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Huemules, a touristic project in Santa Cruz, Argentina
Photograph © Addison Jones

Huemules, a touristic project in Santa Cruz, Argentina

Huemules is a touristic project which includes lodging in the domes, excursions (trekking, horseback riding and mountain-biking) and all meals included prioritizing traditional Patagonian gastronomy

Text provided by the designers

All our actions have a single goal: To do what we believe in, and we believe in sustainability. Estancia Huemules used this area for pasture until two years ago. It was precisely at that time when the current owners began pondering the idea they had when they first saw this land: preserving the territory’s Nature to show it to XXI century world travelers. Actually, Huemules is a touristic project which includes lodging in our domes, excursions (trekking, horseback riding and mountain-biking) and all meals included prioritizing traditional Patagonian gastronomy, being a product and seasonal cuisine.

Huemules, a touristic project in Santa Cruz, Argentina
Photograph © Addison Jones

We believe in Nature’s rhythms: That’s why your experience will be unique, in silence. But at the same time, it will be plentiful: plenty of activities and flavors, plenty of tones like the sound of the wind, the creeks and the birds, and plenty of movement and quietness. This project was a redevelopment of over 15 acres.

Huemules, a touristic project in Santa Cruz, Argentina
Photograph © Addison Jones

What are the sustainability features of Huemules ?

We have used recycled wood in our furniture, we have hired 100% local personnel and companies, we have carefully trained our people in the environmental management of our services, we have created an advanced sewage treatment system that sterilizes waste in a clean and odorless way, we have designed an energy system based on the eternal hydrological cycle. This way, we are paying tribute and honoring Patagonia and its people.

Huemules, a touristic project in Santa Cruz, Argentina
Photograph © Addison Jones

Reserve:
We converted the six thousand hectares into a Mountain Reserve just for small groups of visitors to contemplate and admire Nature.

Native Forest:
We designed the lodging and restaurant spaces in specific areas where there is no forest and close to existing trails.

Domes:
We chose the strongest structure to resist the harsh Patagonian climate, but at the same time, we did it because it is more gracious and has lower impact on the natural environment: geodesic domes to lodge our privileged visitors. Wood: We have used 100% recycled wood to build our structure of decks, kitchen and furniture.

Huemules, a touristic project in Santa Cruz, Argentina
Photograph © Addison Jones

Energy:
We have designed an energy system based on the eternal hydrological cycle, complemented by the use of dead wood in energy efficient low consumption stoves. Waste: We have built an advanced sewage treatment system that sterilizes waste in a clean and odorless way.

Zero Garbage:
We have implemented the “Zero garbage” concept: organic waste is used to make compost that is then used as fertilizer in our vegetable garden; recyclable products are shipped to the municipal solid waste treatment plants.

Plastics:
We try to use plastics as little as we can in our amenities and consumables: we use glass or recyclable containers; biodegradable detergents, soap and shampoo; dispensers; glass cups and containers and cloth napkins, among others.

Training:
We train our personnel as key players in our environmental management plan.

Huemules, a touristic project in Santa Cruz, Argentina
Photograph © Addison Jones

Key Challenges

The main challenge was that in Huemules there was not an infrastructure. It was hard to get the people to come up and work in such a remote area.

Who are the clients and what's interesting about them?

We develop the project on our own, being a family company, Huemules, who are the owners of the land and also the project managers. All of Huemules was trial and error and with more errors than successes we were rearranging the policies and actions in order to reach a positive result. We use local artisans and wood builders to arrange all the site.

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