Staying at the EcoCamp Patagonia in Torres del Paine,Chile

What you need to know before staying at the EcoCamp in Torres del Paine

My main reason for wanting to take a family trip to Patagonia was to not only show my kids a remote area of the world filled with vast landscapes, huge mountains and endless natural wonders but also for them to understand, on a deeper level, why it’s so important to protect and respect our environment. If we don’t do more to slow global warming, incredible and unique places like Patagonia will remain at high risk.

The epitome of lodging in the park, sustainability and environmental awareness is EcoCamp Patagonia and it is one of the only lodging options inside the park.

A little back story about our trip to Patagonia…

If you are new to Celebrate and Explore, you may not know that our trip to Patagonia was the last leg of our Final Four.

What is the Final Four? As our kids were approaching their high school years, it was evident that our years together were limited and our time to travel as a family of four was going to change dramatically in the very near future.

So we came up with the idea to each pick a destination of our dreams and we’d prioritize those trips to create lifetime memories together.

My daughter chose the Azores and Portugal, my son chose Hawaii, my husband tagged Peru and Ecuador as his dream trip and my trip was, well you guessed it, Patagonia.

This trip was originally planned for 2020. We all know what happened there. We were trying to reschedule for 2021 but Omicron halted those plans but finally in December of 2022, we were on our way.

One of the perks of being patient was that the land border between Argentina and Chile finally reopened which meant we could go back to our original itinerary and explore both sides of Patagonia, the Argentinian and Chilean sides.

It’s hard to justify going all that way if you can’t visit the Torres del Paine National Park.

Spoiler alert: the wait was absolutely worth it. Everything about our adventure to Patagonia was a dream come true and while it wasn’t perfect (what trip is?) it was everything we hoped for and more and through this blog series on Patagonia, I hope to share all we learned through experiences, mistakes and good decisions (read: staying at the EcoCamp) so if you begin to plan a trip, this information will help you plan with a bit more ease.

Staying at the EcoCamps in Torres del Paine was absolutely a priority for our trip to Patagonia.

When I say that this experience was once-in-a-lifetime and with every waking day it left us speechless, I promise I am not lying.

Let’s start with the domes at ecocamp patagonia:

We stayed in the suite style hut that has its own private bathroom and porch. There are standard huts available that are smaller, no heat and have communal bathrooms to use.

As a family of four, we had a king suite and a two double bed suite for the teens. The extra space and privacy is always appreciated for us as family, especially on longer trips like this one.

So, you may thinking, a plastic dome with no HVAC and a compostable toilet, is this a form of glamping?

Well, yes and no.

Honestly, it’s less glamping and more luxury lodging.

The EcoCamp domes are so well built and no detail is left untouched. From lovely linens to natural textures in furniture and decorations, these huts are cozy, beautiful and inviting.

Each hut comes with a wood-burning oven that the staff lights for you each night while you are at dinner, so as the sun sets and the air starts to cool off, you come back to a warm and comfortable hut.

One of the main reasons I wanted to stay at the Eco Camps was because of their commitment to sustainability and the environment. Everything they do is to do their part to protect the land around them and for the greater good of the planet.

Domes for every budget and travel style.

EcoCamp Patagonia offers four types of domes.

Standard domes. These are the smallest domes on property. They do not have heat, electricity and you have access to only communal bathrooms.

Superior domes are the next size up. They include a private bathroom and electricity but don’t have the vast windows or a porch.

Superior Suite Dome. This is the dome style we stayed in and we loved it. Ample space, a private bathroom, wood-burning fireplace, amazing views thanks to the huge windows, sitting area, porch outside, a small closet area and plenty of room to move around. We stayed in a dome with a king bed and the kids stayed in one with two doubles.

Traveling with a family or group, then the Suite Dome Loft might be the best fit. They have all the amenities of the Superior Suite with a loft for extra sleeping space.

Head over to the EcoCamp’s website to learn more about the various dome styles offered.

I will mention that this camp is not very handicap accessible. While the boardwalks could be manageable for some wheelchairs, there are steps to every private dome and while there are less steps to get to the standard domes, there are only shared bathrooms and these domes are smaller, making it difficult to around.

Some of the features and details that make the EcoCamp special and unique

As avid travelers, visiting countries around the world and staying in all sorts of hotels and resorts, I have seen a lot and I can honestly say, staying at the EcoCamp was truly one of the most memorable and special places we have ever stayed. I can’t think of one thing I did not like but the stand-out features included:

The grounds were well-kept, the boardwalk trails lead you everywhere and are designed to protect the earth below them. Raised above the earth, flora and fauna can still grow so if one day the camp was no longer there, long-term damage and evidence would not occur.

Not only did you have the sleeping domes, there was a yoga dome, massage dome and communal domes. Each day you headed to the communal domes for dining, group meetups, to hang out, play card games or grab a cocktail. It’s where everyone gathered to relax, unwind and connect. It’s a come as you are, grab a seat, share a story kind of place.

The views—no matter where you look, you are reminded of the fact that you are in the middle of the Torres del Paine National Park. The EcoCamp is perched up on a hill so you have views of the valley, lakes and rivers below to one side and looming above are the Towers of Torres del Paine. To see them at sunrise and and sunset every day you are there is truly a sight you won’t soon forget.

When wandering around, you need to keep your eyes open! Pumas have been known to be found strolling through the grounds.

If you have the chance to stay here over a holiday, go for it! The EcoCamp truly knows how to the holidays right! Think fun celebrations and gourmet, 7-course dinners. We were here over New Year’s Eve and it was the perfect way to start a new year!

The truth about the compostable toilets

First thoughts that come to mind might be closely related to port-o-potties. Trust me, they are so much better than that!

They look like a really toilet, flush (though there are some tricks to do it right) and do not smell unless you leave it open or use it incorrectly.

All of the waste and transformed on property to dry waste, fertilizer and fuel to run the camp. If you want to know more about how it all works, you can take a free tour of the camp while you are there.

The bathrooms have everything you need but one warning is the showers are small. While the kids and I didn’t have an issue, my 6’4”, 225 lb+ husband could not shower with the door closed.

Curious about my top ten reasons to stay at EcoCamp Patagonia?

Check out my Instagram Post where I list them all.

show me the post

Is there electricity? What about Wi-Fi?

Yes and no. Ok, yes there is electricity but you absolutely cannot use it for hair styling products or other high-consuming electric devices. You are allowed to charge your phones and cameras over night but that’s it.

One exception: Medical devices are allowed to run as needed, such as sleep apnea machines.

Don’t forget to pack your converter plugs since Chile uses the C & L plugs.

There is no Wi-Fi whatsoever for guests. No cell signal, no Wi-Fi. You are completely disconnected and it is glorious. The EcoCamp wants to you disconnect with the hustle of life and reconnect with the nature and people around you.

Even our teens began to appreciate the chance to slow dow, get quiet and be off their phones. I call that a total win.

Need to make an emergency call or send an important work email? You can go down to the welcome center at the bottom of the hill and pay for Wi-Fi there. It’s about $10/hour, they also sell drinks, food and a few souvenirs.

During the day, even with temps outside in the 50s and 60s, the domes warm up fast! There are cute windows that can be opened for a lovely cross breeze but it’s likely you won’t be in there much during the day.

If it’s super windy out, be careful not to open them too far or you may watch it fly off. If that happens, staff will be by to fix it.

As the sun goes down, so do the temps but with the fire and cozy blankets, you’l be ok.

The domes all have large plastic windows on one side, you can cover them for privacy if needed but the suite huts are all tucked away and the windows don’t face each other so chances are you’ll keep them open to enjoy to views of the mountains and wake up to sunrise and the warm glow of a new day.

Hot tea, anyone?

Each dome comes with a tea set so each day, you can take your tea thermos and bring it to the communal hut for hot water. There is something so relaxing about ending a long, tiring day with a hot cup of tea or if you are cold in the morning, start your day with a warm cup.

Run out of your favorite tea? Just head to the bar and they’ll give you whatever you need.

Each dome also comes with a place to hang clothes, two nightstands and a safe.

The domes are just a part of what makes the Eco Camp so special…

We touched on tea but food is an entire other element when you stay at the EcoCamp. Check out my post all about the delicious food & drinks served at the EcoCamp.

Another impressive feature about the EcoCamp is the fact that all the activities are included in your stay.

To read more about what to do while you are at the Eco Camp, check out my post on excursions, guides at the EcoCamp Patagonia. Here you will discover all the things you need to know before you go.

A quick note: our stay was not sponsored or hosted in any way. We stayed here on our own volition and the experience I share is an honest reflection of our time at the EcoCamp.

Planning a trip to Patagonia?

As a travel advisor, I have to say this one thing…Patagonia is not a trip you can plan last minute nor should it be done with anything less than 2 weeks.

The travel season to explore this remarkable area is small, really only October to March, with the best months being December and January. It takes a lot of coordination and transportation to get from point a to point b and no trip is short.

Not to mention EcoCamp Patagonia fills up fast and far in advance since space is so limited so if you have your heart set on staying here, you should be planning about a year out. Need help planning your trip? Just send me a message and I can help you plan out your dream adventure in Patagonia.

Check out this guide I wrote on Fora about the route we took through our two week bucket-list adventure in Argentina and Chile to see as much of Patagonia as possible while also exploring some great cities, towns and villages in Argentina. It’s one of the many routes you can take to travel through these beautiful countries.

The good news is once you figure out where you are going, planning the adventures and hikes aren’t as difficult as the lodging and transportation parts!

Travel tip: Booking a stay at EcoCamp Patagonia and working with an agent like me not only will reduce your stress but I can help build your trip so all your travel elements are included in one package, making your trip seamless and stress-free.