About LimitLes Explore
The common thread of The Road Les Traveled, the LimitLes retreat series, and now LimitLes Explore has always been to encourage people to step out of their comfort zone to explore new landscapes and perspectives in the world, and in turn, themselves.
LimitLes Explore is an extension of LimitLes Travel retreats where I curate an itinerary from the ground up with my favorite travel partners from around the globe. While I’m not leading the trip this time around, the intention of LimitLes Explore is to continue to facilitate group travel with a curated itinerary and my personal touches with like-minded people in the most beautiful places on the planet. These trips foster connection, exploration, perspective, and something much bigger than myself.
Who is the LimitLes Explorer?
The LimitLes community is a safe space where women come together to explore new parts of the world and in turn themselves. We are mothers, daughters, sisters, friends, cancer survivors, caretakers, travel junkies, adventure seekers, criers, and deep-belly laughers. If you are an open-hearted human seeking the road les traveled with women alongside you who are craving the same movement, adventure, and community you are in the right place.
LimitLes Explore Patagonia
So often, I’m asked about my favorite place to visit. While this question might be challenging to some as their answer changes through the years, mine is unwavering. “Patagonia!” is what I always say, and it hasn’t changed since I stepped foot on its soil for the first time in 2014. This vast region of the world is my favorite place to explore for a myriad of reasons. If you’ve been following me on social media or The Road Les Traveled for a while, you know my love runs deep for the Andes Mountains, the wildlife, the raw beauty and the beautiful people of the region. The best part? This 10-day adventure shows you the best of Argentine AND Chilean Patagonia – two countries in one trip. Another LimitLes first!
I have carefully curated this once-in-a-lifetime trip to Patagonia with the best in the business, Quasar Expeditions. They will not only take care of you and your needs, but they’ll teach you about all the many wonders of the southernmost tip of the world! You can expect active and full days combined with adventure, nature, connection, and so much more.
The Nitty Gritty:
Dates: April 1-10, 2024
Price: $7,500
Note: this includes a 35% discount only applicable to this LimitLes group trip.
Deposit: $900 is required within 48 hours of notification to reserve your spot.
Pay in full by: December 1, 2023
Demographic: Women 18+
Group size: +- 12 participants
Itinerary highlights: You’ll spend 4 nights in Chilean Patagonia and 5 nights in Argentine Patagonia visiting two countries in one trip! You’ll be guided along three of my absolute favorite hikes including the infamous Base of the Towers hike in Torres del Paine surrounded by the colors of Fall, the Laguna de los Tres hike in El Chalten, and of course the incredible Perito Moreno Glacier ice trek where you’ll get your cramp on and hike on the glacier. To this day, Patagonia is my favorite place to ride horses, and you’ll get to experience it firsthand while taking in the glacier blue hues combined with the incredible wildlife surrounding you.
Impact: With Reforest Patagonia, we will offset every single emission produced by the vehicles we use while in the Patagonia region. Through non-profit Reforest Patagonia, a tree will be planted for every guest on the trip in Patagonia. In the next four years, the trees will have absorbed enough Co2 to offset the emissions generated by our entire stay down south, thereby making our entire adventure carbon-neutral.
Accommodation: Double occupancy (Single supplement available for an additional $1895)
Included:
✓ Luxury 3-star, 4-star, and 5-star lodging in Torres del Paine, El Calafate, and El Chalten
✓ Private elite guides daily
✓ Perito Moreno ice trek
✓ Horseback riding
✓ Daily Meals
✓ Airport Transfers (on specific arrival/departure dates)
✓ Transportation
✓ Entry fees for all activities
✓ Private Excursions & Tours
✓ Tree planted in your name with non-profit Reforest Patagonia to make your trip carbon neutral
Not Included:
Χ International flight to Santiago (for an overnight on March 31)
Χ One night (can be arranged for you) in Santiago on March 31
Χ Domestic flight from Santiago to Punta Arenas (PUQ) on April 1
Χ Domestic flight from El Calafate to Buenos Aires
Χ International flight from Buenos Aires at the end of the trip
Χ Additional Meals/ Drinks
Χ Tips for hotel staff and guides
Χ Personal Purchases
Χ Travel Insurance
Χ Additional purchases associated with country-specific Covid-19 compliance
Please only complete the application form if you are seriously interested in attending the retreat, if the travel dates work with your schedules, and if the price is within your budget. Applications close July 10, 2023. We are reading applications and inviting participants on a first-come, first-serve basis. A deposit of $900 per person is due upon acceptance to reserve your spot. Once accepted, you must pay in full by December 1 unless otherwise agreed upon.
Meet your expert guides
Trisha Hall
11 years guiding in Patagonia
Trisha arrived in Puerto Natales in 2012 as a tourist who came to explore the region. She instantly fell in love with the strong winds, rugged mountains, crystalline waters, and sense of freedom that the Patagonian lifestyle offers.
An explorer at heart, she has since guided for various hotels, outfitters, and ranches, from more classic tours such as the “W” and “O” circuits to more off-the-beaten-path trails.
She is also an avid horse lover and guides multi-horseback tours, as well as manages a herd of 3,000 with her partner. Trisha lives and breathes Patagonia – and when she’s not sharing the joys of the region with Quasar adventurers, she’s experiencing them for herself. You can usually find her on horseback in the countryside, playing guitar around a campfire, or exploring the lesser-known parts of the Magallanes region.
Tanya Quezada
6 years guiding in Patagonia
Nobody knows how to discover the hidden gems of Chile quite like a local. Despite Tanya Quezada’s attachment to her hometown of Santiago, her love for Patagonia is more vast than Torres del Paine. Tanya discovered her passion for the breathtaking natural beauty and never-ending outdoor adventure opportunities in Patagonia the moment she ventured to the southern wonderland at only 20 years old.
On her first visit, Tanya hiked the famous “W” route around the iconic towers, granite peaks, and turquoise lakes of the Paine mountains. She knew right away she wanted to return someday to share the magical terrain with others. To satisfy her passion for exploration and learning, she continues to travel extensively throughout Chile. From the desert to granite peaks to puma tracking, Tanya eagerly shares her deep appreciation, knowledge, and care for Patagonia with Quasar Guests.
FAQs
I’ve applied, now what? Thank you so much for applying for LimitLes Explore Patagonia! You’ve contributed to a record number of applications so we are very much still working through them. You will be notified either way via email directly from Lesley and you can expect to find out by the beginning of August.
Who can attend? Women 18+ are welcome to join. Apply alone or make this a mother/daughter, sister, best friend trip! All are welcome and you will be joined by like-minded adventure seekers.
Will this trip be guided? Yes. Our trusted travel partners at Quasar will hold your hand every step of the way in preparation for the trip and then be the feet-on-the-ground van drivers and friendly faces along the way. Meet your expedition guides Trisha and Tanya above!
Who is Quasar Expeditions? While my love for this travel partner could be a love letter, I’ll keep it short. Quasar Expeditions is a family-run business that has been in operation for almost 40 years. They’ve been voted #1 by Travel & Leisure’s World’s Best Awards 5 years in a row, their guides have 3+ decades of combined experience, and they’ve guided thousands of happy explorers. Trust me when I say it will be a warm welcome with Quasar Expeditions not to a country or a city, but to the landscape and wilderness of Patagonia that you’ll never forget.
What kind of wildlife can I expect to see? Check out the video below for a preview of who you might meet on your Patagonia adventure.
Will Lesley be in attendance? No. The intention of this trip series is to share my favorite parts of the world with you with through the help of my favorite travel partners. This is a way to continue to facilitate group travel with like-minded individuals on a bigger scale so we can continue to grow our travel community.
Is there an application process? Yes! The LimitLes Travel team will read applications and invite on a first come, first serve basis. This is to ensure the group is intentional and that roommates mesh well! Once you’ve reviewed the itinerary and confirmed that the dates work with your schedule, please complete the application. If your application is accepted, a deposit of $900 is due within 48 hours of notification to reserve your spot.
Can I apply with a friend? Yes! You can come solo or invite your mom, sister, daughter, bestie, friends to apply. Be sure to mention each other in your applications.
Do I have to be vaccinated against Covid-19? We recommend travelers are vaccinated against Covid-19 and have their vaccination card on hand during travel. Travelers will be required to follow the country specific Covid-19 protocol at the time of travel.
Is double occupancy mandatory? No. You can come solo, bring your own travel buddy, or be paired with another solo traveler in a room with two twin beds or splurge on a single supplement for an additional $1,895 (if available).
How many participants will be on this trip? +-12 participants
Why is this series less expensive than the LimitLes Travel retreats? This was a major goal for us! Our aim with LimitLes Explore is to make travel to our favorite parts of the world more accessible while still maintaining comfortable accommodations in ideal locations, offering exclusive activities, and adding in extra special itinerary highlights – all vetted and curated by us while being guided by our long-term travel partners. With that being said, the reality is that Patagonia has always been a very expensive region of the world. We’re excited to bring our favorite parts of Patagonia to more explorers at a more economical price point than our LimitLes Travel retreats. (For reference, our LimitLes Chile 2022 retreat price was $9,200.) Note: this includes a 35% discount only applicable to this LimitLes group trip.
Is there a giveback component? Change for the greater good and mindful travel is an important pillar of why we are in this business. With Reforest Patagonia, we will offset every single emission produced by the vehicles we use while in the Patagonia region. Through non-profit Reforest Patagonia, a tree will be planted for every guest on the trip in Patagonia. In the next 4 years, the trees will have absorbed enough Co2 to offset the emissions generated by our entire stay down south, thereby making our entire adventure carbon-neutral.
Does joining a LimitLes Explore trip this affect my chances of joining a LimitLes Travel retreat? No way! Though, LimitLes Explore may give you a craving for more LimitLes Travel experiences in the future. 😉
Can LimitLes alumni sign up? Of course! You know our travel style best, and we know you will love this adventure. Travel solo, bring a friend, a sibling, or a parent. The options are LimitLes!
What physical shape is required for LimitLes Explore Patagonia? LimitLes has traveled with women ages 19 – 59 with a wide range of activity levels and hiking experience to Patagonia. The infamous hike to Mirador Base de las Torres (lookout at the base of the towers) is a full day, roughly 13-mile moderate-difficult hike. There are also short half-day easy-going hikes and other non-hiking activities that balance out the itinerary. All of the hikes in this itinerary can be taken slowly, skipped, or swapped out for more leisurely hikes.
Questions?
If you have any questions about the above information, please contact us via the button below and we will be in touch as soon as we can!
