Introducing Parque Nacional Conguillío

Created in 1950 primarily to preserve the araucaria (monkey-puzzle tree) Conguillío shelters 60, 835 hectares of alpine lakes, deep canyons and native forests. The centerpiece of this fantastic park and Unesco Biosphere Reserve is the smoldering snow-covered Volcán Llaima (3125m). Since 1640, Llaima has experienced 34 violent eruptions, most recently in 1957. Around 2000 years ago a lava flow off Llaima's northern flank dammed the Río Truful-Truful to form Laguna Conguillío, Laguna Arco Iris and Laguna Verde.

You can access Parque Nacional Conguillío from three directions. The first, and shortest (80km), is directly east of Temuco via Vilcún and Cherquenco; this accesses the ski resorts at Sector Los Paraguas, but doesn't access (by road, anyway) the campgrounds, main visitor center and trail- heads. All of those are best reached by taking the more northern route from Temuco via Curacautín (120km). The park's southern entrance, also 120km from Temuco, is accessed via Melipeuco. From here a road heads north through the park to the northern entrance, also accessing the trailheads and campgrounds.