Palena Province, Province in Los Lagos Region, Chile
Palena is a province in northern Patagonia that spans steep fjords, wild rivers, hot springs, and snow-capped volcanoes. The territory comprises four communes connected by a discontinuous road network that requires ferry crossings over fjords.
The province takes its name from Palena Lake, which was named by Italian Jesuit Nicolas Mascardi in the 17th century after a town in Abruzzo. This naming reflects the region's early exploration through missionary expeditions that first documented the area.
The province maintains four communes - Chaitén, Futaleufú, Hualaihué, and Palena - each with distinct administrative structures and local governance systems.
Visitors should prepare for long drives on the Carretera Austral, a road that passes through remote areas and requires two ferry crossings over fjords. The best time to travel is during the warmer months when road conditions are most reliable.
Within the province sits Pumalin Douglas Tompkins National Park, one of the largest wilderness protection areas in South America. The park showcases ecosystem diversity from the fjords to the mountains.
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Los Alerces National Park
41.4 km
Chaitén
31.4 km
Lago Puelo National Park
105.4 km
Pumalín Park
48.1 km
Esquel
82.2 km
Corcovado Volcano
43.2 km
Corcovado National Park
55.8 km
Michinmahuida
24.1 km
Quintupeu Fjord
92.6 kmComau Fjord
70.9 km
Volcán Huequi
71.7 km
Parque Nacional Pumalín
11.9 km
Cerro Dos Picos
70.7 km
Llingua
110.5 km
Segundo Corral
109.8 km
Porcelana
60.7 km
Yanteles
68.2 km
Cerro Currumahuida
64.3 km
Church of Chelín
106.3 km
Reñihué Fjord
58.8 km
Caleta Pichanco
96.7 km
Hualaihué Puerto
112.4 km
Cerro Aguja Sur
101.8 km
Cerro Situación
55 km
Capel Bethel, Trevelin
71.1 km
Museo Refugio de Navegantes
94 km
Palena Volcanic Group
87.5 km
Museo Don Paulino
108.1 km
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