- Address: Dalcahue, Los Lagos, Chile;
- Area: 431 km ²;
- Phone: +56 65 253 2501;
- Date of Establishment: 1983.
The national nature reserve of Chiloe is located in the south of Chile on one of the islands. It was founded in 1983 and to this day collects and protects many species of rare plants and animals. Tourists who are here on the tour, get a unique opportunity to see these unique natural beauties.
Climate in the National Park of Chiloe
The park is located in the temperate continental belt, but due to the surrounding water and location among the fjords and piercing winds, the average annual temperature is + 11 ° C. In summer the temperature rises to + 15 ° C. Therefore, going to the reserve, it makes sense to bring warm clothes and shoes.
What is interesting about the park?
The territory of the reserve of Chiloe is quite hilly, the road runs through small cliffs, boulders, forests and rivulets. Before you delve into the evergreen forests of Chiloe, tourists are welcomed by the life and color of fishing settlements near the cities of Castro and Ancud . Local people can offer fresh fish and national dishes prepared right there in front of travelers. A special ethnic flavor to these settlements is given to log houses of different colors on high stilts, such dwellings are called palafitos. Piles protect houses from flooding during abundant tides.
The island's landscapes are mostly wooded, nature is diverse and extremely picturesque. In general, these are evergreen forests, among which there is a small number of deciduous seasonal trees. Among the endemics of this region, you can find fizroyya, lapastry, luma trees, which grow only in this region of Chile . The fauna of Chiloe National Park is also very rich: here you can meet wild boar and leopard, wild Chilean cat and the smallest deer in the world. Wild animals live in the depths of forests and almost never go out to people on foot roads, so tourists do not need to be afraid of an unexpected meeting.
Infrastructure of the park
At the entrance to the Chiloe National Park is an administrative building, where you can get help or purchase a map of the area so that it's easier to navigate among the numerous paths and paths.
Without going deep into the park's protected areas, you can stumble upon a lot of shopping benches that sell everything from souvenirs to national food , then you can taste delicious smoked meat on bread pancakes.
In Chiloe, there are almost no places for camping, all because of the fact that this place is not designed for spending the night a lot of tourists, the climate is quite cold, and at night there is a danger of face to face with a wild beast. Therefore, having enjoyed the beauty of forests and stormy rivers, one must go back to the continent. Tourists are notified that the last ferry leaves at 19.00 local time.
How to get to the park?
Between the island and the continent, there is a ferry service, so you can get to Chiloe without much difficulty. On the island there is the city of Castro , near which the territory of the park is spread over an area of about 450 square meters. km. Several times a ferry approaches the port of the city. On the way to the island, tourists can enjoy the views of the fjords.