- Address: Kurakautin, Araucaniya, Chile;
- Area: 6.474 hectares;
- Foundation date: October 16, 1935;
- Working hours: 8.30 - 18.00, daily;
- The cost of visiting: adult - 3000 CLP, the elderly and children - 1500 CLP, children under 6 years - for free.
More than 20 years of tourism in Chile is one of the main economic resources of the country. Thanks to its unique location on a narrow strip of land between the snow-covered Andes and the vast Pacific Ocean, Chile offers endless opportunities for eco-tourism enthusiasts, whether skiing, horseback riding, trekking in the rainforests, sea kayaking in the fjords or whale watching. Rest in this region involves the study of various ecosystems: from arid deserts to the largest glaciers in the southern hemisphere. One of the most interesting sights of the state is the Tolhuaca National Park, which will be discussed later.
General information
The Tolhuak National Park was established on October 16, 1935 in a territory formerly owned by the Maleco Reserve. This natural reserve has become the first protected wildlife area in Chile and South America, so we can safely say that the land within the park is one of the oldest protected natural areas on the continent.
As for the location, Tolhuac is located in the central part of the country, in the commune of Kurakautin. The height above sea level in this region ranges from 700-1820 m. Due to this difference, the climate in different parts of the park is very different: cold in the highest regions and temperate in the valleys. Despite quite abundant precipitation throughout the year (2500-3000 mm), the average temperature is +14 ° C.
What to do in the park?
The main attractions of the Tolkhuac National Park include the volcano of the same name, the 49-meter waterfall of La Culebra and numerous hiking trails:
- Chilpa Trail: 1,5 km - 3 hours there and back;
- La Culebra - Lago Verde Trail: 2,1 km - 2,6 h;
- Laguna Verde Trail: 4 km - 4 hours;
- Lagunillas Trail: 8.6 km - 7 hours;
- Mesacura Trail: 15 km - 6 hours;
- Tolhuaca - Niblinto Trail: 12 km - 8h;
- Salto Malleko Trail: 1.7 km - 2 hours.
On the territory of the reserve there is an information center, where everyone can learn about the location of campsites and allowed places for picnics. In addition, popular entertainments in the National Park of Tolhuac are:
- fishing;
- observation of wildlife;
- photo-hunting;
- mountaineering;
- bathing in thermal springs.
Flora and fauna
The plant and animal life of the park is also of great interest to tourists. Tolhuaka belongs to the area of deciduous forests, where the dominant species are Notofagus and Araucaria Chilean. The best time to get acquainted with the local flora is the South American summer (January-February), t. In winter (June-August) leaves from trees fall down and only bare branches remain.
The administration of the Tolhuaka National Park constantly registers the number of birds that live in the area, which allows to determine exactly which species need protection. During the walk, tourists can see the gulls of rare colors and a variety of ducks, as well as woodpeckers, kingfishers and Chilean pigeons. In addition, the forests in the park serve as a shelter for many small animals (the Chiloe possum) and larger ones (South American fox, puma).
Useful information for tourists
There are several ways to get to the Tolhuac National Park from the capital city of Santiago :
- Santiago- Temuco : by air, by public or private transport. To get there by yourself, follow from Temuco in the northern direction to Lautaro. From there to Karakoutin about 80 km and about 30 km to the park.
- Santiago- Victoria : by land, by public or private transport. The distance between the cities of Victoria and Kurakautin is about 57 km + 30 km (15 minutes) before entering the park.