The Island and the Archipelago

The Robinson Crusoe Island is part of the Juan Fernandez Archipelago, which is compound by three islands: Robinson Crusoe Island, Alexander Selkirk Sailor Island and Santa Clara Island.

A unique characteristic of the Islands is the big amount of endemic flora species that makes it a must to visit for botanists, ornithologists and people fond of nature all over the world. The island was named National Park in 1935 and Biosphere World Reservation by the UNESCO in 1977.

The archipelago are 9,967 hectares in total.

Robinson Crusoe Island (700 kms from Valparaíso), is the only one that has a steady population. The people live in San Juan Bautista town, in the Cumberland Bay, where our Lodge is located.

The Robinson Crusoe Island (ex "Más a Tierra") is known for had been the home of a Scottish sailor, Alexander Selkirk, from 1704 to 1709, whose history inspired the classic novel of Daniel Defoe. Now days, it's a touristic attraction to visit the cave where was supposed to live Selkirk.

Robinson Crusoe Island

Isla Robinson Crusoe It's compound for two big geomorphologic units. The biggest, in Norwest direction, reaches 12 kilometers of length and 3 of width. It's affected for strong erosive processes. Its topography is characterized for the mass of the hill El Yunque (3,008 ft) and for deep gorges limited by hills that go to the Norwest, arriving its cliffs to coast. The peninsula located at the Southeast of the island is very different, mainly low; it has a slightly flat surface over the one emerge small hills.

Santa Clara Island

Isla Marinero Santa Clara Located 1.5 kilometer to the Southwest of Robinson Crusoe Island, has a flat surface with a maximum height of 1,234 ft (Johow Hill). Because of the geomorphologic characteristic and the composition of its lava, it supposed to be the first volcanic center that gave origin to the Robinson Crusoe Island, therefore it is the oldest one (from 4 to 5 millions of years).

Alexander Selkirk Sailor Island

Isla Marinero Alexander Selkirk Called before "Más Afuera", is a trapezoid whose longest side gives shape to the Norwest Coast. Parallel to this, there's a mountain (2,950-4,593 ft) whose hill, named Los Inocentes, reaches 5,413 ft, the maximum archipelago height. This mountain range keeps going down to the East side, through a high plateau cut by deep gorges.

The National Park

The Juan Fernandez Archipelago National Park was founded in 1935 and is part of the National System of the Government Protected Silvestre Areas.

This National Park has a surface that reaches 9,001.6 hectares and its localized between the 33º 36’ and the 33° 47’ of South latitude, and the 80° 47’ y 78º 47’ of West longitude. It includes Santa Clara and Alejandro Selkirk Sailor islands and most of Robinson Crusoe Island.

Rules and recommended equipments

conaf The excursions must be authorized by CONAF (Corporación Nacional Fosrestal, a government service) and you must find out if they can be done by yourself or if you must do them with guides. It is important that you get well informed and it is a requirement to tell CONAF about your excursion plan before you start it.

You must get a ticket to get into the park as it is paid only once while you are at the Island. If you planed excursions with us, we will inform CONAF about the hiking plan and we will gave you the ticket to get in the Park.

Guide equipment:

first-aid kit
Whistle
Lantern
Compass
Swiss army knife or mountain knife
area map
Mountain rope
Radio communications portable equipment

Equipment that must have the visitant:

Appropriate clothing and shoes (we recommend trekking shoes)
Socks (double socks)
Shorts and sport clothing
Jacket
Cap
Protective sun glasses
Sun block

San Juan Bautista

foto Most of the archipelago population (there are 630 inhabitants according to the 2002 Census) is concentrated in the town of San Juan Bautista, in Cumberland Bay.

Cumberland initially was a Spanish fort and a colonial jail, during the independence fights was a politic prison for some leaders as Juan Egaña and others, who had to live in the Cave of the Patriots (Historic monument from 1979), which you still can visit as part of the attractions of this town.

With the same purpose of being a jail, during the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth century several times common and politic prisoners were sent to the Archipelago, which ended around 1930.

The design of the current settling of San Juan Bautista has its origin en 1877, due to the authorization that the government gave to the Swedish Alfred Van Rodt to colonize and exploit the island natural resources.

The main economic activity is the marine lobster fishing (Jasus Frontalis).

Phone (56) (32) 275 10 77

Refugio Náutico - Eco Lodge - Robinson Crusoe Island
Lodgings, Excursions and Services - Isla Robinson Crusoe - Chile