Cochamó, centre of of ecotourism
Cochamó is a Chilean town founded in 1979 and commune located in Llanquihue Province, Los Lagos Region. The capital of the commune is the town of Río Puelo, which is named after the Puelo River, a stream with great waterfalls and surrounded by forest.
Cochamó has become a constantly growing ecotourism area, where trekking, climbing, kayaking and fishing activities bring outdoor lovers together from all over the world. Ecotourism in one of the main activity in the valley, aside from cattle reading and local logging for firewood.
Commonly referred as the “Chilean Yosemite”, the Cochamó Valley is located in the Andes and is similar to the Yosemite Valley due to its granite domes and old-growth forests. The valley has several 1000 meters granite walls that attract rock climbers from all over the world. The Cochamó Valley has a pristine biodiversity with countless of rare birds and plant life, and where towering alerce trees that can live up to 1,000 years dominate the forest. The forest is home to dense, virgin temperate rainforest – one of only three such remaining forests.
