Laguna San Rafael National Park, considered one of the most spectacular places of southern Chile, was established in 1959 in the coastal area of the Taitao Peninsula in Aysen, and is the second largest protected area in Chile. Although there are approximately 50 glaciers in the park, one of the most outstanding is the monumental San Rafael Glacier, which has a width of almost 1.5 miles, and a height of some 250 feet. Definitely the most comfortable way to discover these 3,000 year old masses of beauty, is aboard one of several passenger ships which will take you up-close to the great glacial walls of ice, where you will be able to see the incredible spectacle of its giant pieces break-off and plunge into the lagoon, where they will start their journey towards the Gulf of Elephants. Laguna San Rafael is also home to some wonderful and diverse wildlife. Into the park's impenetrable forests, you can find pudus, pumas, south Andean huemuls and foxes, while the glacial areas provide an ideal environment for Magellanic penguins, albatrosses, otters, and elephant seals.
		© Intrans, 2010