Navidad ("Christmas") Crater was formed by the eruption of Lonquimay Volcano on December 25, 1988. It sits on the border between the Malalcahuello and Nalcas national reserves, in a stunning area dominated by nearby Lonquimay Volcano, with its lava field, and Tolhuaca Volcano, with its vast araucaria forests.
The trail to Navidad Crater is relatively short: about 3 hours of walking round trip at an easy pace, which makes it ideal for people with moderate hiking experience. The last stretch to the top of the crater is quite steep, with loose stones, so trekking poles are a great help.
Note
You need a vehicle to reach the trailhead, since it is far from Malalcahuello. The road to the trailhead is on the way to the volcano viewpoint: just before the entrance to the Corralco hotel, on the right, starts a road that is only open in summer.
Technical details
- Round-trip distance: 4.3 km
- Difficulty: moderate
- Average altitude: 1,827 m
- Duration: 3 hours
- Trail: marked in blue
Tips
- Sunscreen
- Water (there is nowhere to refill)
- Comfortable clothes
- Trekking poles (strongly recommended)
- Comfortable shoes, ideally hiking shoes
- Long socks (lots of volcanic sand gets into your shoes)
- Charge your battery and bring your camera
- Don't leave trash
- And enjoy nature