The Lodge at Valle Chacabuco

The people were a real highlight. Sophia, Israel, Chris, Camila, Nicholas and the other front desk, kitchen, bar, and restaurant staff were amazing. The massage therapist was fantastic, and guides Vicente, Poncho, Thomas, and Gonsalo were kind, careful, and caring. My main concerns were with Explora's transport and travel arrangements. On the transfer from the lodge to Balmaceda, I rode alone with the local driver in a pickup truck, while four other guests went in a Sprinter. The driver was very nice, but the vehicle wasn't up to Explora's standard, and he wasn't employed by Explora. We could have traveled together. My travel agency also hadn't received accurate information from Explora. I arrived before the others but am flying to Santiago later than they are. I was charged $850 for the airport transfer, and the pickup had two large cracks in its windshield. With a museum on the property promoting environmental protection, it was hard to accept that Explora wanted to make $850 from me for a solo car when I could easily have gone with another family. The outside vehicle also had no satellite phone, and we were in areas without phone service for hours. Explora vehicles do have satellite phones, so I felt Explora was negligent in arranging this car. I also paid $2337 for one night in Cerro Castillo as an Explora lodge stay, but Cerro Castillo wasn't an Explora lodge. I believe road construction may have caused this arrangement, but I lost two nights, one in Porto montt and one in Cerro Castillo. Overall, the stay was good, though Explora and my travel agency could have been better organized. Oh well.