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LEARN EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT VISITING ONE OF PUCON, CHILES TOP OUTDOOR SPOTS: SANCTUARIO EL CAÑI, IN THIS IN-DEPTH GUIDE ON THE TOP HIKES AND PLACES TO EXPLORE.
Santuario El Cañi or El Cañi Sanctuary was the first privately protected area in the whole country of Chile - a country known for its stunning beauty and focus on environmental protections (it is now home to 41 national parks).
The sanctuary was put aside in 1990 in hopes of protecting the area's Andean forests from further logging and destruction. In the beginning, the 500 hectares (1,250 acres) that make up the park were bought by the privately owned Lahuen Foundation which ran it until 2004 when they entrusted the administration of the park to the residents of the local town of Pichares (a historic Mapuche town).
Today, the sanctuary is one of the top adventure spots in Pucón, Chile - a town located in the heart of the Chilean Lake District and known for its many outdoor pursuits (including hiking, rafting and canyoneering). Due to its proximity to Pucón, and how relatively easy it is to get there, we highly recommend adding a visit to El Cañi to your travel itinerary.
Below you will find everything you need to know about exploring El Cani; including the top hikes to do (the trails are some of the best in Pucón), what to expect along the way and what to bring with you so you have a highly enjoyable time.
➳ You will need to make a reservation before you head to the sanctuary. You must do this online - find the link here.
EXPLORING EL CAÑI | THE NITTY-GRITTY
COST: 4,000 CLP (~ $4.50 USD) per person to enter
HOW TO GET THERE: by public bus from the town of Pucón or via a private car (rent one here)
LOCATION: the sanctuary is located 30 minutes away from downtown Pucón, exact location
TOP ADVENTURE: hiking to the lakes (lagos) and up to the top of the viewpoint (mirador) to see the amazing views of the nearby snow-capped volcanoes; including, Villarrica Volcano
EXPLORE MORE | EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT HIKING IN COLOMBIA
\\ Why Visit El Cañi Sanctuary
If you are looking for a beautiful adventurous day trip from Pucón, Chile then make sure to add El Cañi Sanctuary to your list. This privately owned forest reserve is definitely one of the top hiking destinations in the whole Pucón area as well as one of the best places to head to if you are looking to check out the famous araucaria trees (also known as monkey puzzle trees).
We visited the sanctuary on a beautiful summer day and found the whole place blooming with flowers and full of wildlife (mainly lizards and birds). Plus, once we made it to the top of the mirador - one of the highest points in the area - we were rewarded with amazing views of snow-capped volcanoes and miles and miles of monkey puzzle tree covered hills.
Besides the opportunity to check out the famous trees and get a nice view of the volcanoes, we also think El Cañi is worth visiting because it is so focused on preservation and environmental sustainability. Similarly, it is one of the most well-run natural areas we have visited in all of South America (they even give you a map of the trail with points of interest marked in both Spanish and English).
Seriously, if you are looking for a beautiful day hike near Pucón, we cannot recommend checking out El Cañi enough.
THE MONKEY PUZZLE TREES
We first heard of these famous (and slightly odd looking) trees in a Netflix documentary about national parks. From that documentary and also from doing a bit of research ourselves, we found that the monkey puzzle or araucaria (or Pewen) trees are some of the oldest living organisms in the world.
In fact, due to the prevalence of similar species in ancient prehistory, the tree is sometimes called a living fossil (and once you see a forest of them you will understand how they once lived with dinosaurs). The trees grow quite slowly but have a very (very) long lifespan - many of the larger trees you will see are well over a 1,000 years old.
Some other interesting facts about the araucarias are that they are the national tree of Chile, that the males and females do not live in the same exact forest, and that the long-haired grass mouse (a tiny rodent) is the most important animal responsible for dispersing the seeds.
Unfortunately, due to logging, forest fires and overgrazing of cattle, the number of monkey puzzle trees has dropped significantly. In 2013, its conservation status was even changed to Endangered by the IUCN due to the dwindling population. Thankfully, places like El Cañi exist and are helping the species bounce back.
\\ How to Get to El Cañi Sanctuary
The easiest and most affordable way to get to El Cañi is to take the public bus. It costs $1.55 USD per person each way (so just over $3 round-trip). You will need to pick the bus up at the Pullman bus station in Pucón (exact location). The first bus leaves the station at 8:15 AM Monday-Saturday and then at 10 AM on Sunday. It takes around 30 minutes to reach the sanctuary from downtown Pucón.
❔ GOOD TO KNOW: the bus does not solely go to El Cañi, but instead its final destination is the hot springs (termales) in the Huife sector (the bus will have a sign about Huife on the front). Luckily, the reserve is a super common stop, so if you just tell the driver you are going to El Cañi you should have no problems.
The last bus that passes by the sanctuary is at around 6:45 PM Monday-Saturday and then at 5:45 PM on Sunday. Unless you want to hitchhike back to Pucón, this is the bus you need to be on. You can pick it up right outside of the sanctuary at the small wooden bus stop across the paved road.