Bosque de Alerces Milenarios - Parque Nacional Los Alerces

Bosque de Alerces Milenarios - Parque Nacional Los Alerces

This excursion is recommended for those who wish to enjoy relaxing in places in a beauty and absolutely undisturbed by man’s presence.

The excursion starts at Lake Menendez, after having crossed the footbridge over the Arrayanes river and walked approximately 2,000 m.

At Chucao Port, you will board the boat to sail across Menéndez lake and get to the banks of the northern branch. During the voyage you can get stunning views of the southern wall of Torrecillas Glacier, Big Island, forests and falls.

Once arrived at Sagrario port you will disembark and start a hike into the heart of the National Park which protects the millenary Alerce trees.

Fray Francisco Menéndez was the first European to record in writing between 1783 and 1786, the geography of the lake district, of what is known nowadays as Los Alerces National Park. His trip, whose aim was missionary, resulted in an adventure of geographical reconnaissance and a search for the City of the Caesars, and became the first exploration of these areas.

The tour guides will lead you along a trail of extreme beauty which takes the visitor into the depths of the Valdivian forest and its magnificent specimens. You will see Swan lake, the rapids of Swan river and last but not least, “Grandfather”, an alerce

tree over 2,600 years old, with 2.2meters in diameter and 57meters high, undoubtedly the most outstanding example of its kind, which constitutes one of the oldest living species in our planet that inhabits a place where pollution does not exist or is practically nonexistent.