Declared a World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1977, the nearly 10,000 hectares of land comprising Fray Jorge National Park are best known for 400 hectares of dense temperate rain forest along the coast. This Valdivian forest (so-called because of the Valdivia province in southern Chile where these forests pervade) is formed by the condensation of camancha (coastal mist) and the very low amounts of annual precipitation, which together create an environment perfect for subtropical plant life. Within this small cloud forest, you’ll find cinnamon trees, terabinth shrubs, tepas trees and ferns normally exotic to this region.

The best time to visit the park is between October and November when the flora is in full bloom and the weather is ideal for hiking or horseback riding. In the winter, it can be difficult to find transportation to the park, especially from its closest city, Ovalle. There are many tour companies that take guided trips to the area, so this may be your best option if you don’t have private transportation. During most of the year, the park is only open on weekends and holidays. In the Summer, however, it is open Thursday to Sunday.

Entrance into the park from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.; park closes at 6 p.m.

Location:
Chile

Hiking

Travel Skills: None

By Lauren Yero

I am a recent liberal arts graduate who travels as a compulsion. I have lived in several regions of the US as well as briefly abroad in England and...

Created: 24 Sep 2008

Updated: 07 Jul 2009

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