![]() GRADUAL REOPENING OF PROTECTED AREAS |
Stay informed about the latest reopening dates for national parks and their sanitary protocols for visiting via the official Conaf website |
Called “The Center of the World” due to its strategic location on the Carretera Austral, El Amarillo is known for its gorgeous landscapes. The Michinmahuida Volcano, the Tabique peak, and the Amarillo River welcome visitors to this village, which is located at the southern entrance to Pumalín Park and just 15.5 miles from Chaitén.
In El Amarillo, Tompkins Conservation worked with the local community to carry out a town beautification process, remodeling the facades of locals’ homes and building infrastructure focused on small-scale tourism, with the goal of helping attract visitors, boosting the local economy, and generating a sense of community pride. Today, the town has a supermarket and a gas station, in addition to beautiful public spaces that make for a perfect place to welcome visitors setting off to explore the forests and trails of Pumalín Park.
In El Amarillo, you can find options for lodging, food, and tourist excursions.
Take the Carretera Austral to Caleta La Arena, then board the first ferry to Caleta Puelche (no reservation required). From Caleta Puelche, continue to Hornopirén. At Hornopirén, you’ll need to board another ferry south, and the Hornopirén–Leptepu and Fiordo Largo–Caleta Gonzalo legs should be booked in advance. (You can make reservations at www.taustral.cl.) From Caleta Gonzalo, drive 34 miles to Chaitén, then 15.5 miles to arrive to El Amarillo.
Buses Kemel offers daily routes from Puerto Montt to Chaitén. From Chaitén, Buses Becker offers routes to Coyhaique––with a stop in El Amarillo––on Wednesdays and Sundays at 11:30 a.m. Find out more: http://www.busesbecker.com/; Address: Bernardo O´Higgins 67; Phone (+56) 65 2 731429.
Naviera Austral ferries run from Puerto Montt and Quellón to Chaitén, though this service is only available certain days of the week.Prior reservations are required. From Chaitén, continue 15.5 miles on the Carretera Austral to arrive at El Amarillo.
Located south of Puerto Montt, Pumalín Park is home to millenary alerce (Fitzroya) trees and offers more than a dozen trails for exploring landscapes ranging from temperate rainforest to glaciers.
A pristine ecosystem that is difficult to access, this park consists of evergreen forest, fjords, bays, rivers, deep valleys and dozens of hidden lakes.
There is no visitor’s center in the town at this time.
In February, Chaitén celebrates its local festival.
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