Parque Nacional Nahuelbuta, one of the most popular in southern Chile, is located in the Province of Malleco, Araucania Region, although a small part extends to the neighboring Region of Bio Bio. It was created in January 1939 and its surface covers 6,832 hectares in the highest part of the homonymous mountain range. Its main characteristics are the great diversity of wildlife and especially the extensive forests of Chilean Araucaria, with some specimens close to 2,000 years old, a sacred tree and symbol of the Mapuche culture, native people of this area.
Nahuelbuta ("Big Tiger" in the ancestral Mapuche language), is one of the magical places that are still preserved with a minimum of impact and infrastructure, with several viewpoints, camping sites and trails to travel, slightly less than 1 hour from the city from Angol, by gravel road but very passable. In addition, due to its natural diversity, the park is a research center on the ecosystem.
Main features and places of interest in Nahuelbuta
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| Image: Radio Universidad de Chile |
The landscape is dominated by the mountain range of the same name, which provides a unique environment to the place and is home to its rich flora and fauna. As for the climate, it is of the temperate - rainy type, with well defined seasons and an average annual temperature of 13º C. With 6 rainy months and annual rainfall that varies between 1,000 and 1,500 mm. Frosts are frequent in the winter season, however the summer is dry and hot.
It can be visited all year round, however the best months are from November to May of the following year. The main trails to travel are Piedra del Aguila 4.5 km, El Aguilucho 1.8 km, Casa de Piedra 1.5 km, Cerro Anay .8 km, Estero Los Gringos 5 km.
A must see in the park is a visit to Piedra del Aguila, a viewpoint on a large rock that stands out from the forest of these ancient trees and that allows extraordinary 360º views, towards the Pacific Ocean westwards, and to the East with the volcanoes of the Andes mountain range in the distance.
Another attraction of the park is the viewpoint of Cerro Anay, which is accessed through a 5 km long path among abundant native vegetation; the round trip takes about 3 hours, and is suitable for all types of visitor. From the height you can see a large part of the National Park including the volcanoes from Chillan to Villarrica in the south and all the valleys in between such as Angol, Renaico, Nacimiento and Mininco.
As for Flora, this is the only area of the so-called Cordillera de la Costa where there is a greater concentration of Araucarias, some of almost 2,000 years old, in addition to Lenga (Nothofagus pumilio), Mañío (Podocarpus nubigenus), Oak and Coigüe (Nothofagus dombeyi). In the understory there is a great variety of Orchids and two of the three insectivorous plants existing in Chile.
The Fauna is represented by numerous species of native specimens such as the Darwin's Fox or Zorro Chilote, which only inhabits the Nahuelbuta and Chiloe mountain ranges, and birds such as the Churrin (Scytalopus magellanicus), the Chucao (Scelorchilus rubecula) and the Black Woodpecker.
How to Get There
It is more easily accessed in the summer season and the rest of the year four-wheel drive vehicles are necessary.
The main access is the route from Angol to Vegas Blancas. From the west it is accessed from the town of Cañete by Butamalal - El Chacay - Cayucupil. From the north it is accessed from Angol on the way to Cotico. The closest cities are Angol, Cañete, Los Angeles.
Contact Information
The Administration Office is located in Pehuenco, 40 km from Angol and 47 from Cañete, and due to the weather conditions it works only during the spring-summer season.
Official Website HereE-mail parque.nahuelbuta@conaf.cl
Landline 56 228406845
Mobile +56 996436927
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