Kütralkura Geopark
In short
An 8,100 km² geopark with six protected areas and five volcanoes, centered on Conguillío National Park and Llaima volcano.
Kütralkura means «fire stone» in Mapudungun. In April 2019 UNESCO added it to its Global Geoparks Network, making it Chile's first geopark. It covers 8,100 km² in the districts of Curacautín, Lonquimay, Melipeuco and Vilcún (source: Wikipedia, citing the UNESCO designation).
What to see
- Active volcanoes such as Llaima, Lonquimay, Tolhuaca and Nevados de Sollipulli, plus the extinct Sierra Nevada volcano (source: Wikipedia).
- Conguillío National Park, entirely inside the geopark, with its araucarias, lagoons and lava flows (same source).
- Human history: the area has Indigenous settlements dating back about 2,000 years (same source).
Getting there
Curacautín, Melipeuco, Lonquimay and Vilcún are the gateways. From Temuco, Curacautín is 84 km away via Lautaro (source: Araucanía Andina).
Before you go
Pick a base for what you want to see: Curacautín and Malalcahuello for the north (northern Conguillío, Tolhuaca, Lonquimay), and Melipeuco for the south (southern Conguillío, Sollipulli).
Where it is
- Area
- Andean Araucanía
-38.77667, -71.63364 (reference point inside the area) · View on map · Source of the point (© OpenStreetMap contributors / Wikidata)
Today's conditions
No conditions have been added for this area yet.
Information from official sources, with the date of the last check. Confirm with the source before you go: araucania.tours informs, it does not guarantee conditions.
Nearby or similar
Navidad Crater
A crater of Lonquimay volcano born in the 1988 eruption, reached by trekking through Malalcahuello National Reserve.
Corralco Ski Resort
A ski resort on the southeast slope of Lonquimay volcano, with 1,800 ha of skiable terrain, 37 km from Curacautín.
Conguillío Lake
The lake that gives Conguillío National Park its name, among araucarias and facing the Sierra Nevada.