Conguillío National Park, National park with ancient Araucaria forests in Araucanía Region, Chile
Conguillío National Park protects vast forests of Araucaria trees that can live over 1,000 years, their distinctive silhouettes standing out against the sky. In the valleys lies Conguillío Lake, surrounded by dark volcanic rock and bordered by beech forests.
The protected area was established in 1950 and initially covered a smaller section, gradually expanding to include neighboring volcanic landscapes. The Araucaria forests that define the area have served Pehuenche communities as a food source and important living space for centuries.
Conguillío comes from the Mapuche "Ko-nqilliu", meaning "piñones in the water" or "between piñones", after the araucarias and the lakes and lagoons around them. The park is also called Los Paraguas (The Umbrellas) for the umbrella-shaped crowns of the monkey puzzle trees. Its araucaria forests were the setting for the BBC series Walking with Dinosaurs.
Several trails run through the area, from short walks along the lakeshore to longer routes that pass through lava tunnels and ancient forests. The best time to visit is between December and March, when trails are more snow-free and daylight hours are longer.
The park's name comes from the Mapuche "Ko-nqilliu", meaning pine nuts in the water, after the araucarias around its lakes. Its older nickname, Los Paraguas (The Umbrellas), refers to the umbrella-shaped crowns of those trees. The BBC filmed part of Walking with Dinosaurs here, in the episode "Death of a Dynasty".
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