STSantiago Tours
Sign for the San Francisco Glacier trail in El Morado Natural Monument, with a snowy mountain behind
Private Cajón del Maipo

Private trekking to El Morado and Baños Morales from Santiago

Trek to Laguna El Morado, with rustic hot springs as a reward

El Morado Natural Monument is one of the best-known treks near Santiago. The trail climbs gently up the valley, through lenga trees and native highland grasses, to Laguna El Morado at 2,400 meters (today the trek only reaches the lagoon because of landslides on the rest of the route to the glacier).

It’s a protected area managed by CONAF (Chile’s National Forest Corporation), about 93 km from Santiago, in the hamlet of Baños Morales, with 3,009 hectares of Andean flora and fauna: the mountain olivillo (franjel), an endangered species, stands out, along with birds like the yal, the cometocino and the chirihué.

The trailhead is Baños Morales, a tiny hamlet with rustic volcanic hot springs that doubles as the return stop: after the hike (about 10:00 to 13:30, with the climb to the lagoon taking about 2 hours), there’s time to soak in the warm water before heading back down to Santiago.

Duration
Approx. 10 hours
Difficulty
Suitable for everyone (hike to Laguna El Morado)
Languages
Spanish, English
Meeting point:Pickup at your hotel or address in Santiago

Gallery

Hiking group at El Morado with the Andes in the backgroundHiker at a mountain river during the Cajón del Maipo trekCouple embracing beside the lake with the valley and mountains behindHikers next to a waterfall on the trekking routeTwo hikers in front of a stone refuge on the trailHikers walking across a snowfield in the mountains

Highlights

  • Laguna El Morado, at 2,400 meters of altitude
  • Baños Morales, rustic hot springs of volcanic origin
  • Andean highland flora and fauna

Itinerary

  1. 07:00

    Hotel pickup

  2. 09:30

    Arrival at Baños Morales

  3. 10:00

    Start of the trek

  4. 11:30

    Stop at Aguas Panimávidas, mineral water springs

  5. 12:00

    Stop at Laguna El Morado, where the packed lunch is eaten

  6. 13:00

    End of the trek at San Francisco Glacier (currently only Laguna El Morado can be reached because of landslides on the rest of the route)

  7. 13:30

    Return

  8. 15:20

    Arrival at the Baños Morales hot springs (option available from October to February)

  9. 15:30

    Relaxing soak in the natural pools of Baños Morales

  10. 16:30

    Return to Santiago

Included

  • Round-trip transportation
  • Hiking guide
  • Natural Monument entrance

Not included

  • Lunch
  • Gratuities

Price per person by group size

Adult price per person. The more people travel together, the lower the price per person.

TravelersPrice per person
1 person$265.000
2 people$170.000
3 people$125.000
4 people$105.000
5 or more people$99.000

Frequently asked questions

How long is the hike to El Morado Natural Monument?

It is about 5 km (roughly 2 hours) to Laguna El Morado, with a gradual climb up the valley; with the stop at the lagoon and the return, the hike runs from about 10:00 to 13:30. Today the trek cannot continue to the glacier because of landslides on the rest of the route.

Is it a difficult trek?

It's suitable for everyone: the trail climbs gently up the valley, with no technical sections. A basic level of fitness is recommended for the altitude.

What are the Baños Morales hot springs?

Rustic pools of volcanic thermal water, next to the hamlet of Baños Morales, where we soak on the way back from the hike (available from October to February).

How much does the tour cost?

The price depends on the group size: from $99,000 CLP per person (groups of 5 or more). It includes round-trip transportation, a hiking guide and the Natural Monument entrance.

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