Sendero del Hombre de los Vientos

Contact: pablo azua

Duration: 3 Days

State: VIII

Level: Normal

Ubication: National Park Ralco, Alto Biobio

Starting point: Registration point Quillaicahue, national park Ralco

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How to get there:
From Concepción it takes 76 km to reach the Ruta 5 to the South. Now it takes 56 km more until the arrival in Los Angeles. From this point to the National park Ralco it takes 165 km.
From Los Angels you have to drive eastern until reaching Santa Bárbara and then Ralco in Alto Biobio. The way is in a good condition.
From Ralco you take the road which leads to the dam Pangue, the first 5 km are plastered. Then the way to the hamlet of Chenqueco is less good. From there to the national park the distance is 15 km. It’s a difficult gravel road with high ascents, which is only passable for 4x4 vehicles.

Description:
It’s a distance of 26 km and consists of 2 parts, the “Rgpagngrrouquen” or the “Camino al ombligo del cerro” which leads to the volcano Callaqui and to the “Rapag Lilquelafquen” with the Lagoon La Mula.

This part was used by the Pehuenche long time ago. Here are Araucaria forests situated, mixed with some Beeches and Oaks. We pass the river Ralco, the waterfall of the river Loncotahue and some historian buildings of the Pehuenche which are called “Places of summer meadows”.

The trail starts with the street which leads us to the registration point Quillaicahue. From here we cross impressing thousand years’ old Araukaria forests (0.5 km)
After 2 km we reach a turn-off where the trail “Rgpagngrrouquen” starts, which leads us to the eastern side of the volcano Callaqui. Another possibility will be to take the way “Camino del Hombre de los Vientos” until the northern exit of the national park with or without passing the lagoon La Mula.

After 2 km more the trail leads us along the bank of the Ralco where it’s possible to get some crystal-clear water or do some fishing. Then we will pass some forests like Araucaria, Oak and Coigües until we will reach the real trail again after 3 km.
Then we cross the river bed of the Ralco and Loncotahue (6 km), we will reach a turn-off which leads us to the waterfall Loncotahue. Here we’ve got the possibility to watch some woodpeckers and to pass some summer meadows of the Pehuenche.

After crossing the river Loncotahue we reach the Mirador of the waterfall. Now the way leads back to the real trail until the lagoon La Mula. Here it’s possible to meet some Pehuenche-families which protect their cattles on the summer meadows. You will have a great view over the valley of the Ralco and the mountains La Blanca and Malla Malla where the Araucarians grow at the most steeply slopes.

The path leads along the slope with views over the valley of Mula from where it’s possible to get an amazing sight to the Andes.
At the 13th km the way separates. Now the visitor has the choice between following the way to the lagoon Mula or taking the path which leads to the mountains La Blanca and Malla Malla, the northern exit of the National Park.

During the way it’s possible to gain some views to the mountain La Blanca and to the Araucaria forests of the surrounding area.

Time to say goodbye

The way from the beginning to the end takes 2 days, the trails to the lagoon La Mula and to the volcano Callaqui included.
To hike from the registration point Quillaicahue to the lagoon takes 8 hours, it’s faster to ride (5 hours).

To go from the registration point to the volcano Callaqui takes almost 5.5 hours, the return included.

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