Island in the Commune of Cisnes, Aysén Region. In the heart of Patagonia, surrounded by national parks, this unique, completely untouched island is a haven of pure, crystal-clear air and waters.
Size: 4,200 hectares.
15 bodies of water.
Covered by native vegetation such as Tepú, Ciprés de las Guaitecas, Coihue de Chiloé, and Tineo.
Access
Travel to Melinka.
Daily flights from La Paloma Aerodrome in Puerto Montt are available via Pewen Servicios Aéreos.
From Melinka, a speedboat service can be hired, covering 24 nautical miles in two hours to reach García Island.
Surrounded by National Parks:
Corcovado National Park
Isla Magdalena National Park
Las Guaitecas National Reserve
Located in the province of Aysén, the reserve covers parts of the communes of Cisnes and Aysén in the north-central coastal region of Aysén. It encompasses parts of the Los Chonos and Las Guaitecas archipelagos. Some of the islands included are Forsyth, Level, Tahuenahuec, Benjamín, Cuptana, Jorge, Teresa, Ipún, James, Williams, Melchor, Kent, Lemu, Isquiliac, and Victoria. Activities in its waters include education, adventure tourism, research, artisanal fishing, diving, and vessel transit to or from Magallanes.
Climate:
The reserve has a temperate, humid insular climate characterized by high semiannual precipitation ranging from 2,000 to over 4,000 mm. Depending on the month, there is a year-round water surplus between 100 and 340 mm. The area has low luminosity and strong oceanic influence, which moderates daily and annual temperature fluctuations. The average temperature in January ranges from 10°C to 13°C, while in July it varies from 4°C to 7°C.
Flora:
The vegetation consists of evergreen forest formations with bogs, including species such as Guaitecas cypress (Pilgerodendron uviferum), Chiloé's coigüe (Nothofagus nitida), tepú (Tepualia stipularis), tineo (Weinmannia trichosperma), and evergreen oceanic shrubs with species like Chiloé's coigüe (Nothofagus nitida), tepú (Tepualia stipularis), and prickly-leaved mañío (Podocarpus nubigenus).
Wildlife:
As an insular unit, the reserve is home to marine birds from families such as penguins (Spheniscidae), petrels (Procellariidae), cormorants (Phalacrocoracidae), ducks (Anatidae), plovers (Charadriidae), and gulls (Laridae). Terrestrial bird species include the chucao (Troglodytes aedon), the Falkland thrush (Turdus falcklandii), the ringed kingfisher (Megaceryle torquata), the austral blackbird (Curaeus curaeus), and the austral parakeet (Enicognathus ferrugineus).
Marine and terrestrial mammals found in the reserve include the South American sea lion (Otaria flavescens), the South American fur seal (Arctocephalus australis), the marine otter (Lontra felina), the coypu (Myocastor coypus), the kodkod (Leopardus guigna), and the pudu (Pudu puda).
