Conguillío National Park

 

Localization

South Chile (provinces of Cautín and Malleco), 148 km northeast of Temuco

Access

Easy

Characteristic

608 km²; Mountanious region of southern foothills of the Andes including active Llaima volcano (3 125 m) and Sierra Nevada ridge (2 554 m). Wild landscapes characterized by islands of vegetation completely surrounded by vast areas of basaltic to andesitic lava flows. Typical ecosystems: large areas of temperate zone forests, lakes and lagoons of volcanic origin, volcamic and alpine biotopes.

Fauna + Flora

Mammals:

Rodents - Chinchillas and Viscachas (Chinchillidae): Plains Viscacha

Carnivores - Dogs (Canidae): Argentine Grey Fox; Culpeo Fox

- Cats (Felidae): Puma

Birds:

Ciconiiformes - Ibises and Spoonbills (Threskiornithidae): Black-faced Ibis

Anseriformes - Gees, Swans and Ducks (Anatidae): Spectacled Duck; Ashy-headed Goose; Flying Steamerduck; Chiloe Wigeon

Birds of Prey - American Vultures (Cathartidae): Andean Condor

- Hawks, Eagles, Buzzards, Kites and Old World Vultures (Accipitridae): Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle; Rufous-tailed Hawk; White-throated Hawk

- Falcons and Caracaras (Falconidae): Crested Caracara

Charadriiformes - Gulls (Laridae): Andean Gull

Columbiformes - Pigeons and Doves (Columbidae): Chilean Pigeon

Psittaciformes - Parrots (Psittacidae): Austral Parakeet; Slender-billed Parakeet

Strigiformes - Owls (Strigidae): Austral Pygmy Owl

Apodiformes - Hummingbirds (Trochilidae): Green-backed Firecrown

Piciformes - Woodpeckers, Wrynecks and Piculets (Picidae): Chilean Flicker; Magellanic Woodpecker; Striped Woodpecker

Perching Birds - Ovenbirds or Horneros (Furnariidae): Bar-winged Cinclodes; Thorn-tailed Rayadito; Des Murs´ Wiretail

- Tapaculos (Rhinocryptidae): Chestnut-throated Huet-huet; Chucao Tapaculo; Magellanic Tapaculo; Ocher-flanked Tapaculo

- Tyrants (Tyrannidae): Fire-eyed Diucon; White-browed Ground-Tyrant

- Blackbirds, Orioles and Cowbirds (Icteridae): Long-tailed Meadowlark

- Buntings, American Sparrows, Juncos, etc. (Emberizidae): Yellow-bridled Finch; Patagonian Sierra-Finch

 

Plants:

Lycophytes:

Lycopodiales - Lycopodiaceae:  Clubmoss (Lycopodium magellanicum)

Ferns:

Cyatheales - Dicksoniaceae: Lophosoria quadripinnata

Polypodiales - Blechnaceae: Midsorus Fern (Blechnum chilense)

Conifers:

Araucariales - Araucariaceae: Monkey Puzzle Tree (Araucaria araucana) - most typical forest tree

Cupressales - Cupressaceae: Austrocedrus chilensis 

Podocarpales - Podocarpaceae: Prumnopitys andina

Dicotyledons:

Ranunculales - Ranunculaceae: Pacific Anemone (Anemone multifida); Leatherflower (Clematis sp.)

- Berberidaceae: Barberries (Berberis darwini and B. trigona)

- Lardizabalaceae: Boquila trifoliolata

Caryophyllales - Caryophyllaceae: Bouncing Bet (Saponaria officinalis)

Oxalidales - Eucryphiaceae:  Ulmo (Eucryphia cordifolia)

Saxifragales - Grossulariaceae: Currant Ribes magellanicum 

Fabales - Fabaceae: Adesmia emarginata; Clover (Trifolium sp.); Necklacepod (Sophora cassioides); Pea (Lathyrus magellanicus)

Fagales - Nothofagaceae: Southern Beeches (Nothofagus alpina, N. dombeyi and N. obligua) - typical forest trees

Malpighiales - Violaceae: Violet (Viola sp.)

- Linaceae:  Pale Flax (Linum bienne)

Celastrales - Celastraceae: Maytens (Maytenus disticha and M. magellanica)

Proteales - Proteaceae: Chilean Firebush (Embothrium coccineum); Lomatia dentada

Myrtales - Myrtaceae: Chilean Guava (Ugni molinae); Shortleaf Stopper (Luma apiculata)

- Onagraceae: Hardy Fuchsia (Fuchsia magellanica)

Apiales - Apiaceae: Pozoa volcanica

- Araliaceae: Pseudopanax valdiviensis

Cornales - Hydrangeaceae: Hydrangea (Hydrangea serratifolia)

Ericales - Ericaceae: Snowberry (Gaultheria pumila)

- Empetraceae: Crowberry (Empetrum rubrum)

Lamiales - Mints (Lamiaceae): Water Mint (Mentha aquatica)

- Scrophulariaceae: Eyebrights (Euphrasia crysantha and E. flavicans)

Solanales - Solanaceae:  Nightshade (Solanum valdiviense)

Cucurbitales - Coriariaceae:  Coriaria ruscifolia

Asterales - Asteraceae: Baccharis magellanica; Chaetanthera villosa; Dasyphyllum diacanthoides; Haplopappus sp.; Leptocarpha rivularis; Mutisia decurrens; Nassauvia argentea and N. lagascae; Perezia pedicularidifolia and P. recurvata; Ragwort (Senecio sp.)

Monocotyledons:

Liliales - Alstroemeriaceae:  Alstroemeria aurea

Poales - Grasses (Poaceae): Pampas Grass (Cortaderia araucana)

Asparagales - Iridaceae: Blue-eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium pearcei)

- Amaryllidaceae: Rhodophiala andicola and R. moelleri

- orchids (Orchidaceae): Chloraea longipetala and Ch. magellanica; Gavilea lutea

Possible activities

Excellent conditions for walking and mountain trekking - network of well marked paths and trails, camping sites

Fishing, swimming (?), skiing, mountaineering, horseback ridings, bicycle ridings

Note

Landscape of extraordinary scenic beauty; snow reaches up to three meters even in lower sectors during winter
Park Conguillío was used in the BBC television series Walking with dinosaurs.

Best time to visit XI-III

Picture - source wikipedia