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Draft:Explora

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Explora is a Chilean expedition tourism company founded in 1993. It operates all-inclusive lodges and guided exploration programs in remote areas of South America, mainly in Chilean and Argentine Patagonia, the Atacama Desert, Rapa Nui (Easter Island) and the Sacred Valley of the Incas in Peru. It also operates an overland travesía between the Atacama Desert and the Uyuni salt flat in Bolivia, and expeditions in Tierra del Fuego, the mountains of southern Andean Peru and Iceland.[1] It is considered a pioneer of high-end expedition tourism in South America.[2] The company belongs to the Ibáñez family, which controls Grupo Córpora. [3]

From 2019 to 2025 it was recognized in consecutive years as World's Leading Expedition Company at the World Travel Awards.[3]

History

Explora was founded by the Chilean businessman Pedro Ibáñez Santa María, head of Grupo Córpora.[4]The first lodge opened in October 1993 on the shores of Lake Pehoé, in Torres del Paine National Park, in the Magallanes region.[1]The property is named Salto Chico. The lodge has also been referred to as Explora Patagonia and, more recently, as Explora Torres del Paine.

According to its founder, the company's concept was not that of a traditional hotel chain, but a set of exploration programs in remote territories, for which it was necessary to design and build hotels to serve as bases of operations.[5]

In 1998 the company opened its second lodge in the Ayllu de Larache, in San Pedro de Atacama.[6] In 2004 the company began operating overland crossings between the Atacama Desert and the Uyuni salt flat in Bolivia. In December 2007 it opened Explora Rapa Nui (also known as Posada de Mike Rapu) on Easter Island, described as the island's first luxury lodging and the first hotel in South America to earn LEED environmental certification.[7]

In 2016 the company opened its first property outside Chile, Explora Valle Sagrado, in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, Peru, between Cusco and Machu Picchu. [8]

On December 1, 2021, Explora took over operation of a lodge in the Chacabuco Valley, inside Patagonia National Park, in the Aysén region, continuing the conservation work begun by the Tompkins Foundation on land donated to the Chilean state.[9][10]

That same month, December 2021, it opened its first lodge in Argentina, near El Chaltén, in Santa Cruz province, following an investment of at least US$15 million announced in 2018. The project, located in the Los Huemules private reserve with views of Marconi Glacier, was built in 117 modules manufactured in Mendoza and transported overland to the site, to a design by the architect José Cruz Ovalle. Its opening, originally planned for 2020, was postponed by the COVID-19 pandemic.[11][3]

The expansion in Argentina placed the company in the debate over rural land ownership in that country. In 2023, the Ibáñez family's land purchases in Santa Cruz province were the subject of complaints alleging that a local buyer was used to get around restrictions on foreign ownership. Maximiliano Ibáñez, Explora's chairman, rejected the accusations and said the transactions complied with current regulations.[12]

In 2023 it launched expeditions as a separate product line, starting on the Chilean side of Tierra del Fuego, followed in 2024 by expeditions in the mountains of southern Andean Peru. In 2025 it began operating in Iceland, its first activity outside South America.[5] In 2025 the company also announced the opening of two new lodges in Patagonia for December 2026: Explora El Calafate (Argentina) and Explora Torres del Paine Conservation Reserve (Chile).[13][14]

Corporate structure

In 2025, the Ibáñez family reorganized the company's ownership under a parent company based in Madrid, Spain, which came to control more than 99.9% of Explora Chile while keeping control in the Ibáñez Santa María branch. The parent company is chaired by Maximiliano Ibáñez Bulnes, the founder's son and CEO of Córpora. In 2024 the company had revenue of approximately US$65 million.[1]

Properties and programs

Explora operates all-inclusive lodges whose model combines lodging, dining and a menu of guided excursions (hikes, horseback rides and vehicle outings) for small groups.[11]

Property Location Country Opening
Explora Torres del Paine Torres del Paine National Park, Magallanes Chile October 1993
Explora Atacama San Pedro de Atacama Chile 1998
Explora Rapa Nui Easter Island Chile 2007
Explora Valle Sagrado Sacred Valley of the Incas, Cusco Peru 2016
Explora Parque Nacional Patagonia Chacabuco Valley, Aysén Chile operation taken over 2021
Explora El Chaltén Los Huemules reserve, Santa Cruz Argentina 2021
Explora El Calafate Santa Cruz Argentina announced for December 2026
Explora Torres del Paine Conservation Reserve Magallanes Chile announced for December 2026

In addition to the lodges, the company operates an overland travesía between the Atacama Desert and the Uyuni salt flat (Bolivia), and traveling expeditions in Tierra del Fuego, the mountains of southern Andean Peru and Iceland.[1]

Conservation

Explora is certified as a B Corporation. According to the B Lab directory, the assessed entity (Explora Chile SA) scored 108.5 on the impact assessment, against a median of 50.9 for companies that complete the assessment.[15] The company maintains private conservation reserves in the Atacama area (Puritama) and in Patagonia (Torres del Paine). In 2021, company executives stated the goal of reaching one million hectares under conservation within ten years.[11]

Recognition

  • World's Leading Expedition Company, World Travel Awards, in consecutive years from 2019 to 2025.[16]
  • Two MICHELIN Keys for Explora Torres del Paine, in the 2026 Michelin Guide hotel selection for Chile (the Keys have existed since 2024).[17][18]

References

  1. Hosteltur, La chilena Explora desembarca en Argentina con un lodge en la Patagonia, 2021.
  2. El Cronista, Grupo chileno de hoteles de lujo llega con u$s 15 millones para El Chaltén, May 7, 2018.
  3. World Travel Awards, Explora nominee profile.
  4. Gestión, Grupo Córpora: "Perú tiene tantas alternativas, como Ayacucho o cerca de Chachapoyas", 2016.
  5. RoadShow, Familia Ibáñez capitaliza Explora y consolida su control desde Madrid, 2025.
  6. Viajes.cl, Entrevista a Pedro Ibáñez Santa María, presidente y fundador de explora.
  7. Travel Weekly, Explora Atacama Hotel.
  8. Luxury Latin America, Explora Rapa Nui: Isla de Pascua, Chile.
  9. My Guide Peru, Explora el Valle Sagrado, Cusco, Perú, 2019.
  10. Viajes.cl, Nuevo hotel Explora en el Parque Nacional Patagonia, Región de Aysén.
  11. Expreso, Un nuevo lodge en el Parque Nacional Patagonia - Chile, 2021.
  12. La Nación, Cómo es el nuevo Explora, primer hotel de la marca chilena en Argentina, April 2, 2022.
  13. La Tercera, Maximiliano Ibáñez y acusaciones por compras de tierras en Argentina: "Cumplimos absolutamente con la normativa vigente", 2023.
  14. B Lab Global, Explora Chile SA - Certified B Corporation.
  15. Michelin Guide, Explora Torres del Paine.
  16. Chile-Reise, 20 Hotels in Chile Awarded MICHELIN Keys, October 2026.
  17. Explora, A New Chapter in Patagonia: Explora Expands Its Frontiers of Exploration, November 20, 2025.
  18. Explora, Explora Torres del Paine Conservation Reserve.


External links

Categories: Tourism companies of Chile; Hotel chains; Companies established in 1993

References

[edit]
  1. 1 2 3 4 RoadShow (2025-09-30). "Familia Ibáñez capitaliza Explora y consolida su control desde Madrid". RoadShow (in Spanish). Retrieved 2026-10-16.
  2. ↑ Com, Redactor Pruebas. "La chilena Explora desembarca en Argentina con un lodge en la Patagonia". Hosteltur.com, noticias de turismo (in European Spanish). Retrieved 2026-10-16.
  3. 1 2 3 Rebón, Nuria (2018-05-07). "Grupo chileno de hoteles de lujo llega con u$s 15 millones para El Chaltén". El Cronista (in Spanish). Retrieved 2026-10-16.
  4. ↑ Gestión, Redacción (2016-07-12). "Grupo Córpora: "Perú tiene tantas alternativas, como Ayacucho o cerca de Chachapoyas"". Gestión (in Spanish). Retrieved 2026-10-16.
  5. ↑ Sánchez, Montserrat. "Entrevista a Pedro Ibáñez Santa María, presidente y fundador de explora". www.travelsecurity.cl (in Spanish). Retrieved 2026-10-16.
  6. ↑ "Explora Atacama Hotel- Deluxe San Pedro de Atacama, Chile Hotels- GDS Reservation Codes: Travel Weekly". www.travelweekly.com. Retrieved 2026-10-16.
  7. ↑ "Explora Rapa Nui: Isla de Pascua, Chile". www.luxurylatinamerica.com. Retrieved 2026-10-16.
  8. ↑ "Explora el Valle Sagrado in Peru". www.myguideperu.com (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2024-04-24. Retrieved 2026-10-16.
  9. ↑ Viajes.cl, Equipo. "Nuevo hotel Explora en el Parque Nacional Patagonia, Región de Aysén". www.travelsecurity.cl (in Spanish). Retrieved 2026-10-16.
  10. ↑ "Un nuevo lodge en el Parque Nacional Patagonia - Chile". Expreso (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2021-08-05. Retrieved 2026-10-16.
  11. 1 2 3 Gil, Soledad (2022-04-02). "Cómo es el nuevo Explora, primer hotel de la marca chilena en Argentina". LA NACION (in Spanish). Retrieved 2026-10-16.
  12. ↑ Vega, Fernando (2023-10-15). "Maximiliano Ibáñez y acusaciones por compras de tierras en Argentina: "Cumplimos absolutamente con la normativa vigente"". La Tercera (in Spanish). Retrieved 2026-10-16.
  13. ↑ Scheleff, Paula (2025-11-20). "Patagonia Hotels: Explora El Calafate & Torres del Paine | Explora". www.explora.com. Retrieved 2026-10-16.
  14. ↑ "Lodge Explora Torres del Paine Conservation Reserve". www.explora.com. 2025-11-10. Retrieved 2026-10-16.
  15. ↑ "Explora Chile SA - Certified B Corporation - B Lab". www.bcorporation.net. Retrieved 2026-10-16.
  16. ↑ "Explora nominee profile on WorldTravelAwards.com". World Travel Awards. Retrieved 2026-10-16.
  17. ↑ "Explora nominee profile on WorldTravelAwards.com". World Travel Awards. Retrieved 2026-10-16.
  18. ↑ Kann, Alexandra (2026-10-02). "20 Hotels in Chile Awarded MICHELIN Keys – travelArt". Retrieved 2026-10-16.
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