Laguna San Rafael National Park

Localization

Pacific coast of southern Chile, about 120 km south of Puerto Chacabuco

Access

Moderately difficult - by air or by boat from Puerto Chacabuco

Characteristic

17 420 km²; Mountainous coastal region - includes the Northern Patagonian Ice Field formed by 19 glaciers and a fjord more than 10 miles long. This park contains a number of rivers and lakes. The park is named for the San Rafael Lagoon formed by the retreat of the San Rafael Glacier. The smelting of San Rafael glacier base causes the detachment of big ice blocks, which float on Laguna San Rafael waters, which has 106 square miles. The tallest peak in the Southern Andes, Mount San Valentín (4,058 m), is located in the park. Typical ecosystems: temperate zone forests, alpine and coastal biotopes, substantial part of the park is covered by ice.

Fauna + Flora

Mammals:

Carnivores - Weasels, Otters, Badgers, Skunks (Mustelidae): Marine Otter; Southern River Otter

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

- Cats (Felidae): Kodkod; Puma

Seals, Sea-Lions and Walruses - Eared Seals (Otariidae): South American Sea Lion

- Earless Seals (Phocidae): Southern Elephant Seal

Whales - Dolphins (Delphinidae): Chilean Dolphin

Even-toed Ungulates - Camels and Lamas (Camelidae): Guanaco

- Deers (Cervidae): Huemal; Southern Pudu

Birds:

Sphenisciformes - Penguins (Spheniscidae): Magellanic Penguin

Podicipediformes - Grebes (Podicipedidae): Great Grebe; White-tufted Grebe

Tubenoses - Fulmars, Prions, Shearwaters and Gadfly Petrels (Procellariidae): Southern Fulmar; Antarctic Giant-Petrel; White-chinned Petrel

- Diving Petrels (Pelecanoididae): Magellanic Diving-Petrel

- Albatrosses (Diomedeaidae): Black-browed Albatross

Pelecaniformes - Cormorants and Shags (Phalacrocoarcidae): Imperial Shag; Rock Shag

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

Anseriformes - Gees, Swans and Ducks (Anatidae): Crested Duck; Ashy-headed Goose; Kelp Goose; Ruddy-headed Goose; Upland Goose; Flightless Steamerduck; Black-necked Swan

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

- Falcons and Caracaras (Falconidae): Striated Caracara; American Kestrel

Gruiformes - Rails, Crakes, Coots and Gallinules (Rallidae): Red-gartered Coot

Charadriiformes - Plovers (Charadriidae): Southern Lapwing

- Oystercatchers (Haematopodidae): Magellanic Oystercatcher

- Seedsnipes (Thinocoridae): Least Seedsnipe

- Sheathbills (Chionididae): Snowy Sheathbill

- Skuas and Jaegers (Stercorariidae): Chilean Skua; Southern Skua

- Gulls (Laridae): Brown-hooded Gull; Dolphin Gull; Kelp Gull

Columbiformes - Pigeons and Doves (Columbidae): Eared Dove; Chilean Pigeon

Psittaciformes - Parrots (Psittacidae): Austral Parakeet

Apodiformes - Hummingbirds (Trochilidae): Green-backed Firecrown

Piciformes - Woodpeckers, Wrynecks and Piculets (Picidae): Magellanic Woodpecker

Perching Birds - Ovenbirds or Horneros (Furnariidae): Blackish Cinclodes; Dark-bellied Cinclodes; Common Miner; Thorn-tail Rayadito

- Tapaculos (Rhinocryptidae): Chestnut-throated Huet-huet

- Tyrants (Tyrannidae): Rufous-backed Negrito

- Wrens (Troglodytidae): House Wren

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

- Buntings, American Sparrows, Juncos, etc. (Emberizidae): Black-throted Finch; Rofous-collared Sparrow

- Finches (Fringillidae): Back-chinned Siskin

Amphibians:

Frogs - Toads (Bufonidae): toad Bufo variegatus

- Ceratophryidae: Atelognathus grandisonae; Batrachyla nibaldoi

Plants:

Conifers:

Cupressales - Cupressaceae: Pilgerodendron uvifera

Podocarpales - Podocarpaceae: Plum Pine (Podocarpus nubigena)

Dicotyledons:

Canellales - Winteraceae: Winter´s Bark (Drimys winteri)

Ranunculales - Ranunculaceae: Buttercup (Ranunculus sericocephalus); Hamadryas magellanica; Marsh Marigold (Caltha dioneifolia)

Brassicales - Crucifers (Brassicaceae): Onuris alismatifolia

Malvales - Thymelaeaceae: Drapetes sp.

Rosales - Rosaceae: Acena (Acaena lucida)

Saxifragales - Saxifragaceae: Saxifragella sp.; Saxifragodes sp.

Fagales - Nothofagaceae: Southern Beeches (Nothofagus antarctica, N. betulinus and N. pumilio) - dominant forest tree species

Malpighiales - Violaceae:  Violets (Viola commersonii and V. tridentata)

Celastrales - Celastraceae: Mayten (Maytenus magellanica)

Apiales - Apiaceae: Bolax sp. - often close to ice border

Ericales - Empetraceae:  Crowberry (Empetrum sp.) - often close to ice border

- Epacridaceae:  Lebetanthus myrsinites

Lamiales - Scrophulariaceae: Hebe elliptica - dense scrubs; Ourisia fuegiana and O. ruelloides

Dipsacales - Valerianaceae: Valerian (Valeriana sedifolia)

Asterales - Asteraceae: Abrotanella emarginata, A. submarginata and A. trilobata; Nardophyllum bryoides; Nassauvia latissima; Perezia lactucoides; Olympic Mountain Ragwort (Senecio websteri) and Ragworts (Senecio eightsii and S. humifusus)

- Stylidiaceae: Phyllachne uliginosa

Monocotyledons:

Poales - Grasses (Poaceae): Bluegrasses (Poa darwiniana and P. yaganica); Fescue (Festuca cirrosa); Hairgrass (Deschampsia kingii)

Asparagales - Iridaceae: Grasswidow (Olsynium obscura)

- Orchids (Orchodaceae): Gavilea australis

Possible activities

Good conditions for trekking - moderate to difficult

Fishing, mountaineering, sea kayak

Note

The park was designated a World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO

No tourist infrastructure in the park area

Best time to visit IX-IV, accesible whole year round

Picture - source wikimedia