Kawésqar National Park, Chile's second-largest with about 2.8 million hectares in the Magallanes Region, has since 22 October 2026 had its first Management Council, made up of the National Forest Corporation (Conaf) and 16 Kawésqar communities. According to Conaf, the council will work on a management agreement for the area under Law 21,600, which created the Biodiversity and Protected Areas Service (SBAP).
The milestone "recognises the history, the rights and the territorial, ancestral and spiritual connection of the Kawésqar people", said John Revello, Conaf's regional director in Magallanes, who described it as a milestone for the future of protected areas linked to indigenous peoples.
What the Kawésqar National Park Management Council is
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Date formed | 22 October 2026 |
| Members | Conaf and 16 Kawésqar communities |
| Purpose | Draw up a management agreement for the park |
| Legal framework | Law 21,600, which creates the Biodiversity and Protected Areas Service (SBAP) |
| Park area | About 2.8 million hectares |
| Municipalities | Natales, Río Verde and Punta Arenas (Magallanes Region) |
Source: Conaf, statement of 23 October 2026. Conaf did not say how many representatives sit on the council or the deadline for signing the agreement.
A park of 2.8 million hectares
Kawésqar National Park is the second-largest national park in Chile, after Bernardo O'Higgins. According to the National Registry of Protected Areas of the Ministry of the Environment, its decreed area is 2,842,329 hectares and it has been protected as a national park since 2019, as detailed in our ranking of Chile's largest national parks.
| # | National park | Region | Area (ha) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bernardo O'Higgins | Aysén and Magallanes | 3,525,901 |
| 2 | Kawésqar | Magallanes | 2,842,329 |
| 3 | Laguna San Rafael | Aysén | 1,742,000 |
| 4 | Alberto de Agostini | Magallanes | 1,460,000 |
Source: Ministry of the Environment, National Registry of Protected Areas (SIMBIO), accessed 23 October 2026. Conaf's figure (about 2.8 million hectares) matches the registry.
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See advertising optionsHow to visit Kawésqar National Park
The park is an archipelago of fjords, channels and islands with no roads, so it cannot be explored like Torres del Paine. The most common way to see it is from the water: the ferry linking Puerto Montt and Puerto Natales sails the Patagonian channels and stops at Puerto Edén, on Wellington Island, the village historically linked to the last Kawésqar families. Check the shipping company's current itinerary before buying.
- From Puerto Natales: the base for cruises and boat trips through the southern fjords; our guide to what to do in Puerto Natales explains how to get there.
- From Punta Arenas: trips to the Strait of Magellan and the channels leave from the city; see what to do in Punta Arenas.
- Respect for the territory: the park protects sites of cultural and spiritual value for the Kawésqar people; follow the instructions of Conaf and the operators.
Why it matters for Chile's protected areas
Law 21,600 allows the state and indigenous peoples to sign agreements to manage protected areas. The Kawésqar National Park council is one of the first steps in that direction in Magallanes, a region where an indigenous consultation is also under way to protect Cape Froward, the destination National Geographic included in its list for 2027, as we reported in Cape Froward on the National Geographic list.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Kawésqar National Park?
In the Magallanes Region, in the municipalities of Natales, Río Verde and Punta Arenas, in the archipelago of western Patagonia.
Who sits on the management council?
Conaf and 16 Kawésqar communities, according to Conaf's official statement of 23 October 2026.
Can you visit Kawésqar National Park?
Yes, but mainly by sea: it has no roads and is explored on boat trips through the Patagonian channels.
