Queulat National Park

Queulat National Parkis anational parkin ChileanPatagonia.The mountain and coastal region is characterized by temperate rainforest, glaciers andfjords.The park's magnet is the "Veintisquero Colgante" hanging glacier.

Understand

Forest trail in Queulat National Park

History

The national park was founded in 1983 and is in an almost completely natural landscape through which only the Carretera Austral crosses. The wild jungles offer an incomparably original natural experience.

Flora and fauna

The birds in the park are not particularly shy and are therefore easy to photograph. Foxes or even pumas are rarely encountered.

Climate

The climate is very rainy, but even in winter it rarely snows at lower elevations. It's best to find out about the current weather for Puyuhuapi shortly before your arrival. The glaciers always hang low in the clouds.

Visitor information

• conaf.cl(park website; Spanish only)
• Park office,Ave. Ogana 1060, Coyhaique,☏+562 22217948,+56672314128,[email protected].(updated Mar 2024)

Get in

You can only get there via the Carretera Austral, which is still gravel in this section. The best starting point for tours into the national park is the fjord settlement ofPuyuhuapibetweenChaiténandCoyhaique/Puerto Aysén/Puerto Cisnes.Most of the attractions are south of Puyuhuapi.

All buses along theCarretera Australcan drop off passengers at the relevant attractions.

Fees and permits

Travelling through the national park on the Carretera Austral is free. Entrance to the national park, including for the hanging glacier costs9,000pesosfor foreigners (4,500pesosfor adolescents 12–17). For Chilean citizens, the fees for an adult are4,500pesosand2,500pesosfor adolescents 12–17 (citizens with disabilities, senior citizens and children under 12 can enter free).

To visit theBosque Encantadosyou have to pay an additional fee of3,000pesos.

See

• 1Lago Risopatrón(Risopatrón Lake),Carreterra Austral (Ruta 7)(main trunk route through the western part of the park; road is not paved).A lake of great length with a narrows in the middle.(updated Mar 2024)
• 2Laguna Témpanos(Témpanos Lagoon)(access via the southwest of the lake via an access road from Ruta 7).A lagoon of intense green color. Has an information center and several short walks around the lake.(updated Mar 2024)
• 3Ventisquero Colgante(Hanging Glacier)(see#Hiking to Ventisquero Colgante).Mass of ice that hangs from the mountain. Although it might look like any other glacier, it's the illusion that gives the glacier its name.(updated Mar 2024)
• 4Padre García Waterfall.This impressive 30-metre waterfall is located in the middle of the jungle at the northern foot of the Queulat Pass on the Carretera Austral (40 km south of Puyuhuapi) but is essentially a roadside stop alongside Ruta 7. There is a small hiking car park from which you can quickly cover the 200 m to the waterfall.(updated Mar 2024)
• Queulat Portezuelo.Area surrounded by pristine flora.(updated Mar 2024)
• 5Bosque Encantado(Enchanted Forest).Trail in the Portezuelo Sector. The "Bosque Encantado" (enjoyed forest) is a rustic forest hike to another glacier lagoon. The starting point is the park ranger's house near the parking lot at Queulat Pass (500 m). This is about 7 km north of the junction of the spur road to Puerto Cisnes on the Carretera Austral or 50 km south of Puyuhuapi. The hike takes approximately 3 hours.3000pesos,in addition to the park fee; bag drop for1000pesos.(updated Mar 2024)
• 6Piedra del Gato,Ruta 7.A rocky crag that falls over the Cisnes River.(updated Mar 2024)
• 7Salto del Cóndor,Ruta 7.40-metre waterfall located in the Cuesta del Queulat sector.(updated Mar 2024)

Do

A view of Ventisquero Colgante

Hiking to Ventisquero Colgante

The Veintisquero hanging glacier is the park's main attraction, which can be reached via a 2 km long spur road on the Carretera Austral, 20 km south of Puyuhuapi. There is a parking lot on site, several campsites (see below) and various options for exploring the area. The glacier tongue hangs over a steep rock face and chunks of ice regularly fall down the edge with a thunderous noise. Even if you are not granted this impressive experience, the glacier tongue above the steep face with its large waterfall remains an impressive eye-catcher. The best light on the glacier and the steep face is in the last hours of sunshine.

Mirador Veintisquero Colgante

After a hike through dense and impressive rainforest you get a good view of the hanging glaciers. This moderately difficult, three-hour hike (there/back) is definitely worth it. The height difference to the starting point is only 250 m.

Laguna Témpanos

The glacier lake can be reached on a short and easy hiking trail within 15 minutes from the parking lot. Here you have a nice perspective of the glacier in the distance with the lagoon in the foreground.

Here you can also get much closer to the glacier on boat trips (4-6 people, CLP 5,000 pp) in a small fishing boat or kayak tours (CLP 10,000) to the end of the lagoon. What is particularly interesting is the perspective of the glacier, which towers a few hundred meters above you on the steep face a good distance away.

Buy, eat and drink

There are no shopping opportunities or restaurants in the national park. These can only be found inPuyuhuapi.

Sleep

There are camping opportunities in the area of the hanging glacier. However, hotels and hostels are only in and around Puyuhuapi and on the fjord along the Carretera Austral. These accommodations are not in the national park itself and the attractions can only be reached from there by road.

Camping

• 1Camping PN Quelat.Campsite at the starting point to the hanging glacier, generously parceled out in the woods, warm shower, running water and shelter with a table at each plot.(updated Mar 2024)

In addition to this campsite, there are two simpler ones directly on the Carretera Austral and therefore just outside the park. These are also very close to the 2 km long cul-de-sac to the starting point for the tours to the hanging glacier.