Patagonia National Park

A very special place: This was the first of three 'lodge' stops in our 3 week Patagonia visit. It was the perfect place to start. And it was the perfect Explora Lodge to start with. The remoteness of the lodge and park were perfect for us- we never saw other hikers or paddlers during our excursions-- only the handful of others staying at the lodge (12 rooms total) during the 5 days there. The 6 hour drive to get there from the airport went by quickly with the beautiful scenery we passed through. The food was really incredible, and as a vegetarian they made some amazing meals for me. The guides were very special in the care they took to ensure the excursions were a good fit and with the knowledge they had of flora and fauna and with the legacy of the national park. And we saw ALOT of flora and fauna. A shout out to Nico- who was a great guide and now considered a friend. We loved this northern part of patagonia- very different from Torres del Paine- but just as remarkable. A very special lodge & park and we are so glad to have visited and seen a bit of the place Doug and Kris Tompkins created with so much passion and love.

Outstanding in every way My wife and I spent 4 nights at Explora en Parque Nacional Patagonia in early February, 2024. I highly recommend the property. A little history is helpful in understanding this property. The late Douglas Tompkins and his wife, Christine, upon purchasing Estancia Valle Chacabuco back in 2004, built the Lodge at Valle Chacabuco – a small lodging, but available to outside guests. I in fact planned a trip here back in 2016 or so, but couldn’t pull it off. Fast forward, and Christine Tompkins donated the Estancia and other Tompkins-acquired properties in the vicinity to the Chilean government which, when combined with properties already held by Chile, becomes the Chilean Patagonia National Park. And Explora gets involved. More buildings are constructed, leveraging off of the lodge that the Thompkins built. So, as far as guests of Explora are concerned, there are three relevant buildings – a lodge, with restaurant, bar, and a guest living room, and two buildings with 5 rooms each, about a 5 minute walk away. But, with only 10 rooms, this is an intimate property (contrast to Torres del Paine, which has 51). Our room, which was in the building constructed by the Tompkins, was large, with a desk, a seating area, a separate dressing and closet area, and then a bathroom with two sinks, a shower, toilet, and soaking tub. It was well lit, with lots of windows, and delightful. From the emergency placard on the door of our room, it appeared to be a combination of two rooms in the Tompkins-built lodge. The dining room in the lodge had an expanse of windows with views off into the countryside. Helpfully, a group of 15 or so guanacos seemed to like to congregate near the lodge, providing a glimpse of local fauna. The food was excellent – maybe a bit more fruit options at breakfast might have been nice – and the service good. The drinks prepared by the bartenders were terrific. The excursions offered by Explora from this lodge are extensive. We chose all-day hiking excursions on each of our three days, and ended up going out with just a guide and no other guests (it pays to pick the longer hikes). Each of the hikes was different, highlighting a different part of the park. The views here are exceptional – this park contrasts nicely with Torres del Paine and El Chalten, and is a worthwhile visit to see a different part of southern Patagonia. All three guides we had were excellent (as is normal for Explora). Perhaps the most exceptional part of Explora here is that, essentially, guests at Explora PNP have a private national park. There are no other lodgings anywhere close to this part of the park, and the only other options are somewhere around 30-40 campsites. That’s it. So, we only saw 3-4 other hikers over 18 hours of hiking in the park. In fact, on one hike, Explora had access to a closed campground (shame on CONAF for not doing the work to open it), so that an entire hiking area was really only available to guests to Explora. Management of the property was top notch. Kareen Hoffenberg, the Guest Experience Manager, was present and available to the guests, and made an appearance at each dinner to inquire about our well-being. Well done.

When we finally figured out the staff to guest ratio how could we not feel pampered. Daily hikes with knowledgeable guides were like a safari. The kitchen staff was outstanding from breads and pastries, to wood fired grill. End the day on high count sheets.