A hidden paradise in the heart of Patagonia
Estancia Helsingfors – Nature, comfort, and adventure inside Los Glaciares National Park.
GALLERY
The Lodge
A historic Patagonian estancia founded by a Finnish pioneer. Today, Helsingfors offers an exclusive retreat surrounded by raw beauty and serenity.
9 cozy rooms
Exclusive location
Warm, personalized service
Powered by renewable energy
Getting Here
Nestled inside Los Glaciares National Park, Helsingfors is 180 km from El Calafate —
a journey that’s part of the adventure.
PATAGONIA AWAITS
Discover the magic of Patagonia through private trails, glacial lakes, and unforgettable adventures.
Hiking
Horseback riding
Wildlife spotting
E-bikes
Our Story
Helsingfors began as a dream in the early 20th century, when a Finnish pioneer found refuge in this remote corner of Patagonia. What started as a humble home grew into a Patagonian lodge unlike any other — a place where nature, history and soul coexist in silence.
EXCELENTEVerificada Unique and wonderful Not really in Calafate as the listing says - a few hours on rough roads to get there (but with lots of wildlife sightings and beautiful vistas). Very special place . Hiking is challenging but the guides are great at adapting to guests’ needs. Food is over the top great. We were there two nights which was the perfect amount.Verificada Relaxing stay in a beautiful setting Pros: Tasty gourmet-level dinners. All meals were included with lunch typically being a sandwich and salad bar of sorts, so you could pack food for the hikes. We especially enjoyed the outdoor lamb feast and wine when we arrived. Marcella and Pastor were our guides on the hikes. They were upbeat and fun to be with. Gorgeous setting, away from the crowds of Calafate and Chalten. Well maintained, peaceful grounds. Nice hiking trails – Includes the blue lagoon hike which was so diverse in weather for one hike. Great views. Guided hikes included. You have the option to ride a horse for most of the Blue Lagoon hike; the last part is too steep for horses. Nicely sized somewhat basic room. Good water pressure. Glad we had a separate building (see cons below). Cons: This is probably not a con for most, but if you’re tired or not inclined to hike &/or ride a horse, there’s not that much else to do but hang out in the lodge or in your room or wander the pretty property which can be fine for a day or so. There's no spa for a massage or other upscale lodge features you might see back in the States. We enjoyed all the hikes we did. Cost – I realize that they have to bring in everything from Calafate and be self-sustaining in terms of electricity, etc. (and that can’t be cheap) but $450 per day per person seemed excessive even given that. Noise – There were some noisy guests hanging out in the main lobby area until 1 am on night. This didn’t impact us since were in a stand-alone building, but impacted guests I spoke to thought that one of the noisy folks was the owner of the Lodge. No alcohol included (except for welcome lunch when we arrived) – This is not a big deal, but 1-2 drinks included would not have been asking much for $450/night. Decent Malbec at grocery stores in Calafate was less than $4 a bottle, so a “free” glass would cost ~ $1 per pour and would have made it feel like a better value. The only beer they had was Heineken, so I took a pass on that. We saw local beer at other places in Patagonia. We had brought our own wine from Calafate and had them pour it for us which worked out well. They wanted to be paid only in US $. Pesos should have been happily accepted. If you drive to the Lodge yourself, it was at the end of a 70-ish km bumpy gravel road. It was a bit brain rattling to be on the road for so long. You can have a ride arranged which might be a good idea. Overall – Very nice place, but paying US $900 a night (per couple) was excessive in my opinion. Given that all meals and activities were included, and we paid in US currency, I think something like $500-600 per couple would have been more reasonable. I'm basing that on US expectations since we paid in US currency.Verificada A peaceful and beautiful place We stayed at Estancia Helsingfors in late February 2022. Our trip was deferred from early 2020 due to the pandemic border and facility closures. We are very, very happy to have finally done this trip. Helsingfors was one of the highlights of our trip to Patagonia. This is a peaceful and quiet place, in a beautiful setting on Lago Viedma. The view across the lake to Fitzroy is spectacular, especially at sunrise and sunset. The hikes to Laguna Azul and west toward the head of the fjord are terrific. While we had some rain at the beginning of our stay (which is uncommon at this time of year) we were pretty lucky in that the normal windy conditions abated -- the lake was flat calm, with little icebergs from the Viedma glacier floating in front of us. The entire staff was gracious and accommodating. The food was superb -- I think Chef Nico would be welcomed at any restaurant in the Americas or Europe. Our room was well-appointed and very comfortable. Relaxing in front of the fireplace in the library with a nice glass of Malbec after our hikes was a great way to forget the craziness of the outside world. If you're looking for an escape from the hustle and bustle of the popular Patagonia hiking trails, you should really consider staying at Helfingfors for at least three or four nights. It was a great experience for us.Verificada .... angolo stupendo ...un angolo stupendo in cima al lago Viedma tutto immerso nella natura e in spazi immensi, la Patagonia! Abbiamo percorso la strada da El Chalten con un'escursione in giornata e pranzato presso l'estancia turistica. Un luogo che ricorderete.Verificada Hermosa Patagonia El lugar donde está la estancia es Increíble, a orillas del Lago Viedma. Lamentablemente la Estancia no esta bien organizada y eso le hace perder esplendor. No pudimos hacer la Cabalgata al Mirador del Cóndor porque todavía no habían recorrido el camino y no sabían si estaba habilitado.Verificada une certaine idée du bonheur Nous avons séjourné en mars 2018 dans cette Hosteria une semaine avant sa fermeture pour congés.Notre séjour fut un enchantement, nous étions les seuls clients et nous avons pu profiter de ce petit bijou en toute quiétude,avec un personnel attentif à nos souhaits et ce à quelques jours de leurs congés. nous avons pu effectuer la randonnée vers la Laguna azul avec les guides Gonzalvo pour la chevauchée et Justinia qui m'accompagnait à pied, leur gentillesse et leur disponibilité ont largement contribué à la réussite de cette journée dans des paysages de montagne merveilleux. la cuisine du chef Nicolas est un régal , ses desserts de véritables merveilles. Une mention également à la jeune femme de l'accueil et du service pour sa sympathie ainsi que le chauffeur chargé des transferts qui a satisfait toutes mes demandes d’arrêt photo le long du lac Viedma et du Fitz Roy Cette équipe de jeunes gens si professionnels perdus dans cet endroit du bout du monde restera pour nous un des meilleurs souvenirs relationnels de notre voyage en Patagonie.Verificada Enchanting I don't know how anyone could give this place less than a five star review. The setting is out of a fairy tail. The staff is amazing. The guides are very warm and knowledgeable. The food was truly amazing. I will cherish the time I spent at Helsingfors and hope that I someday have the opportunity to return.Verificada Simply Amazing - Highlight of our trip We were there in November, so it was very early in the season. It was such a wonderful and special experience to stay here. If you like being miles away from civilization and surrounded by absolutely stunning scenery, you will like Helsingfors. The rooms are comfortable and have a lot of space to store your belongings. The staff was phenomenal. Justina, one of the tour guides, has so much knowledge about the flora and fauna in the area and is so kind. All the staff were so friendly and we got to know each of them a bit during our afternoons when we would have coffee/tea/matte and some light snacks. The food was absolutely outstanding. There was not a meal we didn't enjoy. We felt it was a perfect combination of activity (hikes or horseback rides in the morning...but usually not starting until 10AM, so you don't have to get up at the crack of dawn), and relaxation (afternoons drinking coffee/tea and sitting by the fire). Yes, it is expensive, but we felt the experience was worth every penny. My only wish is they would include at least one glass of wine or drink of choice with dinner for what you're paying. Also, the lodge itself (not the rooms) is a bit chilly, at least in November. I was always wearing a fleece to meals and when sitting by the fire. My other wish is they would provide transport on more days, but I understand why they can't. Basically Pablo, the manager, is the one who picks up and drops off in Calafate. We would have stayed longer if the transport services were more frequent. Now that we've been on the road...I would say it is definitely doable on your own if you rent a 4x4 vehicle. I wouldn't try it with anything else. We just didn't know how bad the road would be, so we decided to use their service. I feel like we could have driven it on our own, but it probably would have taken us longer. Pablo knows the road well and knows exactly where the problem spots are. If you have the opportunity to visit Helsingfors, DO IT!Verificada Simply incredible If you are thinking of booking Hosteria Helsingfors, DO IT!!!!!!!! We had THE most incredible stay here. It is expensive but considering how remote it is and that all food and excursions (and transfers if you arrive/ leave on the correct day)are included, actually very fair. It is in the most incredibly beautiful, remote surroundings. The hotel is warm and cozy. We arrived in the rain and spent a wonderful first afternoon sitting by the fire. Our next two days consisted of amazing walks led by Justina - a fabulous guide. The food was some of the best we had in Argentina and beds some of the most comfortable we have stayed in. We got engaged here and the staff opened a bottle of champagne in our honour - really unexpected and kind. We just wished we had stayed longer. I would definitely recommend arranging dates so you are picked up/ Dropped back on the days the hotel offer or that you hire a car. If you do, make sure it is 4wd as the roads are hairy!! Probably the best hotel we stayed at!!!Verificada Séjour inoubliable Nous avons passé trois journées de rêve dans cet hôtel qui semble être le bout du monde car nous y avons eu accès en parcourant une route sinueuse et caillouteuse d'environ 70km qui lui semble réservée car elle ne mène pas à grand chose d'autre. On y a croisé de nombreux guanacos et autres espèces sauvages. L'hôtel jonche un lac où l'on peut apercevoir ça et là des gros blocs de glacier qui flottent. Les chambres sont belles, simple sans pour autant manquer de rien. Le personnel est à l'écoute et attentionné. Les repas sont raffinés et copieux, nous avons bu d'excellents vins (notamment le Septima Otra). La journée, tout un programme est organisé avec un guide personnel pour nous faire visiter les environs à pieds ou à cheval. Les chevaux sont très bien dressés, pourtant ils sont en liberté tout l'hiver nous a-t-on expliqué. C'est un séjour que nous n'oublierons jamais.