The climate in the Lagoon San Rafael (Laguna de San Rafael) is humid, with an annual average temperature of 46º Fahrenheit and precipitations that reach, in the zones of bigger height, 169 annual ounces.

The grounds of San Rafael Lagoon National Park (Parque Nacional Laguna de San Rafael) are apt for the vegetation that displays a dense cover of trees, shrubs and herbs, among which stand out the cypress (Ciprés), lenga, always green (siempreverde), coigüe of Magallanes, coigüe of Chiloé, tepa, male tineo (tineo macho), cinnamon (canela), mañío and ciruelillo.

The bird fauna in San Rafael Lagoon National Park (Parque Nacional Laguna San Rafael) is abundant and varied, as much the marine ones as the terrestrial ones, among them are emphasized: ducks (patos), cormoranes, swans of black neck (cisnes de cuello negro) and caiquén. It is not the same situation with the fishes, since they are limited in their development due to the low temperatures of waters.

The rigors of the climate in San Rafael Lagoon National Park (Parque Nacional Laguna de San Rafael) also affects the mammals, that are not abundant, among which is possible to emphasize foxes (zorros), pudúes, coipos or coipúes and wolves of sea (lobos de mar). The singular elements of the park are the lagoon San Rafael (Laguna de San Rafael) - almost a cove closed to the sea and where the fishing is being practiced - and the ventisquero of the same name that descends until the lake.

The glacier ice slide of the ice masses at certain times of the year constitutes one of the most interesting spectacles of the nature. Unlike of the remaining glaciers, the ventisquero San Rafael is in backward movement, due to the influence of the oceanic climate relatively temperate in the zone.

Among the facilities of public use of San Rafael Lagoon National Park (Parque Nacional Laguna de San Rafael), we can find the following ones:

In the Area of Development (Área de Desarrollo) it is possible to use the footpaths guided by park keepers, to fish from the beach, to make a stroll in boat, to make long walks through the forest, to cross the interpretative footpaths and to learn with the exhibition that exists in the Center of Visitors (Centro de Visitantes).

Park Keepers (Guardaparques) give information about the services that the area arranges and accompanies the visitors within the park.

The footpaths in their majority are extensive, reason why they count on zones for the rest and for meals; they lead until the glacier. It is also possible to accede to the ventisquero by boat with motor outside of the gunwale or by boat with oars.

The main attractiveness of the park is without a doubt the Lagoon San Rafael (Laguna San Rafael) and the ventisquero of the same name.

As far as landscape of Park National Lagoon of San Rafael (Parque Nacional Laguna de San Rafael), there is no question that it is an extraordinary spectacle to be in front of an enormous mass of millenarian ice, from which come off resoundingly icebergs that float in frozen waters of the lagoon and where, in spite of the temperature, it is possible to fish. The icebergs are in constant movement. The ventisquero San Rafael has been observed by a period superior to the 300 years.

Lagoon of San Rafael
(Laguna de San Rafael)

The Lagoon San Rafael (Laguna San Rafael) is part of the National Park (Parque Nacional) that takes its name, and that includes an extension of 1.742.000 hectares. The Lagoon San Rafael (Laguna San Rafael) was declared Reserve of the Biosphere (Reserva de la Biósfera) in 1979 by UNESCO.

The Lagoon San Rafael (Laguna San Rafael) is located in the south end of the Channel Moraleda (Canal Moraleda), on the feet of the North Ice Field (Campo de Hielo Norte) and corresponds to a small entrance of the Pacific Ocean (Oceáno Pacífico) of 9 per 6 miles approximately. The gigantic and famous Glacier San Rafael (Glaciar San Rafael) flows into this lagoon, with its more than 3 thousand years, therefore, is without a doubt, the main tourist attraction of the zone.

The Lagoon San Rafael (Laguna San Rafael) was discovered in 1674 by Mayor Sergeant Bartolomé Diez Gallardo, when crossing the isthmus of Ofqui (Itsmo de Ofqui) from the Gulf of Pains (Golfo de Penas). Antonio Veas, continuing with the navigation initiated by Diez Gallardo, entered the lagoon in 1675 baptizing it as the Lagoon of the Candlemas (Laguna de la Candelaria).

Later on, it followed the expedition of the Jesuit José García Alsué, carried out between years 1766 and 1767 from the Nation of Calén (Nación de Calén) in Chiloé to unknown territories of the south, "for the conversion of the gentiles" that inhabited those latitudes. The expedition entered the lagoon through the River Icebergs (Rio Témpanos) and he baptized it with the name of San Rafael of Ofqui.

In Lagoon of San Rafael (Laguna de San Rafael) is located in the most equatorial glacier at level of the sea all over the world, and it is the main destiny of the marine cruises. Hundreds of icebergs, which separate of the previous edge of the glacier, sprinkle the lake surface.

In the Lagoon San Rafael (Laguna San Rafael) stands out the Glacier San Valentine (Glaciar San Valentín), made up of enormous floating icebergs, which is in gradual backward movement, and the usual ice fall, that can be seen from the ships that arrive to the lagoon. They remain in the lagoon between 5 to 8 hours and use boats to cross it. It has been qualified a wharf for minor ships that allows the access to a footpath, by which you arrive at the base of the ventisquero San Rafael and at diverse intermediate viewpoints, completely equipped cabins and day-care centers.

In order to accede to the Lagoon San Rafael (Laguna San Rafael) there are varied alternatives in cost and time. Some boats make the passage in one day and others delay up to 5 days.

It is acceded from Port Chacabuco (Puerto Chacabuco), it is sailed towards the south to enter the Fiord Aisén (Fiordo Aisén), continues by the Channel Coast (Canal Costa) to go into through the Estuary Elephants (Estuario Elefantes) that will take you to the Lagoon San Rafael (Laguna San Rafael) after a beautiful trip.

It is recommended to make outdoors activities as for example, to take inner or outer photos from authorized places, to sail on board of a kayak, that it is a sort of canoe for one person and of course, the tourist navigation, which can be made through boats, motorboats, sailboats, catamarans, etc.

Another great attractive of the National Park Lagoon San Rafael (Parque Nacional Laguna San Rafael) are the Channels (Canales), Islands (Islas) and Spas (Termas), therefore, navigation covers many roads, bays, fiords, estuaries and channels surrounded by wild hills. There are in the continental coast natural spas.

Some ships, by itinerary, sail at night and dawn next to the lagoon, losing a big part of the passage. This, although that in this zone it darkens in summer at 22:00 PM and it dawns before 06:00 AM.

Other ships leave to the dusk to advance by the Fiord Aisén (Fiordo Aisén) and to spend the night in some bay. They continue to the dawn, taking advantage of the two big attractive of the stroll through San Rafael Lagoon National Park (Parque Nacional Laguna de San Rafael).

The grounds of San Rafael Lagoon National Park (Parque Nacional Laguna de San Rafael) are apt for the vegetation that displays a dense cover of trees, shrubs and herbs, among which stand out the cypress (Ciprés), lenga, always green (siempreverde), coigüe of Magallanes, coigüe of Chiloé, tepa, male tineo (tineo macho), cinnamon (canela), mañío and ciruelillo.

The bird fauna in San Rafael Lagoon National Park (Parque Nacional Laguna San Rafael) is abundant and varied, as much the marine ones as the terrestrial ones, among them are emphasized: ducks (patos), cormoranes, swans of black neck (cisnes de cuello negro) and caiquén. It is not the same situation with the fishes, since they are limited in their development due to the low temperatures of waters.

The rigors of the climate in San Rafael Lagoon National Park (Parque Nacional Laguna de San Rafael) also affects the mammals, that are not abundant, among which is possible to emphasize foxes (zorros), pudúes, coipos or coipúes and wolves of sea (lobos de mar). The singular elements of the park are the lagoon San Rafael (Laguna de San Rafael) - almost a cove closed to the sea and where the fishing is being practiced - and the ventisquero of the same name that descends until the lake.

The glacier ice slide of the ice masses at certain times of the year constitutes one of the most interesting spectacles of the nature. Unlike of the remaining glaciers, the ventisquero San Rafael is in backward movement, due to the influence of the oceanic climate relatively temperate in the zone.

Among the facilities of public use of San Rafael Lagoon National Park (Parque Nacional Laguna de San Rafael), we can find the following ones:

In the Area of Development (Área de Desarrollo) it is possible to use the footpaths guided by park keepers, to fish from the beach, to make a stroll in boat, to make long walks through the forest, to cross the interpretative footpaths and to learn with the exhibition that exists in the Center of Visitors (Centro de Visitantes).

Park Keepers (Guardaparques) give information about the services that the area arranges and accompanies the visitors within the park.

The footpaths in their majority are extensive, reason why they count on zones for the rest and for meals; they lead until the glacier. It is also possible to accede to the ventisquero by boat with motor outside of the gunwale or by boat with oars.

The main attractiveness of the park is without a doubt the Lagoon San Rafael (Laguna San Rafael) and the ventisquero of the same name.

As far as landscape of Park National Lagoon of San Rafael (Parque Nacional Laguna de San Rafael), there is no question that it is an extraordinary spectacle to be in front of an enormous mass of millenarian ice, from which come off resoundingly icebergs that float in frozen waters of the lagoon and where, in spite of the temperature, it is possible to fish. The icebergs are in constant movement. The ventisquero San Rafael has been observed by a period superior to the 300 years.

Lagoon of San Rafael
(Laguna de San Rafael)

The Lagoon San Rafael (Laguna San Rafael) is part of the National Park (Parque Nacional) that takes its name, and that includes an extension of 1.742.000 hectares. The Lagoon San Rafael (Laguna San Rafael) was declared Reserve of the Biosphere (Reserva de la Biósfera) in 1979 by UNESCO.

The Lagoon San Rafael (Laguna San Rafael) is located in the south end of the Channel Moraleda (Canal Moraleda), on the feet of the North Ice Field (Campo de Hielo Norte) and corresponds to a small entrance of the Pacific Ocean (Oceáno Pacífico) of 9 per 6 miles approximately. The gigantic and famous Glacier San Rafael (Glaciar San Rafael) flows into this lagoon, with its more than 3 thousand years, therefore, is without a doubt, the main tourist attraction of the zone.

The Lagoon San Rafael (Laguna San Rafael) was discovered in 1674 by Mayor Sergeant Bartolomé Diez Gallardo, when crossing the isthmus of Ofqui (Itsmo de Ofqui) from the Gulf of Pains (Golfo de Penas). Antonio Veas, continuing with the navigation initiated by Diez Gallardo, entered the lagoon in 1675 baptizing it as the Lagoon of the Candlemas (Laguna de la Candelaria).

Later on, it followed the expedition of the Jesuit José García Alsué, carried out between years 1766 and 1767 from the Nation of Calén (Nación de Calén) in Chiloé to unknown territories of the south, "for the conversion of the gentiles" that inhabited those latitudes. The expedition entered the lagoon through the River Icebergs (Rio Témpanos) and he baptized it with the name of San Rafael of Ofqui.

In Lagoon of San Rafael (Laguna de San Rafael) is located in the most equatorial glacier at level of the sea all over the world, and it is the main destiny of the marine cruises. Hundreds of icebergs, which separate of the previous edge of the glacier, sprinkle the lake surface.

In the Lagoon San Rafael (Laguna San Rafael) stands out the Glacier San Valentine (Glaciar San Valentín), made up of enormous floating icebergs, which is in gradual backward movement, and the usual ice fall, that can be seen from the ships that arrive to the lagoon. They remain in the lagoon between 5 to 8 hours and use boats to cross it. It has been qualified a wharf for minor ships that allows the access to a footpath, by which you arrive at the base of the ventisquero San Rafael and at diverse intermediate viewpoints, completely equipped cabins and day-care centers.

In order to accede to the Lagoon San Rafael (Laguna San Rafael) there are varied alternatives in cost and time. Some boats make the passage in one day and others delay up to 5 days.

It is acceded from Port Chacabuco (Puerto Chacabuco), it is sailed towards the south to enter the Fiord Aisén (Fiordo Aisén), continues by the Channel Coast (Canal Costa) to go into through the Estuary Elephants (Estuario Elefantes) that will take you to the Lagoon San Rafael (Laguna San Rafael) after a beautiful trip.

It is recommended to make outdoors activities as for example, to take inner or outer photos from authorized places, to sail on board of a kayak, that it is a sort of canoe for one person and of course, the tourist navigation, which can be made through boats, motorboats, sailboats, catamarans, etc.

Another great attractive of the National Park Lagoon San Rafael (Parque Nacional Laguna San Rafael) are the Channels (Canales), Islands (Islas) and Spas (Termas), therefore, navigation covers many roads, bays, fiords, estuaries and channels surrounded by wild hills. There are in the continental coast natural spas.

Some ships, by itinerary, sail at night and dawn next to the lagoon, losing a big part of the passage. This, although that in this zone it darkens in summer at 22:00 PM and it dawns before 06:00 AM.

Other ships leave to the dusk to advance by the Fiord Aisén (Fiordo Aisén) and to spend the night in some bay. They continue to the dawn, taking advantage of the two big attractive of the stroll through San Rafael Lagoon National Park (Parque Nacional Laguna de San Rafael).