What strikes you immediately and stays with you throughout your stay is the majestic beauty of the view of the mountain ranges and peaks of Torres del Paine that surrounds explora Patagonia. You can't separate one from the other. It is almost a given fact that these images will indelibly remain with you as treasured memories of your experience of this amazing part of the world. The lodge that forms the base for explora Patagonia explorations, the Hotel Salto Chico, is located right at the heart of the extraordinary Torres del Paine National Park in central Patagonia. The varied and untouched landscapes of this area led UNESCO to declare it a biosphere reserve. Hotel Salto Chico opened in 1993 on the banks of the Salto Chico waterfall and Lake Pehoe. It affords a magnificent view of the unique Paine Massif and two of the three impressive torres, or towers, which give the park its name. The simply elegant yet striking design borrows certain organic forms from the landscape itself thereby creating a dialogue with its environment, putting us humans in touch with the sublimity of our surroundings. For such a remote place like southern Patagonia, the lodge provides the welcome surprise of luxurious comfort without ever feeling like you are away or isolated from nature itself, but always placed ?within? it. The lodge has 49 rooms and a variety of inviting spaces. Each room has captivating views, silence and privacy. The sophisticated design incorporates native lenga wood and cypress from the Guaitecas Archipelago, while the floor is made of almond wood. Each room has a small living area, hydromassage bath and beds designed for deep, pleasurable sleep after a day of exploration. The cuisine that is served here offers authentic flavors based on the best-quality ingredients, many of which are produced locally. The food is both delicious as well as healthy and well-balanced: ideal for people going trekking, horseback riding or on other explorations. This includes some of the best local dishes, such as Magellanic lamb and southern king crab. The explorations here involve treks and horseback riding. With about 20 years of experience here, you get a whole variety of treks to go on, some well ?established and some newer ones, ranging from easy to challenging, and all spectacular. The treks and horseback rides help you to discover the landscapes and wildlife of this singular place, as well as the unique way of life of its human inhabitants: the gauchos. An essential element in the life of a gaucho, the horse has been the traditional way of covering the vast distances in Patagonia. Explora Patagonia has the only lodge in the area with its own horses, which have been bred and trained especially for its horseback explorations. One of the most special things about explora Patagonia, as with the other explora properties is their guides. All have undergone rigorous selection and training through explora?s own ground setting Guide School so you are ensured that your explorations will be with someone fully equipped to share with you the art of travel that makes your Patagonian experience as enjoyable and memorable as possible.