Exploring Los Alerces National Park

Los Alerces National Park, established in 1937 and designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2017, protects over 259,000 hectares of Patagonian forests in the province of Chubut. The central experience for reaching the park’s most emblematic areas is the lake navigation, which provides access to protected zones where overland entry is limited.

Lake navigation

The tour is conducted by catamaran, crossing emerald-green lakes surrounded by dense forests of coihue, cypress, and the alerce trees that give the park its name. During the journey, specialized guides share information about the area’s ecology and the significance of these ancient conifer forests. The unhurried pace of the navigation allows visitors to observe the landscape transition as the boat advances toward the heart of the park, where the oldest specimens are found.

The highlight of the trip is access to the alerce grove where El Abuelo stands — an alerce tree approximately 2,620 years old and 60 meters tall. Surrounded by other alerces that make up the ancient forest, this specimen represents one of the longest-lived organisms on the planet.

Visitor profile and access

This activity is accessible to visitors of all fitness levels, as it requires no particular physical effort. It is especially suited to those seeking direct contact with nature through observation and environmental interpretation, without the demands of high-mountain trekking.

The park lies along the Chilean border, roughly 50 kilometers from Esquel. The park headquarters is located in Villa Futalaufquen. Unlike busier destinations in northern Patagonia, Los Alerces maintains a less crowded character, allowing for a more intimate experience with the natural surroundings.

Destination context

From Esquel, visiting Los Alerces National Park is one of the area’s essential excursions. The park protects lahuán forests — the Mapuche name for alerce — amid waterfalls, rivers, and lakes that form one of Patagonia’s most preserved ecosystems. The combination of natural heritage and the possibility of exploring it by boat makes this a singular experience within the region’s offerings.