Parque Nacional Laguna San Rafael, Carretera Austral, Patagonia, Chile
Introduction
Access: Puerto Chacabuco (catamaran navigation to get to the Glacier)
Or Puerto Tranquilo, Lake General Carrera
San Rafael’s magnificent landscapes are a mosaic of fjords, channels, islands, inlets, and ice. Declared a Biosphere Reserve, the park is the main port of entry to Chile’s Northern Icefields.
The San Rafael Glacier attracts visitors from all over the world, who set out from Puerto Chacabuco or Puerto Tranquilo to admire its vast, untouched horizons and its biodiversity. Charles Darwin, Fitz Roy, and Alberto de Agostini are just a few of the historical figures who have helped spread the word about this wonderful hidden corner of Aysén.
Brief details
- Open: Year-round
- Area: 4,305,683 acres
- Climate: Rainy and temperate; polar at altitude
- Rainfall: 120 to 200 inches annually
- Ecosystem: Evergreen forest, high-mountain forest, and periglacial shrubland
- Founded: June 17, 1967
Suggested Places of Interest and / or Activities
- Take the catamaran from Puerto Chacabuco, approximately 80km west from Coyhaique, to the actual San Rafael Lagoon and see the San Rafael glacier up close.
- Drive Route X-78, which reaches the park 32 miles west of Puerto Tranquilo (which is approximately 230km south from Coyhaique), and offers gorgeous views of forests, rivers, dozens of waterfalls, hanging glaciers, and snowy peaks. Walk across the Exploradores Glacier (with the right equipment and a guide).
- Take Route X-78 to Monte San Valentín (12,830 feet above sea level), the highest peak in Patagonia.
- Visit Lake Los Leones, via the valley that shares its name.
Note: The information above is supplied by the Tomkins Foundation.
