Part of a major route in Chile is to be rebranded and extended as the new ‘Ruta de los Parques’ (‘Route of Parks’).

Currently part of Chile’s Route 7, or Carretera Austral, the new route will be 1,500 miles long.

It will stretch from Hornopirén National Park in central Chile to the Beagle Channel on the southern tip of the country.

The route will wind through spectacular natural scenery along the Chilean Andes.

The launch follows the gifting of Parque Pumalín to the Chilean government by Tompkins Conservation in March 2017, which was the world’s largest donation of privately held land.

Chile’s president, Michelle Bachelet, then signed an agreement to join Parque Pumalín with 10 million acres of federal land – an area larger than Switzerland – and create five new national parks.

They will be placed under strict environmental protection and will be officially reclassified by the end of 2017 as the ‘Red de Parques de la Patagonia’ (Patagonia Parks Network).

Stand: LA500