Villarrica National Park is located in the Andes

Andes

The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...

, in the Araucanía

Araucanía Region

The IX Araucanía Region is one of Chile's 15 first order administrative divisions and comprises two provinces: Malleco in the north and Cautín in the south....

 and Los Ríos

Los Ríos Region

The XIV Los Ríos Region is one of Chile's 15 first order administrative divisions. Its capital is Valdivia. Pop. 356,396 . It began to operate as region on October 2, 2007. It was created by subdividing the Los Lagos Region in southern Chile...

 regions of Chile

Chile

Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...

, near Pucón. The centerpiece of the park is a line of three volcanoes stretching transversely to the Andean range: Villarrica

Villarrica (volcano)

Villarrica is one of Chile's most active volcanoes, rising above the lake and town of the same name. The volcano is also known as Rucapillán, a Mapuche word meaning "House of the Pillán". It is the westernmost of three large stratovolcanoes that trend perpendicular to the Andean chain along the...

, Quetrupillán

Quetrupillán

Quetrupillán Volcano is a stratovolcano located in the Araucanía Region of Chile. It is situated between Villarrica and Lanín volcanoes, within Villarrica National Park. Geologically, Quetrupillán is located in a tectonic basement block between the main traces of Liquiñe-Ofqui Fault and...

, and Lanín

Lanín

Lanín is an ice-clad, cone-shaped stratovolcano on the border of Argentina and Chile. It forms part of two national parks: Lanín in Argentina and Villarrica in Chile. It is a symbol of the Argentine province of Neuquén, being part of its flag and its anthem. Although the date of its last eruption...

.

Flora and fauna

The park protects Valdivian temperate rainforest habitat. Roble

Nothofagus obliqua

Nothofagus obliqua, is a deciduous tree from Chile and Argentina. It grows from 33 to 43° South Latitude, in Chile and Argentina. The northern extent of this tree's range in Chile is considered to be the Vizcachas Mountains and La Campana National Park.-Description:N...

 (Nothofagus obliqua) and Raulí

Nothofagus alpina

Nothofagus alpina also called Rauli Beech is a species of plant in the Fagaceae family. Deciduous tree, it grows in Chile and Argentina , it reaches 50 m height and more than 2 meters in diameter. Its distribution goes from 35 to 42° South latitude. It is found on the Andes...

 (Nothofagus alpina) trees are found at lower elevations. Coihue

Coihue

Nothofagus dombeyi is a tree species native to southern Chile and the Andean parts of Argentine Patagonia. It grows from 35 to 45° South latitude between 700 and 1,200 m above mean sea level. It forms dense forests, like those found in the Los Alerces and Nahuel Huapi national parks...

s occur in the wettest areas. At higher elevations, forests are dominated by the Araucarias

Araucaria araucana

Araucaria araucana is an evergreen tree growing to tall with a trunk diameter. The tree is native to central and southern Chile, western Argentina and south Brazil. Araucaria araucana is the hardiest species in the conifer genus Araucaria...

 (Araucaria araucana).

The park's forests provide habitat for wildlife such as cougars, chilla and Culpeo

Culpeo

The culpeo , sometimes known as the culpeo zorro or Andean fox , is a South American species of wild dog. It is the second largest native canid on the continent after the maned wolf. In its appearance it bears many similarities to the widely recognized red fox...

 foxes, Pudú

Pudú

The pudús are two species of South American deer from the genus Pudu; the world's smallest deer. The name is a loanword from Mapudungun the language of the indigenous Mapuche people of southern Chile...

es, Coypu

Coypu

The coypu , , also known as the river rat, and nutria, is a large, herbivorous, semiaquatic rodent and the only member of the family Myocastoridae. Originally native to subtropical and temperate South America, it has since been introduced to North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa, primarily by...

s, Harris's Hawk

Harris's Hawk

The Harris's Hawk or Harris Hawk formerly known as the Bay-winged Hawk or Dusky Hawk, is a medium-large bird of prey which breeds from the southwestern United States south to Chile and central Argentina...

s, Lesser Grison

Lesser Grison

The lesser grison , Galictis cuja, is a mammal species of the ferret family Mustelidae from South America. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay....

s, Molina's Hog-nosed Skunk

Molina's Hog-nosed Skunk

Molina's hog-nosed skunk, also called the Andes Skunk , is a skunk species from South America. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Peru and Uruguay in heights up to 5000m.-References:**The Andes: A Trekking Guide...

s, and the rare Monitos del Monte

Monito del Monte

The Monito del Monte The Monito del Monte The Monito del Monte (Spanish for "little mountain monkey", Dromiciops gliroides, is a diminutive marsupial native only to southwestern South America (Chile and Argentina). It is the only extant species in the ancient order Microbiotheria, and the sole New...

.