Discover the fascinating story of a pioneer in the Rio de las Vueltas Valley, today in El Chaltén!
Relive his tales, share his life experiences and feel part of Madsen’s family.
Take a step back in time! This excursion is a guided tour of the home of the pioneer Andreas Madsen, a Dane who arrived more than 100 years ago and built the first house in El Chaltén. Learn about Madsen’s family; their adventures and challenges that they faced and appreciate their daily way of life of over a century ago.
The house is located crossing the Río (River) de las Vueltas, opposite the town of El Chaltén. Appreciate one of the best views of Mt Fitz Roy – Andreas didn’t choose this spot by chance!
The excursion begins at the gate to the Estancia Fitz Roy, where you will meet our guide. You must walk to the estancia about 30 minutes from the bridge of Río de las Vueltas to the house along a dirt track that runs alongside the Cóndores cliff wall. At the gate the guide will welcome the group and start to explain the story about Madsen’s family and how Andreas Madsen left Denmark for Patagonia, to start a new life in this beautiful place so remote from the rest of the world.
While approaching the house, we’ll be able to admire the original architecture of the house, that is still intact a century on: walls made with chopped lenga cut by hand with an ax. Inside you can see cladding with old wooden crates, hessian cloth and newspapers they used for insulation. You can also admire different artifacts, tools and the original family furniture. On the walls, there is a collection of black and white photographs of family life that give an idea of what it was like to live in deep Patagonia at the beginning of the 1900s. On the walls, there are black and white photographs of the period, that give an idea of what it was like to live in deep Patagonia at the beginning of the last century.
In Andreas’ dining room we’ll enjoy a cup of tea or coffee with sweet pastries. Meanwhile, the guide will share more anecdotes and tales of the family that happened right in that same very place.
At the end of the visit, you start the walk back to town, along the same track, and reflect on how much the area of El Chaltén has changed over the years.
