If you are fan of the stories of the Middle Earth, you will love one of the Earth´s most interesting destinations and the wilderness of Huilo Huilo Lodge, located in Chile. The scenery is breathtaking. The very thought of experiencing one of the Earth´s richest ecosystems is refreshing. This tourist destination is for the true lovers of nature who put adventures before luxury, although this place does not lack glam.
Close to the town of Neltume, Huilo Huilo is situated below the Andes and very close to the Mocho Choshuenco Volcano. Apart from the mountains and volcanoes, this special place also offers the magic of the Fuy River and the Lake Pirehueico. Nature has been very generous here. It has also been well preserved. The plants are protected, and cutting is prohibited. The same goes for rivers and lakes, which are among the purest worldwide. In order to preserve the wildlife and ecosystem, hunting and fishing is a big “no-no”.
Neltume grew since the 19th century when the timber factory was established there. This facilitated the development of Huilo Huilo Natural Reserve. The local authorities realized that it would be a shame not to become more focused on conserving the nature than exploiting it. So, the people there turned to sustainability. In the 1970s the land was nationalized, and the project grew from there.
With development of Huilo Huilo, people realized that they can make profit by showing the world how rich their land is. The place became a sustainable tourist spot aiming for conservation. The Reserve includes the area of 60,000 hectares of mainly forest. You will also find natural hot springs, lakes and the Mocho Choshuenco volcano.
Once the very idea of wilderness gets you interested, you will be even more surprised by the accommodation. The Montaña Mágica Lodge in Huilo Huilo is a place out of the fairytale. It looks as though inhabited by Hobbits. The outside is covered with thick layers of greenery. If it had not been for the windows with curtains, no one would ever think this was a hotel. Another strong impression is the water that runs from the top of the cone-shaped hotel between the windows through the mentioned jungle leaves, engaging both audio and visual senses. The Lodge was built of local stones.
Interior is surprisingly cozy. The locals paid respect to the indigenous fauna by naming each of the suites after a local bird species. Rooms were carved out of wood and contain all that is necessary for the usual stay. However, we strongly believe that if you choose to go there, you will spend most of your time outdoors. And that is the interesting part.
Hot tubs are the local attraction. Again, wood was the material of choice. And by “wood”, I mean the actual trunks, carved inside so to act as bathtubs. They placed the hot tubs on decks to make your special moments even more enjoyable. You can take some relaxing time overlooking the woods.
In case relaxing is not your thing, Huilo Huilo also features golf course of its kind. The trick is in the fact they use natural fields and obstacles. You can also go horseback riding, hiking with local guides, rafting and visiting waterfalls, etc.
Apart from Montaña Mágica Lodge, Huilo Huilo offers accommodation in the fully-equipped forest cabins or in the Canopy Village if you like to sleep in the trees.
Let us know whether you think the experience of wilderness can match the glamorous impressions from luxury hotels.