Explore two of of Chile’s most impressive wilderness areas - Torres del Paine National Park in Patagonia travel tips and stories. Vacations ideas, cruises spa and resorts

Explora Hotels offer exclusivity and comfort in two of Chile’s most impressive wilderness areas - Torres del Paine National Park in Patagonia, and the Atacama Desert. The Explora Hotel Salto Chico in Patagonia has a magical location on Lake Pehoe surrounded by granite massifs.

The lodge is a luxurious base from which to enjoy the scenery of mountains, glaciers, waterfalls and emerald lakes. You can explore the park on foot or horseback, or simply relax and enjoy the vistas from the hotel. After a day’s activities, guests may unwind with a sauna or outdoor Jacuzzi.
A variety of daily activities are available including trekking and horseriding in the national park. A stay is based on full board, excursions and transfers.

The hotel has 38 rooms - 24 Cordillera Paine rooms and four Exploradores suites. Cordillera Paine rooms either have views of the Chico River and its waterfalls, or the classic vista of Lake Pehoe and the surrounding mountains of the Paine Massif. Some rooms, including all suites, have a Jacuzzi bath.
The main ground level houses the reception, lounge, bar and restaurant in a single open-plan area. Downstairs, there is a games room with TV, video and DVD player. Outside, a wooden plank walkway leads down to an indoor swimming pool, massage room and sauna, and adjacent outdoor Jacuzzis.

Explora Hotel Salto Chico lies on the banks of Lake Pehoe in Torres del Paine National Park, a 181,414-hectare reserve of outstanding natural beauty set in the Patagonia of Southern Chile. Access is usually by air, though it is possible to arrive or depart by land from the Argentine border.

The nearest airport is at Punta Arenas, a four-hour flight from Santiago. On arrival you will be met and driven to the hotel via the prehistoric Milodon Caves, a journey along a gravel road that takes four hours. The scenery en route is rugged, remote, and eerily beautiful.
The weather is mild, although high winds can make it feel cooler. Winds can be fierce from November to March with gusts of over 100km per hour, and it is essential to pack a windbreaker. Weather can change dramatically in a day from sun to rain or snow. Higher parts have an ice climate with some snow and chilly temperatures.

Weather is most pleasant from November to March with average temperatures of 50 to 66 degrees F, and longer days in which to enjoy the park. Winters are colder and less windy with more snow and shorter days.

The main attraction of a stay at Explora is to take advantage of Torres del Paine National Park’s outstanding natural attractions. There are 17 excursions on offer with five alternatives daily, graded according to fitness levels and duration. What or how much you choose to do is completely up to you.

Excursions, which include a packed lunch, are by 12-seater wagon, foot, and on horseback, and may include hikes to Lago Grey Glacier and the spectacular trek to the twin peaks of Los Torres. Llamas, guanacos and condors are just some of the wildlife that roam around the park.