Los Alerces National Park: World Heritage Site

This appointment is in the province of Chubut. Here, in the heart of the Andean Patagonian Forest ecoregion, a national park declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco is waiting for you. Admire this place that protects millenary larch forests. Find trees which are 2,600 years old. Look at a larch tree over two meters thick and almost sixty meters high.

In this place, you’ll see the beauty of the largest portion of Valdivian jungle in Argentina. You’ll discover the southernmost coihues, arrayans, larches, and coligüe canes. Do you like native wildlife? Follow the tracks of the pudú and the huemul deer, the huina cat and the torrent duck. Watch the marbled wood frog, the eared doves, and the Batrachyla fitzroya frog, a recently-discovered species. Visit this unique spot in the world.

Geographic location: Province of Chubut, Argentine Patagonia.

How to get there: From the city of Esquel (province of Chubut), via Ruta Nacional 259, and Ruta Provincial 71 up to Villa Futalaufquen. From Esquel you can also access the southern section of the protected area, via Ruta Nacional 259 up to Trevelin and along the road leading to the Futaleufú Hydroelectric Complex (45 km). There are three weekly flights from Buenos Aires to Esquel, and buses from almost everywhere around the country. From this city, you can reach the park by car or rental truck, taxi, chauffer-driven car, or booking the service with a travel agency.

Area: 259,570 hectares.

Climate: Warm to cold, and humid. In the lower areas, average temperatures range from 14°C in summer (with highs above 30°C) to 2°C in winter (with lows several degrees below zero). It regularly snows from June to September. It is advisable to visit the park between November and April.

Recommended length of stay: 1 to 3 days.

Recommended clothing and gear: Warm clothes, in layers. Be ready for possible temperature drops.

What to do: Trekking, hiking, wildlife watching.