Bosque Fray Jorge National Park

Information

It is a protected natural area in the Coquimbo region of Chile that protects a forest environment, which is maintained in a desert zone thanks to a phenomenon called ‘camanchaca’ that provides the necessary humidity.

To get there, take Route 5, and at 87 km from La Serena or 383 km from Santiago there is a road from where the road marks the kilometre 387. At about 100 metres this road opens in three and you take the one on the right which is Route D-540. After 9.5 km you reach a fork where you turn left. From here it is another 16 km to the park. There are signposts along the way.

You come to a place where there is a car park and a site with tables and chairs, although when I was there, camping and overnight stays were not allowed. From there, there is a dirt road that 200 metres further on leads to an environmental information centre. Continuing along this road for about 6.5 km, you reach the hydrophilic forest, which is the main attraction of the park, where there is a path with footbridges and viewpoints.