Parque Nacional Nahuelbuta Middle Chile

Between Angol and the Pacific, the coast range rises to 1550m within the 68-sq-km Parque Nacional Nahuelbuta, one of the last non-Andean refuges of araucarias, or monkey-puzzle trees. In summer, other interesting plant life includes 16 varieties of orchids and two carnivorous plant species. Various species of Nothofagus (southern beech) are common here, and the Magellanic woodpeckers that typically inhabit them make for great birdwatching. Rare mammals such as pumas, Darwin’s fox and the miniature Chilean deer known as the pudú also live in the park. According to some, it’s a prime location for UFO spotting, too.