Great news for Chile!
On October 2nd (Chile's national day of the environment), Chile's president Gabriel Boric announced the creation of a new national park, parque nacional Desierto Florido (which literally means "Flowering Desert national park"). The new national park will protect the fragile biodiversity of the area and a spectacular natural phenomenom, the flowering desert in the world's driest desert.
Where will this national park be located?
Desierto Florido will oficially become a national park in 2023. it will be located in the sectors of Llanos and Chañarcillo, about 30 km south of Copiapó and 80 km north of Vallenar in southern Atacama region. It is far from the most famous places of the Atacama desert - about 850 kilometers away from San Pedro de Atacama.
The location is about 800 kilometers (a 9-hour drive) north of Chile's capital Santiago de Chile.
Where will the national park be located?
Desierto Florido will oficially become a national park in 2023. It will be located in the sectors of Llanos and Chañarcillo, about 30 km south of Copiapó and 80 km north of Vallenar in southern Atacama region. It is far from the most famous places of the Atacama desert - about 850 kilometers away from San Pedro de Atacama.
The location is about 800 kilometers (a 9-hour drive) north of Chile's capital Santiago de Chile.
What will Desierto Florido national park protect?
Desierto Florido national parks aims to protect the fabulous ecosystems of the Atacama desert, focusing on the flora. Here, a beautiful desert bloom sometimes occurs between the months of September and November when rainfall is exceptionally high. The Atacama desert, the driest on Earth, usually receives less than 12mm of rain a year. But in Winter (between May and September), rain can happen in the south of the Atacama region. When it does, about 200 species of flowers bloom and the flowering desert becomes a popular tourist attraction.
Most of these flowers are endemic to the Atacama region. An increased level of protection - thanks to the creation of this national park - will ensure the tourists' behavior is responsible. In recent years, concerns have been raised by environmental organizations about the possible negative effects of large numbers of tourists visiting the flowering desert, the illegal trade of native flower species and the development of motorsport. Desierto Florido national park is the best solution to develop sustainable tourism in the area while learning more about these beautiful flowers.
Amongst the beautiful species of flowers that usually bloom here, you can find the "Garra de León", "Pata de Guanaco", "añanuca" and Schizopetalon.
The natural phenomenom usually occurs once every 3, or 5 or 10 years. You get it: it's unpredictable!
The national park will officially exist from 2023, but you can still explore the Atacama desert in Chile with one of our tours!
