Terrae incognitae
Here you are, literally on the edge of the world in Patagonia, the destination of choice for any traveller seeking the most beautiful landscapes in the world. To discover the wild nature of this region, venture to the end of its fjords, albeit cocooned in comfort, sailing on one of the Australis cruise vessels for 4 nights, which will take you from Punta Arenas to Ushuaia and then back again.
On board, you will enjoy optimal comfort, all the little luxuries and assistance during the sometimes rough journey to reach the stormy Cape Horn.
The guides and experts that will accompany you will hold daily conferences on the native fauna and flora, on glaciology and history, so you can become better acquainted with these uninhabited regions, home to some of the most pristine landscapes on the planet.
Well, almost uninhabited, because the Magellanic penguins are not really the only inhabitants of these legendary places. If weather conditions allow you to land on the southern-most point of Latin America, you will be able to meet the lighthouse keeper, who lives here with his family all year round.
According to the itineraries, there are plenty of daily excursions and you will be able to observe the seemingly unending spaces, millenary glaciers and Patagonian channels from Zodiac boats, the only way to reach these locations.
The highlights of the cruise will include an expedition to the Terra del Fuego National Park, cruising around the many islets in the Beagle Channel, seeing forests of indigenous plants, the fjords with their spectacular waterfalls, and Magdalena Island, with its famous Magellanic penguins.
October to early April is the ideal time to follow in the footsteps of the great explorers by visiting the last, wind-swept lands before Antarctica.
Closer to the stars
For travellers who prefer to remain on land, Chili boasts several environmentally-friendly hotels. We chose the Tierra group, which owns luxury lodges in some of the country’s most beautiful spots. The aim of their project, involving architects, landscape gardeners and interior designers, was to make significant environmental improvements to their buildings, in order to minimise their impact on the natural environment.
Located in the north of the country, Tierra Atacama rises majestically under crystal-clear skies. The absence of light pollution makes this one of the best locations in the world for star gazing. Consisting of traditional mudbrick walls that blend into the scenery, this lodge is located in one of the most arid regions on Earth.
Surrounded by high-altitude lagoons and lunar landscapes, this boutique hotel was built entirely using local materials and decorated with objects made by Chilean artisans, inspired by nature. The compacted earth absorbs the heat of the sun during the day, keeping the interiors cool and thereby reducing the need for air conditioning, then releases it back at night to heat the buildings.
Single-use plastic has been banned, and a huge field of solar panels supplies power to the resort. This has reduced its carbon footprint considerably, and what is more, 100% of the water comes from the hotel’s well. It is subsequently treated by a reverse osmosis plant, which allows the hotel to meet its own water consumption needs. Grey water is used for irrigation, transforming these dry lands into gardens brimming with indigenous plants.
The lodge is also part of the dual education system of Likan Antai and has welcomed more than 50 young apprentices from the local communities, under the direction of experts from the fields of tourism, electricity and agriculture.
As soon as you arrive, expert guides will recommend to you a wide range of excursions, depending on your areas of interest and your physical fitness. Depart on foot, on horseback, by bicycle or by car. Let yourself float in the Cejar Lagoon, whose waters are as salty as those of the Dead Sea! Wonder among the Tatio Geysers, which spew explosive streams of water and gas into the icy air. Go to Salar de Aguas Calientes to enjoy a breath-taking sunset, featuring an extraordinary palette of colours that are almost surreal, or to watch the first rays of the sun emerging from behind the Licancabur volcano. Visiting the Moon Valley, a designated nature sanctuary located in a depression of the Cordillera de la Sal mountain range, is like going to Mars, with its wind-chiselled dunes and eerie rocky formations.
What’s more, the all-inclusive formula includes airport transfers, full board, daily excursions with a French-speaking guide, and access to the spa. Tierra Atacama is open all year round. From June to September, it is winter in the southern hemisphere, however the temperatures are mild and it is sunny. Consider combining a stay here with a trip to Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia or to northern Argentina!
Reawaken all your senses
A little farther south, on the shores of Sarmiento Lake, the legendary Tierra Patagonia invites you to explore end-of-the-world landscapes within the Torres del Paine National Park.
Within this cosy, cradle-like building, built entirely from environmentally-friendly materials, wood is king, encircling the structure completely. A bold architecture of glass and wood blends into the landscape, over a length of 800 metres. All of the minimalist rooms, fitted with light-coloured decor elements, enjoy views of the spectacular scenery, featuring crevices, emerald lakes, snow-capped mountains and majestic granite rocks on the horizon. Graceful guanacos or even a powerful puma may be roaming the enchanting grounds surrounding the property.
In collaboration with the tourism office and a forestry association, the lodge has set itself the ambitious goal of reforesting the national parks of Chilean Patagonia. During construction of the lodge, its landscapers and architects took the trouble to grow temporarily in a glasshouse vegetation samples taken from the site, before later replanting them, to reduce the buildings’ impact on the environment.
You can sail all the way to the scenic Perito Moreno glacier, hike up Mount Fitz Roy, set off for an adventure across the pampa and rivers of the national park, or horse ride with the gauchos through virgin forests, where enormous multicoloured lichens blend into one another, always with the assistance of local, passionate guides.
Spring is the best time to visit Patagonia; the region is in full bloom in October, November and at the start of December.
At Tierra Chiloé, the focus is on culture, gastronomy and the well-being that the lodge seeks to foster here. Chiloé is one of the largest and most mysterious islands in Chile, just south of the Chilean Lake District and Puerto Montt. In a picturesque setting, abounding with pastures, this ecolodge made of exposed concrete and covered by light-coloured shingles offers modern amenities and opportunities for relaxation, in the form of a hotel on stilts – reminiscent of the “palafitos”, the island’s traditional fishermen’s houses on stilts that appear to float at high tide.
Several churches classed as UNESCO World Heritage form part of the island’s unique topography. Treasures await you in the national park, such as native bird species and extremely rare mammals; from December to April, the enigmatic blue whales converge on the gulf. Explore enchanting forests on foot, gallop across deserted beaches, or enjoy a traditional Mapuche massage, then relax around the fire sipping a Pisco Sour.
The interiors celebrate the traditions and colours of the region’s arts and crafts, whereas all of the spaces boast spectacular sea views. Following a recent renovation, the lodge now features 24 rooms and can offer more activities on site. There are no televisions here… Instead, you can relax and connect with the surrounding nature.
The ideal time to visit is from the end of October to the end of March. Tierra Chiloé is open from September to April.
Travelling north again, two hours south of Santiago, in the bucolic Millahue valley, lies a surrealist winery and hotel that looks more like a contemporary art museum. Millahue means “golden place” in the Mapuche language, which is reflected in the building’s twisted metal roof that glitters in the sun. Perched on a hilltop, Viña Vik greets you with a surprising mix of glass and steel, characteristic of an industrial-chic design. Alexander Vik, a 60-year-old Norwegian-Uruguayan billionaire, and his American wife Carrie will welcome you with a glass of one of the best wines in South America. The 22 rooms and suites, which are all different, are themed and were decorated by renowned artists. In 2019, Puro Vik completed the hotel by adding a further 7 glass-walled suites positioned on the hillside. Enjoy complete comfort and relaxation in these new suites, which include a room celebrating Chilean street art, an Italian-style boudoir, a Japanese-inspired guest room, a suite with clean Norwegian lines and another decorated in warm South American tones. Huge glass windows everywhere allow guests to enjoy spectacular views over the property.
The restaurant serves authentic South American culinary delights, accompanied by wines from the estate. The majority of the vegetables, fruits and aromatic herbs come from the organic kitchen garden cultivated by the chef and his team. You can choose to eat indoors, on the terrace or outside, surrounded by vegetables, flowers and fruits.
You can explore the property on horseback or by bicycle; the vineyard, which is planted grape varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Carménère, Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Franc, enjoys its own special microclimate. A hike in the surrounding areas will lead you through diverse valleys surrounded by forests, a lake and a lagoon, where numerous wild species live. Unless you prefer going for a refreshing swim in the elegant infinity pool, or relaxing in the holistic spa and being pampered with one of the wine-based treatments.
Lower down, the underground yet light-filled wine cellar is a work of art with its clean curves, a homage to modern wine making. Only the silver roof is visible, an undulating sheet of metal, made of titanium to reflect the valleys and mountains that surround the estate. On the other side, the water plaza, of Japanese inspiration, is scattered with stones and rocks as if extending to infinity the line of the horizon, dominating the surrounding expanse of vines and the spectacular snow-capped Andes mountains in the distance.
@vik_wine.
Going there
Best time:
High summer (December to February) draws the greatest number of visitors to Patagonia, thanks to longer days, easy access to remote regions and the best weather – although it is always possible to experience all four seasons in one day. There are far fewer people there in autumn (March-April).