Nevado Tres Cruces National Park

Localization

North Chile, about 150 km northeast of Copiapó

Access

Easy - 4x4 car

Characteristic

591 km²; High mountains national park divided into two zones.The park includes two high mountain brackish lagoons (Laguna Santa Rosa and Laguna del Negro Francisco) without any visible drainage and salt flat Salar de Maricunga (8 300 ha) at an altitude of 3,700 meters.Typical ecosystems: alpine and volcanic biotopes, high mountains lakes and rivers, very important wetlands, semidesert, salinas.

Fauna + Flora

Mammals:

10 mammal species

Bats - True Bats (Vespertilionidae): Small Big-eared Brown Bat; Hoary Bat

Carnivores - Dogs (Canidae): Culpeo Fox

- Cats (Felidae): Puma

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

Birds:

62 bird species

Phoenicopteriformes - Flamingos (Phoenicopteridae): Andean Flamingo; Chilean Flamingo; Puna Flamingo

Anseriformes - Gees, Swans and Ducks (Anatidae): Crested Duck; Andean Goose

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

Gruiformes - Rails, Crakes, Coots and Gallinules (Rallidae): Giant Coot; Horned Coot

Charadriiformes - Gulls (Laridae): Andean Gull

Perching Birds - Ovenbirds or Horneros (Furnariidae): Berlepsh´s Canastero; Royal Cinclodes

- Tyrants (Tyrannidae): Ash-breasted Tit-Tyrant

Reptiles:

4 reptile species

Plants:

Monocotyledons:

Poales - Juncaceae: Oxychloe andina; Patosia clandestina - wetlands dominant species

Possible activities

Trekking

Mountaineering

Note

The park is open X-IV

Archaeological finding sites

The world's highest volcano, and the highest peak in Chile, Ojos del Salado, (6,893 meters) is located in its vicinity.

Picture - source wikipedia