entrance fee
$5000 CLP (foreigner)
$3000 CLP (national)
Highlights
Ventiquero Colgante
Bosque Encantado
Parque Nacional Queulat is a national park in Aysén, Chile. In 1766, José García Alsu, a Jesuit priest, explored the area encompassing the park in search of City of the Caesars (Ciudad de los Césares): a legendary lost city allegedly full of gold, silver and diamonds.
The park was established in 1983 and in the late-1980s, construction of the Carretera Austral connected the park with Coyhaique (to the south) and Chile's Los Lagos Region (to the north). The park remains largely unchartered, comprised of extremely dense vegetation and littered with waterfalls. The park's eastern boundary borders the Puyuhuapi channel, which features seals, dolphins and many marine birds.
Trekking & More
Ventisquero Colgante
Brilliant blue-and-white hanging glacier, suspended from the surrounding cliffside. Multiple hikes to the glacier are available. For best views, tackle the longest (3.2 km one-way). In summer, enjoy a boat ride on Laguna Tempanos (dock is at the end of the hike titled "Sendero Laguna Tempanos").
| Fee | $5,000 Park Entry Fee |
|---|---|
| Boat Ride | ~$4000 CLP per person (4-6 people required) |
| GPS Location | -44.468037, -72.543574 |
Salto del Padre García
Picturesque cascada (waterfall) immediately off the Carretera Austral. Named after Jesuit priest who searched this area for the legendary Ciudad de los Césares. Located at the first switchback of the climb to the Queulat Pass (from the north).
| Fee | None (free) |
|---|---|
| GPS Location | -44.578204, -72.410911 |
Sendero Bosque Encantado
Tranquil two kilometer (one-way) trail to a turquoise laguna and a small glacier. The trail can get slippery, and is littered with tree roots. Keep an eye out for chilco (fuchsia magellanica) — these pink-flowered bushes are a hotspot for local hummingbirds! Trailhead is located just south of Queulat Pass.
| Fee | $3,000 CLP |
|---|---|
| GPS Location | -44.626034, -72.451440 |
Piedra del Gato
Gigantic rock-face along the Carretera Austral, just south of the park. A great spot to observe the beauty and power of Río Cisnes below.
| Fee | None (Free) |
|---|---|
| GPS Location | -44.652317, -72.389548 |
Cycling Queulat
Besides the Carretera Austral (which runs through the park) there are no cycle routes within the park. The park's major highlights – Ventisquero Colgante, Sendero Bosque Encantado, and Salto del Padre García – are easily accessible from the Carretera Austral. The route through the park is covered in depth in Bicycle Patagonia's La Junta to Puyuhuapi and Puyuhuapi to Villa Amengual route pages.
