Route of the Parks: Conservation of more than 27 million acres - Chile Nativo

Route of the Parks: Conservation of more than 27 million acres

The Route of the Parks includes 17 National Parks and protects over 27 million acres in southern Chile. This project is crucial for environmental conservation and is driving a shift towards more sustainable tourism. Our founder, Gonzalo Fuenzalida, has been appointed Vice President of the project, highlighting our commitment to preserving and developing this vast natural area.

With 2,800 kilometers between Puerto Montt and Cape Horn, crossing 17 National Parks, the new Route of the Parks has been established, driven by the visionary Douglas Tompkins, to protect and conserve more than 27 million acres in the southernmost part of Chile.

The Route covers just over ⅓ of Chile and highlights the urgency of reconnecting with nature while implementing tourism development models that harmonize with biodiversity and the 60 nearby communities that inhabit the area.

Alberto de Agostini National Park

After the Amazon, the Route of the Parks is a crucial green lung for Chile and the world. Its biodiversity and ecological value are immense; the diverse landscapes of temperate rainforests, wetlands, ice fields, and fjords are home to thousands of species, many of them endemic and several endangered.

Do you know what peatlands are? They are climate-regulating wetlands that store 10 times more carbon than any other ecosystem. These make up 20% of the Route’s territory. We must also remember the importance of the Northern and Southern Ice Fields, which constitute the world’s third-largest reserve of fresh water.

The role of the Route of the Parks in carbon moderation is truly influential not only in Chile but also in South America and globally. The United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC), with data also provided by the National Geographic Society and Tompkins Conservation Chile, revealed that this area stores more than 6.6 billion metric tons of carbon, an average of 226 per acre.

The relevance and conservation of this area stem from Douglas Tompkins’ idea. An American businessman who purchased vast stretches of land in the southern parts of Chile and Argentina, he publicly announced his vision for the Route in 2015.

Pumalin National Park

He invited people to view National Parks as engines for local economies, creating jobs, boosting trade, and focusing on the conservation of the entire area in conjunction with the surrounding communities.

By early March 2017, an agreement was signed between the Chilean state and private entities. The Tompkins Conservation Chile Foundation donated the largest portion of land worldwide with the condition that the state incorporate public lands and classify them as National Parks, thus creating Pumalín Douglas Tompkins, Melimoyu, Cerro Castillo, Patagonia, and Kawésqar, and expanding three more: Hornopirén, Corcovado, and Isla Magdalena. This resulted in nearly 30 million acres, bringing the Route of the Parks to life.

The project’s executive committee appointed our founder, Gonzalo Fuenzalida, as Vice President, who is proud and happy to represent the private entrepreneurs of the Magallanes Region, one of the three regions included in this Route.

Chile Nativo has been developing partnerships with tour operators from other regions and National Parks for several years. In collaboration with two leading tourism companies in southern Chile, they created Patagonia Collection, a program that crosses National Parks of the Route of the Parks, offering activities such as rafting, kayaking, biking, excursions to active volcanoes, and interactive cultural meetings with local communities. This is precisely what the Route implements on a large scale, with all 17 National Parks working together.

Gonzalo, believes that his work on the Route of the Parks is “a challenge, and at the same time, a way to give back to tourism what it has so generously given him.” He is committed to contributing to the conservation and sustainable commercialization of the Route of the Parks.

To learn more about the Route of the Parks, visit the website:

https://www.rutadelosparques.org/  

Written by Bárbara Salinas E.
SY Joyce Kan
SY Joyce Kan
2023-03-07
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Amazing trip! We joined the Torres Del Paine 7 day O trek tour - note that this tour is not a complete O Trek but skipping the part from Camp Frances to Las Torres, which worked in our favour as our holiday is limited and we won’t miss much. Our guide, Debbie was knowledgeable and amicable, and very passionate about hiking. Unfortunately I fell sick during the hike and wished to leave a day earlier than planned. Debbie and Chile Nativo quickly rearranged transportation for us and was very helpful. Throughout the whole process Chile Nativo was very responsive. We had a memorable journey and I would highly recommend Chile Nativo.
Jim Garvin
Jim Garvin
2023-03-02
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Fantastic experience! We were booked with Chile Nativo via Swoop and had a wonderful experience. Our guides, Tim & Lucile, were awesome. We really enjoyed their company. They were very knowledgeable about the region (the history, animals, landscape, etc). Highly recommend.
Olivia Evans
Olivia Evans
2023-02-15
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I booked the independent, self-guided Torres Del Paine trek with Chile Nativo’s help and was so glad I did. When I looked to book on my own, everything was all reserved in Torres Del Paine and Chile Nativo was the only agency that could help me find a spot still. To still be able to go on the trip when I wanted to go, to not have to spend so much time planning all the logistics, to get a local’s recommendations on the best way to do the trek…but STILL get to do the trek on my own was amazing and worth every penny. In particular Paolina at the agency was incredibly helpful. I would recommend this agency to anyone looking to hike in Torres del Paine.
Chiloe Natural (chiloenatural)
Chiloe Natural (chiloenatural)
2023-02-10
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Serious, professional, and friendly Tour Agency in Puerto Natales that will cater your needs in Patagonia and Torres del Paine.
Kevin Jobst
Kevin Jobst
2023-01-27
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Hiking in Torres with Pepa is like walking with your smartest and wisest friend. She has an incredible depth of knowledge in everything from mycology to government, from geology to history. She is fiercely passionate about conservation and our planet and has dedicated her life to making our world a better place. Our two porters Filipe and Bastian were both incredibly strong and highly professional. Always in the know on where to set up the tent, they picked the best spot in every site we were at. Also, they were an absolute blast to hang out with after the long days hiking. I cannot recommend this particular team highly enough and if you are passionate about the environment, making the world a better place, learning everything there is to know about glaciers, mushrooms, Patagonia, the history of Chile, magma intrusions and edible berries request them by name. Thank you to all three of you for making our experience so special and I hope our paths cross again.
Brad Smith
Brad Smith
2023-01-15
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Our Torres Del Paine Plus trip was fantastic! A great crew of newly-made friends, guided by Izabella “La Professora”, on a journey beyond expectations. What a great time, a balance of hiking and touring. DO NOT miss the pumas!!! I will definitely go with the Chile Nativo team again, and thanks to Nestor & Juan too!
Senga Simpson
Senga Simpson
2023-01-09
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Excellent service. Thank you Vicky
Lukas Winegarner
Lukas Winegarner
2022-11-28
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Camilo is ledged! Chile Nativo is extremely experienced and knowledgeable - I would highly recommend booking directly through them. We were a group of 8 doing the O 7 day hike and everything was great! Thanks to Camilo & Tomas and all of our porters!

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