Located 93 kms southeast of Santiago, along the Maipo canyon may be found this protected area with 3,009 hectares, including the Rio Morales Canyon and the nearby mountains, in the middle of the Andes Cordillera.

Due to weather conditions the park remains closed between May and September. The best months to visiting it by day or to camp are between December and March.

Among the mountains surrounding the canyon, the El Morado is the highest, at 5,060 meters altitude. Its instantly recognizable profile overlooks the park. The fauna in the Reserve is rich in aerial species, and one frequently sees finches, Sierra-finches, chirihue dorados, black finches, Cordillera finches, tencas, thrushes, Chilean swallows, ochre-naped ground-tyrants, tapaculos, ibises and mineros (mining birds). Also usually encountered are the giant hummingbirds, white-sided hillstars, turtledoves), Cordillera turtledoves, perdicitas ("miniature partridges") and cojon partridges. In the aquatic habitats the juarjual duck may be seen, whose population is gradually increasing.

The flora consists mostly of Andean sclerophilous shrubland, but in the lower areas of the park olivillo de la cordillera, hierba blanca and cola de zorro (foxtail), among other plant species are also found.
The specially interesting places in the park are Lake El Morado and San Francisco Glacier, that can be observed after a walk of at least 2 hours.

The park offers multiple activities such as:

• Horse riding in gorgeous spots.
• Bird Watching, including migration, behavior and habitats.
• Local flora and fauna observation, with treks covering the different native species.
• Photography, with the chance of taking snapshots in authorized places.
• Mountaineering. Mountains of over 5,000 meters height above sea level may be climbed, some with snow and ice areas, along routes that do not require formal permits.
• Trekking, with excursions that may take many days along mountain ranges and through nature areas, organized in stages to learn more about the flora and fauna, as well as the communities living in the area.

Source: www.sernatur.cl