Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Post Office
(Av San Martín)
Just south of the plaza.
on local hikes and English-speaking staff.
Getting There & Away
The
bus terminal
(cnr Roca & RN40)
faces the main plaza. Most services originate in
Esquel.
Gales del Sur
( 480427; RN259)
has hourly buses to Esquel (AR$10, 30
minutes). Buses cross the border to Chile's Futaleufú (AR$40, one hour) on Monday and
Friday at 8:30am and 6pm, plus Wednesday in summer.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Parque Nacional Los Alerces
02945
This collection of spry creeks, verdant mountains and mirror lakes resonates as unadul-
terated Andes. The real attraction, however, is the alerce tree
(Fitzroya cupressoides),
one of the longest-living species on the planet, with specimens that have survived up to
4000 years. Lured by the acclaim of well-known parks to the north and south, most
hikers miss this gem, which makes your visit here all the more enjoyable.
Resembling California's giant sequoia, the alerce flourishes in middle Patagonia's
temperate forests, growing only about 1cm every 20 years. Individual specimens of this
beautiful tree can reach over 4m in diameter and exceed 60m in height. Like the giant se-
quoia, it has suffered overexploitation because of its valuable timber. West of Esquel, this
2630-sq-km park protects some of the largest alerce forests that still remain.
Because the Andes are relatively low here, westerly storms deposit nearly 3m of rain
annually. The park's eastern sector, though, is much drier. Winter temperatures average
2°C, but can be much colder. The summer average high reaches 24°C, but evenings are
usually cool.
While its wild backcountry supports the seldom-seen huemul (Andean deer) and other
wildlife, Los Alerces functions primarily as a trove of botanical riches which character-
ize the dense Valdivian forest.
