- General information
- Chaiten for tourists
- Where to stay in Pumalin Park?
Volcano Chaiten (its peak is at 1112-meter height) occupies the territory of the Chilean region of Los Lagos. It is 10 km away from the village of Chaiten and is a caldera (3 km in diameter), the bottom of which has become a haven for crater lakes.
General information
For the first time, during 9400 years of "hibernation" (the last eruption occurred in 7420 BC - this was revealed by radiocarbon analysis of the last lava flow), Chaiten woke up from sleep on May 2, 2008: he "spat" ash, smoke and pyroclastic material, which rose in a column to a height of 30 km. On May 6, the erupting lava reached the village of the same name, so the authorities had to evacuate the population within a radius of 50 km from the danger zone.
In mid-June, the volcano continued to be active until the eruption reached its peak in August and began to subside. Until February 19, 2009 (lava “spread” strongly throughout the district, reaching the Argentine province of Chubut), some local residents tried to adapt to the new conditions and dismantled the rubble. On this day, before the lava erupted for the last time, the remaining 250 residents were taken out.
The entire process of the eruption of the Chaiten volcano stretched out for almost 10 months, as a result of which the Pumalin Natural Park was closed for several years. The eruption led to the fact that several rivers that flowed in the area of the Chaiten volcano developed new channels, changing their course (this is fraught with the threat of flooding of nearby settlements). In addition, the rivers that were in the path of the gas plume were no longer suitable for drinking (their acidity increased by 1.5 times due to precipitation and ash).
It is worth noting that they plan to move the village of Chaiten to a safer place, turning it into an attractive tourist destination.
Chaiten for tourists
Today, the ghost town of Chaiten (the closest village to the Pumalin Natural Park; a bus runs between them, a ticket for which costs 1000 pesos) attracts curious tourists - interesting excursions are held on the territory of this deserted village (it is called Pompeii of Southern Chile). Several shops (you can buy groceries and handicrafts), catering establishments and accommodation facilities have opened here.
Active hikers are advised to explore Pumalin Park (open all year round, admission is free). There, at their service - a variety of hiking trails of any length:
- Chaiten: start of the route - Carretera Austral, bridge Los Gigios. Tourists will keep a course to the top of Chaiten volcano (viewing platforms are provided for those who want to look at the volcano from the side). The ascent will take 1.5 hours, not counting the 45-minute descent (in general, tourists will overcome 4.4 km).
- Cascada: a hike that takes 3 hours in both directions (5.6 km), starts 50 m from the Caleta Gonzalo Camping - tourists, following a trail that stretches through a dense forest, will find themselves at an impressive waterfall. The trip should not be planned immediately after the rain, as it will be problematic to get to the waterfall due to the rising water level in the river.
- Cascadas Escondidas: This is another route that will appeal to waterfall lovers. He will lead them to a 3-cascade waterfall. The starting point is the Cascadas Escondidas campsite (the duration of the route is 2 hours in both directions). Special care should be taken when navigating the trail in wet conditions.
- Ventisquero El Amarillo: This route starts from the Ventisquero Camping (not far from it you will have to cross the river) and continues to the Michinmahuida Glacier. It is advisable to go on a hike early in the morning (for the whole way, there and back, tourists will cover 20 km, which will take about 6 hours).
- Lago Negro: starting point - Lago Negro tent camp (journey time - 30 minutes, distance - 1.5 km round trip). From there, travelers will get to a beautiful place - the shore of the lake.
- Interpretativo Ranitade Darwin: in more than 1 hour, travelers will cover 2.5 km, finding 3 observation platforms at the end of the path (the route starts from Amarillo Valley). The most observant, perhaps, will be able to see a frog, which is on the verge of extinction.
Where to stay in Pumalin Park?
In the park it will be possible to stay at one of the campsites - “El Volcan”, “Caleta Gonzalo”, “Cahuelmo” and others (approximate prices - 2500 pesos / 1 person): each camp has a shower, toilet, gazebos with benches and tables (there you can have a snack and shelter from the rain).
As for the cost of food, 1 liter of milk in the park costs 1000 pesos, sausages (pack of 5) - 1200, 400 gram pack of pasta - 700, powdered soup - 500 pesos. And those who want to use a gas stove will have to pay 2,200 pesos for rent.
