Wilderness Landscape & Natural Heritage
Arrayanes Forest is part of the Nahuel Huapi National Park in the Argentine Patagonia, renowned for its rare grove of mature myrtle trees (Luma apiculata), which can be identified by their unusual twisted trunks and cinnamon-colored bark. Covering a small peninsula that extends into Lake Nahuel Huapi, this forest offers a rare botanical phenomenon only found in a few places around the world. Historically, the park was home to the indigenous Mapuche people and later explored by European settlers. Today, the forest is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts. Visitors can hike along well-maintained trails that offer breathtaking views of the lake and surrounding Andes mountains. Key attractions within the forest include the Quetrihué Peninsula, known for its biodiversity, and the distinctive myrtle trees, which are protected due to their rarity and the biodiversity they support.