Radal Siete Tazas National Reserve
This national reserve is found 55 km northeast of Molina, 60 km southeast of Curicó and 100 km northeast of Talca. It covers a surface area of 5,147 hectares and was created in 1981. It is an area including three mountainous chains, and is positioned exactly on the basin of the Claro River. Its altitude varies between 600 and 2,156 meters. The reserve is run and protected by the Corporación Nacional Forestal (CONAF).
The very warm climate of the reserve is dry temperate, although in winter there are large snowfalls. The main water course is the river Claro and the Toro brook. There are some beautiful waterfalls found here, amongst them the 50 meter-high Velo de la Novia (Bride’s Veil) and the Siete Tazas (Seven Cups), a series of 22 waterfalls, 12 of them more than 12 meters high. Formed naturally over millions of years by the flow of Andean water of the Claro River, these beautiful waterfalls can be clearly seen and admired from look-out points located amongst the dense vegetation of the reserve. To gain access to the look-out point you must make a small donation to CONAF.
There is a varied flora, and the reserve does important work conserving almost extinct species, such as the Andean cypress and the white luma. There are also oak trees, hualos coigües and ñirres, whose diverse colors (especially in Autumn-Winter) contrast with the snow of the high peaks. The fauna is characterized by types of common mammals like the fox and skunk, and birds like the torcaza (a type of dove), catas and duck. There are also more impressive breeds such as the pudú, cougar, zorro culpeo (type of fox), quique, vizcacha, colocolo cat, güiña, and skunk. Two of the three species of monkey native to the country also live here – the yaca and the monito del monte.At the end of the road suitable for cars there is a section of the reserve called the Parque Inglés (English Park) where various activities are available, such as camping hiking for hours through beautiful places such as the Valle del Indio (Valley of the Indian) where there are little waterfalls and impressive views.
The administration of the National Reserve is based in the Parque Inglés, where CONAF (who run the park) have a permanent exhibition of archeological pieces, such as fossilized animals, drilled stones, historical and geological records of the area and detailed information on the Radal-Siete Tazas National Reserve.The park has camping areas, picnic areas and excellent conditions for horse-riding and walking. You can also go swimming in the Parque del Inglés and Radal areas, hiking in the Velo de la Novia area, and you can observe rural life throughout the reserve at Parque Inglés, Salto de la Leona, Siete Tazas, Velo de la Novia, Lagunas Mondaca and El Radal.
Phones: 75 – 491179 / 75 – 521303
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