Chile’s Route of Parks is Leading the Way in Eco-Tourism

393 km² of mountain, valleys, 50 lakes, and vast areas of native larch forests.

Mountains, rain forests and glaciers. The park is roughly half green with vegetation, and half white with glacial snow and ice.

At 2893 km² Pumalín Park is is one of the largest in South America. It features untouched, native rainforest that spread right up to the ocean, ancient Alerce trees and many endemic species of bird and mammal.

This park is 2940 km², and the fourth largest in Chile. Well off the tourist trail due to the location, there are 82 lakes and ancient forests that is home to the elusive puma. You may also spot migratory blue whales in the Bay of Corcovado.

Another remote park, there is no land access except for small, local paths. On the coast, this is another hub for blue whales.

This park consists of evergreen forests, deciduous shrub land, waterfalls, fjords, rivers, and the famous hanging glacier known as Ventisquero Colgante.

A coastal island park with wildlife such as penguins, sea lions and river otters. At the centre of Isla Magdalena the Mentolat Volcano, with a peak that rises 5,446 feet.

Glaciers, ice and snow are the key features of this national park. At 17,500 km², it is one of the largest park in Chile, and home to the highest peak in Patagonia, Monte San Valentín.

One of the lesser travelled national parks, Cerro Castillo is a place where you can feel alone with nature. Named after the tallest peak, Mount Castillo, this park is home to snow-capped mountains, waterfalls, forests and grasslands.

This popular park has tourist infrastructure in place, including the 330 ft long footbridge over the Chacabuco River. There is sweeping mountain and valley scenery. After years of overgrazing in the region, it has transformed into a conservation success.

The largest national park in Chile, the Bernardo O’Higgins is 35,259 km². There are 49 glaciers, including Pío XI, the largest in the southern hemisphere, and an icefield that is only beaten in length by Antarctica and the icefield of Greenland.

Incorporates many small islands in the archipelagos of Magallanes and Última Esperanza, this park is a wilderness escape far from the tourist hotspots, filled with glaciers, fjords, lakes, and wetlands.

One of the most visited of the national parks, this is where you’ll find the mountain Paine Massif, turquoise glacial lakes, forests and many species of mammal including pumas, huemal and guanaco. With many trails to explore, there is always something new to see.

Known for its birdlife, including many birds of prey, this 50 km² park has a desert-like climate, volcanos and craters.

Highlights of this park are high peaks, evergreen forests, and rich marine life, such as American fur seals, whales and dolphins. So far, there is little in the way of infrastructure for tourists, but this adds to the remote charm.

A park that is not yet fully open to the public, it is an area of land that has seen few visitors. The landscape is one of mountains, forests and fjords. It is home to endangered species of mammal and bird.

This park at the southern tip of Chile has a cold desert climate. It is an area rich in folklore, due to the sailing boats that once left there to head for the Antarctic.

Thanks to the Tompkins Conservation and the Chilean Government, the Route of Parks makes it possible for both native people and tourists to enjoy Chile’s untapped natural beauty.

Chile sets the standard for eco-tourism success, and since the opening of the Route of Parks there has been a fourteen percent increase in foreign visitors to the area.

So far, it’s a win-win situation. Local communities benefit from being able to earn money through tourist services, while having their lands and culture preserved.

Tourists can access some of the most beautiful, untouched wilderness environments, something that is becoming rare in the world. Perhaps most importantly, native species of animal and plant can thrive in an ever-protected environment.