Our Story

In the heart of Argentina’s Patagonia, amongst forests, rivers and glaciers, lies Refugio de
Glaciares. A place where conservation, research, education and tourism come together.
Refugio de Glaciares was born as a pilot project to create conservation areas across Latin
America. From the beginning, our dream has been to find a way for conservation to become
sustainable for generations to come.

With that dream in mind, we created a new model: one that fundamentally, yet harmoniously,
transforms the way protected areas are conceived and established.
Refugio de Glaciares is the result of that dream: a model designed to make conservation
economically viable while creating lasting value for the land, the people who visit it and the
wider community.

An Institutional and Sustainable Model
We seek partners who share our values, respect our mission and help us operate efficiently.
We make this project viable through three core pillars:
● Avoiding land acquisition
● Managing credit efficiently
● Developing a dedicated business unit to sustain operations

We embrace the science of sustainability to explore a new path for development and
conservation, one that recognises a key reality: the challenges facing conservation areas in
Latin America often extend far beyond the boundaries of the protected areas themselves,
shaped by financial, structural and institutional issues beyond the scope of local protected-
area authorities.

These include limited access to competitive financing, inefficient structures, weak supply
chains, constantly changing regulations, a lack of long-term planning, and a perpetual need
for operating funds, often sourced from NGOs or national budgets already strained by
competing priorities like healthcare and education.

In response, we created a model where everything is connected.
We amplify synergies by building on actions that are already underway, reconnecting points
and forgotten paths, and creating a vital resistance to unsustainable models.
Every action has a clear purpose: to build a conservation enterprise that is market-
competitive, environmentally committed and sustainable in perpetuity.

Somos Refugio
Somos Refugio, a place where science, conservation, visitors, researchers and friends
come together.
A breathtaking corner of Argentina’s untamed Patagonia, where everything flows in the
harmony of simplicity.

By staying with us, you are not just a guest; you are a partner in a voluntary conservation
agreement built on trust, hope and legacy.
When you participate in any of our programmes, 100% of your rate goes towards
conservation. Your journey becomes part of something larger: an experience that is not just
about where you go, but about how you connect with the place and why it matters.

Refugio de Glaciares
The impossible project turned into reality.