Who we are

MALLIN COLORADO ECOLODGE is located on lake General Carrera, in the southern area of the Austral Road, Aisen, Patagonia, Chile. More specifically 273 kms. south of Coyhaique, in the south west corner of the lake, between General Carrera bridge and El Maitén crossing. Geografically, Mallin Colorado Ecolodge is located in 47th Southern parallel, between the Northern Ice Fields and the huge lake General Carrera, shared with Argentina, which is the second biggest lake in South America.

Aisen region is the less populated in Chile, (0,7 inhabs./km2) which is crossed from North to South by the Austral Road, constructed since less than 25 years. The Lodge has neither houses nor villages on sight and is part of a bigger property of 500 hectares, from the Austral Road in front of lake General Carrera to lake Bertrand. It is a famous area for its microclimate of Chile Chico.

Mallin Colorado Ecolodge hosts a maximum of 18 persons, distributed in 4 luxury cabins, for six, four and two people, constructed in a wide area of 12 hectares where the native park and the lake are its main attraction. Moreover it counts with a main house with a cozy living room and dining room for 20 people and a comfortable kitchen room. There is also an open “quincho” to prepare the typical barbecued Patagonian lamb with all the guests. Moreover our guests are allowed to enjoy the 12 hectares of native park and several trails inside the 500 hectares property of forests of coigues, ñirres, and lengas, among other native species.

Located in a natural terrace few meters above the Austral Road, Mallin Colorado offers a spectacular view over the calypso colored lake from any cabin and room.

Mallin Colorado Ecolodge has become very famous because of its personalized attention with transfer services from and to Balmaceda airport, gourmet cooking services, guided outdoor excursions and visits to all the natural attractions offered in the area with all the proper comforts offered by an owners-managed lodge.

History

Almost 15 years ago, during a family vacation trip to Carretera Austral, our family decided to buy a property in the most beautiful place of the whole trip: on the shore of Lake General Carrera, very close to the Northern Icefields. In the very beginning, we offered lodging and breakfast in a couple of cabins built by Eduardo, one of the sons of the family. Slowly we started to offer home cooked food and horseback ridings in the 500 hectare property. Later on, we came to arrange a wider offer of activities, creating all inclusive programs, special interest programs and inviting the local people to get involved working with their boats, horses, rafts, kayaks, etc. Today we offer tailor made trips to lake General Carrera and the whole region of Aysen, mainly based in our four comfortable log cabins for a total guest capacity of 18 people.

Discurso de Agradecimiento por los 10 años de Mallin Colorado
October 2007

Staff

Eduard Christensen and Maria Soledad Arteaga

Founders of Mallín Colorado who arrived in this area in 1995 with their seven children to settle down in the most beautiful area of Chile. They have been the hosts in this place, developing a deep relationship with the local community, and putting their souls to receive their guests from the whole world. They now live in Santiago but come to visit the place every summer.

Sole

Our General Manager, who units us, inspires and pushes us to go on….?¿?¿?

Paula

Manager and hostess in Mallin Colorado Ecolodge. From November to March, Paula is the one who will receive and attend you in the lodge. From March to October, she travels around the world to promote the destination in fairs and meetings, being in charge of Marketing and Sales.

Eduardo

Lawyer by profession, Eduardo is the son who built and designed the lodge from the beginning, since he lived 12 years in Patagonia year round. Now, from La Serena, he supports the enterprise with future ideas and is the lawyer of the enterprise.

Ana María

From La Serena, she attends bookings and reservations for the lodge. She too lived in Mallin Colorado year round for 2 years (?) and returns there every year for at least one month. Ana María takes care of every garden, every flower and every corner of the park, since she is garden designer and created all the outside of the lodge.

Andrés

Our Finance Manager from La Serena controls every finance detail of our enterprise.

Norma y Orieta

Our housekeeping staff is from Puerto Guadal, they have been working with us for about 6 years already and are part of the family.

Don Victor

Carekeeper during summer and winter, worked many years in Argentinian Estancias and makes sure that everyone has enough wood for fireplaces, takes care of the horses, of the water systems, prepares lamb barbecues, etc. making everything perfect for the guests.

Dionisio Mansilla

He is a member of the first family who worked with us in Patagonia. His older brothers built the cabins with us. Today he is in charge of the park, to transform it into an amazing private park with native species.

Why Ecolodge?

Mallin Colorado Ecolodge is located in the middle of the virgin nature of Aysen region and our development politics have always considered respect for nature and its people. Our cabins were built with local native wood. Ass the landscape is very important for decoration, we have set our electrical cables underground, preserving the views. We have planted native trees and preserve the forest. Each season we include new ecological practices related to garbage recycling, greenhouse, compost, renewable energy systems, etc. We enforce a policy of keeping the environment clean. We teach constantly our staff in relation to these practices and promote social initiatives in this sense.

Working with the local community

Mallin Colorado is located 12 kms away from Puerto Guadal, a village of 800 inhabitants, the home town of most of our staff. There we buy from local housewives eggs, fruits, and vegetables almost every day, since we arrived in this area. We have a deep long lasting relationship with locals from this town and other communities nearby. They provide us their local services and we help them in any way they need: contacts, transportation, education, health, etc. The most important of all is that we constantly promote a strong relationship with them and they respond very well to us.

We also take part in the Chelenko group, a local tourism organization along with people from Puerto Guadal, Puerto Bertrand, Puerto Tranquilo, Chile Chico, Mallin Grande, etc.