For whom
Is Aysen for you?
Honestly: who the expedition is for, who it isn't for, what it will ask of you physically - and how joining the group works. Safety in detail: FAQ.
Who the expedition
is - and isn't - for.
This expedition is not for professional adventurers. It is for people with successful careers, a life that works - and a quiet hunch that there's something no meeting, vacation or new project will ever give them. The expedition is open to women and men alike - what matters is fitness and mindset, not gender. You don't need special gear. You need the willingness to be pulled out of everything you know for twelve days.
The expedition is not for you if:
The ideal participant:
"Better a hard line up front than disappointment in the field."
You don't want to go alone
Many women apply for exactly this reason: they want Patagonia, but not a solo trip. You travel in a small group with someone who has his own base and a local team in the region - you never have to handle logistics, boat transfers or safety on your own.
One thing we'll say straight out: this is not a five-star hotel, and there aren't many of those in this part of Patagonia anyway. Everyone has their own cabin on the boat; on land you sleep in cabins - decent and clean, not luxurious. A tent only in the extreme version, if the group chooses it: two nights in the rainforest by the hot springs. Those who know this in advance tend to be happier than those expecting a resort.
Ice, rainforest, mountains. Three layers of a landscape you will never see from a car.
What the expedition asks of you physically
No mountaineering, no certificates. But Patagonia is not a resort - here is exactly what to count on.
Four days on the boat - easy
The boat part of the expedition lasts four days at most and is physically calm - your job is to watch. The rest of the program is overland: by vehicle, on foot and in the saddle.
Hikes - up to 5 km
A typical hike does not exceed 5 km. The terrain is uneven - roots, mud, rocks. You need stable ankles, not records.
The hardest day: the thermal trek
Day 8 - five kilometers through the forest to the thermal springs and back, on an unmarked trail. The reward: hot water in the middle of the rainforest.
Can a fit fifty-something handle it?
Yes. As a rough guide: if you can climb ten flights of stairs without stopping and handle 3-4 hours of walking on rough ground with breaks, you can handle the expedition. The pace is set by a group of 3-6 people, not a peloton.
You don't buy a spot. You earn it.
Six spots, twelve days, one boat. We put the group together so it fits - which is why every spot is confirmed only after an introductory call. It works both ways: you find out whether you really want this, we find out whether we belong together.
And the airport won't be the first time you meet. Before we fly out, we get together in the Czech Republic - we talk about Patagonia and, above all, you get to know each other.
Criteria
Twelve days without signal makes sense to you - you are not going on a forced detox.
Fitness: you can handle 3-4 hours of walking on uneven terrain and hikes up to 5 km.
Expectations: a journey, not a resort. Cabins on the boat and on land, a tent only in the extreme version - and that is exactly why it works.
The group: 3-6 people on one boat. Respect for the place and for each other is not optional.
How it works
Non-binding application
Two minutes. You pay nothing, you commit to nothing.
Introductory call
15-30 minutes with Jaroslav. We go through the program, the demands and your questions - and whether the group fits.
Spot confirmation
A USD 1,500 deposit, paid within 7 days of signing the agreement, secures your spot. Withdraw more than 90 days before departure and everything is refunded, no reason needed.
Pre-departure meeting
We meet in the Czech Republic a month before departure. Talking about Patagonia, gear, practical matters - and getting to know each other. More about the meeting
The airport won't be the first time you meet.
Flying off to the end of the world for twelve days with five people you have never seen is a big leap. That is why we meet beforehand in the Czech Republic - about a month before departure, for one afternoon.
It is not a training session or a sales meeting. The spots are already decided by then. We meet because there is a difference between reading about Patagonia and having someone tell you about it - and because a group that knows each other works differently than a group of strangers.
What we'll talk about
Patagonia and the Aysén region - what you'll see, how things work there, what differs most from Europe.
Václav Nový and his memoirs - why we are going to this particular fjord and in whose footsteps.
Gear, piece by piece. What to bring, what to leave at home, what we lend you.
Practical matters - flights, insurance, medication, money, what to tell them at home.
And above all: each other. Who is going, why they are going, who you will share a boat with for twelve days.
The meeting is included in the expedition price and is voluntary - if the date doesn't work for you or you are joining from abroad, we cover the same on a video call. Partners and family are welcome; it is often the person at home who worries about the trip the most.
Is Aysen for you?
5 questions. 2 minutes. No right answers - just honest ones.
When was the last time you went more than 48 hours without your phone?
What do you miss more - adrenaline, or silence?
What does your ideal expedition morning look like?
What draws you most to Patagonia?
How many people should be on the expedition?
January 2027 is full. We’re taking a waitlist. The second departure, in February 2027, opens depending on the number of applications, with exact dates to follow. Applications for the 2028 season are open.
Non-binding application · full refund up to 90 days before departure
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