Panoramic View Of Explora Chalten, Argentina
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Explora El Chaltén

Sophisticated lodge and spa in Argentinean Patagonia offering world-renowned trekking and nature.

Overview

Just ten miles from the village of El Chalten and tucked into the Los Huemules Conservation Reserve, Explora El Chalten boasts epic views of the Electric Valley and the Marconi Glacier. This is your jumping-off point for discovering Argentinean Patagonia.

Life at Explora El Chalten

Perfectly placed on the north bank of the Eléctrico River, Explora El Chalten was designed as a retreat for nature lovers. The simple sophistication of the lodge blends in with its surroundings and never distracts from the epic landscapes. At the end of your daily explorations, 17 airy standard room and three suites, each complete with king-sized beds, bathrobes, and slippers, will welcome you home.

To further your relaxation, head to the spa for a swim in the pool, or enjoy the sauna. But, of course, you deserve even more pampering, so be sure to book a hydrotherapy or massage treatment from the full range offered at the spa.

Excursions from Explora Argentina 

From your home base at the Explora El Chalten, you will discover four different regions of Patagonia. Start with the zone that surrounds the lodge, the Los Huemules Conservation Reserve. This secluded zone allows you to fully immerse yourself in raw nature on lengthy hikes without encountering human interference. Next, your journeys continue into Los Glaciares National Park.

This bird watcher’s paradise, which features rugged mountains and glacial lakes, is home to the Andean condor, the white-throated caracara, and over 100 other avian species. Then, move into the Desert Lake area where lush forest, numerous rivers, and two minor mountain ranges form a wildlife haven. Finally, you will find what, for many, is the star of the show, the Southern Patagonian Ice Field.

The area contains over 60 glaciers, including the massive Perito Moreno, and is the world’s third-largest freshwater reserve. During your stay at Explora El Chalten, you will select excursions, including treks, rock climbs, overland trips, and self-guided activities, with the help of a trained guide to tailor your itinerary to your personal interests and activity level.

Gastronomy at Explora El Chalten

After a day of adventures, you’ll want to refuel and relax with a delicious meal. The menu at the lodge was created by Pablo Jesús Rivero, a leading Argentinean chef. His restaurant, Don Julio, was deemed the best eatery in South America in 2020 by The World’s 50 Best Restaurants ranking. For the lodge, he has crafted a selection of recipes featuring wild-harvested ingredients and locally sourced foods purchased from small farms. Of course, the only thing better than sitting down to a delicious evening meal, paired with a glass of local wine, is savoring one of the lodge’s packed lunches out in the wild.

Luxury accommodations, adventure activities in an intense landscape, and a focus on conservation don’t always go hand in hand, but Explora El Chalten has mastered all of these elements and more.

Itineraries & Prices

All itineraries are subject to change due to seasonal weather conditions (and resultant variations in river and tributary water levels) affecting accessibility to locations. Thus navigation routes, times and excursions may need to be modified at the cruise captain’s or your guide's discretion.

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4-Day
5-Day

4 Day - Essential El Chaltén

itinerary map

Arrival to Explora El Chaltén

Today is a sample itinerary that includes a selection of the explorations on offer at Explora El Chaltén. This day is completely customizable.

PM: Welcome to Explora in El Chaltén. Located in Los Huemules Conservation Reserve, near the National Park Los Glaciares, our newest lodge will provide you with an experience of its remarkable geography – shaped by mountains, glaciers, lakes, and rivers. With views to the Eléctrico Valley and the Marconi Glacier, Explora is located on the north bank of the Eléctrico River and surrounded by a dense Andean-Patagonian forest.

After getting acquainted with your room and our lodge, we will explore the surroundings with a relaxed hike within the Reserve. Have you ever been in a forest bursting with lenga and ñirre trees? Our expert guides will introduce you to the local flora and fauna surrounding the lodge, along with impromptu bird watching, to help you fully appreciate what it means to be at the heart of Patagonia.

Explora El Chaltén 4-Day Essential El Chaltén Itinerary Day One - Landscape Views.
Location
Explora El Chaltén
Day
1 / 4

Hiking at Los Glaciares National Park

Today is a sample itinerary that includes a selection of the explorations on offer at Explora El Chaltén. This day is completely customizable.

AM: With a full-day hike ahead of us, we will venture to Los Glaciares National Park, trekking among forests to get a close encounter with the magnificent Mount Fitz Roy, that reigns over the Andean Mountain Range. Mount Fitz Roy, also known as El Chaltén in the Aonikenk language meaning “smokey mountain,” referencing the moment when the clouds align on top of the mountain due to the strong Patagonian winds. We will then soak in the charm of the mountain town El Chaltén returning to the lodge by van.

PM: Continuing to learn about Patagonia through its food will be the perfect excuse to enjoy the locally inspired dishes back at the lodge’s restaurant: chef Pablo Jesús Rivero, owner of the restaurant Don Julio (awarded as Best South American restaurant by The World’s 50 Best Restaurants ranking in 2020) honors the Patagonian diversity in a menu designed exclusively for our lodge. We provide a culinary experience that interprets and enhances the surrounding nature with fire as the main element.

Explora El Chaltén 4-Day Essential El Chaltén Itinerary Day Two - Glacier.
Location
Explora El Chaltén
Day
2 / 4

Vespigniani Reserve Forest Trek & Spa Evening

Today is a sample itinerary that includes a selection of the explorations on offer at Explora El Chaltén. This day is completely customizable.

AM: Leaving the lodge in a van, we will ascend through forests that become increasingly dense as we head West. Acting as a natural barrier from the humid winds that come from the Pacific Ocean, the trees adapt to their surroundings and will marvel us with the diversity of flora and fauna that changes along with them. Then we will venture into the Desert Lake and sail to the Vespigniani Reserve, where we will trek through the forests bordering the lake.

PM: After exploring remote Patagonian wonders, we encourage you to spend the rest of the day relaxing at our spa–after several days of exploring, you deserve it. You can still be mesmerized by our surroundings and enjoy the view while getting a massage, and our hydromassages and sauna will let you unwind and refuel your energy for your last day of deep exploration.

Explora El Chaltén 4-Day Essential El Chaltén Itinerary Day Three - Vespigniani Reserve Forest Trek.
Location
Explora El Chaltén
Day
3 / 4

Departure

Today is a sample itinerary that includes a selection of the explorations on offer at Explora El Chaltén. This day is completely customizable.

AM: Enjoy your final morning at Explora El Chaltén before you depart, ready for your onward adventure or your safe journey home.

Explora El Chaltén 4-Day Essential El Chaltén Itinerary Day Four - Departure Day.
Location
Explora El Chaltén
Day
4 / 4
1 / 4

5 Day - Essential El Chaltén

itinerary map

Arrival to Explora El Chaltén

Today is a sample itinerary that includes a selection of the explorations on offer at Explora El Chaltén. This day is completely customizable.

PM: Welcome to Explora in El Chaltén. Located in Los Huemules Conservation Reserve, near the National Park Los Glaciares, our newest lodge will provide you with an experience of its remarkable geography – shaped by mountains, glaciers, lakes, and rivers. With views to the Eléctrico Valley and the Marconi Glacier, Explora is located on the north bank of the Eléctrico River and surrounded by a dense Andean-Patagonian forest.

After getting acquainted with your room and our lodge, we will explore the surroundings with a relaxed hike within the Reserve. Have you ever been in a forest bursting with lenga and ñirre trees? Our expert guides will introduce you to the local flora and fauna surrounding the lodge, along with impromptu bird watching, to help you fully appreciate what it means to be at the heart of Patagonia.

Explora El Chaltén 5-Day Essential El Chaltén Itinerary Day One - Electric Valley.
Location
Explora El Chaltén
Day
1 / 5

Hiking in the Huemules Conservation Reserve

Today is a sample itinerary that includes a selection of the explorations on offer at Explora El Chaltén. This day is completely customizable.

AM: Today's hike will let us show you why our focus on conservation is an essential part of what we do–and why loving the remote means taking care of it. The trail to explore the Huemules Conservation Reserve begins right from the lodge and runs alongside the Eléctrico River. Feeling the fresh breeze as we immerse ourselves in an abundance of ñirres and lengas and joining native birds - such as the Magellanic woodpecker - that live in this unique habitat.

PM: The Eléctrico River’s relaxing sound will guide us through this entire exploration, acting as the perfect soundtrack to the rich Patagonian contrasts: magnificent glaciers, steep hills, vast valleys, and the Andes mountain range with its magnificent Mount Fitz Roy.

Explora El Chaltén 5-Day Essential El Chaltén Itinerary Day Two - Hiking in the Huemules Conservation Reserve.
Location
Explora El Chaltén
Day
2 / 5

Hiking at Los Glaciares National Park

Today is a sample itinerary that includes a selection of the explorations on offer at Explora El Chaltén. This day is completely customizable.

AM: With a full-day hike ahead of us, we will venture to Los Glaciares National Park, trekking among forests to get a close encounter with the magnificent Mount Fitz Roy, that reigns over the Andean Mountain Range. Mount Fitz Roy, also known as El Chaltén in the Aonikenk language meaning “smokey mountain,” referencing the moment when the clouds align on top of the mountain due to the strong Patagonian winds. We will then soak in the charm of the mountain town El Chaltén returning to the lodge by van.

PM: Continuing to learn about Patagonia through its food will be the perfect excuse to enjoy the locally inspired dishes back at the lodge’s restaurant: chef Pablo Jesús Rivero, owner of the restaurant Don Julio (awarded as Best South American restaurant by The World’s 50 Best Restaurants ranking in 2020) honors the Patagonian diversity in a menu designed exclusively for our lodge. We provide a culinary experience that interprets and enhances the surrounding nature with fire as the main element.

Explora El Chaltén 5-Day Essential El Chaltén Itinerary Day Three - Ice Hike.
Location
Explora El Chaltén
Day
3 / 5

Hiking along the Laguna del Diablo & Cagliero Glacier

Today is a sample itinerary that includes a selection of the explorations on offer at Explora El Chaltén. This day is completely customizable.

AM: Today's exploration will take us to the border of Laguna del Diablo and the Cagliero Glacier that feeds it. We will gear up and start hiking straight from the lodge. Following along the noisy Diablo River, we may spot the local duck species Pato de los Torrentes, playing in the fast-flowing water. After passing through ñirre and lenga forests, the trail offers privileged views of the valley and on clear days we can even see the north face of Mount Fitz Roy. As we go up, the trail opens and snowcapped mountains provide a stunning backdrop as we reach the Laguna del Diablo with the Cagliero Glacier sitting on the other side of the lake.

PM: After returning to the lodge (either hiking or by van), we can share our impressions of this remote adventure at the explorer’s bar, tasting local spirits and cocktails with a story to tell.

Explora El Chaltén 5-Day Essential El Chaltén Itinerary Day Four - Snow-capped Mountains.
Location
Explora El Chaltén
Day
4 / 5

Departure

Today is a sample itinerary that includes a selection of the explorations on offer at Explora El Chaltén. This day is completely customizable.

AM: Enjoy your final morning at Explora El Chaltén before you depart, ready for your onward adventure or your safe journey home.

Explora El Chaltén 5-Day Essential El Chaltén Itinerary Day Five -  Departure.
Location
Explora El Chaltén
Day
5 / 5
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Accommodations

Social Areas

Exterior
Lounge & Bar
Outdoors Hot Tubs
Outdoors
Lounge
Dining

Suites & Cabins

Explora El Chaltén's Standard Room.
17 Cabins

Standard Room

Guests
2 - 3
Size
36 m² / 388 ft²
Beds
King / Triple

There are 17 Standard Rooms offering views to the Eléctrico Valley, the Marconi Glacier, and the area’s mountain range, perfectly anticipating the landscapes and explorations that the Argentinean Patagonia has to offer.

Each Standard Room includes one king sized bed, an (optional) extra bed for children (subject to availability), air conditioning, safety deposit box, heating, jetted bathtub, hair dryer, bathrobes, slippers, and complimentary wake up calls.

Explora El Chaltén's Suite.
3 Cabins

Suite

Guests
2 - 3
Size
60 m² / 646 ft²
Beds
King / Twin / Triple

There are 3 Suites offering views to the Eléctrico Valley, the Marconi Glacier, and the area’s mountain range, perfectly anticipating the landscapes and explorations that the Argentinean Patagonia has to offer.

Each Standard Room includes one king sized bed or two twin beds, an (optional) extra bed for children (subject to availability), air conditioning, safety deposit box, heating, jetted bathtub, hair dryer, bathrobes, slippers, and complimentary wake up calls.

Technical Information

Property Layout

Features

  • Connecting cabins
  • Air conditioning
  • Deck shower
  • Pool / Jacuzzi
  • Massage room
  • Lecture room
  • WIFI available
  • Kosher Meals
  • Medical staff
  • Spa
  • Onsite tour desk
  • Souvenir shop
  • Hot showers
  • All inclusive
  • Heating
  • Charging areas for electronic equipment

Equipment

  • Water canteen/bottle
  • Binoculars
** Use of certain equipment at additional cost, ask for details
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