Siete Tazas National Park, Chile: Your Complete Guide

Planning a trip to Chile and wanting to uncover some hidden local gems? Discover Siete Tazas National Park, a wild and beautiful national park close to Santiago.

Siete Tazas National Park, Radal Siete Tazas National Park or Parque Nacional Radal Siete Tazas is a gorgeous national park in the Central Region of Chile. Located 260km (3.5hrs) southeast of Santiago, it’s the perfect place to base yourself for a few days if you’re looking to get away from the bustling city and experience some wild and untouched nature.

Siete Tazas translates to ’Seven Cups’ in English and the name comes from the seven natural, rock pools, linked by small waterfalls, which in my opinion are the highlight of the park.

As someone who lived in Chile for 6 years, I can’t quite believe I’d waited some 4 years to visit this extraordinary place. We concluded that it was quite easily the best national park located close to Santiago.

During your visit to Las 7 Tazas, expect to see hectares upon hectares of native forest, two spectacular waterfalls, the ‘seven cups’ and lots of other spectacular landscapes along the way.

*This ‘ siete tazas national park’ post may contain affiliate links meaning I might make a small profit if you choose to book at no extra cost to you.

Best Time to Visit Siete Tazas, Chile

The warmest time to visit 7 Tazas Chile is during the Chilean summer months December- February. Note that January and especially February are Chilean vacation months so if visiting at this time, book your accommodation in advance and avoid weekends.

A great time to visit the park is during the spring September-December and autumn March-May, when you can see the landscape transform into a wave of beautiful autumnal colours.

During the winter the park may be closed due to heavy snowfall- check ahead of time when planning to visit during winter. My favourite time to visit is December-January or early March.

How to Get to Siete Tazas Chile

By Car

The easiest and most convenient way to reach Las 7 Tazas Chile is by car. I’d highly recommend renting a car and driving over taking public transport.

Cars can be rented in Santiago for about $43 per day for a basic small car. We always use Rental Cars for the best car rental rates in Chile.

From Santiago head south on Highway 5 until you reach Molina. From Molina take the K-175 all the way to Siete Tazas.

Note that the roads in the National Park aren’t in great condition and at the time of writing but are still suitable for a small, non-4×4 to pass.

By Public Transport

From Terminal Alamada bus station in Santiago, you can catch a bus to Molina. From Molina you can change for another bus that goes to Radal Siete Tazas or Parque Ingles.

The local buses stop all along the road so you can get off earlier if your accommodation is outside the park. Some buses go all the way to Parque Ingles where there is a campsite and some cafes.

During low season May-September due to less demand, there are fewer public buses. Check here for timetables and booking your ticket online, although this isn’t necessary- some Spanish knowledge will help here. 

Hitch-Hiking

Hitch-hiking is fairly popular still inside the park so if you’d like a ride from one spot to another it’s an idea. If you’re going to hitch-hike in the summer find the portions of the road that are paved (there are a couple inside the park), otherwise you’ll get sprayed with a cloud of thick dust every time a car passes.

Where to Stay in Siete Tazas

The most common form of accommodation in and around the 7 Tazas National Park is either camping or in rustic cabins. There is some, yet limited accommodation inside the park – many other options are located just outside the park entrance.

If you have a car then I’ll recommend staying outside the park as you have a lot more choice, which helps, especially during high season.

Where to Stay Outside Siete Tazas National Park

Cabañas Oasis – Rustic wooden cabins with all your basics covered. Located right in the middle of nature with stunning valley views. Close to the Rio Claro for refreshing cold water dips post-hiking. Find out more and book.

Cabañas Precordillera – A great alternative to the above, located very close to the park entrance. Simple but functional cabins. Find out more and book.

Where to Stay Inside Siete Tazas

Valle Las Catas – They have camping pitches available as well as rustic cabins (no electricity) to rent in a stunning part of the park. It does get very busy in high season so make sure to book advance. Find out more here.

Cabañas el Toro – Rustic cabins with all you need for a comfortable stay located just inside the park. Find out more here.

Camping Siete Tazas

If you’ve got your own gear, camping 7 Tazas is the way to go. Campsites, in general, are pretty well organised and they all have good pitches, bathrooms and washing facilities.

Pitches on campsites outside the park come with their own barbecues (ours did) which makes a great change for cooking food.  We camped at Eco-camping Entre Rockas which I would highly recommend.

All their electricity and hot water are generated through solar panels and they also provide eco-friendly detergents. It’s a gorgeous site and you can camp right by the river.  Noteworthy campsites outside the park include Cabanas Alto Radal Siete Tazas and Cabanas Los Molles.

Inside the park, you can also camp at Valle las Catas. They have cabins and pitches to rent and while they are more expensive they include the entrance fee to the park. If you don’t have a car I would recommend staying in Valle las Catas as it’s walkable to the main sites of the park. 

Staying at Valle las Catas includes your entrance fee to the park which is CLP$6,400 for foreigners otherwise.

Note that if you stay inside the park you won’t be able to light any kinds of fires which include barbecues, so make sure you have a camping stove.

Where to Eat

Self-catering is really the way to go in Siete Tazas. There are some cafes where you can grab some light meals and junk food in Parque Ingles and right before the park entrance there are some food trucks, coffee stands and grocery stores. 

If you’re coming by car, stop at a supermarket in Molina to grab all your groceries and supplies. If you’re taking the bus try to bring as much as you can from either Santiago and Molina. 

Read more: 20+ Chile Travel Tips You Need to Know Before Visiting

Top Things to Do in Siete Tazas Chile

Siete Tazas National Park has enough to do to fill up a couple of days. Here are the main sites and activities that cannot be missed during your stay.

Salto Velo de La Novia

This is the first waterfall you come to upon entering the park and there is a viewpoint from the road.

The waterfall is stunning and it tumbles over the craggy rocky cliff into the azul pool below. You’ll notice the native forest and vegetation all around it- creating a scene like something out of Paradise Lost.

You might, however, be surprised by how little water there is and this goes for the entire park. In 2010 Chile had a huge earthquake, which cracked and separated some of the bedrock and since then much of the water has flowed underground.

Hike to and Marvel at Siete Tazas

One of the most beautiful sights you’ll see in the park- the Siete Tazas are seven rocky pools, each one placed at a lower elevation than the previous one.

Water spills from the top one down to the last one via small waterfalls. The water is the clearest, deepest, ice-blue you’ll see. While not big, these are some of the most scenic of all Chile waterfalls.

We arrived just after sunrise and enjoyed the stillness, tranquillity and the perfect golden light the location had to offer. 

To reach Siete Tazas and Salto La Leona (below) which is essentially past the start of the park you’ll have to pay the entrance fee which costs CLP$6,400 for foreigners and CLP$2,700 for Chileans. 

Have a Picnic at Salto La Leona

Continuing down the path from Siete Tazas you’ll eventually start descending down the steep cliffs into the old riverbed of the Rio Claro (since the earthquake the river now flows underground to reappear at Velo de la Novia).

Jump over the huge boulders and make your way to peaceful Salto La Leona, one of the best waterfalls in Chile. At the base of it, you can bathe in the icy water of the plunge pool and there’s even a sandy/dust beach where you can relax on for the rest of the afternoon. It’s the perfect spot for a picnic.

Hike Parque Ingles

Parque Ingles is a wonderful, green valley surrounded by jagged, wind-swept mountains and it’s great for a walk or a picnic. It’s also the starting point for many treks around the park. See the hiking section below for all the treks.

Relax in Nature

Even if you’re not of the adventure type, Siete Tazas is also a great place to relax, read a book and take in your surroundings. You can head to Parque Ingles, find a shaded spot and read a book or simply relax in a hammock at your cabin. It’s the ideal place for a digital detox too or just slowing down.

Bathe in the Claro River

Yes, the water in Siete Tazas is inviting and oh so clear it’s almost drinkable but don’t let that fool you.

It is ice-cold water that comes straight from the high Andes. In most places in the park, it’s impossible to access the river due to the steep cliffs that flank its side but at one point it opens up allowing you to bathe in the rock pools.

This point is called ‘Malacara’ and it’s accessed only by trekking from Parque Ingles. Read more in the ‘Hiking’ section below. 

Visiting Santiago? Read The Best Hikes in Santiago, Chile: A Definitive Guide

Hiking in Siete Tazas Chile

Siete Tazas is loaded with hiking paths of varying difficulty allowing you to choose what you feel like doing.  Hiking in Siete Tazas isn’t difficult. There’s plenty of information available on the ground and hiking paths are all well-trodden and well-signposted.

Here are some of the park’s most note-worthy and must-do hikes.

El Bolson

This is one of the longest and most popular treks in the park.

Starting at Parque Ingles, the El Bolson trail snakes through the forested valley and around to El Bolson, a higher, spectacular valley fringed with towering peaks and cascading waterfalls.

It’s a stunningly wild place of pure, unadulterated nature. Upon arrival, rest and admire the view, have a picnic lunch and visit Cascadas Gemelas, a pretty twin waterfall closeby.

You can also camp at El Bolson and many people do so in the summer- the campsite is pretty barebones though. The trail is 11km one way and can be completed in a day and while it is very long it is a comfortable, almost- flat walk most of the time. Expect to complete it in 5-8hrs.

La Montañita

Starting at Parque Ingles, this difficult trek or climb even, takes you out of the immediate valley straight up the adjacent mountain for the most beautiful views of the valley below.

It’s only 4km long but it’s a steep uphill almost all the time and takes about 5-6hrs to complete.

Malacara

Malacara is a beautiful, short trail, perfect for those interested in swimming and those not interested in a long trek. The Malacara trail uses the same trail as El Bolson for the first 2km and then branches out towards the Rio Claro.

The trail winds through native forest, rustic footbridges and apocalyptic-looking trees that have been burned out by lightning. After 3.5km you’ll end up at Malacara where you can descend to the only part of the Claro river which can be accessed for swimming in the entire area.

You’ll find many natural rock pools of clear but ice-cold water to bath or soak your feet in. This is a gorgeous place for a picnic or to spend a few hours before heading back.

Los Chiquillanes

Another challenging option in the Parque Ingles valley is Los Chiquillanes, a steep path taking in native forest and an ancient volcano- its top long since blown off.

This 5.5km path (one way) will reward you with stunning views of the valley. Put aside 4-5 hours to complete this. 

Do you have any comments or questions about visiting Siete Tazas National Park, Chile? Let me know in the comments below, I’d love to hear from you.

Don’t travel Chile without travel insurance. For the last few years, I’ve been using Safetywing Nomad Insurance for all my individual trips and digital nomad lifestyle and there’s no better company for all my insurance needs. Cover starts from as little as $42 per month. Get your quote below now.

Planning a trip right now? These are just some of my favourite websites I use to book everything from hotels to rental cars!

Rentalcars.com for quick and easy car rentals worldwide

Booking.com for great deals on hotels

Agoda also for great deals on hotels

Get Your Guide and Viator for tours and adventures around the world

Related posts you might like:

20+ Must-Know Travel Tips for Chile (From a Local)

What To Do In Santiago, Chile: The Insider’s Guide

The Best Day Tours from Santiago, Chile

Leading Casablanca Valley Wineries in Chile Worth a Visit

Atacama Desert Chile: The Ultimate Self-Driving Itinerary

PIN IT FOR LATER