Home of literary genius Gabriela Mistral, the first Latin American author to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1945, Chile is a place of many inspirations. There are amazing landscapes that can be commemorated in the art including literary works. The country has a land area of 756,096 square kilometers (186.8 million acres) occupied by 17.6 million people. The stunning landscapes are brought about by the glaciers in the south, desert in the north, the Andes in the east, and the Pacific Ocean in the west. There is beauty in every direction.
The nation is also the home to some man-made marvels like the world’s largest swimming pool. The San Alfonso del Mar resort holds the Guinness World Record for the largest swimming pool at 1,013 meters long. Chileans caught the attention of the entire world with their unique wine. Chileans are among the best manufacturers of wine in the world. It is also the fifth largest exporter of wine and the seventh-largest producer. The country is also known for its beer, which has a heavy German influence.
Chilean cuisine is also worth trying out because it is packed with flavors of fruits and vegetables found in the country. The country’s waters are also home to many aquatic resources that make for great seafood dishes.
But the best parts of Chile are probably natural resources. As mentioned, the nation’s landscapes are inspirational and are worth visiting. The country has over 41 national parks showing different types of resources—from forests to glaciers, from volcanoes to beaches, and everything in between. Here are the top 10 largely undiscovered national parks in Chile:
1. Alberto de Agostini National Park
Part of the Andes is covered by this park, via the Cordillera Darwin mountain range, which is described as the last land-based part of the Andes. The park was established in 1965 and is located in the Magallanes Region, also designated as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The park is home to several glorious-looking tidewater glaciers and fjords. Part of Hoste Island is considered a part of the park.
It got its name from an Italian priest, Alberto Maria de Agostini, who photographed and created maps of this area. English naturalist Charles Darwin was also among the earliest visitors of the area before it was established as a park in 1965. According to accounts, Darwin’s visit may have been significant in crafting his evolution theory, as he reportedly met with the native Fuegians during his visit.
Not only is the park historically important, but it is also a geological marvel. Its landscape was sculpted by glaciers. One of the most important attractions in the park is the Marinelli Glacier, which is also the park’s largest. The mixture of glaciers and mountains in the park offers visitors a majestic view unlike any other.
The animal life is also vibrant in the park starting with those who thrive in the waters: humpback whales, South American sea lions, and the Chilean and Peale’s dolphins. There are also a good number of water birds like the austral and Magellanic thrushes, cormorant, Magellanic woodpecker, southern general petrel, southern royal albatross, and white-crested Elaenia.
No roads lead to the park, which is why Alberto de Agostini is not as popular as it should. But there are cruise ships and boats that offer a grand view of the park.
2. Bosque de Fray Jorge National Park
This park is known for its traces of the last glacial period. It has verdant forest characteristics, specifically Valdivian temperate rainforests. This is typically an ecoregion that traverses Chile and Argentina. This type of rainforest features a dense understory comprising bamboos and ferns. The park presents a dramatic scene from afar because the mountains are perpetually curtained with fog. Strolling through the park is a tantalizing experience with its surrounding lush vegetation.
Among the most common plants in the park are the American pepper, which is an evergreen tree that grows over 15 meters; lilen, a native Chilean flowering plant; litre tree; an allergenic tree that is endemic to Chile; Porlieria chilensis, a shrub species native to South America; and the olivillo, another tree native to Chile and Argentina. The park is a haven among plant lovers.
There are also animals in the park including some natives ones. The more common animal residents are chinchillas, common degus or rodents endemic to Chile, and foxes. There are also several species of birds that thrive in the park including Chilean tinamou and long-tailed meadowlark.
3. Huerquehue National Park
Located in the foothills of the Andes, this park is characterized by lush forest and cool lakes. It was established in 1967 but work to protect the naturally verdant area went as far back as 1912. One of its most famous attractions is the Araucaria forest. This kind of tree is massive, with a height ranging from five meters to as much as 80 meters tall. The branches are straight and the leaves are needle-like. These trees are fronted by the clear lakes and lagoons that are abundant in the park.
One of the most famous lakes in the park is Tinquilco Lake, which has a dark blue hue that perfectly complements the dark green forest that surrounds it. There are at least 20 bodies of water in the park including the largest ones: Quinchol and Renahue Blanco rivers.
The park, with its rich forest land and aquatic resources, provides different habitats for various animal species, which add to the area’s high biodiversity. Among the animals that can be seen within the park is the kodkod, which is an endangered species. It is also the smallest cat found in the Americas. Also living in the park are the geoxus or the long-clawed mole mouse, which is considered a rare animal, and pudu, the world’s smallest deer that has been labeled as a vulnerable species. There are also Andean foxes in the park.
Among the birds, the park is also home to the endangered peregrine falcon, and the vulnerable species Chilean pigeon and Magellanic woodpecker. The rare condor also makes an appearance in the park as well as the black-necked swan and slender-billed parakeet. The various water bodies in the park make it an attractive home among aquatic birds. As for amphibians, the park is also home to the vulnerable species known as Darwin’s frog.
4. Isla Guamblin National Park
This island is part of the Chonos Archipelago, a group of forested islands that are generally inhabited by humans. Farthest among these islands is Guamblin Island, which is also known as the Isla Guamblin National Park. The area covers 26,193 acres and is famous for its blue whales and birds. Blue whales are often seen in the waters surrounding the island.
The park is also designated as an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area, which is an internationally agreed set of criteria that set the standards for the conservation of bird population. Guamblin Island is a breeding ground for sooty shearwater.
5. Las Palmas de Cocolan
Just over 916 acres, this park was established to protect and preserve Chilean Palm, which is endemic to the country. The tree could live up to 1,000 years. The place is just green all around. The ground is carpeted with green grass while the entire place is shrouded with the Chilean Palm and other green trees. The Chilean Palms in this region is considered the southernmost in the world.
The area, while established as a national park in 1989, is privately owned. Visitors have to write to the owners in advance. The preservation of the Chilean Palms allowed wildlife to prosper in this quaint park. Among the animal residents in the park are chilla foxes, culpeos, and wildcats. As for birds, there are eaglets, partridges, and Tricahue parrots.
6. Lauca National Park
Andean plateau and volcanic mountains—these are the major landforms in the park. The major water bodies in the park are the Chungara and Cotacotani lakes. The former is situated at an elevation of more than 4,500 meters. It was formed from a collapsed volcano, the Parinacota. Cotacotani, on the other hand, is one of the highest lakes in the world and is surrounded by various volcanoes like the Parinacota and Pomerape, as well as Sajama and Wallatiri. There are so many tourist attractions within the park, and there are more volcanoes: Acotango, the highest among stratovolcanoes in the area, and the Guallatiri, a high volcano. The park is also home to some archeological sites.
Among the animals that can be spotted in the park are alpacas, cougars, guanacos, llamas, tarucas, vicuñas, and vizcachas. There are also over 140 species of birds documented in the park, which is also considered among the best areas for birding in Chile.
7. Morro Moreno National Park
For those looking for a unique landscape, this is the perfect park for them. This 18,070-acre park contains unique ravines and rockeries. For those who enjoy hiking, there is a narrow clearing that provides a pathway in this rocky terrain. While walking the terrain, the vista is of never-ending blue water.
Despite its rugged landscape, some 90 species of wildflowers and other plants thrive in this seemingly somber landform. Some of the plants are endemic to the area. There are also 195 species of animals found in the area. In the waters, tourists may spot marine otters and Humboldt penguins off the waters. Among the wild animals are foxes and wolves.
8. Queulat National Park
Characterized by glacier-capped mountains and virgin evergreen forests, this park is certainly worth visiting. The landforms are mostly rugged and they surround the blue-green Lake Risopatron. There are two ice fields in the park. The eponymous ice cap is the largest glaciated area at 80 square kilometers. The park’s centerpiece is found in this ice field, the Queulat Hanging Glacier.
The park’s other natural tourist spots are Cat’s Stone, Father Garcia and the Condor Falls, and Queulat Sound. The parts of the area not covered with glaciers are blanketed with Valdivian temperate rainforests. The park also hosts different ecosystems with varied vegetation and wildlife.
Among the animals commonly sighted in the park are kodkods and pudus. The bodies of water are popular among the coypus and southern river otters. Resident birds include Chilean pigeon, Chiloe wigeon, chucao tapaculo, Magellan goose, Magellanic woodpecker, and yellow-billed pintail.
9. Salar del Huasco National Park
The park centers around the Salar de Huasco, a natural salt flat. The entire park looks gorgeous with the white of the salt pans, ponds, and salt marshes that are peppered on it. The ponds are partially covered with water depending on the season. The marshes have been designated as a Ramsar Site. The bodies of water within the park are popular among flamingos. The park is a significant habitat for flamingos.
According to geological accounts, the entire park used to be covered by a lake during the Pleistocene era or the Ice Age, which happened some 11,700 to 2.6 million years ago. Geologists made this theory because of the presence of clay and diatomite sediments that have been preserved in the shorelines.
10. Volcan Isluga National park
The park is within the world’s longest continental mountain range, the Andes. The undulating landscape is brought by high elevations ranging from 2,100 to 5,500 meters. The tallest peak is from the eponymous mountain, the Volcan Isluga. The stratovolcano is the park’s centerpiece. The volcano has five craters, each one offering something naturally interesting. The volcano is still active, although, its last eruption was more than a hundred years ago.
There are also other high peaks within the park: Qinsachata Hill at 5,400 meters high, Tatajachura Hill at 5,252 meters and the Catarama at 5,207 meters. Any of these are great for hiking and mountain-climbing. Most of the vegetation in the park are those that are known to survive higher altitudes. There are a lot of cacti and queñoas. There are also important cultural spots for the Aymara people in the park. They are the indigenous people of the Andes.
The park also has some spots related to volcanism: geysers and thermal springs within the Puchuldiza geothermic field. There are also beautiful fumaroles during the summer, however, these are frozen during winter.
The most common animal residents are alpacas, condors, Darwin’s leaf-earned mice, guanacos, hen harriers, llamas, South American gray foxes, vicunas, vizcachas, white-faced ibis, and yellow-billed pintail.