Cajón del Maipo Tour: El Morado Natural Monument trekking + Baños Morales natural pools.
Hiking of 5 - 6 hours to the El Morado Natural Monument + Private transportation + Baños Morales natural pools + Options: à la carte lunch - Asado.
Enjoy a healthy day of mountaineering and medicinal baths
A walk of about 5 hours to the San Francisco glacier, where you will enjoy beautiful landscapes, river sources, endemic flora and fauna, and the El Morado lagoon. This beautiful circuit takes place in the El Morado Natural Monument, a space protected by the National Forestry Corporation.
One of the most characteristic mountainous areas of Cajón del Maipo and of greatest tourist interest due to its rich natural architecture, its diverse flora and fauna, and the interesting activities that can be carried out here. This area protected and administered by CONAF (National Forestry Corporation), is located 93 km from Santiago in the town of Baños Morales and has an area of 3,009 hectares, in which its Andean flora is made up of at least 300 species between native and exotic, where the olivillo de la cordillera or franjel stands out, an endangered species that lives in the Andean sclerophyllous scrub. Other common species are the white grass, cloth grass, seven shirts, chilli pepper and fox tail.
The Park also has a rich wildlife with mammals such as the cururo and Noah's silky mouse, and birds such as the yal, the cometocino, the golden chirihue, the black goldfinch, the Andean goldfinch, the tench, the thrush, the Chilean swallow , the friar sleepyhead, the giant hummingbird, the Andean hummingbird, the Andean doves, the partridge and the cojon partridge.
In aquatic environments there is the piuquén or guayata and the juarjual duck. It is recommended to visit this extraordinary place between the months of October and March, since due to its unfavorable weather conditions (degrees below zero and snow up to 2.8 meters high) the park is closed the rest of the year.
After crossing the bridge over the Morales river, arriving at Baños Morales, there is the CONAF nursery. The first section of the walk reaches the Aguas Panimávidas sector (2.8 km), it lasts approximately 1 hour and is uphill but quite friendly. In this stop you will be able to observe the permanent sources of mineral waters. Continuing the walk and after traveling 5 km (approx. 2 hours) you will find the Laguna El Morado, located at 2,400 masl. From here you can see Cerro Morado to the north and Cerro San Francisco and its glacier (also called Glacier San Francisco) to the northwest.
If you are not tired yet, you can continue walking 1 km along a path of wild flowers, ice in the middle of summer, stones and rocks until you reach the foot of the San Francisco glacier and observe closely listening to the sound of the flow of the El Morado river and in the absolute tranquility that the landscape transmits.
Useuful information
Season: all year long if the weather allows the excursion
Duración: 10 hours
Capacity: Mínimum person. Maximum persons
Difficulty: for all the family
Price Trekking to Natural Monument El Morado and hot springs Baños Morales:
1 person $210.000 CLP or US $ 247.05 per person
2 persons $170.000 CLP or US $ 200 per person
3 persons $120.000 CLP or US $ 141.17 per person
4 persons or more $95.000 CLP or US $ 111.76 per person
Includes: Private transportation, Tour Guide, Monumento El Morado tickets. itinerary
Additional Services
Horseback: $32.000 CLP or US $ 37.64 per person
A la carte lunch in restaurant $22000 or US $ 25.88 per person
Country Barbecue 6 people max. $23000 or US $ 27.05 per person
Restaurant buffet lunch: $30000 or US $ 35.29 per person
For purchasing the park tickets every passenger must provide the following information:
Name:
Date of birth:
Dni / passport:
Country and originary address:
Itinerary:
07:00 am Hotel Pick up
9:30 am arrival to Baños Morales
10:00 am trekking starts
11:30 am Stop at “Aguas de Panimávidas” Mineral water tributaries
12:00 am Stop at Laguna el Morado in this place we´ll have the snacks
13:00 pm last Stop of the trekking at “Glaciar San Francisco" (at present is only possible to get to “El Morado” lagoon owing to rock sliding in the rest of the glacier route)
13:30 pm Return
15:20 pm Back in Baños Morales visit to “Termas de Baños Morales" (available between October to February).
15:30 pm relaxing time to enjoy a bath at natural pools in Baños Morales.
16:30 pm Return to Santiago.
El Cajón del Maipo is a natural area with a quite diverse and special climate. The tours can be modified or you can't reach any of the points described when the road or weather conditions do not allow it. This will be evaluated by the guide according to his experience. In the event that any of the attractions is omitted, a refund of 20% of the amount paid for the tour will be made.