“Relax and re-energize your body and mind”
9 Day Women's Adventure in Patagonia with Hiking, Cycling, Horse Riding, and Volunteering
EcoCamp Patagonia, Chile
Patagonia Adventure Holiday in Chile for Women
Embark on an unforgettable adventure that beckons you to Torres del Paine, the crown jewel of Patagonia. Wake up to the breathtaking view of Cordillera Paine, partake in invigorating yoga sessions and immerse yourself in the wonders of Patagonia through exhilarating hikes, biking the mesmerizing blue lagoon (Laguna Azul), horseback riding with our Patagonian Cowboy (Basqueano), exploring Valle Frances (French Valley) by catamaran, and witnessing the majesty of Grey Glacier on a boat trip and an exhilarating kayak adventure through the Straits of Magellan. This is your invitation to experience a once-in-a-lifetime adventure in the heart of Patagonia.
Meet the instructors
Jacqueline
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Highlights
- Hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding
- One day of yoga, meditation, cooking and volunteering
- Sailing to Magdalena Island Penguin Colony OR kayaking the Straights of Magellan
- Boat trip to Grey Glacier
- 8 nights accommodation
- Daily meals with wine
Skill level
- Beginner
- Intermediate
- Advanced
7 days with instruction
Airport transfer available:
Presidente Carlos Ibáñez del Campo International Airport (US$ 50 per person)
Presidente Carlos Ibáñez del Campo International Airport (US$ 50 per person)
Accommodation
Check-in Time:
09:00
Check-out Time:
15:00
What are the accommodations?
EcoCamp – You will be staying in suite domes – double occupancy.
Suite domes are comfortable 28m² / 300 ft² Geodesic domes built in the same shape as the ancient Kaweskar tribe dwellings. Their structure produces minimal environmental impact while providing an efficient thermal and wind-resistant unit, with great exposure to nature in the most magnificent Patagonian setting. Guests can gaze at the stars through the ceiling windows while falling asleep each night after enjoying a spectacular sunset from their private terrace.
Each Suite Dome has comfortable double or twin beds, a private bathroom with a state-of-the art composting toilet and a modern low-emission wood stove. Electricity is very limited inside the domes, meaning hairdryers are not permitted, but laptops and cameras can be charged.
Inside Suite Domes
- Spacious 28m² / 300ft² area
- Open terrace to read, relax and admire the view
- Enclosed porch to hang wet clothing
- Comfortable king-size or twin beds
- Low-emission wood stove
- Patagonian decoration
- Propane heater in bathroom
- Private, fully-equipped bathroom
- State-of-the art composting toilet
Hotel Cabo de Hornos
The last night will be at the Hotel Cabo de Hornos or something similar.
ONE single room is available (on a first-come, first-served basis) for an additional cost for the week in a single suite dome with a king bed. Send an inquiry for more information and to reserve.
Program
Eons of ice, water, wind, and tectonic forces have crafted this refuge for pure nature and adventure – Patagonia. Be awed by the spectacular granite peaks of Torres Del Paine, come face to face with the immensity of Grey Glacier, hike through the forests of French Valley, encounter guanacos, rheas, and condors on nature walks, trek through rolling pampas, and fall in love with a land that both challenges and inspires everyone who visits. All this and more awaits in Patagonia, where rustic comfort and adventure meet.
Join Women’s Quest on an extraordinary odyssey to this land of wonder, where every moment pulses with the energy of adventure and every vista sparkles with the promise of the extraordinary. This is a place that transcends the ordinary, a must-visit destination for those seeking the remarkable, the unforgettable, and the once-in-a-lifetime.
What to expect
On the first morning, you will visit Puerto Natales and climb the beautiful hill just outside the town—your first welcome to the Patagonian wind. The following day, you will visit a local yoga teacher and be treated to yoga, meditation, cooking class, volunteering, and a delicious lunch.
Then, you will wake each morning to the beautiful view of the Cordillera Paine and make your way to the yoga dome for yoga, followed by a healthy and hearty breakfast.
Each day you will have exciting excursions: hiking the Cerro del Paine, biking the Blue Lagoon (Laguna Azul), horseback riding with our Basqueano (Patagonian Cowboy) , taking a catamaran to the trek of the Valle Frances (French Valley), a boat trip to Grey Glacier, and an afternoon of giving back – planting much needed trees after the devastating fire of 2011. On last day, you will sail to Magdalena Island to visit the world renown penguin colony OR will kayak the Straights of Magellan.
- 5 nights at EcoCamp – unique eco-friendly accommodation with delicious cuisine and a friendly atmosphere in the middle of the wilderness and 1 night in Puerto Natales and 2 nights in Punto Arenas
- 9 days of hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, yoga, volunteering and a couple of boat excursions
- Half day sailing to Magdalena Island Penguin Colony OR kayaking the Straights of Magellan
- One day of yoga, meditation, cooking and volunteering at our wonderful local yoga dome
- Lifelong friendships and memorable experiences
FAQ
What is the average age on this retreat?
There is a wide range of women who attend our retreats, from 15 to 70 years young. This is a retreat that everyone can do, but you will love it even more if you are in good shape. Please start your training program now. Ask Women's Quest if you have any questions.
What if I am coming alone?
The majority of the women who attend our retreats come by themselves. Patagonia is a safe and easy country to travel as a single female. English is spoken in most tourist areas and we are here to answer any questions about travel that you may have. Although you may come alone, you will leave the retreat with new, lifelong friends!
Do I have to participate in everything on the schedule?
No! All activities and outings are optional. This is YOUR retreat. Women's Quest encourages you to do what feels most nurturing and right for you. You will be fully supported in doing as much or as little as you choose. All activities will be guided by expert staff, and instruction and support will be offered for every activity according to your experience level.
What will the hikes and activities be like?
The hikes will be perfect for everyone. The retreat will have one guide for every 6 ladies, so it will be able to accommodate all levels. But Women's Quest would highly recommend starting to train for the hikes. The Cerro del Paine hike is quite steep, and the weather can range from t-shirt to many layers, and there might be snow at the top. The French Valley is rolling up a hill and is fairly long. There will be an easy mountain bike ride and hike and horseback riding.
All the excursions will be led by Jacqueline Stanford and the EcoCamp guide. They are knowledgeable, reliable, and environmentally-conscious trekkers who enjoy every moment of leading groups through the Patagonian wilderness. The majority are locals who have grown up in the region and studied eco-tourism at university, specializing in areas including geology, ornithology, and botany. Guides eat with guests each night and socialize with groups in the library and bar following briefings.
Included excursions
- Planting much needed trees after the devastating fire of 2011
- Hiking the Cerro del Paine
- Biking the blue lagoon (Laguna Azul)
- Horseback riding with the Basqueano (Patagonian cowboy)
- Taking a catamaran to the trek of the Valle Frances (French Valley)
- A boat trip to Grey Glacier
- Half day sailing to Magdalena Island Penguin Colony OR kayaking the Straights of Magellan
Instructors
Jacqueline Stanford
Jacqueline is just the best at everything, including pottery. Jacqueline was also a professional triathlete for many years. She also rode in the first Women's Tour de France. She has a love of water and was a National flat water and kayak racer. She loves to help people on ropes challenge courses. She now fills her very busy days with selling real estate, making and teaching pottery, leading Women's Quest adventures, working for New Horizons, and riding with Pedalers Fork.
Location
What is Patagonia like?
Patagonia is a sparsely populated region located at the southern end of South America, shared by Argentina and Chile. The region comprises the southern section of the Andes Mountains as well as the deserts, pampas and grasslands east of this southern portion of the Andes. Patagonia has two coasts: western facing the Pacific Ocean and eastern facing the Atlantic Ocean.
The Women’s Quest Patagonia Retreat is at the Southern tip of the Andes in Chile, in Torres del Paine National Park, one of the most impressive sights in the Southern Hemisphere and home to some of the world’s most classic trekking routes. The park is located in Chile’s southernmost and largest region, Magallanes and Chilean Antarctica, where the main economic activities are sheep farming, oil extraction and tourism. The population density is sparse at 1.1 per km2, but the region’s main city, Punta Arenas, is home to 120,000 people.
The park encompasses ancient forests, glaciers, lakes, rivers and fjords, as well as fauna including guanacos, foxes, pumas and a diverse array of birds. The park draws in approximately 100,000 visitors each year who visit the Paine Towers, Los Cuernos, French Valley and Grey Glacier. The park’s coordinates are 50°S latitude and 73°W longitude.
The landscape in Torres Del Paine is dominated by the huge Paine Massif, also known as the Cordillera del Paine. Despite being part of the Andes Mountains officially, the Paine massif is an independent mountain formation with its own unique characteristics.
The origins of the Massif date back to 12 million years ago when the sedimentary layers of the earth were lifted up and slowly worn down through glacial erosion until only hard resistant granite rock was visibly left. The jagged Torres are a classic example of the results of this process, and the difference in color between the sedimentary and granite rock in the park is highlighted by the sharply contrasting Cuernos peaks.
Valleys running between the mountains of the massif include Valle del Francés (French Valley), Valle Bader, Valle Ascencio (next to EcoCamp Patagonia), and Valle del Silencio (Silence Valley). The highest mountain in the massif is Cerro Paine, which is 3050 m tall.
EcoCamp is situated in the very heart of Torres del Paine National Park, perfectly placed right at the start of the hiking trails!
Food
What will the food by like?
Throughout the retreat, you will experience Patagonian cuisine. A lot of effort went into developing a menu of fresh, hearty meals using locally-sourced ingredients, fusing Chilean, Altiplanic, Patagonian and international food.
Breakfast
A hearty breakfast is the key to enjoying a day’s trek or nature walk and we encourage guests to fill on our tasty buffet selection each morning. Breakfast is served in the community domes from 7 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and consists of a plentiful buffet selection with hot and cold beverages:
Beverages
- Tea (selection of different Ceylon teas)
- Coffee (decaf on request)
- Milk (semi-skimmed and whole milk, lactose on request)
- Juice (orange, apricot, pineapple, and apple)
Buffet selection
- Fruit
- Cereal – muesli, oats and cornflakes
- Milk and yogurt
- Cheese, ham, butter, jam, honey
- Bread – white toast, whole wheat and pitta bread.
- Additionally, fresh scrambled eggs with sausages are served at your table.
Box lunch
After breakfast, you will be lead to a different buffet table to select the ingredients for your lunch box, which you’ll take hiking with you in your backpack to eat at a viewpoint en route. The ingredients change each day in order to give your lunch box some variety.
Be creative and mix it up with a wide range of ingredients: whole wheat, white, tortillas and pitta bread are all on offer, with sandwich fillings including cheese, tuna, salmon, chicken, turkey, ham, beef, salami, lettuce, tomato, pickle and hard boiled eggs. Cereal bars, chocolate, fresh fruit, dried fruit and nuts are also available, so stock up!
Dinner
Dinner is one of the highlights at EcoCamp, where everybody comes together to enjoy delicious food and a glass of good Chilean wine. The evening begins with a cocktail hour in the bar. Pisco sours, the famous Chilean aperitif, are served with unique additional flavors, including the Calafate berry, ginger and chili. Appetizers, including cheese, olives, salmon and crackers, are served with the aperitif.
When dinner is ready, guests are called into the dining dome to take their seats at the table with the rest of their group. Dining at EcoCamp is very sociable, and groups sit with their guide and discuss the day’s achievements and funny moments over food and wine.
Dinners are innovative and ‘nouvelle cuisine’, but with appetizers and 3 courses, you won’t go hungry! Starters range from salad or soup to carpaccio, and main meals usually fuse typical Chilean dishes, made from beef, pork, or fish, accompanied by locally grown vegetables, with potatoes, rice, couscous, or quinoa. At least once a week there is a Chilean barbecue, known as an ‘asado’, with spit-roasted lamb. Desserts are generally served buffet style, with numerous options available such as torte, panna cotta with rhubarb sauce, chocolate mousse, tiramisu, or mousse with local fruits, and these can all be served with coffee.
Good quality Chilean wine is served throughout the meal; one bottle is allocated per two people. Should you wish to drink more, simply notify the waiter, who will bring you a bottle of your choice and add it to your bill.
Afterward, in the bar, you are free to continue socializing and buying wine, beer, liquor, or soft drinks.
Please let Women's Quest know if you have any dietary restrictions. They'll make sure the food is VERY GOOD!
The following meals are included:
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Drinks
The following drinks are included:
- Coffee
- Tea
- Alcoholic beverages
The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:
- Regular (typically includes meat and fish)
- Other dietary requirements on request
If you have special dietary requirements it's a good idea to communicate it to the organiser when making a reservation
What's included
- 8 nights accommodation
- 9 FULL days tour (starting 9 a.m. March 28, concluding 3 p.m. April 5th)
- Healthy and nutritious meals and wine with sack lunches for excursions (one dinner in Puerto Natales and Punta Arenas on the second and last days will be on your own)
- Delicious food at every meal with sack lunches for your day excursions
- Transportation for the penguin tour/kayaking
- Transport to the airport on the last day
- Women’s Quest staff and EcoCamp guides
What's not included
- Airfare
- Pick-up at the airport
- One dinner in Puerto Natales and Punta Arenas on the second and last days will be on your own
How to get there
Recommended Airports
PUQ
Presidente Carlos Ibáñez del Campo International Airport
265 km
Transfer available for additional US$ 50 per person
SCL
Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport
1961 km
Transfer not provided
Arrival by airplane
Please book your flight to arrive at Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport (SCL).
Please arrange to arrive in Santiago, Chile on March 27th to catch the 10 a.m. flight to Punto Arenas. You will be met by an Ecocamp bus (50 USD) to take you to Puerto Natales. Women's Quest can help you arrange the hotel for that evening. The retreat will begin at 9 a.m. on the morning of the 28th of March in Puerto Natales. The retreat will end at 3 p.m. on April 5th.
Airport: Presidente Carlos Ibáñez del Campo International Airport
Airport transfer available:
Presidente Carlos Ibáñez del Campo International Airport (US$ 50 per person)
Additional charges may apply. You can request this in the next step.
Cancellation Policy
- A reservation requires a deposit of 100% of the total price.
- The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
For this organizer you can guarantee your booking through Tripaneer.com. All major credit cards supported.
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