like the condor and the flameco and a destination for adventure tourism that is beginning to attract the attention of international travelers.

Cataloged as the number 1 place to visit in Chile by Lonely Planet, Patagonia is a park where you can trek between the forests of Lenga and Ñirre, crossings for several days, mountain biking, sailing along the Cochrane River and enjoy the spectacular views from its viewpoints and lagoons.

Part of Carretera Austral and the recently opened Ruta de los Parques, the Patagonia Park promises to become one of the most important parks in Chile. 

Where is the Patagonia National Park?

The Patagonia Park is located 18 kilometers north from city of Cochrane.

How to get to Patagonia Park?

The park has three accesses:

1. To reach the first one, you can access through Chile Chico towards the Jeinimeni sector.

2. The second one goes from the Carretera Austral and covers the Paso Robalos Scenic Route (international route X-83).

3. The third access is reached by Cochrane towards Cochran Lake also called Tamango.