Map

Different natural attractions to visit in El Maitén See map

From rivers, streams, hills and waterfalls can be visited in the town of El Maitén and its surroundings, ideal places to relax and enjoy what nature has to offer.

The ultimate attraction is the Chubut river, where hundreds of fishermen come together all the time. In this water you can find precious salmon, trout and perch along their journey to the Patagonian coast. Always remember to have official license to fish.

In addition, the Chubut River is chosen to cool the heat of the summer and you can navigate its waters aboard a kayak or left floating for hours down the river an unforgettable experience. These activities will depart from the existing bridges over the river, the road and track, main viewpoints of the Andean city.

Among the mountains we can visit is Ventana hill located on the slopes of the Canyon of Dreams, which is reached starting from the village of Buenos Aires Chico. From the "window" itself which is on the hill you can see much of the Canyon of Dreams and the neighboring hills.

In the list follows the De la Cruz hill, east of El Maitén on the eastern cord of Sierra de El Maitén, and the Neyén hill on the Western cord. The first is named after the white cross was built on its top contrasting with the blue sky. From here you can enjoy a magnificent view of the river valley of El Maitén and the Chubut river. While the latter explains his name through the Mapuche toponymy (wheezing), as this hill is to shape the breast of "Sleeping Beauty".

This last geographical feature is located 12 km from the city, via the Estancia El Boquete, the source of many legends and interpretations over the years. According to the legend of Sleeping Beauty is still waiting for her lover, lying on the hills and giving the shape to the landscape, who chairs the West Valley of El Maitén.

During the summer the mountain is a spectacle and in winter is even greater, because of the position of the sun, it just hides behind the rock shape, creating a beautiful play of light and shadow. From all points of view, the figure of a face lying on the mountain range called the attention of visitors.

Returning to the waterways of the area we can mention the Clondique stream, also known as Klondike or "Arroyito de Breide". The same is located at the foot of East Moutain Range, it starts in Estancia Breide and goes through the steppe in the valley for 12 km before emptying into the Chubut river. It is called like this because years ago there were many who tried to find gold in their banks and is also called "stream of Breide" beacuse of the origin of it water.

Along this stream is possible walk by observing the surrounding biodiversity. Ducks, geese, lapwings, ibis and occasionally swans and flamingos are found in their waters, while in the surrounding areas may see condors, hawks, owls, chimangos, foxes, skunks, ferrets, mink, otters, "Piche" or "hairy" (armadillos), owls of Patagonian steppe and Andean environment.

El Saltillo, about 130 km from El Maitén and 60 km from Cushamen, is this canyon of basalt rock with tubular formations in the Chico River falls from a height of 20 meters in a huge pot. It is recommended 4x4 vehicle access as the entrance from Cushamen is somewhat difficult. It is an ideal place for fishing, camping and spend the day enjoying the unique peace of  Patagonia.

Another stream is the De la Cruz, east of Cerro de la Cruz. This creek is fed by numerous springs and bordered by ñire forests that shade and keep the water cool even on hot summer days. It is the perfect place to relax after the climb to the Cross, taking the road that goes over the Waterfall of Life, you can explore the flora and fauna of the Patagonian steppe, as well as samples of the forces that shaped the Andes Mountain Range, marine fossils and evidence of the first cultures that inhabited the area.

The Canyon of the Maitenes, about 3 km from the city by Provincial Route No. 4 is marked by the rain, wind and water from the stream De la Cruz on its way to the Chubut River. The path offers small natural ponds with trout and amphitheater formed by the force of the elements, ending in the Waterfall of Life, a drop of more than fifty meters that forms a natural pond in the middle of the Andes. In the same may be some trout that have traced the stream from the Chubut River. Also, being very sensitive to climate change, we can see the falls as a gentle waterfall in the summer, a wild torrent in the rainy winters, an icy show in the cold winters or a veil of rising steam driven sometimes by violent winds of Patagonia.

To get to the other canyons, the Canyon of Dreams is from Buenos Aires Chico northwest. This place is framed within the Andean Patagonian forest microclimate and has unique beauty sites, such as Ventana hill, the so called "Friendship Bridge" and the Cascade TacuiFí ("long time"). This is so thanks to the hills close in, leading to a gorge where the stream is encased and falls from a height of five meters, forming a "Pozón" or pot surrounded by big rocks.

The waterfall is a two-hour hike and there you can see the power of nature, since in winter flow increases significantly, carving the stone to create the magnificent natural amphitheater that part.

Finally, we can turn to the Loma Huacha, a geographic product of volcanic and glacier activity from the Cretaceous perdiod, located about 14 km from El Maitén on the side of National Road No. 40. This hill, 70 meters high, is alone in the middle of the valley and is a symbol of orogenic activity that shaped the valley where the village is located.