Aguas Arriba Lodge

There are a number of trails that ascend from the lodge and wind through the forest to various viewpoints dotted around the private reserve from where you can see the majestic peak of Mount Fitz Roy on a clear day. You can also combine a boat trip to either end of the lake with one of the hiking trails.

If you're keen to walk the length of the lake, you may wish to do a six-hour guided hike along the eastern side, passing Aguas Arriba halfway. For those that wish to explore the trails independently, guides can direct you along the best routes.

Lago del Desierto has plenty of quiet bays offering the opportunity to catch rainbow and brown trout, usually weighing one to two kilograms. Due to steep cliffs that descend into the lake's edge, there are areas where the water is deep, so you can let your line sink far. You can hire a guide for the day but we recommend bringing your own equipment.

37 kilometres north of the mountain town of El Chalten and just five kilometres south of the Chilean border, Aguas Arriba is located in a peaceful, secluded position on the shores of Lago del Desierto. There is no road access to the lodge, so the only way to arrive is by boat or on foot. More adventurous souls can choose to hike in, but you'll need one of the lodge's guides to accompany you as the path is not obvious. Your bags are transported by boat if you choose this route.

The lodge has a simple and rustic design aimed to blend in with the natural landscape inside and out. Its eco-friendly build is made up entirely of wood sourced within Patagonia. The wooden interior and open fire give you the feeling that you're in a cosy chalet overlooking a vast lake. Its huge windows allow light to flood in and give expansive views stretching all the way to Mount Fitz Roy. An outdoor wooden decked terrace is the perfect spot for a glass of wine as you sit and listen to the water lapping the shore and the wind whistling through the trees.

Perhaps the most impressive and enchanting space in the lodge is the main living room. This room is the full height of the lodge and has an enormous floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the lake, letting in an abundance of natural light by day and giving incredible views up to the hanging glacier. By night, the glow and warmth from the open fire and the large comfy sofas centred around a large coffee table make it the perfect place to relax after a day of excursions and get to know the other guests staying.

There is also a small library with comfortable chairs downstairs and a mezzanine balcony upstairs with more sofas and yoga mats.

Three delicious meals are served a day in the dining room, all typical Argentinian dishes using locally-sourced ingredients. Lunch and dinner are three-course affairs including a bottle of Patagonian wine and you are given the choice between a couple of different options. Breakfast is a varied buffet with freshly made bread and cakes, cereals, jams, hams, cheeses and eggs cooked to your liking. The lodge can cater to all dietary requirements with prior warning.

Two of the rooms are corner rooms and face south with views of Fitz Roy in the distance, as well as the Vespignani Glacier opposite. One is on the ground floor, tucked away from the main lounge areas, while the other is on the first floor. These are the largest of the rooms (20 to 27 square metres) and offer the best views.

Three rooms face west over the lake with views of Vespignani Glacier. All three are found upstairs on the first floor and are bright and generous spaces (17 to 24 square metres).

The final room faces north towards the southern beech forest surrounding the lodge. An ideal option for families or groups of friends, this room comprises of two separate spaces that are joined together by an internal door. This means that they can both be used as bedrooms, or one space can be used as a living room and the other as a bedroom.