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Explora Lodge, El Chalten

Introduction

The first thing we wish to express is that considering this lodge opened in 2021, during the Covid-19 Pandemic, we have not yet had an opportunity to inspect it, or stay overnight. Consequently, we are unable to say that it has been inspected or approved.

However, we have confidence in the Explora brand and therefore we are quite prepared to suggest that this lodge should be as good as their other properties. Only from looking at the pictures we are categorising his lodge as a ā€œPremium Lodgeā€.

The Explora Brand is synonymous with providing high end accommodation amid remote, natural wilderness areas; with an emphasis on guests getting out each day to explore the environment ā€œon the doorstepā€ and beyond.

Explora has now opened a base in the Huemules Reserve, 17km north of El Chalten village.

In line with the other Explora lodges, guests can book a number of nights under an all-inclusive program.

About

The Explora Lodge 17km north of the village of El Chalten offers 17 standard guest rooms and 3 suite rooms.

Just like other Explora properties, the exterior is understated, even ā€œdull lookingā€, which is a way for the lodge visibility to be as minimum as possible. Even the choice of a brown colour on its exterior enables its presence to blend into the natural colours of the surrounding nature.

This Explora Lodge is covered in natural, finished wood, and its interior is in a modern, quality-level style and quite minimalist. Out of the guest rooms and the main hotel are fine views down the Electric Valley and Marconi Glacier.

Hotel Senderos, El Chalten

Inspected By Experience Chile
Approved By Experience Chile

Introduction

The Hotel Senderos is a small, cosy, boutique hotel located in front of the bus terminal in El Chalten. It offers 21 bedrooms, each decorated in a warm, alpine style.

About

The Hotel Senderos is very much a boutique hotel. It is small, warm and cosy and gives the feel of an Alpine-style lodge.

It has wood everywhere, on the walls and ceiling, which gives off the cosy feel.

The lounge has an open fireplace, the restaurant is simple, but welcoming for breakfast and dinner.

The location is in opposite the bus terminal, so very handy if you are arriving and / or departing El Chalten by bus. It is also not too far from the El Chalten welcome centre and where there are some trail heads.

Hotel Destino Sur, El Chalten

Inspected By Experience Chile
Approved By Experience Chile

Introduction

The Hotel Destino Sur looks like an attractive, good quality hotel from the outside with is mix of stone and wood construction. Rooms are well decorated and overall it is a very decent hotel.

About

Destino Sur comprises 36 bedrooms, a small spa, lounge areas, small bar and a restaurant. It looks, from the outside, like a good quality mountain lodge hotel with an attractive use of a lower stone wall exterior complimented with upper wood panelling and a slate-tile roof.

It is in a good position in the village, close to the main San Martin street and in a well-positioned for walking access the trail heads each end of the village.

Rooms are decent, with good space and well decorated.

Hosteria Pilar, El Chalten

Inspected By Experience Chile

Introduction

The Hosteria Pilar is a small, family, country house with ten bedrooms. It is located 17 km north of El Chalten village and ideal for the trail heads to Piedra del Fraile, Laguna de Los Tres and Piedras Blancas Glacier.

In order to get here you will need transport from El Chalten village, either a taxi or bus, or perhaps your own rent a car (which we can, of course, arrange from El Calafate).

About

Hosteria Pilar was built in 1994, in the style of a simple Patagonian house, after its owners arrived to El Chalten and loved the area and mountains so much that they decided to make this their home. In doing so they created a warm, homely and cosy atmosphere.

As passionate hikers and climbers they decided that the location where Pilar is today offered both the mountains and ā€œcountrysideā€ combination, which they loved. The name Pilar is a recognition to the northern slope of Fitzroy called Pilar Casarotto or Pilar Norte. Casarotto is the climber, Renato Casarotto who climbed, in 1979, on his own, the northern side of Fitzroy.

Hosteria Pilar, although 17km north from El Chalten village, is idea for the treks to Piedra del Fraile, Laguna de Los Tres and Piedras Blancas Glacier because, in each case, you start on foot, from outside the Hosteria. The De las Vueltas river runs close to the lodge and behind there is a thick forest of native Patagonian trees.

Estancia La Quinta, El Chalten

Inspected By Experience Chile

Introduction

The Estancia La Quinta is located within the Los Glaciares National Park, just 2km outside of the entrance to El Chalten village. It is iconic due to its 100 year-old cattle ranching history.

Accommodation is homely, rooms are typical of being in a family home, with nice beds, simple furnishings, and en-suite bathrooms.

The Estancia offers trips to Viedma Glacier, bird watching, adventure activities, cultural tours and a chance to get close to the cattle!

This is an ideal base from where to enter to El Chalten and trek each day, yet return to a quiet place to relax and enjoy a great dinner.

About

The Estancia is a working cattle ranch with over 100 years of history. The buildings are styled in the traditional estancia way and reflect a war, homely environment. If you seek peace and quiet at the end of each, active day, then a stay here is just the medicine.

To illustrate the point about quietness and relaxing, there is a reading room, or area where you can select reading material from the historical library containing over 1,000 Patagonian-themed books.

Lo de Tomy Self-Catering Cabins,
El Chalten

Inspected By Experience Chile

Introduction

The cabins are well-built units with their own kitchenettes, private bedrooms and bathrooms. The complex is named after the son of the owner ā€œTomyā€ and located in the centre of El Chalten, very handy for access the trail heads in each and.

About

Complejo Turistico Lo de Tomy comprises a group of self-catering cabins as well as a restaurant, located in the heart of El Chalten village. For those who prefer to cook their own meals at night and maybe prepare their own box lunches then this is a good option. It is also good if you just want accommodation and not cook your own food.

Other benefits to the accommodation arrangement here are that you get more space other than just a bedroom. There is a living room outside the bedrooms, and table to eat off. For two people or a small group of friends this Lo de Tomy is definitely something to consider.

Aguas Arriba Lodge, El Chalten

Inspected By Experience Chile

Introduction

The Aguas Arriba Lodge is, effectively, a private home located in an isolated spot in the middle of a beech forest beside Lago del Desierto in deep Patagonia. Access is from El Chalten by road transfer (37km) followed by a 20 minute boat trip.

If you want to really experience something unique and invest a few days of your life to be in the heart of remote Patagonia then this is the place.

About

The Aguas Arriba Lodge is a private, rustic, wooden constructed home located approximately halfway along the lake called ā€œLago del Desiertoā€, surrounded on three sides by Patagonian beech forest.

It is secluded, isolated and in one of the remotest places on Earth. Access is by road transfer from El Chalten, which will take about one hour, followed by a 20-minute boat trip on the lake. You can also get here by trekking through the woods from the northern end.

The area is contentious because it is within a border dispute between Chile and Argentina. Just 5km to the northern end of the lake is the official Chilean border post and the end of the Chilean Carretera Austral. To the south, from the southern end of Lago del Desierto it is 37km to the village of El Chalten, in Argentina.

The building, considering that is a private home, offers an atmosphere of a lodge with a large open fireplace living room, large picture windows that open up direct views to the natural wilderness in front of the house. The individual rooms have en-suite bathrooms. High-end, home cooking tops off the sense that a stay here is like staying with an Argentine family, but in comfort.

Stress Breaker

The ā€œhotelā€ serves as a base where you can just totally relax or participate in activities such as trekking through the Patagonian forest, maybe horse ride, fish and take a boat trip on the lake. If the weather permits there is an outer deck where one can enjoy a glass of Argentine wine whilst appreciating absolute quiet, only broken by the sound of water from the lake, and the serenity of the majestic views all around. On a clear day you can also dee the dramatic peak of Mount Fitzroy back at El Chalten.

It is also an ideal stop over if you are coming from Villa Oā€™Higgins in Chile, the final southern village on the Carretera Austral, to El Chalten. The only issue being that the weather can delay your arrival and / or departure.