Pan de Azúcar National Park

Localization

North Chile; 180 km north of Copiapó

Access

Easy

Characteristic

438 km²; Coastal plain, low coastal mountain ridge (up to 800 m) and small islet Isla Pan de Azúcar. There are five big canyons among mountains. Typical ecosystems: coastal desert moistened only from mists, coastal and marine biotopes, sand dunes. During the spring in rainy years (not every year) - the phenomenon known as "Flowered Desert". More than 20 cacti species.

Fauna + Flora

Mammals:

Marsupials - Opossums (Didelphidae): Elegant Fat-tailed Mouse Opossum

Bats - True Bats (Vespertilionidae): Atacama Myotis

- New World Leaf-nosed Bats (Phyllostomidae): Vampire Bat

Rodents - Mice (Muridae): Olive Grass Mouse; Darwin´s Leaf-eared Mouse; Long-tailed Pygmy Rice Rat

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

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

- Cats (Felidae): Puma

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

- Earless Seals (Phocidae): Southern Elephant Seal

Whales - Dolphins (Delphinidae): Indian Ocean Bottelnose Dolphin; Long-finned Pilot Whale; Killer Whale; Southern Right Whale Dolphin

- Porpoises (Phocoenidae): Burmeister´s Porpoise

 - Ziphiidae: Southern Bottelnose Whale

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

Birds:

Sphenisciformes - Penguins (Spheniscidae): Magellanic Penguin; Peruvian Penguin

Tubenoses - Diving Petrels (Pelecanoididae): Peruvian Diving-Petrel

Pelecaniformes - Gannets and Boobies (Sulidae): Peruvian Booby Sula

- Pelicans (Pelecanidae): Brown Pelican

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

- Ospreys (Pandionidae): Osprey

- Hawks, Eagles, Buzzards, Kites and Old World Vultures (Accipitridae): Red-backed Hawk

- Falcons and Caracaras (Falconidae): Crested Caracara; Peregrine Falcon; American Kestrel

Charadriiformes - Wading Birds (Scolopacidae): Sanderling; Surfbird; Ruddy Turnstone; Whimbrel

- Oystercatchers (Haematopodidae): Blackish Oystercatcher

- Gulls (Laridae): Band-tailed Gull; Kelp Gull

- Terns (Sternidae): Inca Tern

Perching Birds - Tapaculos (Rhinocryptidae): White-throated Tapaculo

- Tyrants (Tyrannidae): Dark-faced Ground-Tyrant; Spot-billed Ground-Tyrant

- Swallows and Martins (Hirundinidae): Barn Swallow

- Mockingbirds, Catbirds and Thrashers (Mimidae): White-banded Mockingbird

- Finches (Fringillidae): Yellow-rumped Siskin

Reptiles:

Lizards and Snakes - Whiptails and Tegus (Teiidae): Callopistes palluma

- Neotropical Ground Lizzards ( Tropiduridae): Liolaemus atacamensis and L. platei; Tropidurus atacamensis

- Geckoes (Gekkonidae): Garthia gaudichaudi

- Colubrids (Colubridae): Philodryas chamisonis

Amphibians:

Frogs - Toads (Bufonidae): Toad (Bufo atacamensis)

Plants:

Epherdopsida:

Ephedrales - Ephedraceae: Jointfir (Ephedra breana)

Ferns:

Polypodiales - Polypodiaceae: Polypodium espinosae

- Pteridaceae: Lipfern (Cheilanthes mollis)

Dicotyledons:

Brassicales - Crucifers (Brassicaceae): Hedgemustard (Sisymbrium sagittatum); Mathewsia incana; Menonvillea chilensis; Alkali Pepperweed (Lepidium spathulatum); Werdermannia anethifolia

- Tropaeolaceae: Nasturtium (Tropaeolum tricolor)

Caryophyllales - Caryophyllaceae: Microphyes litoralis; Nailwort (Paronychia chilensis); Sandcarpet (Cardionema ramossisimum); Sandspurries (Spergularia arbuscula, S. cremnophila, S. denticulata and S. stenocarpa)

- Portulacaeae: Purslane (Portulaca philippii); Pussypawses (Cistanthe amarantoides, C. calycina, C. celosiodes and C. grandiflora); Redmaids (Calandrinia cachinalensis)

- Plumbaginaceae: Leadwort (Plumbago coerulea); Sealavender (Limonium plumosum)

- Amaranthaceae: Joyweed (Alternanthera porrigens)

- Polygonaceae: Spineflower (Chorizanthe deserticola)

- Chenopodiaceae: Goosefoot (Chenopodium petiolare); Saltbushes (Atriplex clivicola, A. deserticola and A. taltalensis); Seepweed (Suaeda divaricata); Swampfire (Sarcocornia fruticosa)

- Nyctaginaceae: Four O´clock (Mirabilis elegans)

- Tetragoniaceae: Tetragonia angustifolia, T. macrocarpa, T. maritima, T. microcarpa and T. ovata

- Phytolaccaceae: Anisomeria littoralis

- Cactaceae: Copiapoa cinerea, C. cinerascens, C. humilis, C. longistaminea, C. marginata and C. serpentisulcata; Cylindropuntia tunicata; Echinopsis deserticola; Eriosyce rodentiophila; Eulychnia saint-pieana; Neoporteria esmeraldana, N. intermedia and N. taltalensis; Pricklypear (Opuntia berteri)

- Frankeniaceae: Seaheath (Frankenia chilensis)

Santalales - Santalaceae: Quinchamalium carnosum

Malvales - Malvaceae: Cristaria formosula, C. foliosa, C. fuentesiana, C. integerrima and C. viridiluteola

Rosales - Rosaceae: Acaena (Acaena trifida)

Oxalidales - Oxalidaceae:  Woodsorrels (Oxalis arbuscula, O. gigantea and O. megalorrhiza)

Fabales - Fabaceae: Adesmia latistipula, A. melanocaulos and A. pusilla; Peanut Clover (Trifolium polymorphum); Milkvetches (Astragalus cachinalensis and A. coquimbensis); Senna (Senna cumingii)

Zygophyllales - Zygophyllaceae:  Fagonbush (Fagonia chilensis)

Malpighiales - Malpighiaceae: Dinemandra ericoides

- Violaceae: Violet (Viola polypoda)

- Linaceae: Flax (Linum cremnophilum)

- Euphorbiaceae: Silverbushes (Argythamnia canescens and A. cremnophila); Spurge (Euphorbia copiapina, E. lactiflua and E. thinophila)

- Malesherbiaceae: Malesherbia humilis

Geraniales - Geraniaceae: Common Stork´s-bill (Erodium cicutarium) - introduced species

- Ledocarpaceae: Balbisia peduncularis

Myrtales - Onagraceae: Evening-Primrose (Oenothera coquimbensis)

- Lythraceae: Pukamole (Lythrum maritimum); Pleurophora pungens

Apiales - Apiaceae: Asteriscium chilensis, A. closii and A. vidali; Celery (Apium panul); Domeykoa oppositifolia and D. perennis; Eremocharis fruticosa; Gymnophyton foliosum; Marsh Parsley (Ciclospermum laciniatum)

Cornales - Loasaceae:  Loasa chilensis, L. elongata and L. fruticosa

Ericales - Polemoniaceae: Sticky False Gilyflower (Gilia glutinosa)

Gentianales - Asclepiadaceae: Cynanchum boerhaviifolium and C. viride

- Rubiaceae: Cruckshanksia pumila and C. tripartita

- Apocynaceae: Skytanthus acutus

Boraginales - Boraginaceae: Crinclemat (Tiquilia litoralis); Cryptantha argentea, C. calycina, C. filaginea, C. parviflora and C. romanii; Salt Heliotrope (Heliotropium curassavicum) and Heliotropes (Heliotropium lineariifolium, H. pycnophyllum, H. sclerocarpum and H. taltalense)

Lamiales - Mints (Lamiaceae): Hedgenettle (Stachys pannosa); Sage (Salvia tubiflora)

- Plantaginaceae: Plantains (Plantago litorea and P. rancaguae)

- Verbenaceae: Vervain (Verbena atacamensis)

- Bignoniaceae: Argylia radiata

- Scrophulariaceae: Slipperflower (Calceolaria paposana)

Solanales - Solanaceae: Desert-thorns (Lycium deserti and L. minutifolium); Nightshades (Solanum brachyantherum, S. phyllanthum and S. remyanum); Schizanthus (Schizanthus laetus); Tobacco (Nicotiana solanifolia)

- Nolanaceae: Nolana acuminata, N. aplocaryoides, N. crassulifolia, N. divaricata, N. elegans, N. flaccida, N. incana, N. leptophylla, N. linearifolia, N. mollis, N. paradoxa, N. peruviana, N. rostrata, N. rupicola, N. salsoloides, N. sedifolia and N. stenophylla

- Convolvulaceae: Spreading Alkaliweed (Cressa truxillensis); Bindweed (Convolvulus chilensis); Silverleaf Ponysfoot (Dichondra sericea)

- Cuscutaceae: Dodder (Cuscuta purpurata)

Dipsacales - Valerianaceae: Valerian (Valeriana atacamensis)

Cucurbitales - Cucurbitaceae: Burr Cucumber (Sicyos baderoa)

Asterales - Asteraceae: Baccharis taltalensis;Bahia ambrosioides; Brittlebush (Encelia canescens); Candyleaf (Stevia philippiana); Catsear (Hypochaeris grandidentata); Chuquiraga ulicina; Dwarf Coastweed (Amblyopappus pusillus); Gypothamnium pinifolium; Haplopappus deserticola and H. rosulatus; Knapweeds (Centaurea atacamensis and C. cachinalensis); Leucheria cumingii; Moscharia pinnatifida; Ophryosporus triangularis; Oxyphyllum ulicinum; Polyachyrus cinereus and P. fuscus; Ragworts (Senecio cachinalensis and S. myriophyllus); Emory´s Rockdaisy (Perityle emoryi) and Rockdaisy (Perityle discoidea); Snakeweed (Gutierrezia taltalensis); Sneezeweed (Helenium atacamense)

Piperales - Peperomiaceae: Peperomia (Peperomia doellii)

Monocotyledons:

Alismatales - Pondweeds (Potamogetonaceae):

- Juncaginaceae: Three-rib Arrowgrass (Triglochin striata)

- Ruppiaceae:  Widgeongrass (Ruppia maritima)

- Zannicheliaceae:  Horned Pondweed (Zannichellia palustris)

Liliales - Alstroemeriaceae: Lilies of Incas (Alstroemeria graminae and A. paupercula)

Poales - Grasses (Poaceae): Bluegrass (Poa bonariensis); Fescue (Festuca australis); Junegrass (Koeleria trachyantha); Lovegrass (Eragrostis attenuata); Desert Needlegrass (Achnatherum speciosum); Needlegrass (Nassella pungens); Seashore Paspalum (Paspalum vaginatum); Ditch Rabbitsfoot Grass (Polypogon interruptus); Saltgrass (Distichlis spicata); Stipa tortuosa; Stipagrostis plumosa

- Juncaceae: Spiny Rush (Juncus acutus)

- Cyperaceae: Low Bulrush (Isolepis cernua); Spikerush (Eleocharis albibracteata)

- Bromeliaceae: Deuterocohnia chrysantha; Puya boliviensis; Airplant (Tillandsia geissei)

Asparagales - Iridaceae: Blue-eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium graminifolium); Peacock Flower (Tigridia philippiana)

- Amaryllidaceae: Hippeastrum laetum

- Alliaceae: Leucocoryne appendiculata

- Hyacinthaceae: Oziroe biflora

Possible activities

Very good conditions for walking and trekking

Fishing, mountaineering, diving, sea kayak, mountain bikes

Note

Remains from different precolumbian cultures.

Best time to visit I-II

Picture - source wikipedia