How many of you can say that you jumped into a seven-hour road transfer from the airport to your lodge in the middle of nowhere? Not many, right? Well, that’s the charm of Explora’s Patagonia Nacional Parc Lodge. In fact, I can put my last dime on you not even knowing that Patagonia National Park even existed before you clicked on this review. That’s a testament to this lodge’s confounding remoteness. A two-hour flight from Santiago to Balmaceda airport adds to the majority dirt track drive, only adding to the sheer adventure of getting here. Set in a National Park at the tail end of the world-famous Austral Pass, this hideaway, in short, gives an entirely new definition and perspective to the word, remoteness.
Cut off from civilisation during the winter months, this stretch of Chilean Patagonia gives you what Torres del Paine does not, absolutely no tourists. In place of all the scrambling humans desperate for a selfie in front of those famous granite towers, soaring condors, elusive puma and mysteriously shy Andean deer keep you company in a wilderness that spans 640,000 acres. The park’s sheer enormity owes itself to its founders, the American conservationists and rewilding philanthropists Kris and Doug Tompkins, who after years of negotiations, donated the enormous tracts of land to the Chilean government. The result is now a protected parkland, much sustained by eco-luxury tourism.
Its gargantuan proportions means that, for most of the time, you’ll get a feeling of aloofness that’s wildly scarce in our smaller-than-small world. Carved into the Chacabuco Valley, the former cattle farm turned lodge only has 13 guest houses, five of them suites, all surrounded by hills and craggy ice-capped mountains in the distance. The scene itself is quintessentially Wild West South American: herds of mischievous guanaco frolic throughout, and birds, including those giant condors I mentioned earlier, often swoop in for a pluck of last night’s big cat kill. While it’s a tad flashy in parts – especially the well-groomed, and at times, well-heeled guests – the whole point of staying here is to escape the chaos of the connected world and instead, experience a feeling of alien disconnect from technological normalities.
The rooms ooze this sense of divide from reality most. They are simple, but beautiful, and make the most of the views with great big windows facing the immense tundras of the Patagonian landscape. Planked floors, beamed ceilings, neutral colours and great big couches come as standard, and if you are lucky enough to nab a suite like me, carvings of all the flora and fauna etched into the walls in Suite number two. It’s understated in all the right ways, and for somewhere that’s so removed from life as we know it, weirdly and distinctly on trend with the rest of the world. For the most part, it’s one of those spaces you have to be in to appreciate, and for me, the greatest perk was a chic space set to the tune of deafly silence.
The food is equally as exceptional. The main lodge is where most of the action takes place. An image of reclaimed wood, stone and copper, hiking expeditions and social meet and greets all kick off here, as does breakfast, lunch and dinner. The matriarch of the lodge is Kareen, who, if you ask anyone from the guides to the clerks and even the GM, holds the place together like Mother Earth herself. Her infinitely warm, minutely attentive and caring approach to doing things trickles its way down into virtually all of the lodge’s operations, including the kitchen. Headed up by young 30-year-old Venezuelan chef Kathy Gascón, gastronomy here highlights the grilled flavours of Chilean Patagonia’s gaucho heritage. Seasonality and locality rule the menu, alongside buffet style lunches of prime cut meats and fragrant salads. Grilled veg is a standout come dinner time, as are chicken nights, flamed and scorched to absolute perfection. Guzzle them all down with wines from Chile, naturally. The chardonnays are particularly tasty.
As for the treks, there are tons on offer, and all are tailored to your capabilities on arrival. Beginner hikes set off from the outskirts of the lodge into the valley, and if you simply just don’t want to walk, overground drives can be arranged on request all the way to the Argentine border or to Tompkin’s Peak where you’ll get a clear 360 view of the entire park come lunchtime. There’s also a small spa with treatment rooms and three hot tubs spying the surrounding panoramas of the National Park – perfect post morning hike, or if you simply just need a rest day. Private excursions can also be arranged on request.
Summed up, the beauty of staying here is its sheer isolation. Perhaps the biggest highlight was the night sky. It was so clear and so free from any of humanity’s wrongdoings you could spy the Milky Way near effortlessly. I spent three hours gazing into the centre of it outside my suite, and I didn’t even care that a puma could pounce on me at any second. I got lost here, and that ability and privilege is so rare nowadays, that it was a gift worthy of the immense journey and time it took to get here. Seeing a billion stars, cosmically on fire to the hues of purples and magnetic reds, is one of those moments of being I won’t forget anytime soon. Unique is an often-overused word in my profession, but in the case of this lodge, is wholly justified.
Top Takeaways
Location: Valle Chacabuco s/n, Comuna de Cochrane – Región de Aysén.
Rating: Five-star
The vibe: A ranch turned eco luxury retreat Ralph Lauren wish he created.
Food + drink: Chargriled to perfection. The flavours here are delicious, and in all honesty better than you’d get in your average Michelin-starred beast in Lima.
Amenities: restaurant, bar, museum, boutique, spa
Our favourite thing about the hotel: How removed it is from the world. Here you genuinely feel lost and alone, and it comes as a privilege.
What’s nearby: Nada. Cochrane is about a 45-minute drive away and is a tourist hotpsot for those looking to kayak along its namesake river.
Any personal neighbourhood reccs? There is no neighbourhood, but wake up early to see the sunrise and stay up late to see the stars.
Rooms? 13
Pricing: From about $2820 USD per night based on a four-night stay. Luke was a guest of cazenove+loyd who created a bespoke itinerary on his request. To book, visit their website.
Closest international airport: Balmaceda airport, linked by Santiago International Airport.
