Born in the heart of Africa, &Beyond has spent 27 years striving towards our purpose of leaving our world a better place than we found it through caring for the land, wildlife and people, as well as the delivery of extraordinary guest experiences. We have built a reputation for doing this through our portfolio of lodges, by means of our community and conservation projects and in our touring business.
We started the process of ‘exporting’ our high impact model into South America three years ago and we are delighted to announce an important new milestone on this journey, which is the arrival of our first lodge on the South American continent, &Beyond Vira Vira in Chile’s Lake District.
Here is what our CEO, Joss Kent, had to say:
“&Beyond’s vision has always been a long-term one. It took us 27 years to get to the point where we felt we had really started to consistently deliver on our model of Care of the Land, Care of the Wildlife, Care of the People in Africa. Over the past three years, we have taken major steps forward in our long-term goal of exporting this model out of Africa and into South America. We believe that the expertise and knowledge we have gained in Africa can, in time, create a meaningful impact on this beautiful continent. But, as with all big plans, you have to start somewhere. For us, the first step was establishing a solid operating platform in Chile, Peru, Ecuador and Argentina, putting our people, offices and touring capabilities in place.
In parallel, we have continued to search for properties, as well as conservation and community development-led opportunities, which would drive our vision forward. We are very pleased to announce that we have found such an opportunity in Hacienda Hotel Vira Vira, where owners Michael and Claudia Paravicini and their team have set a strong foundation that combines a breathtaking destination with a top quality product and incredible service.
At Vira Vira, Michael and Claudia have put a tremendous effort into creating a little haven that they have changed infinitely for the better through their care and development. We look forward to honouring and building on their legacy as we take it forward into an even brighter future.”
6 reasons why Vira Vira fits our long-term vision for South America
- Our ethos of Care of the Land will continue to protect the lodge’s spectacular location and the pristine natural beauty of its surroundings.
2. Our trademark interpretive guiding experience can build and develop on the plethora of adventure activities available at Vira Vira, from horse riding to hiking, fly fishing, white water rafting, kayaking, skiing, scenic helicopter flights and many more.
3. The sustainability ethics and operating standards that permeate every aspect of the lodge operation, with its “farm to table” concept of producing everything required for the award-winning restaurant on the premises, ideally fit with the ethos of sustainability that we measure and reinforce at all our lodges.
4. Just as we do in Africa, the lodge incorporates the ancient wisdom and way of life of the local Mapuche people into the guest experience, promoting and offering an opportunity for them to experience a traditional way of life.
5. Vira Vira goes beyond simple luxury, offering an experience that delves deep into the heart of the destination, changing its guests’ perspective on life forever.
6. In time it will form part of a larger portfolio of lodges and conservation and community projects we are pursuing in parallel across the continent.
Vira Vira will be closed from 01 June 2018 and will reopen as &Beyond Vira Vira on 01 September 2018. Keep an eye on our blog and social media channels for more details as they become available.
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