Astronomy and active nature. That will be the fascinating mix of the next total solar eclipse on December 14 in the Araucanía Region. An opportunity to connect with nature, where volcanoes will be part of the backdrop and are the protagonists of the park that you will know below. Natural heritage and a bit of geology.
The Andean zone of the Araucanía Region is the guardian of the first geopark created in Chile. It is the Kütralkura Geopark, a landscape of 8,100 km2 that invites you to travel through more than 200 million years of geological history.
Within the geopark is the Conguillío National Park. It is a magical place that stands out for the particularity of its active volcanoes such as the Llaima, which stands out as one of the most active in South America. But it is not the only one. There are also the Lonquimay, Tolhuaca, Sollipully and Sierra Nevada volcanoes. This territory that has been shaped by six protected areas and a great geodiversity with unique landscapes, even gives life to part of the Araucarias Biosphere Reserve, recognized worldwide.
Geological formations and structures, landforms, minerals, rocks, fossils, soils and other geological manifestations are some of the riches that are part of the DNA of this park. It attracts thousands of tourists, but also scientists from around the world to study and interpret the origin and evolution of the Earth and the processes it has undergone.
Among its inhabitants is a multicultural society, including Mapuche-Pehuenche who have their own worldview, which highlights the divine character of the volcanoes and the knowledge related to the use of medicinal plants. The close relationship with the land that these communities have is the hallmark of Kütralkura Geopark, the combination of science with local and ancestral knowledge.
The objective of the geopark is to improve the quality of life of its inhabitants, contribute to the dissemination of earth sciences at the local, regional and national level, and consequently push the creation of new geoparks in Chile.
Active volcanoes are a great tourist attraction, which allows for sustainable development through this industry, adding value to the geological heritage of the territory. Geotourism supports and reinforces the geographic character of a place, its environment, geology, culture, conservation, heritage and the well-being of its inhabitants. A mystical place, of ancestral and natural wisdom, that will meet the power of the sun and the moon, when both cross on December 14.
Learn more about the creation of the Conguillío National Park, the heart of the Kütralkura Geopark:
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