17 of the Best Eco Lodges in the World

From pristine beaches to spectacular mountain vistas, these boutique eco resorts from the new book Authentic Ecolodges by Hitesh Mehta offer unforgettable experiences, while leaving a light footprint. By Brian Clark Howard

Las Torres Ecocamp, Chile

One of the most remote and spectacular parts of the world, Patagonia has been enticing adventurers for generations. The native peoples of the region are nomadic, and the Kawesqar traditionally built their movable homes in the shape of geodesic domes, using branches and animal skins.

Those traditional designs inspired the modern "ecocamp" in Torres del Paine National Park. Except these sleeping domes are built with modern materials like synthetic insulation and galvanized iron, and they have wooden floors. Large domes serve as spaces for dining and meetings. Their colorful paint jobs were done by a local art teacher, who used indigenous motifs. The ecocamp employs composting toilets, passive heating and lighting, solar panels and a microhydro turbine. All waste is recycled or reused.

Las Torres makes a great base camp from which to explore Patagonia's jagged peaks, wide-open ice fields, smoking volcanoes, lakes and forests.