One of the wonders of Chile it is its nature and its more than 35 national parks that include more than 14000 protected hectares.
Huerquehue park is located within 31 kilometers of the city of Pucón. This park is one of the oldest protected areas in Chile and was created in 1967. The park’s name comes from the Mapuche word Huerque-hue and means ‘Place of the messengers’.
It is one of the most enjoyable places to visit and one of my favorites in Chile, with stunning natural beauty and rich biodiversity. Among the 12,500 hectares you can find many different flora and fauna species. It is ideal for families or even for taking a solo trip, it has a privileged location very close to one of the most touristic areas in Chile that includes Villarrica and Pucon.
There are areas within Huerquehue Park where it is even possible to see the impressive Villarrica Volcano and Villarrica Lake, which makes it very attractive (or motivating) to climb their paths to get these outstanding views.
Biodiversity at Huerquehue Park
Huerquehue Park has 5 hiking trails with varying intensities.
On my visit I planned on making a peaceful day trip to Huerquehue Park, but it ended up being an exhausting 8-hour trek going up and down the hills on some of its trails. It is impossible not tofall in love with this amazing destination and I recommend you to take the hikes very slowly if you are not used to doing long treks so you will be able to enjoy the journey. You may even have the option to camp within the park so you can stay longer to enjoy and take your time exploring the paths, lakes and beautiful views.
There are many species living in Huerquehue Park and their diversity is due to its location and the great variation in altitude of the trails ranging between 720-2000 meters.
Impressive and ancient Araucaria forests (Araucaria araucaria) make their appearance at the top of the mountains, surrounding some of its lakes, rivers and lagoons, here you will find a very unique landscape.
You may find species of amphibians like the Darwin frog, mammals such as the Pudu and birds like woodpeckers, choroy, black-necked swans, hawks and at the highest peaks you may even see Condors when conditions allow.
To get the most from your visit to Huerquehue Park I suggest you arrive as early as possible to take advantage of the natural light. Bring warm clothes for the evening or if you go in winter take thermal socks and a waterproof jacket. Please wear comfortable shoes as you could end up on a very long trek. In summer you may want to bring different layers as temperatures can vary widely during the day.
Always report your exit to the Park guards to avoid alarming them and starting a search.
How to get to Huerquehue Park from Pucón
Huerquehue Park is located near the town of Pucon. If you go there by public transport you can find mini buses from the bus terminal in this city. There you can check the rates and schedules, which change seasonally.
The trip takes around one hour from Pucon to the park entrance.
To get there by private car it is necessary to take the route linking Pucon with Caburgua (located near the park, it is also a beautiful area to visit) and follow signs that will guide you through the detour to Paillaco.
Huerquehue Park visiting hours
Summer fom 8:30 to 20:00
Winter until 18:00
Prices at high season
Chilean
Adults $2.500, Children $1.000, Elderly $1.250
Foreigners
Adults $4.500, Children $2.000, Elderly $2.000.
There is a private campgrounding with 21 camping sites and 6 picnic sites.
Price
Chilean: CLP 10.000
Foreigner: CLP 15.000
You can get more info at the CONAF website for Huerquehue Park
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