explora Chile - Art of Travel

All of our guides have earned the Wilderness First Responder (WFR) certification and thus have the expertise and skills to assist people in remote areas.

Fifteen minutes from the lodge, a paramedic is stationed at the park administration building throughout the year. More serious emergencies can be treated at the hospital at Puerto Natales, an hour and a half away from the lodge and, if necessary, at the Clínica Magallanes in Punta Arenas, five hours from the lodge.

They can call (56 2) 3952580, (56 2) 3952581 or (56 2) 3952582, send a fax to (56 2) 3952584 or email recpatagonia@explora.com

We will provide you – at no additional cost – with walking sticks and leg guards for treks and all of the necessary equipment for horseback riding. Find out about the equipment you need to bring.

When making the reservation, you should choose a room with either a king-size bed or two double beds. Once you are in Patagonia, should you so desire, you may change rooms, as long as there is availability.

No, just heated.

Vans which are roomy and comfortable with capacity for 8 people.

We provide the following transfers from explora:
To Punta Arenas airport, departure is around 7 hours prior to your flight (earliest departure from explora at 5:00 a.m.).
To a hotel in Punta Arenas, departure around 3:30 p.m.
Arrival Pick up – Chilean border at Cerro Castillo at 12:00.
Departures drop off - Argentina border in Cancha Carrera at 12:00.

Hotel Salto Chico / Punta Arenas: 390 kilometers (242 miles)
Hotel Salto Chico / Puerto Natales: 140 kilometers (87 miles)
Hotel Salto Chico / Cerro Castillo: 78 kilometers (48.4 miles)
Hotel Salto Chico / Cancha Carrera: 87 kilometers (54 miles)
Hotel Salto Chico / Calafate: 376 kilometers (233.6 miles)
Hotel Salto Chico / El Chaltén: 400 kilometers (248.5 miles)

No. The nearest commercial airport is at Punta Arenas. However, there are private flights available from Punta Arenas to Puerto Natales airport and from other towns in Argentina to Cerro Castillo airport on the border with Chile. explora can coordinate transport from our lodge to both airports.

There is no signal at the lodge nor in the surrounding area.

No. At explora, tipping is voluntary. If you would like to leave a tip, you may give it to lodge reception when your stay is over. This tip will be divided among all who made your trip a unique experience. For those who are unsure about the appropriate amount for a tip, we suggest leaving US$ 100 per traveler per stay.

S 51º 06’ 96’’
W 072º 59’47’’

Around 50 meters (164 feet) above sea level.

How to get here

From Chile:
from the airport in Santiago, Chile (SCL), take a connecting flight to Punta Arenas (PUQ) which lasts about four hours. From there our staff will take you to Hotel Salto Chico, a trip which lasts about four and a half hours: The journey from Punta Arenas to Llanuras de Diana, along 200 kilometers (124 miles) of paved road takes two-and-a-quarter hours. From there, the 190 kilometers (118 miles) to Torres del Paine National Park is mainly along dirt roads and takes two hours and 20 minutes. We stop at Llanuras de Diana for about half an hour for a light meal provided by explora.

From Argentina:
upon arrival at the international airport in Buenos Aires (EZE), you must take a flight to El Calafate (FTE). Sometimes you must go to the national airport, Aeroparque Jorge Newberry (AEP) to find a flight to El Calafate (FTE). This flight lasts between four and five hours. From there you can take a public bus or a private transfer to the border town of Cerro Castillo, Chile. Once you arrive at Cerro Castillo, explora staff greets you and takes you to Hotel Salto Chico, a trip that takes about an hour.

Regular transfer schedule

Transfer schedule subject to change without prior notice. Consider a four and a half hour drive between Punta Arenas and Hotel Salto Chico.

explora Patagonia pick up / drop off points

Arrivals pick up
• Punta Arenas Airport: from 10AM to 6PM
• Punta Arenas Hotels: 08:30AM
• Cruceros Australis Dock: 11AM
• Puerto Natales Hotel or Bus Terminal: from 11AM to 11:30 AM
• Cruceros Skorpios Dock from: 11AM to 11:30AM
• Chilean border at Cerro Castillo: 12AM.

Departures drop off
• Punta Arenas Airport (airport drop off available for flights departing after 12:00 PM): 12PM
• Punta Arenas Hotel: 15:30PM
• Cruceros Australis Dock: 11AM
• Argentina border in Cancha Carrera: 12AM