Kate Morel on Glamping with a View

BY KATE MOREL

morelcompany.co.uk

In this issue I have continued with the theme of ‘location, location, location’ and this one, my friend, is an absolute gem. We hear the phrase ‘breath-taking views’ quite often in our industry but when a location truly delivers them, it is, well, truly breath-taking!

We’re in South America this month, where I’ve been dazzled by some awe-inspiring views over the years, and that’s certainly the case with Chaltén Glamping in Argentina. Open just a year now, nestled on the side of the Patagonian mountains with epic views across the valleys and peaks, I defy anyone to scroll through the photos and not be inspired to hit that reservation button.

The site is just a short walk from the original house of the early 20th Century pioneer, Andreas Masden, and shares the same views over the Fitz Roy Massif huddled along the river. The expansive landscape and adventures you can experience here could reawaken your pioneering spirit – with wide rivers, wider skies, and an impossibly beautiful expanse of mountains.

Apart from choosing an absolutely amazing spot, the camp is delightfully intimate with just three spacious domes set on individual platforms making the most of the views, and a fourth which is dedicated to dining, socialising and relaxing (which, for just three accommodations is quite unusual). There’s nothing overly pretentious about any of the décor, but even so, it all holds itself together very stylishly with natural indigenous colours, materials and textures. I like that it bestows a proper sense of place to the experience we are being immersed in… we are a natural part of it all, rather than an imposition.

I chose this place for its authenticity as well as the location, but that doesn’t mean it’s low on facilities: each dome has a private bathroom, a stove, and the owner really cares about his guests. However, there is one common facility that this place is bereft of - wifi - and I’m all for it. Why on earth would you want to come to a place like this and stare at a screen? Glamping at its best if you ask me (and if even you don’t), rather beautifully summed up by travel agency Totally Latin America’s Jason:

Our Key Points of Love for the Chaltén Camp Glamping Experience:

• Nicolas genuinely cares that visitors have an exemplary time here, it is his passion - that’s worth gold in any travel experience

• You are in the boots and mindset of Andreas Madsen at every turn

• Tranquillity of just you and the mountains; yet you are not isolated

• The aesthetic concepts of living here are in harmony. It is authentic and you feel at ease

• Flexibility to do as much or as little as you please

• Wi-Fi comes a distant second to all that you do here

• Waking in your bed to a Fitz Roy panorama, nothing prepares you!

If you book through the agency there are also some amazing ways to experience the landscape: mountain biking, birdwatching, or kayaking which includes a lakeside lunch en-route and a visit to Lenga Beech forests.

They say a picture speaks a thousand words, so I’ve kept my writing to a minimum this time in the hope we can fit in an extra image!

Till next time, Kate

Kate Morel is one of the pioneers of the glamping movement. A creative glamping consultant, designer, permaculture advocate, columnist and speaker, she has worked in many countries around the world. A self-confessed tree-hugger, her passion for both the great outdoors and the glamping industry bring a unique warmth and authenticity to everything she does.