For nearly three decades, pioneering travel group Explora has used its sustainable lodges as luxury trekking bases from which to explore the most remote corners of South America.
Now, the intrepid exploration company has launched a new generation of explorations called Explora Expeditions, operating in remote parts of South America and soon other continents across the globe.
Designed for individuals seeking a deep connection with places barely touched by man, these locations are far away from mass tourism and even any of Explora's lodges.
The first Explora Expedition pilot ran in November 2023 and the trips will now run every April and November to Tierra del Fuego, with only four departures per year. Later this year Explora will announce another two Expedition locations, one in Argentina and the other in Peru and in 2025 expeditions will go beyond the continent of South America.
Reserved for a maximum of eight travellers, the Tierra del Fuego journey offers an experience that transcends the destination itself. From the windswept landscapes of Tierra del Fuego to the vast expanses of the pampas and the frozen marvels of the glaciers, travellers stay in some of the most sparsely inhabited places on earth, sharing meals and establishing direct and authentic contact with people who are an integral part of its history.
Advance research
Before Explora builds a lodge, its people are often present in the region for up to a decade before any infrastructure appears. The company's explorations team will be there first, scouting routes, securing land and understanding the local community and culture.
With Explora Expeditions, guests will have a chance to be a part of this process – travelling in small groups and helping to create routes in places of unparalleled beauty, far away from any existing Explora lodge or tourism footprint. With limited departures and with a maximum of eight places per trip, guests will live with the team, bunking down at home stays or in third party lodges, or even camping.
Sebastian Correa, who heads up the expedition team and is responsible to establishing new locations for Explora, said that these explorations are for those seeking the 21st century luxury of remoteness. "These journeys are an opportunity to involve our travellers in our process and venture with us into unpopulated and scarcely explored territories, delving into untouched landscapes where nature reigns supreme and the spirit of adventure thrives."
About the Tierra del Fuego journey
Starting and ending in Punta Arenas, this exclusive seven-day, six-night journey, takes place across only a few dates this year and costs $10,500 per person.
The itinerary will take travellers across the Strait of Magellan, exploring the vast pampas of Tierra del Fuego, visiting the unique colony of King Penguins on the island (the only one in South America), and immersing guests in the island's estancia (vast estates of pampas grasslands) culture.
Travellers will also hike through Patagonian forests and navigate the impressive fjords with their glaciers. The group will be in awe of the majesty of the Darwin Mountain Range, enjoying the natural beauty of Yendegaia National Park, its lagoons, and the surrounding wilderness.
Return to the city of Punta Arenas is via a chartered flight from Pampa Guanaco.
The staff to guest ratio is seven to eight and guides and staff (chefs and support team) will accompany travellers every step of the way, forming the ultimate expedition team.
Title picture: Snowscat/Unsplash
Destination photos: Explora.com