Description of the attraction
The Magallanes National Park is located west of the city of Punta Arenas, in the Magallanes region. Covered with lush vegetation, the national park protects the native beech and evergreen oak "coigues" that grow in the reserve.
German naturalist Bernhard Inom Philippe discovered in 1843 a coal deposit on the west coast of the Strait of Magellan in the Rio de Las Minas Valley at a place called Sandy Point and Punta Sandy (now Punta Arenas). The importance of this discovery, as well as dense forests and other natural resources, forced the government in 1845 to move the colonial settlement from Punta Santa Ana (Fort Bulnes) to Sandy Point, where the city of Punta Arenas was later founded. It is the third largest city in all of Patagonia.
This entire area is part of the Magallanes National Park, created in 1932 with the aim of protecting the watershed of Lake Lynch, which is the main supplier of water for the city. The area of the park was expanded in 1939 to 20,878 hectares.
This reserve is the cradle of special landscapes and water resources, which made it a home for numerous species of fauna and flora. Here you can see bustards, black woodpeckers, finches, blackbirds, all kinds of ducks, puma, Andean and gray foxes. These places will be appreciated by nature lovers.
Magallanes Park has countless natural attractions for tourists: over 60 miles of hiking trails. In addition, it has routes for disabled tourists. The park has special sheds and picnic areas. But if, while traveling through the park, the night catches you, then you can spend the night only 8 kilometers from the nature reserve in the city of Punta Arenas.
This place is also famous for the Ski Club Andino - one of the few places with natural snow and sea views. Admire the breathtaking scenery overlooking the sea while skiing down the slope, possibly between June and October.
