ecoDestinations - Patagonia

...the raft floats quietly along a shore lined with bushy lenga trees and bright orange calafate flowers. Arratia, who grew up a few hours south of here in the coastal village of Caleta Tortel, leans backward from his captain's perch, fills his water bottle with river water, and takes a good long swing. "No hay mas puro," he says. It doesn't get any purer than this.

Excerpt from 'Disappearing Destinations - 37 Places in Peril and What Can Be Done to Help Save Them' by Kimberly Lisagor and Heather Hansen

Photo: Bridget Besaw/ iLC

Photo Story: Twelve Scenes from Patagonia's Most Threatened Terrain

By Jason Wire - Aysén is Chile's third-largest region, about the size of Tennessee, and the most sparsely populated. It’s among the most remote and undisturbed areas of Patagonia, and could be changed forever by the largest hydroelectric project in the history of Chile. This is not just another forest. This is the largest river in Chile. These are among the most powerful rapids on the planet.

Photo: Kim Lisagor

It's a Sad Day in Patagonia: Chilean Government Approves Mega-Hydropower Project

By Kim Lisagor - Despite a grassroots opposition effort that had spread across the globe in recent years, the Chilean government finally caved to corporate pressure and approved a $7 billion dollar hydropower project that will destroy one of the world's most pristine places. The Aysén region's last two free-flowing rivers will be dammed to create up to 2.75 gigawatts of electricity, enough to power hundreds of thousands of homes.

Photo: EcoCamp Patagonia

The EcoCamp Patagonia Experience in Torres del Paine National Park

EcoCamp Patagonia is located at the very tip of South America, in the heart of Torres del Paine National Park in Chile, with a unique view of the majestic granite towers. The region’s first fully sustainable accommodation south of the Amazon and the first of its kind in the Patagonian wilderness, EcoCamp offers upscale camping in geodesic domes inspired by the region’s ancient nomadic inhabitants.

Photo: Cascada Expedicione

Cascada Expediciones: Enjoying the Patagonian Wilderness Responsibly with EcoCamp Patagonia

EcoCamp Patagonia, owned and operated by the Chilean in-bound tour operator Cascada Expediciones, is carbon neutral, 100% renewable energy, and carefully designed to minimize environmental footprint. EcoCamp's dome design was inspired by the ancient nomadic Kaweskar inhabitants, who relocated within the park without leaving a trace.

Ecotourism in San Martin de los Andes, Argentina

By Eva Mossberg - San Martín de los Andes, a town of 24,000 residents in the Nequén region of Patagonia, Argentina, can easily be referred to as "Chamonix Mont Blanc of the Andes". Much like its French counterpart, tourism is the main socioeconomic activity here, due to the abundant natural resources in the area. The influx of tourists during peak seasons is remarkable, filling every café, hospedaje, kayak, and lift chair.