National park · Chile
Patagonia National ParkParque Nacional Patagonia
Go only in the October–April window: enter at Chile Chico for Lago Jeinimeni and the Avilés valley, or at Cochrane for the southern sector; bring all food, fuel up in town, and be out by the 17:30 gate close.Go only in the October–April window: enter at Chile Chico for Lago Jeinimeni and the Avilés valley, or at Cochrane for the southern sector; bring all food, fuel up in town, and be out by the 5:30 PM gate close.
- Source checked
- A source and a date are on record: we read it from an official or published page. Not yet confirmed on the ground.
- Field checked
- Someone checked it on the ground, with the date shown.
- Plan calculated
- Worked out by Voykit from its own data (times, distances, budgets). A calculation, not a measurement.
Unknown times stay unknown. How we verify
Map to the park
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
Area
3,045 km² (1,176 sq mi)1,176 sq mi (3,045 km²)
approximate
Established
2018
Best months
Nov–Mar
UNESCO
None
Rules in force · 9Above 2,500 m (Bogotá, Quito, Cusco, La Paz) keep the fir…
- South America ↗Above 2,500 m (Bogotá, Quito, Cusco, La Paz) keep the first day light; sleep lower where you can (Sacred Valley before Cusco) and descend if headache comes with vomiting or confusion.
- South America ↗A yellow fever certificate is required on arrival in French Guiana, and asked for on some routes into Bolivia, Paraguay, Suriname and Guyana, or when arriving from Amazon areas — vaccinate at least 10 days before travel and carry the card.
- South America ↗Overnight buses are the norm in Argentina, Chile and Peru, but pick top-tier companies and keep valuables on your body; on-board thefts from overhead racks are the common loss.
- Chile ↗Check entry rules for your passport with Chile's National Migration Service or a Chilean consulate; keep the entry slip or digital record you receive.
- Chile ↗Torres del Paine: campsites and refugios on the W and O treks must be booked in advance, and the park requires an entry ticket bought ahead; check the official park (CONAF) channels.
- Chile ↗Chile strictly controls food imports: declare fruit, meat, dairy, seeds and honey on arrival, or throw them away before customs.
- Patagonia, Chile ↗Carry cash: many small towns have no ATM, or ATMs that reject foreign cards.
- Patagonia, Chile ↗Torres del Paine campsites and refugios on the W and O circuits must be booked ahead in high season.
- Patagonia, Chile ↗Southern Patagonia is often reached overland through Argentina; carry your passport for border crossings.
At a glance
- Country
- Chile
- Area
- 3,045 km² (1,176 sq mi)1,176 sq mi (3,045 km²)
- The park was assembled from former sheep ranches; the figure covers the Chilean park only and varies by source (check).
- Established
- 2018
- Best months
- Nov–Mar
- Permits
- For some areas
Patagonia National Park is the Chilean half of a cross-border park in Aysén, built on the former Estancia Valle Chacabuco sheep ranch and declared a national park in 2018. It is not the Torres del Paine side of Patagonia and it is not one connected block: the Lago Jeinimeni and Lago Verde sectors sit near Chile Chico in the north, the Avilés valley and the old ranch buildings sit in the middle, and a southern sector runs along road X-83 towards the Argentine border near Cochrane. The two access roads, X-753 and X-83, do not meet inside the park, so you pick one side and drive in and out the same way. The park opens October–April only and closes at 17:30; there is nothing to buy inside, so food, water and fuel come from Chile Chico or Cochrane. Expect steppe, wind, guanacos and long empty valleys rather than granite towers and queues.
Decide
Why go, which months, and what lives here when
At a glance
Status
- No UNESCO listing; national park since 2018.
Size and age
3,045 km² (1,176 sq mi)1,176 sq mi (3,045 km²) · national park since 2018
The park was assembled from former sheep ranches; the figure covers the Chilean park only and varies by source (check).
Why go
- Steppe, forest and lakes on the old Estancia Valle Chacabuco, a ranch turned park in 2018.
- Lago Jeinimeni is the one lake you can reach by road, on a rough dirt track from Chile Chico.
- The Avilés valley trail gives a long, quiet day walk with no permit and no queue.
- Guanacos, huemul deer and condors on land that was fenced for sheep until recently.
When to go
- JanBest
- FebBest
- MarBest
- AprGo
- MayAvoid
- JunAvoid
- JulAvoid
- AugAvoid
- SepAvoid
- OctGo
- NovBest
- DecBest
- JanWarmest, long days; wind strong
- FebDry, settled; busiest of the season
- MarCooler, fewer people, autumn colour
- AprSeason ends; cold nights, some services stop
- MayPark closed to visitors
- JunClosed; snow and short days
- JulClosed; wettest month in the forest zone
- AugClosed; roads often impassable
- SepClosed; check the reopening date
- OctReopens; snow on high ground, quiet
- NovDry, clear, wildflowers on the steppe
- DecLong daylight; wind picks up
Wildlife and nature calendar
| What | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GuanacosOct–Apr · Most visible in the early morning on the open steppe. | yes | yes | yes | yes | no | no | no | no | no | yes | yes | yes |
| Huemul (South Andean deer)Oct–Apr · Rare and shy; report sightings at the gate. | yes | yes | yes | yes | no | no | no | no | no | yes | yes | yes |
| Andean condorsOct–Apr · Look for them on windy ridges in the afternoon. | yes | yes | yes | yes | no | no | no | no | no | yes | yes | yes |
| Waterfowl on Lago Jeinimeni and Lago VerdeNov–Mar · Summer only; the lakes freeze outside the season. | yes | yes | yes | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | yes | yes |
Arrive & move
Getting in, how the park is divided, and where things are
Show 3 sectionsHideHow to get there, Zones and sectors, Sketch map
How to get there
From Chile Chico
Road X-753 west towards Lago Jeinimeni; mostly unpaved, and the last stretch is a rough track.
1.5 h
Open the page →
From Cochrane
Road X-83 south from town towards the southern end of the park and the Argentine border; X-83 does not link to X-753.
1–2 h
Open the page →
From Coyhaique
Long drive south on the Carretera Austral to either Chile Chico or Cochrane, then the sector road.
5–8 h
Open the page →
From Puerto Natales or Punta Arenas
Cross into Argentina and re-enter at Chile Chico, or fly and drive; there is no direct road along the Chilean side.
1–2 days
Open the page →
Zones and sectors
| Zone | What is there | Access |
|---|---|---|
| Lago Jeinimeni sector | The larger of the two main lakes, the only one reachable by road, plus the border hills. | Open October–April with a ticket; the access track is badly maintained. |
| Lago Verde sector | The second main lake, west of Jeinimeni, with forest and wet ground. | Walk-in or guided; no road to the shore. |
| Avilés valley | The old ranch heartland: steppe, the Avilés river and the long valley trail. | Open with a ticket; day walk, no guide needed. |
| Southern sector near Cochrane | The far end of the park along X-83 towards the Argentine border. | Open in season; services are minimal. |
Sketch map
Take the points offline
5 points as a GPX waypoint file, plus a plain-text list of coordinates. Save it while you have signal: maps apps show the points without a connection.
Approximate positions for orientation; the park's sectors are far apart and not connected by road.
See & do
Caves, trails and wildlife, with how hard each is and whether it needs booking
Show Top experiencesHide
Top experiences
Practical
Fees, permits, rules, where to sleep and what can go wrong
Show 8 sectionsHideEntry fees and permits, Park rules, Where to stay, Safety, Accessibility, Visiting lightly, Questions people ask, Related
Entry fees and permits
| Item | Range | Per | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Park entry (Chilean residents) | CLP 0–5,000 | person | CONAF parks usually charge residents less; the 2026 figure for this park is check. |
| Park entry (foreign visitors) | CLP 5,000–15,000 | person | 2026 estimate; pay at the sector gate, cash is safest. |
| Camping or refugio bed inside the park | CLP 10,000–40,000 | person per night | 2026 estimate; book ahead in January and February. |
| Guided day walk from a Chile Chico or Cochrane operator | CLP 40,000–90,000 | person | 2026 estimate; includes transport from town. |
Ranges, not quotes: fees change without notice. Check with the park or your operator · checked Sep 2026.
Park entry permit or guide
Overnight in the backcountry permit or guide
Fishing permit or guide
What would our group pay?
People
Nights or days
- CLP 5,000–15,000
- CLP 10,000–40,000
- CLP 40,000–90,000
Tick the fees that apply to your trip to see a total.
A guide, not a quote: the ranges are estimates (checked 2026-09) and each fee may have rules on who pays it. Confirm on CONAF — Parque Nacional Patagonia before you go.
Park rules
- Season
- The park is open October–April only; outside those months the gates are shut and there is no access.
- Closing time
- The park closes at 17:30; plan walks so you are back at the gate before then.The park closes at 5:30 PM; plan walks so you are back at the gate before then.
- Food and water
- Bring all food and drinking water with you; there is nothing to buy inside the park.
- Fires
- No fires anywhere in the park; use a stove if you camp.
- Dogs
- Not allowed, even in vehicles, because of disease risk to native deer (check).
- Wildlife distance
- Stay at least 30 m from guanacos and never chase or feed them.
Where to stay
Near the park
Chile Chico
Guesthouses and small hotels, the usual base for the Jeinimeni side.
Near the park
Cochrane
Basic hostels and lodges for the southern sector, 1–2 h from the gate.
In the park
Camping and refugios inside the park
Limited beds and pitches in the ranch buildings; book ahead in high season (check).
Safety
Wind high
Remoteness high
Unpaved roads medium
Cold and snow medium
How much daylight do you have?
Time out
Finding the local time zone…
Times are local to the spot (zone loading). The half-hour margin is our rule of thumb, not an official figure; light fades earlier in forest or under cloud. Carry a headlamp on any route that could run late.
Accessibility
- The gate areas and the old ranch buildings are reachable by car with short, level walks.
- The Avilés Valley Trail and the Jeinimeni track are rough and long; not suitable for limited mobility.
Visiting lightly
- Carry out all rubbish; there are no bins in the backcountry.
- Stay on marked tracks to protect fragile steppe grass and the huemul's habitat.
- Buy supplies in Chile Chico or Cochrane so the gateway towns keep the benefit of the park.
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to enter Patagonia National Park?
Foreign visitors pay roughly CLP 5,000–15,000 (2026 estimate) and Chilean residents less, sometimes nothing; the exact 2026 tariff is check. Pay at the sector gate in cash, since card readers are unreliable this far south.
What are the best hikes in Patagonia National Park?
The Avilés Valley Trail, about 17 km one way through open steppe, is the classic day walk. On the Chile Chico side, the Lago Jeinimeni shore walk is shorter and easier, and the Lago Verde approach is a half-day on boggy ground.
When is the best time to visit Patagonia National Park?
November to March. The park is open October–April only, and February is the driest and busiest month. October and November are quieter, with snow still on the high ground.
Can I visit Patagonia National Park in winter?
No. The park is open October–April only; outside that window the gates are closed and the roads in are often impassable.
How do I get to Patagonia National Park?
Two ways in: road X-753 from Chile Chico to the Lago Jeinimeni side, or road X-83 from Cochrane to the southern end. Both are mostly unpaved, and the two roads do not connect inside the park.
Is there food or fuel inside the park?
No. Bring all food and water with you, and fill your tank in Chile Chico or Cochrane before you set off.
Deep dive
Every source; fees and rules change, so check before you go