It is characterized by the so-called "Evergreen forest", composed of coigüe, tepa and tepú, mainly, as well as enormous nalcas. Among its biggest attractions is the hanging glacier, impacting all tourists for its beauty and grandeur.
Located in the district of Puerto Cisnes, Queulat National Park has a surface of 154,093 hectares (339,004 acres) and is easily accessible. One of its most remarkable features is its evergreen forest, made up by species like coihue, tepa, tepuala, and Chilean rhubarbs. The fauna represented here is the pudú, kodkod, black woodpecker, caiquén, black-necked swan, coypu, chucao tapaculo, and ringed kingfisher, among others.
Among the natural attractions is the Hanging Glacier, discovered in 1875 by Captain Enrique Simpson. According to his descriptions, the glacier was originally 100 meters (328 ft) from the sea shore; now it is 7,800 mts (25,584 ft) away.
Lake Risopatrón, Tempanos lagoon, Queulat bay, Padre García and Cóndor waterfalls, are just some of the most beautiful sites in the park, all of which can be discovered by following some of the park's trails.
Queulat National Park Basic Information
Location: Region of Aysén, 170 km northeast of Coyhaique. Puerto Puyuhuapi is 50 km (31 MI) northeast of the park's south entrance.
How to get there: Santiago-Coyhaique: by air, sea (until Pto. Chacabuco), public and private land transportation. From Coyhaique to Queulat NP there are two options: 1) take the first stretch of the Austral Highway, towards Puerto Aisén (paved), and before arriving at this city take the turn heading north. 27kms (17 MI) are paved and the rest is gravel.
When to go: Year round.
Climate: Humid with lots of rain year round. In winter, the rainfall increases and there is snow in the higher altitudes. The total annual rainfall is from 3,500mm to 4,000mm (138 to 157 in.). The average annual temperature fluctuates between 4° and 9°C (39 and 48°F) in the different areas of the park.
The most important attractions in this park are Queulat Hanging Glacier, Padre García Waterfall, Lake Risopatrón, Los Pumas Lagoon, Queulat Slope, Témpanos Lagoon, and Salto del Cóndor. The scenario has remarkable attractions, like a hanging snowdrift and a diverse flora made up by coihues, tepas and tepualas. Species like the black-necked swan, pudu, coypu, and kodkod seduce the tourist and allow him to enjoy the tranquilty of these landscapes. Besides observing wildlife, you can enjoy a restful bath in Pyuhuapi Thermal Springs, where water reaches temperatures of up to 85ºC. You can combine the peace of these baths with activities such as trekking, rafting, and kayaking. One of the attractions in this park is Lake Risopatrón, located 15 kms north of Puyuhuapi. The thick vegetation surrounding it does not allow the formation of baches, making it possible to find species which are apt for flyfishing, such as salmon and trout.
The weather in this place is both rainy maritime (in the coastal zone and fiords) and cold near the mountains). It rains all year round, even in summer. The average annual temperature is 8°C.
It is advisable to wear clothes that are suitable for rain.
Make sure you buy everything you need in the big cities. The rest of the towns have limited stock of things, and the prices are higher than in the city.
Stores in rural areas are open all day, but they close between 13.00 and 15.00. We advise you to carry local currency (Chilean pesos), since it isn’t possible to pay with debit or credit cards in kiosks and rural stores.
Do not litter on parks or streets. Taking care of our environment is everyone's responsibility. Avoid fines by following the rules.
Queulat National Park map
Come and discover Queulat National Park
What to do in Queulat National Park
These are the best day tours in Queulat National Park
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