At the far south of the Andes is the Torres del Paine National Park, one of the most impressive sights in the Southern Hemisphere. The dramatic mountain formations crowded with glaciers, lakes, fjords, ancient forests and wildlife such as guanacos, flamingos, condors, ñandus and huemules also offer some of the most magnificent trekking and nature in the world. This 7-day trek will take you through these wonderful hot spots on a tour you will never forget.
The visually stunning W Trek highlights the best of Torres del Paine including Grey Glacier, French Valley and the Tower base—a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Team up with highly experienced and knowledgeable guides and head off on one of the most famous treks in the world. Enjoy the trek by only carrying your daypack while porters take your backpack. Also enjoy a relaxing boat ride to one of the park’s top attractions: Grey Glacier. Spend evenings at cozy campsites and EcoCamp Patagonia.
The award-winning EcoCamp, the world’s first geodesic dome hotel, combines revolutionary eco-living with delicious food, yoga and great company. This serene accommodation acts as home base, situated in the heart of Torres del Paine National Park. At this fully sustainable accommodation, snack on tasty food made from local ingredients, mingle with new friends from around the world and sleep in your own geodesic dome equipped with a skylight for optimal viewing of the Patagonia night sky.
Read on for details about this trip, or learn more about AdventureSmith’s Patagonia tours and Patagonia trips.
Torres del Paine National Park’s magnificent and unrivaled flora, fauna and stunning vistas are at your fingertips with this customized Patagonia trip, allowing you to handpick daily activities such as cycling, hikes and nature walks, returning home to EcoCamp at the end of each day for cozy dome accommodations and sublime meals. We’ve listed the full details for the 7-day Patagonia Wildlife Safari, but this trip may be booked as a 4-, 5- or 6-day trip as well.
Patagonia is a vast and diverse region, with scenery ranging from dramatic mountain formations and smoky volcanoes to flat barren pampa and expansive ice fields. At the far south of the Andes is the Torres del Paine National Park, one of the most impressive sights in the Southern Hemisphere and home to the Patagonia Wildlife Safari and EcoCamp. The dramatic mountain formations here are crowded with glaciers, lakes, fjords, ancient forests and wildlife such as guanacos, flamingos, condors, ñandus and huemules. There’s also some of the most magnificent trekking and nature in the world. With custom levels of activities to choose from – easy or active – the Patagonia Wildlife Safari adventure is outdoor recreation at its best!
Read on for details about this trip, or view all of AdventureSmith’s Patagonia tours and Patagonia trips.
EcoCamp is situated in the very heart of Torres del Paine National Park in Patagonia, Chile, and provides the region’s first fully sustainable accommodation, complete with green technology. Enjoy guided treks and wildlife excursions by day and share evening meals with new friends, before falling asleep gazing up at the star-filled sky through your EcoCamp dome ceiling. Wake up in the middle of the Patagonian wilderness in a cozy geodesic dome, with a panoramic view of the majestic Torres del Paine, ready to hit the hiking trail.
AdventureSmith Explorations’ EcoCamp review includes a detailed lodge description and photo gallery, along with a dedicated EcoCamp Review written by one of our specialists. Our travel experts have stayed at EcoCamp firsthand and can help compare the EcoCamp domes with other adventure lodging and Patagonia tours.
Choose EcoCamp for its access, unique stuctures, incredible scenery and sustainable design. This multi-dome lodge is situated at the foot of the Base Towers, so you can walk to this famous hiking trail right from the lodge; most other properites within Torres del Paine require a drive to access hikes. Patagonia EcoCamp’s design was inspired by the traditional Kawesqar hut resembling an igloo and a dome at the same time. The semi-hemispherical structure of the EcoCamp domes is formed by a number of isosceles triangles that provides uniform distribution of the stress caused by severe wind loads. Wind speed in Patagonia often surpasses 160-180 kilometers per hour which makes traditional straight and flat walls extremely vulnerable if the structure is meant to be light. Another significant aspect is that the domes’ rounded bodies minimize the external surface in contact with the cold environment allowing less exchange of temperature with the warm interiors. Finally, semi-hemisphere gave Kawesqars the maximum internal space in relation to the surface they had to cover with valuable and sometimes scarce animal skins. Patagonia EcoCamp is a tribute to the Kawesqar way of life and is a charming, immersive way to experience the natural beauty of Torres del Paine National Park.
Travel packages at EcoCamp include various activities like hiking and mountain biking depending on the tour. Patagonia fly-fishing and a day trip to the famous Perito Moreno glacier near El Calafate, Argentina, are two new EcoCamp extras that you can book as an extension to your stay at EcoCamp.
There are a number of social activities offered each night, such as Chilean wine tasting, pisco sour making classes, film showings, live music and wildlife talks. EcoCamp also features a yoga dome, with complimentary hatha and kundalini yoga sessions almost every evening as well as stretching classes and fusion dance.
With ramps throughout the property and a special all-terrain wheelchair available for assisted trail access, this lodge makes accessibility through Torres del Paine possible.
One of the most popular features of EcoCamp is its delicious and plentiful food. Vegetarian and gluten-free meals can be made available if indicated in advance when booking. Juices, sodas, beer, wine and alcholic drinks are available for purchase. Following is a short description of the meals served:
BREAKFAST: All that you will find at home: fruits, whole grain and white bread toast, cheese, scrambled eggs, butter, peanut butter, jam, cereals, granola, yogurt, milk, juice, honey, ham, coffee, tea, herb teas, and much more.
BOX LUNCH: Called a buffet box lunch – it is prepared after breakfast by each client before starting the excursion. Find a pretty big table full of tasty elements to prepare a great sandwich: whole grain and white bread, cheeses, tuna, chicken, turkey, ham, beef, salami, sauces, variety of vegetables, hard boiled eggs, and more; additionally find chocolate and granola bars, nuts and fruits.
LUNCH OR DINNER: It starts with a cocktail consisting of our famous pisco sour and different small appetizers. Then the meal starts with a local soup and is followed by a piece of white or red meat with rice, potatoes or vegetables, everything accompanied by good Chilean wine – a bottle per each three people. Finally a cup of coffee or herb teas with a delicious dessert will crown the meal. The meals often vary to provide travelers with different flavors and local preparations.
All EcoCamp domes are immersed in nature, resistant to the fierce Patagonian wind and have ceiling windows to look up at the stars as you fall asleep. While many domes have private bathrooms, guests staying in Standard Domes use a shared bathroom, for several environmental reasons: minimizing constructed areas, controlling water and heating consumption and collecting waste in a central heated composting chamber. Electricity is very limited inside the domes, meaning hairdryers are not permitted, but laptops and cameras can be charged.
Core Domes are where you go for meals and gatherings. There are three Core Domes interconnected via raised wooden walkways. Dining takes place at two connected Giant Domes 9m/ 30ft in diameter and 4.5m/13.5ft tall. The space inside is bright and airy with large windows offering a panoramic view of the Paine granite towers. Each of the Core Domes has a low-emission wood stove. There is a bar, three different resting areas, and a small shop.