Parque Nacional Puyehue
Parque Nacional Puyehue or Puyehue National Park is an evergreen forest in Chile. It is renowned for its terrain, volcanoes, and spectacular forests along with a number of waterways. Lakes, rivers, waterfalls and unspoiled pools of hot springs are various types of waterways found in the park. Spread over an area of 106,772 hectares, the park is divided into three areas – Antillanca, Aguas Calientes and Anticura. Parque Nacional Puyehue experiences high rainfall, so it has high and low park areas. Coigües and elm form the low areas while tepa, mañío and coigüe are the higher areas.Flora and Fauna at Parque Nacional Puyehue
Over 700 varieties of plant species can be found in the park. End Noevember and mid-January is the perfect time for you to visit the park, if you want to see the flowers in full bloom. Popularly available species of flora are – tepa, tineo, coigüe, uma, arrayán and ulmo.
The park’s fauna comprises of 38 varieties of mammals and 126 types of birds along with a number of other organisms. 22 of the bird species found here are either threatened or endangered. The park is the perfect spot for nature lovers and wildlife researchers.
Volcanoes in Puyehue National Park
Puyehue National Park has a number of volcanoes spread through its length and breadth. Major volcanoes are - Puyehue (7267 feet), Caldera del Fiucha (4814 feet), El Sarnoso (5298 feet) and Casablanca (6468 feet). El Cordón del Caulle (5828 feet) is the most active volcano in the park, and along its length you can see geysers, sulfur and hot springs.
Water bodies at Puyehue National Park
The park has about twenty lagoons, rivers and lakes. Chanleufú, Pajaritos, Gol-Gol are the major rivers. Gol-Gol and Chanleufú feature U-shaped glacier valleys. Major lagoons are Lago Constancia (1290 meters), Lago El Paraíso (990 meters) and Lago Gris (1080 meters).
Puyehue National Park Activities
Tourists can enjoy by taking part in different activities at Parque Nacional Puyehue. Walking, hiking trails, camping, mountain biking and kayaking, skiing etc, are some of the things that you can do in the park. Each season offers tourists with different opportunities for adventure. The Catrú camping area has more than 15 pastoral campsites with facilities such as stove, firewood, garbage and water etc, for the campers.
A hiking trail to Pampa Strawberry takes about 2 to 3 days and it is spread across an area of 20 km. Puyehue volcano tour covers a length of 16 kilometer and you can cover this distance in about 2-3 days. The volcano’s foothills have accommodation options for 12 people.
Traveling tips for Parque Nacional Puyehue
You can visit the park anytime you are in Chile. However, following some traveling tips will surely make it an enjoyable experience. The best time to visit the park in summer is between November to March and in winter from June to October. Make the reservations early as it can get tough to find accommodations at peak tourist season. Before beginning a trip you must register the departure with the sector’s ranger. Tourists planning to make stops at the park’s volcanoes and mountains must register with the administration unit.
Travelers are recommended to bring clothes suitable for rain, summer, winter and snowy conditions. Apart form the summer season; you will have to wear warm clothing that is suitable for both snow and rainy conditions throughout the year. Do not mark the rocks, trees and other resources found in the park and the nearby areas and pollute the environment.
How to reach Parque Nacional Puyehue
Parque Nacional Puyehue ranks among the most visited national parks in Chile. So, reaching there is pretty easy. The park is located just about an hour away from the Chilean city of Osorno. Ruta 215 winds straight through the park. From Errázuriz 1300 (Mercado Municipal), you can catch a bus to the park; taxi services are also available.
