Chile and Argentina self drive vacation

Planet

In order to ensure we protect the environment and minimise our ecological footprint we have a recycling system in our UK office and use recycled ink cartridges. We also minimise our waste by limiting the number of vacation brochures we print. Instead, we refer customers to our online resources and send most of our vacation information via email.

We always recommend overland travel using local transportation as opposed to short domestic flights where possible, however due to the vast distances covered during this trip flying is unavoidable. To put it into perspective the journey from Santiago to Puerto Varas is over 1,000km. The rest of the trip involves traveling by hire car as opposed to flying.

Many of the accommodation options for this itinerary are locating in or near a national park, with a focus on sustainability. One example of this is the Cabañas Caleta Gonzalo in Pumalin national park. These log cabins are located in the park itself and constructed from local materials in a traditional style. There is also the option to camp here in a designated area, which prevents visitors from wild camping, providing them with disposal areas and facilities. This protects the delicate balance of the national park. The park also often hosts volunteers with an interest in areas such as organic gardening and reforestation.

We work with the Cumbres Puerto Varas hotel, which has a mission to raise awareness of environmental issues and aims to be a greener alternative. This mission includes using more environmentally friendly cleaning products, educating employees about recycling, and using switching to energy efficient light fixtures and computers.

Other hotels worth mentioning are:
. Hotel Patagonia in Pucon, who have taken inspiration from the Mapuche ethnic groups for their design, which encorporates local handicrafts and natural building materials.
. Las Escampada in El Bolson, which is a small, locally owned hotel, with a commitment to energy saving, recycling and reusing. They also arrange outdoor and nature-focused activities for guests.

People

In order to ensure we have a positive impact on local economies and provide socially responsible vacations we only use local suppliers, which helps keep the money generated through tourism within local communities through employment of local guides and drivers.

We, where possible, use hotels with interesting historical significance, such as the Estancia 440 hotel in Puerto Varas, which is located within a traditional 1940's German wood house. We do this in order to help preserve the history and cultures of our destinations. Other similar hotels in this programme include the Hotel Patagonia in Pucon, whose decor and construction is inspired by the cultures of the Mapuche ethnic group, showcasing some of their local handicrafts.

Most hotels and accommodation options for this itinerary are locally owned, small establishments. This helps support local economies who rely on the small amount of tourism generated in their area. We include plenty of free time to allow customers to shop and do activities in the local areas, and we offer suggestions as to how to do so. An example of this is the lodge of Yelcho en la Patagonia, which is located in an extremely remote area that doesn't see much passing trade. Fishing is a popular activity here for tourists, and the lodge arranges these activities with local enthusiasts.

We also give customers more time in some of these remote towns, such as at the Plaza Esquel hotel, which is located in a small town with little infrastructure for tourism. The hotel is working to offer more activities so customers can stay longer and spend more money in the local community, including the use of a spa, skiing activities, and promoting sights of interest, such as the La Trochita steam train.

We always recommend locally-owned restaurants and hotels where possible, aiming to support local communities and give tourists the opportunity to ‘travel like a local’. We also provide customers with a list of recommended restaurants tailor-made to their destination and dietary requirements but with a focus on family-run restaurants.

We are a member of Sustainable Travel International, a leading not-for-profit organisation dedicated to promoting awareness, appreciation and respect for local people and the environment through education and outreach programmes.