Awaken your desire for adventure and embark for a journey through breathtaking natural landscapes, covered by vast expanses of pristine native forests and majestic mountains. Venture among beautiful lakes, turquoise waterfalls and spectacular lava fields. This remote and once impenetrable land now hosts a network of exclusive hiking trails, allowing visitors to enjoy nature at first-hand more than anywhere else in Patagonia.
Allow the true manifestation of wild take you deep into your own soul and the world around you.
This journey allows for ample time to connect with the Mapuche people and experience their life and history. You will also walk for 4 days through the lush Valdivian Rainforest of Futangue Private Reserve and the most volcanically active plateau in the Patagonian Andes at Puyehue National Park. Camp under the stars and listen to the rushing waters as you drift into a dream world of discovery.
Program overview:
Our main purpose is to preserve Futangue for future generations.To achieve this goal, we reinvest 100% of our profits into the Park and support our local community through the Ranco Foundation, a non-profit organization which promotes environmental education and social initiatives in the area.
Join us in our efforts to protect this unique biodiversity and its local environment. Some of the places you will visit include natural hot springs and geysers, which have never known human intervention. All we did was to build a few rustic and charming pools in the bed of a creek, to mix the boiling water with the cold and so minimizing all visual impact.
It has taken us more than 23 years to build roughly 75 miles of trails across Futangue Nature Reserve.The engineering and human endeavor involved in hand-building a path across thick forest and lava fields, with an altitude increase of more than 2300 feet along the way, is unprecedented. Don’t expect sophisticated accommodation while in the mountains; rather embrace the luxury of simplicity and the extraordinary natural surroundings you find yourselves in.
This adventure will take you to undiscovered geysers lost in the wildness of the Andes, where few human beings have ever ventured before.
Marvel at unique geological features everywhere you look, as you rejuvenate with geothermal mineral water, surrounded by majestic summits and the sound of rushing water from a nearby creek.
Put your camera to work as you search for the gorgeous Darwin’s Frog, a leaf-like amphibian from the temperate forest, now considered an endangered species. Learn about this fascinating creature from a local guide. The best chance of spotting the frog is in January and February, but only if you manage to see through its camouflage!
In the meadows closest to Lake Ranco, you will find our Hotel & Spa. The architecture highlights the region’s native wood and complements the natural environment, assimilating the classic barns and stables of the south of Chile. The decoration uses ethnic fabrics and colorful textiles, which are inspired by national artists and objects from the Mapuche culture. The local traditions and natural heritage are present in every nook and cranny. Futangue Hotel & Spa invites guests to discover this stunning, wild, private reserve, while still being able to enjoy pleasant and cozy accommodation. Come and explore the beauty of the Patagonian Andes !
On arrival at Futangue Hotel & Spa, guests will be briefed by their guide about the upcoming journey and the history of Futangue Park conservation project. You will also receive a reusable water bottle and a journal that you can freely use to note down your reflections, learnings, thoughts or anything that calls your attention during the journey. Then take this perfect opportunity to rest and enjoy the hotel’s facilities before the start of tomorrow’s adventure. You will also be able to visit our store at the park's entrance where we have carefully selected the best crafts and sustainable products of our region. In this place not only you can equip yourself for the next days, but also support small businesses and artisans from Chilean Patagonia.
We will begin the day with a sunrise yoga session, to open our minds for transformation and the amazing experiences that awaits. Through coordinated poses and a focus on the breath, this session will help you find a moment of connection with yourself and nature. The sessions take place in a harmonized space inside the park (weather permitting).
Get ready to hike above the clouds through the astonishing Sky Trail, connecting the highest viewing point in Futangue Park to a mysterious glacier lake at more than 3400 feet. This excursion goes through a breathtaking path crossing stunning native forests and offering incredible views of Lake Ranco, the Andes mountain range and different volcanoes in Northern Patagonia. The most adventurous souls will find this a stimulant challenge!
The excursion starts with the ascent to Pitreño Lake, where we spend the night in an isolated, but cozy mountain refuge. On the way, you will have the chance to swim under pristine waterfalls, performing one of our favorite rituals in the park. The next day we continue hiking towards the high peaks, at 4250 feet, and finally descend to the starting point where a van will be waiting to take us back to the hotel to recover after this long day of excursion.This trail demands great effort, but offers great rewards.
Stepping away from the stresses of life, and turning down the volume of our inner thoughts, we begin to explore the wonder of the forest and prepare mentally for our next journey in the afternoon. You will hear birds chirping, water flowing gently down a stream, branches swaying in the breeze and you will see trees, foliage and moss, all in enumerable shades of green.
Through guided meditation, we will seek to reconnect to the self and the nature of the Patagonian Andes. We will walk along a gentle path through an old forest, practice barefoot meditation, do some light stretching, share experiences and end with an intimate tea ceremony. After lunch at the hotel, we will begin our next three days adventure that will take us high in the Andes to the unknown and mysterious Puyehue National Park. On this trail we will learn about the plants and animals alongside one of the park's trail builders, local mapuche men who own a deep knowledge of the land, and will share the stories and myths of the Lake Ranco basin.
The excursion begins with picturesque landscapes of fields and meadows. Then enters a gentle track that borders the Riñinahue River, overlooking different pools and cascades. We move on into the majestic native forest until reaching Pichi Lake, a pristine jewel nesting in an amphitheater of forest-covered mountains and waterfalls, offering breathtaking natural scenery. From the lake we start a short hike to the nearest lookout points to appreciate the wonderful sights of the area. At night we will camp in a beautiful setting by a pristine creek, where few human beings have ever ventured before. We will have some time to reflect about the need to preserve the last virgin sanctuaries of our planet, like the one you will find yourselves in.
Our journey continues with a five hours hike through the native forest and the lava fields, until we get to the spectacular hot springs of Futangue. Discover the otherworldly scenery of “burned stones”, an extraordinary and massive river of rock, made out of cooled volcanic lava, which flowed across this land back in 1922. Unique geological features are found everywhere you look, as you rejuvenate with geothermal mineral water, surrounded by majestic summits and the sound of rushing water from a nearby creek. Learn about Futangue’s fascinating geological history.
We will spend the night at the Geyser's Cottage, a spacious mountain refuge with 1830 sf spread across two floors. Cozy, welcoming and tastefully decorated, this is undoubtedly one of the most remote cottages in the world, in a setting that takes your breath away and which is situated within walking distance from pristine hot springs. The Patagonian rainforest sits waiting on your doorstep, as the mighty peaks of the Andes frame the horizon and you watch the huge geyser-emitted fumaroles reaching to the sky.
Outside, there is a rustic barbecue area where we will sit by the fire and share the experiences of the day, while we enjoy a delicious meal and a bottle of chilean wine.
Before going to bed, make the most of this magnificent location and indulge in the hot springs with other group members (or alone) as you gaze at the theatre of the night sky and evoke the most meaningful thoughts.
Hike through native Lenga woods to Puyehue National Park, at more than 5500 feet. Marvel at the extraordinary panorama of lakes, mountains and snow-capped volcanoes. Take a break, enjoy the tranquility at the summit and perhaps spot some wildlife. Soak up spectacular volcanic scenery such as geysers and fumaroles.
This excursion starts with a three hour trekking through the native forest, until we reach the treeless area of the massive “cordillera” where you will feel small and insignificant against the vast plateau with the mighty Puyehue volcano as backdrop.The landscape will change dramatically in front of our eyes and you will experience some of the most volcanically active places in the world. This breathtaking scenery will be the perfect spot to reflect on how you feel being in such close relationship with the natural world. Ask yourself how you are changed from this experience and what you can do to aid in preserving wild places. Perhaps write down in your journal what has been stirred in your soul from this amazing experience.
At night we will camp in a wonderful location next to a hot stream, heated by the action of natural hot springs in the area. Recover energies in the geothermal waters and prepare for tomorrow's last full day of hiking and return to the hotel.
At the hotel’s marina, we will board a comfortable, 28-foot (8.5-meter) boat with a closed cabin, which we will use to sail across Lake Ranco. Our destination will be “La Huapi,” which means “the island” in Mapudungún, the native language of the local Mapuche peoples. La Huapi is the largest of the 13 islands found on the lake, and 90% of its population belong to the Mapuche community. We will disembark to try the traditional foods of the island, and, under the direction of a local guide, we will hear the secrets and history of the island, including the legend of the “Piedra Bruja.” Guests will also be able to choose between an educational talk about the worldview of the Mapuche, or a workshop on dyed wool. Upon return, guests will enjoy a farewell dinner and if some would like to learn more about our conservation project, we will gladly provide a lecture on the social and environmental initiatives belonging to our Ranco Foundation.
Rininahue, Lago Ranco, Chile 
$3,400 pp
