PATAGONIA ESCAPE

ELEVEN RIO PALENA LODGE OFFERS A LUXE AND COMFORTABLE JUMPING-OFF POINT FOR EXPLORING PATAGONIA

BY Ottocina Ryan

Whether you’re hiding from your responsibilities or a stalker, Eleven Rio Palena Lodge is the perfect escape. Think about it…phones are no-go while whitewater rafting. The obligations of everyday life fade into the background when you’re busy craning your head back as far as you can to see the top of a towering waterfall. Heli-hiking a glacier that only Rio Palena Lodge visits? Nobody, and I mean nobody, will find you.

From Santa Barbara, Eleven’s Chilean Patagonia property is four flights and, bear with me, a twohour dirt road drive away. It’s more than remote and oh-so-worth the trek. What awaits is a rugged and pure landscape like nothing I’ve ever seen. And with the staff expertly guiding the way through an immersive journey into the region’s natural wonders, unforgettable is an understatement for the overall experience.

Rio Palena Lodge is the fourth Eleven property I’ve had the pleasure of exploring, and like the others, it blew me away. Their adventurous offerings provide access to the ultimate hidden gems in the area, while chic, intimate lodges—outfitted with pool tables and piled with books—create an elevated sanctuary to return to. In addition, friendly staff members are always there to offer a sense of local culture and somehow remember your drink order from day one, adding a personal touch often missing while traveling. Needless to say, the combination keeps me coming back.

This time, they seem to have guessed my new favorite drink—quickly exceeding my expectations. A welcome concoction of pisco and yerba mate (both local specialties) in hand, I open the door to my room, Palena—the master suite of the seven- room lodge. I walk through the living room and bedroom, out onto the balcony. Clouds part with more drama than a reality TV episode, revealing the Andes Mountains. Peaks garnished with glaciers and cerulean lakes peer out in the distance. The Palena River flows just in front of the property, offering a wealth of activities—from fly fishing to kayaking. Plus, Eleven’s helicopter allows easy access to nearby lakes, glaciers, and rivers for angling, standup paddle boarding, you name it. The Lodge is renowned for fly fishing and is a men’s playground—the other guests on the property are a father-son trio and two brothers. My friends and I went against the grain here, making it a girl’s trip. Spoiler alert: we don’t pick up a rod the entire week.

A rooster crow wakes me in the morning. The crackling fireplaces, audible from upstairs, lure me to the lounge. I curl up on the couch with tea and peruse coffee table books as my friends trickle downstairs. Although there’s no breakfast menu, aside from a daily Chilean specialty, they’ll make whatever you want, adding to the homey feel of the lodge. We send our compliments to the chef for the avocado roses that accompany our omelets, and next thing we know, he’s at our table with a chopping board and some avocados, teaching us how to make them.

It’s time for our first river activity. We convene in the gear room, where we’re each given a designated closet stocked with dry suits, helmets, buffs, water booties, and boot dryers. The guides, Sarah Jane, Juan Carlos, and Andres, brief us on the kayaking excursion. It’s our first dry suit experience, so Sarah Jane helps us put them on over our clothes. What initially seems like a ridiculous onesie, I later appreciate once we emerge from the river fully dressed, warm, and completely dry. They think of everything here.

We hop in inflatable river kayaks, sitting crosslegged, paddling single file, like ducks, as Andres puts it. Then, cruising downstream for a few hours, we take in the moody scenery. The river is a mystical bright blue, trees in every shade of green cover the hillsides. Cloud wisps float low over the mountains. We can’t remember the last time we traveled for hours without seeing modern civilization. The only signs of life are the occasional gaucho cottage and herds of sheep nibbling rose hips along the bank. We’re isolated from the outside world: it’s peaceful and rejuvenating.

Lodge staff awaits onshore with hot tea and snacks. They drive us to a nearby home they partner with, where locals greet us like old friends—with hugs, kisses, and Navegado, a Chilean mulled wine. An asado, meaning barbecue, lunch is already underway. Skewers sizzle on an open fire beside cauliflower and mushrooms roasting in cast iron pans. We don traditional ponchos and pet their dogs until lunch is ready. We then fill our plates and sit on sheepskin-covered benches, cheerfully conversing with the family and going back for seconds. We feel immersed in the local lifestyle without even trying or having to visit a city. It allows us to feel more connected to the community, making me long for a simpler life.

We’re expecting to drive back to the lodge, but Experience Manager Trini (lauded as a miracle worker by her colleagues) has other plans. Out of nowhere, the prettiest helicopter I’ve ever seen lands on the bank. Yes, pretty. The Ecocopter (known for its Everest summits), painted with butterflies, beetles, and dragonflies, whisks us back to the property, offering a jaw-dropping perspective of the Palena River and waterfalls streaming down the Andes. As if reading my mind, we’re told that tomorrow’s adventure is a waterfall hike.

Sarah Jane and Andres lead us up the trail, exhibiting dry humor, confidence, and an impressive knowledge of the region and its plants. The hike is technical enough to keep us engaged, yet not difficult. Every time I look up, a “wow” escapes my lips. There are towering trees covered in moss and ferns, a gushing river, and the powerful waterfall drenching us in mist—it’s all remarkably captivating. The guides later join us for Apres (Eleven’s signature daily cocktail hour), telling stories over a pisco tasting. The bartender explains the nuances of distillation as he pours us tastes of Peruvian and Chilean piscos—complete with advice for making the best pisco sours (pro tip: don’t use aged pisco, as not to add oaky flavors to the cocktail).

Contrasting last night’s extensive tasting menu, tonight’s meal is an asado. Meat and pineapples dangle over an open fire beside the patio, roasting to perfection. They’re served family style alongside other traditional dishes and Carmonier, a Chilean wine. The guides stay with us for dinner, offering culture, connection, and laughter until the wee hours of the morning.

It’s our last full day, and we’ve worked our way up to whitewater rafting the renowned Futaleufu River. We raft a series of class four rapids with names that sound cute, until they’re applied to rapids…puma and dessert paint a picture. Immediately we’re drenched, yet grinning ear to ear. I smile the entire time—even as the whitewater tips the raft almost perpendicular to the river, leaving us paddling air, unable to reach the water. Our guides assure us that our all-female group was the strongest paddlers they’ve seen all season. Thanks to our experienced rafting guide, we never capsize, and in fact, we help rescue people from a raft that flipped.

Back at the lodge, we ease into relaxation mode in the wood-fired sauna and hot tubs overlooking the river, followed by massages in the spa tent. Rio Palena Lodge hits that sweet spot of perfectly balancing thrilling adventure with luxurious tranquility.

All activities are included (yes, even the helicopter), so there’s no shortage of delightful surprises. Between hiking, asados, and flights over the river, responsibilities and the outside world didn’t even cross my mind.

The summer season is December-April. Can’t wait until then? Well, if you’re particularly good at skiing, they offer heli-skiing—to a breathtaking array of open bowls, steep couloirs, and mellow glacier runs—during the winter season, September 16-November 12. No matter the time of year, Eleven Rio Palena Lodge is always a worthwhile adventure.*