EcoCamp Patagonia — Hotel in Torres del Paine

EcoCamp Patagonia is an absolutely incredible experience all around. My wife and I celebrated a delayed Honeymoon there in November 2018. The scenery, sounds and smells are so astounding - you get the feeling that the place you're in isn't real. We participated in the 5-Day W Trek program with Carlos and Alberto as our guides. We hiked the Frenchman's Valley, Lago Grey and of course the infamous hike to the Base of The Towers. On our last day, while hiking to The Towers, it snowed (heavily) which was really awesome! Although we couldn't see The Towers due to weather conditions, huddling in a small cave with our guides and the balance of our group really made for a special lunch! We shared some Yerbamate to stay warm and energized.

Carlos is a wealth of knowledge and an extremely kind soul. He is attentive to every one of his guests' needs, and was always able to transform any situation into a fun, learning experience. Patagonia is a challenging place to do anything - hike, bike, drive, etc. But if you have Carlos as your guide, you'll find that you can navigate with ease and be prepared for quick changes in conditions. Don't change, Carlos - you are the man! We love you, Carlos!

Alberto is incredibly generous and strong. He is a gentle soul who will watch how you walk and ask, without hesitation, how you are feeling and whether you think you may be developing a blister or muscle strain. Although I didn't have the luxury of Alberto wrapping my feet, I observed him on many occasions carefully tending to anything that was ailing my teammates. Alberto is quietly assertive and protective - and has the best smile. We love you, Alberto!

The food was out-of-control good. I ate the lamb every night. My wife ate the seafood - which looked and smelled unbelievable. The wine served with dinner was very good. Dessert was often fancy, but they always had a fruit salad option. The fruit and vegetables in Patagonia are top-notch! Breakfast was also excellent - eggs, fresh juice, meat, cheese, bread, oatmeal, whatever you want. Box lunch was also great - huge variety of vegetables and sandwiches. Tons of high-energy snacks too.

The domes were warm and comfy. Plenty of headroom, even for a 6'3" guy like myself. The blankets are incredible, making the early wake-up times challenging. But the fresh Patagonian air is well worth getting up for!

There was only one weird, semi-negative part to the experience. Reception was not friendly and seemed somewhat dishonest when it came to the price of goods being sold in the store. The check-out process was also confusing. Somehow my wife ended up paying for some in Chilean Pesos, some in USD and the balance on her American Credit Card. If I was in Management at EcoCamp, I would closely monitor the young woman working in Reception. We got the strong impression that she was pocketing money on the side. It was just a sour, off-putting feeling to have after such a wonderful experience. We have totally pushed it out of our minds as to not spoil how great EcoCamp is, but felt it necessary to point-out to future guests. When folks spend a lot of money for a vacation like this, honesty and integrity should be top-of-mind.

We will be back - hopefully sooner than...

My wife and I spent five amazing days at Ecocamp TDP this week. We did 3 days of Puma Safari and 1.5 days of touring TDP and its surrounding areas.

We stayed in a Suite Dome with private bathroom. We had never done camping in our adult livesbut this camp is at another level. Beautiful architecture, tasteful interior decorations, and eco friendly. It is possibly the most beautiful and luxurious accomodation that we have stayed in.

Service is great. Always smiling staff, ready to go an extra mile for you.

Now comes the real treat, the FOOD. Where to begin?

The kitchen staff is extremely organized. Breakfast tables set up and ready to go at 6 am for minimum 40-50+ folks. Make your own lunch for hikers and others alike, ready at 6 am. Packed lunch, if requested, ready for you to pick up outside at 6 am. You can even come back for lunch as we did at 1PM.

Quality of Food: Outstanding!!! We literally wondered if they have a Michelin Star chef. Creative dinner menu that leaves you in awe. My wife is a vegetarian and she went gaga over the flavors, chef's selections, creativity and presentation. The Kitchen Manager, Osvaldo ( forgive me if I am spelling his name wrong) is on top of things in the dining area.

Puma Safari: EcoCamp is not a good option for Puma Safari. Morning and evening safaris will cost you 6 hours of drive time each day. Even though the private ranch on which Puma Safari hapems is close to EcoCamp, the actual Puma safari area on the ranch is 1.5 hours away. El Overjero may be a better option for Puma Safari. In addition, EcoCamp does not have an in house private Puma Safari program. It outsources it to Leona Amarga. Read my review of Leona Amarga Expeditions. But if you are hiking or visiting TDP, EcoCamp is the best option. We stayed at Las Torres last year and we think it is way overrated.

Javi was our sightseeing tour guide for TDP and its adjacent areas, She was excellent!! Sweet and professional!

Will definitely stay at...

Our multigenerational family (ages 6-74) joined the Wildlife Safari at EcoCamp in mid April. We had an absolutely wonderful time at EcoCamp and highly recommend it.

Autumn was a great time to visit. The winds were quieter, the sunsets and sunsets were long, the leaves were beautiful and trails less crowded. Our group was able to pick-and-choose daily hikes that varied in intensity; this worked great for our family with varied interests and abilities. Collectively we did French Valley, the Base of the Towers, Grey Glacier, Sarmiento/Little Sarmiento, Lazo Weber and Aonikenk hikes. We saw loads of wildlife (Rhea, caracara, guanacos, condors, even a mama puma with cubs!).

Our group of 8 stayed in 2 loft domes. The beds were cozy and showers refreshing after a day of hiking. The dome lofts were plenty spacious for 4. We did the 30 min EcoCamp tour on our arrival day and enjoyed learning about the conservation practices of the company. I was able to join a yoga class one morning which was great for stretching after several days of hiking.

The food was absolutely delicious, plentiful and healthy. EcoCamp will feed you about every 2 hours, so don’t worry about going hungry! The staff even carries hot water for tea and fresh baked goodies to share during the hikes (in addition to the personal lunch you pack in the mornings). The community domes were a fun place to gather in the evenings, and we enjoyed live music one night.

Hands down, the best thing about EcoCamp is the staff. Every single person we interacted with was curious, engaging, kind, helpful, joyful, and deeply passionate about protecting the natural lands of Patagonia and educating visitors. The staff were such amazing role models for my kids. I highly recommend EcoCamp Patagonia and would...