Chepu Adventures EcoLodge

Overview

Description

Chepu Adventures Ecolodge is located in a beautiful spot facing the Chepu River wetlands and sunken forest, a breathtaking landscape that bears testimony to the 1960 earthquake.

Our eco-friendly activities include kayaking, trekking, and mammal and bird watching. Our latest eco-innovation is electric kayak navigation, specially designed for wildlife watching because it does not contaminate the water, is absolutely silent, and uses deep cycle batteries recharged by wind energy, giving it a zero carbon footprint.

Having eco-friendly policies and kayaking in absolute silence for the past seven years has rewarded us with the company of river otters and beavers. They swim next to our kayaks as they do not fear our presence and escort our guests down the river.

Our guests have the opportunity to experience and enjoy nature while reducing their carbon footprint from their travels by living in a sustainable way at the lodge. We have paperless digital check-in with fingerprint signature technology, and only rainwater is used in the bathrooms and kitchen. We use our roofs to collect rainwater and store the water in a well and in large water tanks. Hot water for showers and the kitchen are provided by solar water heaters and electricity is provided by wind and solar energy. Automatic lights save energy as well. We have independently insulated rooms, comfortable beds, and soft white linens with the aroma of nature after they have been dried out in the fresh air. Our home cuisine is cooked with organic and natural products provided by local greenhouses and family farms.

It's never too late to begin taking care of our home: the Earth!

Rooms

Four junior suites: Two persons each with a queen sized bed or two twin beds. The suites have private bathrooms and are insulated to enjoy the Chiloé weather. Electric heater and breakfast are included. All have a private terrace with a great view over the Chepu River Valley and Puntra River, completely surrounded by nature.

Dorms: Shared rooms with two bunk beds, with a capacity of four persons each. Just a bed and mattress are provided (no sheets or blankets), so you have to bring your own sleeping bag! There is an outdoor communal bathroom with hot showers heated by solar power.

Making a Difference

Number of employees: 3

We buy as many local products as possible to support our community, including organic vegetables and herbs, native potatoes, garlic, green onions, cheese, honey, and marmalades. We have traditional Chiloé cuisine available upon request that is prepared by families from our local community (to be requested at least a week in advance). Local boats required for our trekking activities are hired from local fishermen and we also offer their services whenever possible.

We are helping our neighbors by showing them that tourism can provide a better way to support their families. They are learning that a standing forest visited by tourists can be much more profitable and involve a lot less effort than cutting trees down to be sold as firewood.

In Chepu, we are very proud to have the first primary school with an ecological certification, which means that the students learn how to compost, recycle bottles into plant pots, prepare the soil to receive new crops, work in a greenhouse, and keep our community and their houses clean by not throwing waste in the fields, roads, beaches, river, etc. We have an agreement to provide the kids every year with non-toxic paint for them to write and draw signs that are placed on the road showing people that this community cares about their nature and environment.

Our lodge is our life's work, and here, sustainability is more than a concept - it is our passion and nature is our main supplier. Instead of calculating when we will make our money back for our eco-friendly equipment, we are looking forward to being 100% sustainable and enjoy the satisfaction of taking care of nature. We use solar water heaters, wind energy, deep-cycle batteries, and roofs as rain-collectors. We compost and recycle waste and have lights that turn off automatically. Now our goal is to reduce our carbon footprint until we are a zero carbon business.

In our daily maintenance, we use biodegradable soaps and detergents. We dry all of our linens in the sun instead of using an electric dryer and do not iron anything; we just straighten the linens and clothes with our hands (and apologize to our guests for those little “nature stains” left by local insects and some natural wrinkles!) We do not change towels and linens every day, but we offer to do so at our guests' request.

Getting There

Nearest international airport: Puerto Montt (PMC)

Nearest local/national airport: Dalcahue (MHC)

Travel time to nearest airport: 40 min

We are located 24 miles (38.5 km) southwest of the city of Ancud.

A dirt road in good conditions is open all year round for cars and rural buses. Buses comes to Chepu on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Friday. You can also take a taxi.

For more detailed directions, visit our Directions page.

Additional Information

Awards or Recognitions

Green Globe's Highest Achievement Award for the South America region, 2012.

Date This Information Was Provided

January 2013.

Photos courtesy of Chepu Adventures EcoLodge, Chile, for SustainableTrip.org.