With views to the Electric Valley and the Marconi Glacier, Explora El Chaltén opens its doors in 2020. 17 km away from El Chaltén –in the Argentinian Patagonia– the lodge is a headquarter from which to explore a world-renowned destination by those who love nature and trekking.
Patagonia is not a country, nor a place. It is a vast territory shared by Chile and Argentina, whose remarkable geography –shaped by mountains, glaciers, lakes, and rivers– offers countless exploration opportunities.
Rooms
The hotel has 20 rooms, of which three are suites. The rooms offer views to the Eléctrico Valley, the Marconi Glacier, and the area’s mountain range, perfectly anticipating the landscapes and explorations that Argentinian Patagonia has to offer.
Food
Argentinian Patagonia is the inspiration for our menu, offering different lunch and dinner options that change to highlight the region's specialties on a daily basis.
Spa
The hotel provides a full service spa for our travelers to refuel their energy after a day of exploration. We have hydromassages, a sauna, and a massage room specially designed to enjoy the views of our unique locations.
Store
Explora's store carries all the items necessary for your explorations, along with local artisanal goods and books featuring the Patagonian region.
Our explorations provide travelers with an in-depth experience of this austral territory, allowing them to become immersed in its unique characteristics and go deeper into what makes Patagonia unique. To do so, we have outlined four different exploration zones, each with its own set of unique geographic, cultural and biosphere characteristics.
EXPLORE BY AREA
LOS HUEMULES CONSERVATION RESERVE
The future of conservation depends on shifting our role in the world: from mere observers to custodians – active protectors of the places we explore and are part of who we are. It is rare to find a place on Earth in which so much is packed into such a relatively compact area. The Los Huemules Conservation Reserve, where the Explora lodge in El Chalten is located, encloses features that cannot be easily found elsewhere in Patagonia. This allows travelers to set off on exploration routes from the very doorstep of our lodge, thus minimizing transport and road time. The ecosystems it hosts are as varied as the climates it can witness. A place for introverts, its privacy means you can walk for days without ever seeing another person, walking side by side with nature itself.
PARQUE NACIONAL LOS GLACIARES
The Los Glaciares National Park is an area of exceptional natural beauty, with rugged, towering mountains and numerous glacial lakes scattered within its borders. This area allows travelers to explore a part of the park, encountering the many ecosystems it hosts within. Home to fauna from the sub-Antarctic steppe and woods, the park is a bird-watcher’s paradise, with over 100 species – from the Andean condor to the white-throated caracara – inhabiting the forest and steppe.
LAGO DEL DESIERTO
Once a center of conflict between two neighboring countries, the Desert Lagoon (Chile) or Desert Lake (Argentina) is a wildlife enclave around which numerous Patagonian ecosystems can be observed and explored. Framed by lush forests of lengas and ñirres, as well as two minor mountain ranges – the Vespignani range and its hanging glaciers to the west, and the Bosque (Forest) range to the east – this coveted fresh water source spreads over 10 km. from north to south, and approximately 1 km. from east to west. In addition, it’s fed by the Diablo River as well as numerous streams that replenish and maintain the purity of its waters. Naturally, the site attracts substantial wildlife and irrigates varied ecosystems within a relatively small area.
EXPLORE BY ACTIVITY
HIKE
We hike throughout our locations. Walking at your own, committed pace, immerses you in the natural and cultural landscapes we explore, varying in intensity –beginner or advanced– and duration – half day to full day.
OVERLAND
These are van-led explorations interrupted by short-duration hikes along the way. The combination allows travelers to access areas of particular beauty and ecological significance.
CLIMBING
Rock climbing is a form of exploration that can be found throughout the world. At Explora we see it as a way of truly encountering the territory’s essence, which is why we facilitate it on different.
SELF GUIDED
The company and knowledge of one of our guides, is available for you to discover unique locations in the areas surrounding our lodge – either on foot or bicycle. For further information approach our exploration team.
EXPEDITION
Through our expeditions we are able to access remote locations of great beauty and ecological significance, setting up a temporary camp away from our base lodge for one to two nights.
HIGH MOUNTAIN ASCENT
We strive to introduce our travelers to truly remote locations – and mountains are one of them. Each one has its own different demands and rewards, yet they all guarantee a revitalizing experience for mind and body alike.
This was our first trip to South America and we were a little nervous. But Adventure Life made things so easy! All our questions were answered before we left, and our guide, Vidal, was amazing! He gave us enough space to explore without rushing us along. He also knew where the best picture taking opportunities were, which was great.
Lindsay Gompf
TrustScore 4.8 | 179 reviews
TrustScore 4.8 of 5
Based on 179 reviews on
20 hours ago
What made our Costa Rica experience great was the wonderful places we stayed and transportation to get to our different areas to visit was excellent! The white water rafting and the snorkeling & dolphin watching were really fun!
Michell Murphy
1 day ago
I received a quick and friendly response from my contact, Christina Mayo, both in email and phone calls. My request for information was provided in less than a day. She took a few minutes to chat about family and events. Dealing with her has always been a pleasure!
Mary Ann
2 days ago
First class all the way. Enjoyed our Guide, Karla, Driver Mark so much. Personalized tour of Antigua during Easter was like a National Geographic in person. Trip of the Lifetime. Such a spiritual and magical tour. Many Thanks.
Ben Shaver
Ben Shaver, Jr.
4 days ago
Adventure Life is always an excellent choice when planning complicated, extreme, or exotic vacations or expeditions. They provide friendly professional services and advice and are enthusiastic and encouraging in helping us to prepare and thoroughly enjoy our trip. They handle all the details which greatly reduces the stress of planning a difficult trip. I'm very impressed with Adventure Life and definitely recommend them to friends and family.
Scott Trochim
6 days ago
The response from Adventure Life to my first inquiry was prompt and promising. I worked with Jamie Broeckel, Trip Planner, via text, email, and phone calls- always extremely responsive and thorough with information and explaining the process to arrange a private tour for me to Malaysia Borneo. Within about week, the booking was complete and I made decisions because of Jamie's great customer service , friendly manner, and overall competence on behalf of the company's travel expertise. Now I have an itinerary, additional Trip Planner Assistants, several links for vital information for traveling to Maylasia, etc. Still many details for Sept. trip, but now the heavy lifting is done and I can enjoy the rest of the anticipation and research!! Thanks Jamie- you are amazing!!!!