Agreste Chile | Cabaña del Monte

Welcome to Cabaña del Monte!

Come enjoy this off-grid gem inserted in the Andes mountains of the Araucanía Region in Southern Chile. Recharge your energies with rest or adventures as you connect with nature in this secluded getaway, all while being a comfortable 10 minutes away from Lonquimay town. Feel the busyness of the city fade away as you rest under the milky-way, surrounded by nothing but the silence of the forest and the mountains. Don’t be surprised if you encounter native wildlife, such as foxes, opossums, rainbow-colored lizards, and all types of birds that will fill your days with their beautiful sounds.

The Rental Includes:

Stay in an off-grid cabin of 35 square meters, surrounded by native forests of the Araucanía Andina, offering peace, tranquility and isolation from the outside world.
Lots of privacy in a 16 acres plot of land, with native flora and fauna.
Grill and access to fire pit area.
One queen size bed and two twin beds (bunk), with sheets and pillows.
Living-room area with comfortable sofas and a dining table (sits four).
Kitchen equipped with crockery and kitchen utensils.
Biodegradable dishwasher, shampoo, conditioner, and soap for your use. *Please do not use other products as they may disrupt the septic tank's healthy bacteria and its ability to process waste.
Hair dryer that is compatible with our solar energy system.
Fireplace and firewood supply sufficient to keep the cabin heated during the winter season.
(Summer/Spring) A 1-burner electric stove and a mini-fridge.
(Winter/Fall) A 2-burner gas stove and a cooler box to keep food cold.
Hot-tub *Additional charge per use. (Because it is wood-fired, the tub takes a while to heat up. Please let us know when you'd like to use it with 12 hours in advance to have it ready for you).
(Summer) Outdoor swimming pool.
(Winter) 2 pairs of snowshoes.
Entertainment area (a mini-library, board games, card games, puzzles, etc)
Wi-Fi connection is available about 20 meters from the cabin.
IMPORTANT: Please read the F.A.Q. before booking.

What does "off-grid" mean?

Off-grid living means living autonomously without relying on the public power grid and other public supplies. To varying degrees, off-grid living incorporates clean and sustainable energy production, food growing and self-sourcing.
Staying at our off-grid cabin is an invitation to experience this self-sufficient lifestyle and connect with nature. The cabin is solar-powered, water comes from a spring on our land, and wood for heating comes from trees that have fallen on our land.
All of this means that electricity, water and heat must be used as efficiently and effectively as possible, simply because they are exhaustible resources.
The cabin requires a certain degree of self-sufficiency and knowledge, as it is an unconventional system. However, while it may take some getting used to, you will find that it is not that difficult and in fact, it can be a lot of fun!

What should I know about off-grid water consumption? Can I drink tap water?

Our water comes from a spring on our land. The water is pumped to storage tanks which then reaches the faucets. Like all off-grid resources, water is limited, so it is best to use it consciously - showers and dishwashing are great opportunities to conserve water! The cabin counts with 1,000 liters of water per day. We refill the water tank every other day to ensure sustainable water consumption. Because we are in the mountains, exposed to extreme weather, there are times when the water (or heater) freezes. If this happens, we will supply water in a jerry can for drinking, cooking and washing. We test our water regularly to make sure it is 100% safe to drink, and each time we are amazed at the purity of the water! We personally love drinking this water, which literally just came out of the mountain floor. *However, our water has no certification so drinking tap water is at your personal discretion (if you prefer you can bring bottled water for your consumption).
What kind of electricity does the cabin have? What electronic items can I bring? What happens if the cabin runs out of power?

The cabin works with standard Chilean voltage (220V/50Hz). If you have doubts about the compatibility of your appliances, please let us know and we will be happy to help you. The cabin supports a maximum consumption of 2000 Watts. Therefore, we ask you to limit the use of your devices to: laptops, cell phone chargers, tablets, and bluetooth speakers so as not to deplete the solar batteries. If the consumption of the cabin is higher than the charge of the solar batteries, the cabin will run out of energy. We recommend being conservative in the use of electricity, turning off lights when they are not necessary and being mindful of the use of electrical outlets. Summer provides us with more energy than other seasons, so consumption in this season may be higher. If we have many cloudy days during the winter season, the cabin may run out of power. For those extreme cases we have an electric generator that can be used to recharge the batteries as well as your devices.
Do I need a vehicle to get there?

The drive from the town of Lonquimay to the cabin is 15 minutes but it is not paved, and depending on the season it can be in variable conditions. Feel free to ask us about the current road conditions before your stay here, and we will be sure to help you find out if your vehicle can make it or not. If your vehicle cannot make it up the road, we can pick you up and drop you off in town at the beginning and end of your stay (in our vehicle or snowmobile depending on road conditions). Once on our grounds, and if a lot of snow has fallen, you may have to park a short distance away and walk/ski to the cabin. We will transport your luggage to the cabin by snowmobile. That said, we recommend you come in a 4x4 car, as it will make it much easier and safer to tour the beautiful and remote places in the area. Most of the roads to the must-see places are unpaved.
Can I bring my dog?

We love dogs! However, we have a dog that gets very nervous when there are other dogs he doesn't know around, so unfortunately we can't allow pets.
Other useful information

We use biodegradable detergent and we do not iron clothes/linens because our electricity is limited. If you need it, we are happy to come and give you a tutorial on lighting the wood stove and how to maintain the fire to keep the cabin warm (it took us a while to learn ;). The grounds - You can wander all over our grounds. In the 16 acres you will find many species of native trees, birds and endemic fauna. Get up close to the ancient araucaria tree; you can find mushrooms, flowers and insects, as well as many nooks and crannies for meditation, yoga or reading. Like many other wild and wonderful places, Lonquimay is a place of extreme weather conditions. We live off-the-grid in the mountains, and that implies a certain degree of understanding when Mother Nature decides to test our endurance. Please be aware that during the days when we have extreme winter weather, we may find ourselves with frozen pipes, no electricity, etc. We will provide backup sources of water and electricity in case this happens, but this should also be considered part of the adventure of living off-the-grid.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Conditions:

No parties or loud music are allowed, the invitation is to come and enjoy the tranquility of the forest and nature.
Pets are not allowed as we have 3 pets in our home.
Check in: 14 hrs / Check out: 12 hrs.
To book and check availability, please follow the link to the Airbnb site.

Hope to see you soon here in Lonquimay, to enjoy and connect with nature!!!

- Javi & Juane