Parque Nacional Pan de Azúcar

In its interior it is the beautiful White beach; of mineral sediment, great whiteness, with hills covered with vegetation and strangers globular cactus in the prairie. Another point of interest is the island Sugar Bread; in her they live, in addition to pingüinos of Humboldt, one varied birds, marine chungungos and wolves. There are boats that surround the island, leaving from the creek Sugar Bread, but it is prohibited to disembark in her. The most attractive part of this National Park is the hills in front of the creek, where a unique, semidesert vegetation, adapted protects itself to the lack of water and fed by the “camanchaca” (coastal fogs). They emphasize 20 cactaceous species of and plants of the coastal desert, that is the food of an increasing population of guanacos and foxes, visible to the visitors. From summits the cliffs can be seen on the bay. The park has protected the fauna and the native vegetation, used long ago like firewood for Chañaral. This Protected Wild Area has a surface of 43,769 hectares, divided in 9.155 in the Region of Antofagasta and 34,614 in the one of Atacama, with altitudes of 0 to 800 M.s Creada in 1985, include/understand the coastal area between the gorges of Peralillo, the Cachina and the island Sugar Bread. In the coast there are access roads to the roqueríos that stand out by stones inlaid of finísimas quartz veins. The bay is closed by a nose, whose feet there is one short beach. Surrounding the nose you will arrive at the creek Sugar Bread. Formed by few houses of fishermen, of temporary presence, it is located in a warm beach with fastuosa Vista. There is the Administration of the Park, that has an Environmental Information center and a cactárium. (Opened all the year. Account with camping and cabins; in summer also with minimarket). As far as the climate, we can say that the precipitations are minimum in winter and the temperatures do not vary too much in the year. The average temperature Maxima reaches 19,3°C

ATTRACTIVE

The flora of the National Park Sugar Bread presents/displays a xerofítico character eminently, that is to say, are species adapted to the lack of water. They stand out cactaceous, columnares as as much globosas. Which are presents in the park in a number superior to 20 species. Due to the coastal or “camanchacas” fog presence, it is possible to find in the sector bordering to the coast greater amount and diversity of vegetation. Phenomenon known like “Desert Flowery”, that takes place

inim is of 12,2°C.

in the years in which they increase rains, is of extraordinary beauty.

Fauna A particularitity of this park is that it has marine and terrestrial atmospheres, thus the fauna is diverse and abundant. Between the marine animals they are possible to be mentioned: chungungo or otter of sea and the wolf of a hair. In the coastal atmosphere great amount to birds exists in addition, such as gulls, gaviotines, pelicans, yuncos, cormoranes, chorlitos, playeros, pilpilenes and the pingüino notable of Humboldt. Associated the continental sectors with greater vegetation guanacos and foxes can be observed. Between the birds they honor the eagles, eaglets, cóndores, kestrels, dormilonas, chercanes, wanderers, cometocinos, Turks and many others. Sites of greater scenic beauty The main sites from where they are possible to be appreciated attractive del parque are:

* The Lomitas: sector located on farellón coastal to 700 ms and 30 kilometer of the Administration of the park, arrives by a footpath homing guidance.

* Sugar Bread viewpoint: one is to 10 km of the Administration, is only allowed to accede in company of guardaparque.

* White beach: to 8 km to the south of the Administration.

* Beach the Piqueros: 2 km to the south of the Administration.

* Island Sugar Bread: to 2 km of the coast of the park.

It is possible to be circumnavigated renting boats to the fishermen who inhabit the creek Sugar Bread History and culture Great part of the coast of the park has archaeological evidences of dispersed establishments, that were inhabited by hunting-recolectores and nomadic fishermen. Such vestiges correspond mainly to conchales, cemeteries, caves and nuclei of temporary residence. In most of these places are stone devices (ends of projectile, raederas, scrapers, firing pins, etc.), bones and, in isolated, ceramic form. At the present time these sites are not accessible for the public, but it is possible to observe some of these devices in the Administration of the park. In addition, in this park important aspects of the coastal history of the Region of Atacama are represented, from the arrival of the Spaniards to the last decades. The events to which we make reference relate to the contact and assimilation of the indigenous populations of the coast, the routes of the desert of Atacama, the mining explorations of the coast, the coastal War of the Pacific and establishments. This port developed great activity around 1860, but its importance diminished gradually being left at the beginning of century xx. Particularly important it is the decade from the 1850 to 1860, in that the operation of the mineral of Carrizalillo was discovered and begun, near the broken Sugar Bread, which implied the birth of the village and port of San jose de Pan de Azúcar. The town lodged a population of 100 people in its more prosperous times, being the loading area of the copper mineral and merchandise reception. Today the material rest of the past in the creek Sugar Bread are conserved, represented by objects, foundations of houses, some warehouses and the smelting. The creek lodges a community of artisan mariscadores and fishing divers that make tasks throughout all the coast. They constitute an attractiveness for the visitors of the park by the possibility of acquiring its products, like also making strolls by the coast, observing its natural beauties and the associated fauna marine atmospheres.

ACTIVITIES

Camping:

Sector: Playa Piqueros, to 9 km of the entrance of the National Park.

Sector: Welded beach, to 8 km of the South entrance.

Sector: Creek Sugar Bread, to 10 km of the South entrance of the park.

Trekking

Footpath homing guidance the Lomitas

Type of footpath: educative homing guidance. Extension: 60 km roundtrip.

Characteristics of the route: signalized by signboards. It makes possible the observation of species of fauna such as foxes, guanacos and numerous birds. Between the flora they honor the cactaceous ones. In addition it allows to appreciate the variation of the flora between the level of the sea and the sector of the Lomitas, to 700 ms of altitude. It is obligation to journey only by the qualified ways. Accompanied by guardaparque also the Sugar Bread viewpoint can be visited, to 10 km of the Administration. Degree of difficulty: the extension makes the use necessary of vehicle, is recommended to handle with the due precautions in the broken sector the Chilcas, by the slope that presents/displays.

* It fishes: in creek Bread of Sugar, beach the Piqueros and White beach.

* Strolls in boat: in creek Sugar Bread and island Sugar Bread.

* Sport diving: in creek Bread of Sugar, beach the Piqueros,

White beach and island Sugar Bread. In the creek it worked a smelting and a port of embarkation of the mineral of Carrizalillo. The place was bombed by the Peruvian corvette Union, in 1879, and devastated by a tidal wave in 1922; wharf, cranes and cars remain under the water for joy of the divers.

* Observation of flora and fauna: in all the sectors of the park.

* Observation of cultural resources: in creek Sugar Bread, the Administration and in watered down Quinchigüe.

* Mountain bike: from Creek Sugar Bread, happening through the broken Sugar Bread to the Lomitas. Another route is by the coast of Chañaral until the park. practical data 04 Special recommendations * It is recommended to visit the park in summer, will be more comfortable, but also you can do it at other times if it wishes it.

* The existing beaches are not qualified for swimming.

Routes of access The year is acceded throughout through three passable roads, one of them is the C-120 Route, that unites the port of Chañaral and the Administration of the park, with a length of 29 km; another one is Route 5 - Pan-American North to the height of km 1014, sector the Pumps, to which it is acceded by a secondary way and third, also by Route 5, a little more to the south of the previous one, to the height of km 968. All the ways are of debris and earth. A special precaution in the case of the C-120 route is due to have, the one that presents/displays zones of curves closed quite dangerous from the South access.

Rights reserved by the administrator of the system