Parque Nacional Alerce Andino — Attraction in Puerto Montt

Possibly the best national park I've visited in Chile and easy to get to by bus from Puerto Montt. I highly recommend leaving as early as possible though keep in mind the park does not open till 9am. You can take a small bus to Lenca from the bus terminal in Puerto Montt and get off in Chaica, which is just after the Lenca stops. At the bus stop there are numbers you can call to get a ride up the 7km dirt road to the park. I recommend using the one listed as "Uber Andino" which is a woman by the name of Angélica who has a truck capable of transporting up to maybe 8 people at a time. You pay in advance for transportation to and from the park. The hike to the falls and the ancient larch tree is relatively easy but to go further requires a more strenuous climb. To reach the lakes you will need to cross a stream that has no bridge, which is not a problem in the dry season (Jan-Feb) but could be dangerous in wetter times of the year. The trail from the first lake to Lago Triángulo is not well maintained but usually passable even if the park personnel say otherwise. If you have the time and skill to reach this upper lake you will be rewarded with an incredible landscape and a perfect place to go for a quick swim. Excellent birdwatching to be had throughout the park and the chance to see or at least hear la rana de Darwin, a tiny tree frog native to the region. A perfect day hike but if you have 3 days and backpacking gear, check out a similar hike in the...

The Alerce Andino National Park is part of the Temperate Rainforest Biosphere Reserve of the Southern Andes. It is about 40 km from Puerto Montt. There is a pretty rough 12 km gravel road leading off the highway to the park, but the drive is worth it!

Our destination was an out-and-back to Laguna Chaiquenes. It was raining lightly when we set off, but we were dressed for the occasion. The trail for the first 4.5 km is quite good, for the most part. There are a few sections of of older corduroy road. At the 4 km mark, we arrived at Salto Rio Chaica. It was a beautiful set of falls, and we stopped here to enjoy our lunch on the way back. Just after Rio Chaica falls is the Alerce Andino that is the best known feature in the park. This tree is estimated to be 3,000 years old.

A very enjoyable morning in the park on our last full day in the...

Excelente panorama para estar todo el día en el parque. Un imperdible en la décima región, un parque con vegetación siempre verde, muy extenso, con senderos que van desde los pocos metros hasta el más largo con casi 10 kms de ida( 2- 3 hrs de caminata ) Mucho resguardo de guardabosques, quienes están atentos a las necesidades de los visitantes y más aun al cuidado del entorno.

Para hacer el trekking de laguna triangulo se recomienda llegar no mas allá de las 12:00 del día ya que el acceso a la laguna cierra a las 14:00. Es un bosque muy denso por lo que la luz del sol desaparece temprano.

Un imperdible para ir con la familia, hasta la laguna chaiquenes es un trayecto plano y de baja dificultad con senderos claramente marcados dónde perderte resulta imposible si sigues el camino.

La visita al Alerce Milenario es imperdible. Porfavor no lo dañen, no escriban ni corten nada!!!!

Si quieres hacer "laguna triangulo" lleva zapatos para caminata, ropa holgada y una mochila liviana con lo básico. Ah y siempre dispuesto a caerte 😅 el camino es algo escarpado y de dificultad media.

No olvides que es un PARQUE NACIONAL!!!! No lleves a tu mascota. Por más entrenada o tranquila que sea sigue siendo un animal, el cual se puede perder, ser atacado por animales salvajes o dejar alguna enfermedad que afecte al ecosistema. Hay muchos lugares en dónde puedes pasear junto a tu mascota, pero los parques nacionales son reserva!.

Prohibido hacer fuego, no destruyas y lleva siempre contigo la basura !!!! No dejes nada que no...