Parque Nacional Los Alerces

Chubut Province, Argentina

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Parque Nacional Los Alerces is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in western Chubut Province, Argentina, protecting over 259,000 hectares of ancient Patagonian forests along the Chilean border in the Andes. Created in 1937 and inscribed as a natural World Heritage site in 2017, the park conserves South America’s oldest forest: the millennia-old alerzal (coastal cedar forest) of Fitzroya cupressoides, known locally as alerce or lahuán, with some trees over 2,600 years old and 60 meters tall, including the famous 2,620-year-old “Abuelo” (Grandfather) that stands as a living testament to Patagonia’s deep time. The landscape features spectacular turquoise and emerald lakes like Lácar, Cholila, Futalaufquen and Anchô, surrounded by glacial valleys, prismatic waterfalls, dense forests of ñire and lenga, and alpine meadows that create some of Patagonia’s most pristine scenery. Visitors can enjoy hiking, kayaking on crystal-clear lakes, fishing for native trout, horseback riding, and wildlife watching for species like pumas, guanacos, pudús, huemuls, Andean condors and numerous endemic birds and plants. The park’s main access is through the small lakeside village of Villa Futalaufquen, from where trails lead into the forest and to viewpoints overlooking the stunningly colored glacial lakes that reflect the snow-capped Andes peaks. As one of Argentina’s fourth-largest national parks and a globally significant refuge for ancient forests and biodiversity, Los Alerces offers a profound connection to Patagonia’s wilderness, natural heritage and the timeless wisdom of its ancient trees.