El Amarillo Hot Springs
The Amarillo Hot Springs are located off the Carretera Austral between Futaleufú and Chaiten just outside the small settlement of El Amarillo. The small village of El Amarillo serves as the southern gateway to Pumalin Park and is one of the park’s offshoot projects that lie outside its formal borders. The well-ordered settlement has a distinctive architecture and hopes to serve as model to promote tourism and conservation in other nearby surrounding communities.
The hot springs themselves lie just 4 km from the Amarillo crossroads and are located deep within a temperate rainforest. The vegetation around the hot springs is prolific with giant rhubarb (nalca) plants taller than a man’s height. The source of the hot mineral water (52 C, 125F) is the presently active, but dormant Michimahuida Volcano which last erupted about 200 years ago when Charles Darwin was exploring the area on the HMS Beagle. The hot springs themselves are very rustic and set directly into the Patagonia jungle creating a vivid and memorable contrast between the jungle and the open thermal pools, a great option for a rainy day.
The hot springs are operated and maintained by the local municipality and are open to the public for a small fee on a daily basis. For those wanting a more private experience there is a lodge located adjacent to the public facility. Up the road from the hot springs are the glaciers of the Michimahuida volcano and the class V, Michimahuida River.
For more information visit: Guia Patagonia
Chile Vacation Rental: Luxury Vacation Rental in Chilean Patagonia at Fundo Encantado, located just outside the picturesque village of Futaleufú. For groups desiring a more private and exclusive experience than the typical hotel or Futaleufu lodge can offer. © Fundo Encantado 2018.