PARC AHUENCO

This is undoubtedly one of the island's most exotic walks. This day hike (allow 8 h round trip) takes you through landscapes that resemble everything... except Chile! Huge sandy beaches, lush forests that spill over onto the coastline, shipwrecks rusted by the foam and paths winding over hills carpeted with flowers... the setting is heavenly! The story of this park began in 1993, with a scientific and technical expedition to study the feasibility and design of Chile's first marine park. The members of the expedition headed south along the coast of the Chepu River, and found that Ahuenco's 291-hectare "Parcela 19" was for sale. A group of friends, future developers, formed and bought the land with the aim of launching a conservation project. Today, Ahuenco Park remains one of Chile's first private conservation initiatives. During your visit, you'll no doubt be amazed by all the animal species on display. From the Darwin's frog to the chucao and the pudú, the park is a haven for many animals. It is also home to the Humboldt and Magellanic penguins, which live here between September and February. The park is still under construction in terms of signage and infrastructure, but it's easy to hike along the beach.