CENTRAL PATAGONIA JOURNEY

by ALCHEMY DMC | May 15, 2019 | Sin categoría

Mariel Pagella and Ariana Pugliese from our Leisure team share with us a little bit about their experience in the Central Patagonia.

One of the main attractions in the area is Los Alerces National Park, considered one of the most beautiful spots in Argentina and declared World Heritage by UNESCO in 2017. Located in west Chubut province, the main highlights of this park are its incomparable beauty and hundred-year-old larches. The Futalaufquen Lake inside the park is one of the best places for sportive fishing in Patagonia.

Esquel City is located just 300km from Bariloche, and some train fans around the world come to this corner of the south to find a gem: La Trochita or Viejo Expreso Patagonico (as it is known internationally); a train that is a real museum on tracks, because its structure and even the rails on which it flows, are relics. It dates from 1922 and now it is opened only for tourism, but its added value is the surrounding landscape.

Afterwards, we went to Trevelin, a small town which keeps the Welsh heritage at its best.

Quiet streets are populated with rose gardens, but its main feature is the typical houses and its famous Welsh tea. One of the most authentic celebrations in Trevelin is the Eisteddfod, which consists on an art competition, mainly of music and literature that dates from XI century in Wales.

From Trevelin, you can leave for other tourist spots in the region, such as Nant & Fall Vineyard.

Owned and ran by a local family that follows the tradition of their ancestors in Italy, it is the first one in this area and one of the southernmost. They use a unique system that gives their wines a special color, smell & taste!

Finally, we were able to visit the amazing Huemules Natural Reserve, an exclusive property which offers accommodation in eco-friendly domes with Patagonian cuisine and the kindest service, as well as a wide variety of adventurous activities within the marvellous view of our Patagonia.

CROSSING THE ANDES ADVENTURE

by ALCHEMY DMC | May 15, 2019 | Sin categoría

Would you think that travelling from one country to another by land could be more than just a classical transfer with a border crossing? If you didn’t, then keep on reading these notes by our MICE executive, Alejandra Lippi, who was invited by Patagonic Adventure – Cruce Andino, in alliance with Llao Llao Hotel Resort, Golf & Spa, Enjoy Puerto Varas Hotel and Norwegian Airline to a fabulous FAM TRIP to enjoy first hand  “The Andes Lake Crossing” between Argentina and Chile. Before you begin reading, it is fair to mention that ALCHEMY DMC Argentina was the first DMC to ever operate this service on a private basis for 2 large incentive groups, back in 2016.

This unique experience trip may begin either in Argentinean San Carlos de Bariloche or in Chilean Puerto Varas, as you may do it either way, or even make it a round trip journey.

When leaving from Bariloche, and after making your way to Puerto Pañuelo Port to embark, the journey begins by sailing through the Nahuel Huapi Lake´s blue waters. After around one hour of enjoying the views of the beautiful “mountain surrounded” lake, the boat arrives to a small pier located in a picturesque landscape: Blest Port.

From there, and after a short bus ride into the forest, the second boat sets sail for a short navigation that allows all travellers to appreciate the emerald colored waters of Frias Lake, located at the border between Argentina & Chile.

In addition to the blue and green waters, the trip now adds all of the Valdivian Jungle colors, in a road transfer which takes all visitors along a zigzagging one way path between the mountains and the regional flora towards Peulla town.

The last navigation, via Todos Los Santos Lake, allows, with sunny weather, to catch sight of the Osorno & Puntiagudo Volcanos and the Tronador mountain. After which, the passengers disembark in Petrohue, and hop on board for the last land transfer towards Puerto Varas, the final destination of this full day experience.

Besides enjoying three lake navigations and three land transfers, this trip allows some additions, such as a nice lunch, a short activity in Peulla (for the one day trip) or even the possibility to add one, two or more nights in Blest Port or Peulla to simply relax or do some activities in these amazing spots.

At ALCHEMY DMC Argentina we thank this invitation, which was truly a learning experience for Alejandra and we highly recommend to all our individual travellers, families and groups.

VIK RETREATS – Millahue Valley – Chile

by ALCHEMY DMC | May 15, 2019 | Sin categoría

VIK VINEYARD

The VIK winery features a unique and unprecedented design, which is at once state-of-the-art, highly sustainable, technologically creative and a stunning visual experience that promises to redefine the wine experience.

In 2004, Alexander Vik, a Norwegian entrepreneur, proposed the creation of a world-class vineyard to produce a unique wine. To find the best terroir, he gathered a team of oenologists, climatologists, geologists, viticulturalists and agronomists to search South America. In 2006, Alexander Vik chose the best terroir with optimal climatic conditions for grape growing and purchased 11.000 acres in Chile.

The specific location chosen was the Millahue Valley, or “Place of Gold”, as named by the indigenous people. Here “VIK” was born and it embodies the perfect fusion between man, experience, land, climate and the most advanced technology. Their vineyard, or “Place of Gold”, is located in the interior of the valley among innumerable gorges, offering us a variety of unequaled terroir and small microclimates – each with distinct exposures and cooled by coastal breezes — giving it the complexity sought after and assuring us that we are on track to reach our objective of producing the best wine in South America. The viti-vinicultural concept at VIK is based on the technique of optimizing each stage of grape growing and wine production, with an important focus on science and technology, all of which is adapted to each of our valleys in order to achieve the optimum maturity levels in our fruit and to create the best wine

Featured new retreat “PURO VIK”

Vik Retreats announces Puro Vik, a new retreat set in the hills at VIK in Chile.  Working in tandem with Vik Chile, its pioneering sister property, the remarkable collection of glass houses offers a new way to experience Chile’s breathtaking cultural landscape.

Ideally perched on a hilltop in the middle of this most picturesque valley, with the Andes Mountains in the distance, Puro Vik  is a stunning destination nestled in Chile’s Millahue Valley – only a two-hour drive from Santiago de Chile. Puro Vik, a collection of glass houses that will hang from the steep hills just below Vik Chile, in the stunning nature and vineyard of Chile’s Millahue Valley.

Carefully positioned to offer the best vantage points for living in exquisite, cool and romantic luxury while capturing the magnificent dramatic natural surroundings. Puro Vik offers a hospitality experience which is rare, inspiring and singular by design.

Each glass house will feature unique art and design including themes such as artifacts and antiquities, Japan with Utagawa Hiroshige, the art of glass with Dale Chihuly, holographic art, pop art, 18th century France, bohemian design, neon and light, site specific art installations and La Piu Belle, imagined in homage to the most recent wine from Viña VIK.

Each house will have a free-standing transparent Italian designed glass closet and luxurious wide-planked hardwood floors continuing from the bedroom out onto the terrace. The roofs will be covered with wild grasses or solar panels depending on each house’s exposure.

The luxurious bathrooms will each feature a different and unique marble from around the world, art in and of nature itself, laid in slabs, plus handmade Japanese washi paper set inside the glass bathroom walls to create a discrete elegant separation from the bedroom.

Bedrooms and bathrooms will open onto the private terraces, inviting guests to relax in the plein aire and soak in large beautiful tubs sipping a glass of the best wine beneath the warm Chilean sun, the moon and the constellations of the Southern Hemisphere.