Nicolas Rouvière: Following the Footsteps of Wild Patagonia

A life of horses, travel and endless horizons

Some people travel to get to know the world, and others, almost without meaning to, end up finding their place in it. Nicolas Rouvière's story belongs to the latter. French by birth, a traveller by nature and a photographer by passion, his path led him from the south of France to the far reaches of Chilean Patagonia, where he found a land that seems made to measure for his spirit: immense, untamed and deeply authentic.

A childhood among horses, bars and travellers

Nicolas was born in Nîmes, in the Provence region of southern France. He grew up in a world that revolved around his father's bar-restaurant, a meeting place where there were always conversations, friends and people from all over.

His father had a special fascination with horses and with the tradition of the Gardians of the Camargue, the men who keep alive the equestrian culture of southern France. That closeness to animals shaped his childhood from an early age. At ten he received a gift he would never forget: a white horse on which he began to ride through hills and woods with his friends.

By sixteen he was already helping his parents at the restaurant. Yet something else stirred his curiosity: travel. Perhaps the seed came from the stories of his uncle, a tireless traveller who returned from Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Caledonia laden with anecdotes and small gifts.

After finishing his studies, Nicolas set out to see the world. Canada, the Caribbean, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and Australia were some of his destinations. He would work for a season, save up and leave again. Travelling gradually became his way of understanding life.

Chile: a destination that became home

On one of those trips through North America he met a Chilean woman. He barely spoke Spanish and, as he recalls, wasn't even sure where Chile was. Looking at a map was enough to spark his curiosity.

Soon afterwards he set off for South America overland, crossing Central America, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia until he finally reached Chile.

It was 1997. He spent three months in Santiago and kept travelling. In 2000 he came back from New Caledonia and arrived in Puerto Varas, where he began working with a French friend. What was meant to be a five-month stay turned into an ever deeper relationship with the country.

Over the following years he alternated seasons of work with travel. He discovered the lakes, the rivers, the mountains and an international community of travellers who found in southern Chile an extraordinary setting for adventure.

But something won him over even more than the landscapes: its people.

The hospitality, the hugs, the spontaneous friendships, the asados and that particularly Chilean way of sharing made every return feel a little like coming home.

In 2004 he decided to take another step. Together with his friends, he saw that Puerto Varas lacked a place to welcome arriving travellers. That is how Casa Margouya was born, a hostel he ran for twelve years, until 2016. They were years of encounters, conversations, music, meals and friendships that became a fundamental part of his life.

Later he continued his journey in Ensenada, where he met his dog Nutria, who was his companion for 15 years, working in restaurants and at Quila Hostal, at the foot of the volcano and beside the lake. Another chapter marked by hospitality and by the beauty of the landscapes of the south.

Tierra del Fuego: where time seems to stand still

The 2020 pandemic abruptly interrupted that life tied to tourism and encounters. Nicolas travelled again and, little by little, began to look more and more toward the far south.

For more than a decade he had been visiting Tierra del Fuego to see his friend Wilke, a man deeply connected to the wild horses (Baguales). Those trips, which at first lasted two weeks or a month, became a tradition.

He arrived in different ways: by ferry across the Strait of Magellan, by light aircraft from Punta Arenas to Pampa Guanaco, by bus, or driving the island's roads in a pickup truck. He also shared long days on horseback, some of them up to eight days, discovering territories where nature sets its own rules.

It was there that he found something hard to explain: another way of living, another rhythm and a relationship with the surroundings that seemed to have been preserved intact.

In time he began working at Lodge Kuunak, taking part in practically every task: cooking, reception, cleaning, organising, horseback rides and looking after visitors. He also had the chance to cook aboard boats and accompany expeditions through the southern landscapes.

Daily life demanded adaptation. In summer the light can appear around half past four in the morning; in winter temperatures can drop to 23 degrees below zero. Water freezes, the electricity can go out, and the conditions force you to solve every difficulty with patience and ingenuity.

But far from discouraging him, that experience made him fall in love with the place.

A wild filly and one of the most endearing stories of his life

Among so many memories, there is one that Nicolas tells with special emotion.

During one of his stays on the pampa, a small wild filly, barely a week old, appeared. It was his birthday. The filly came close, began to follow him and, little by little, developed an extraordinarily close bond with him.

He named her Kuunak, a name he associates with a star in the Kawésqar language.

For almost two years that little one shared his daily life. She would come to the kitchen to ask for food, wait by the cabin door and play with the other animals. She even followed people around like a dog, while the guanacos and other horses were part of her world.

Finally, one day she went back to a herd of wild horses, when a stallion came looking for her.

Nicolas remembers that moment with a mix of nostalgia and happiness. Although he had developed a very special bond with her, he understood that her place was with her own kind, living freely in nature.

Perhaps that story sums up much of what Tierra del Fuego means to him: getting close to the wild, sharing its beauty and learning to respect what does not belong to us.

Photography as a way of telling the story of the end of the world

His passion for horses ended up finding another form of expression: photography.

Through his camera he began to document the lives of the last horse tamers of Tierra del Fuego, accompanying them through their working days, sharing their conversations over mate and following the long searches for the herds across the vastness of the pampa.

His work was published in the French magazine Réponses Photo, issue 374, November 2024, in a section devoted to portfolio reviews.

The series, titled Domadores de caballos (“Horse Tamers”), portrays an activity deeply tied to the rural identity of the island: men who live alongside wild horses, who know their movements and habits, and who keep a relationship with the land that is hard to grasp from the outside.

His photographs don't only show immense landscapes and animals running free. They also capture hands hardened by work, the expressions of the men, the long days on horseback and the solitude of the rural outposts.

Nicolas doesn't photograph Tierra del Fuego as a mere visitor. He does it from the experience of someone who has shared its life, its hardships and its most extraordinary moments.

Chili Terres Sauvages travellers in Tierra del Fuego

Chili Terres Sauvages: sharing Patagonia from the inside

From so many accumulated experiences, together with his partner Vanessa Nannig, his current project was born: Chili Terres Sauvages, a nature and experiential tourism venture that aims to show a lesser-known Tierra del Fuego, far from the conventional routes.

The idea is simple, yet very personal: to share the places, the people and the experiences that have captivated him for so many years.

Through small-group trips, with a maximum of eight people, it offers a way to discover the island by combining sailing, hiking, horseback riding, photography, local food and encounters with those who live in these lands.

It is not just about visiting places. It is about taking the time to observe, talk, explore and feel Patagonia.

A six-day experience in the most authentic Tierra del Fuego

Day 0 | Punta Arenas: the gateway to adventure

The experience begins with arrival at Punta Arenas airport, where a private transfer takes travellers to their hotel. A first glimpse of the Strait of Magellan and the southern atmosphere sets the tone for the journey.

Day 1 | Crossing the Strait and discovering the island

After breakfast, the ferry crossing to Porvenir begins. During the voyage there is a chance to spot dolphins, seals and whales, depending on conditions.

After a short visit to Porvenir, the route continues through Bahía Inútil, Estancia Tres Hermanos and the king penguin colony. It then heads on to Cameron and Timaukel until reaching the lodge, near Pampa Guanaco, where dinner and rest await.

Day 2 | Wild horses and endless landscapes

A day devoted to exploring the surroundings of the lodge, with a hike of approximately six hours through Pietro Grande and/or the Laguna del Cura.

It is a chance to see the baguale horses, guanacos, grey foxes and upland geese in their natural habitat. The day ends with a tasting, some rest and a dinner accompanied, for those who wish, by a fine Chilean wine.

Day 3 | Sailing to the Parry Fjord and its glaciers

The route leads to Caleta María, passing the Lago Deseado viewpoint, the La Paciencia valley, Lago Cami and the Azopardo River.

From there begins a sail along the Parry Fjord, approaching its glaciers and going ashore to see these giants of ice from different perspectives. The captain prepares a box lunch to enjoy the day amid one of the most breathtaking settings on the island.

Day 4 | Horseback rides and an encounter with rural culture

The day is dedicated to getting to know Puesto Escondido and spending time with its inhabitants and their horses. Travellers can choose between a three- or six-hour horseback ride, or a hike to Cerro Condorera and Laguna del Carabinero.

As an alternative, there is a visit to a neighbouring estancia, with a ride to Lago Blanco and a meeting with local residents. The day ends with a traditional Patagonian asado.

Day 5 | The return through the southern landscapes

The journey back to Punta Arenas passes through Monte Onas, China Creek, Cerro Sombrero and the Punta Delgada crossing, with a stop at Estancia San Gregorio.

The route offers more chances to stop, take photographs and enjoy the landscapes before reaching the city, where a final dinner marks the close of the experience.

Day 6 | Farewell to Patagonia

After breakfast, transfer to Punta Arenas airport or continue your journey independently.

Travel to discover, discover to understand

The programme includes private transfers to and from the airport, round-trip ferry, accommodation in hotels and the lodge, breakfasts, dinners, box lunch, horseback rides, trekking, entrance to the King Penguin Park and Karukinka, sailing in the Parry Fjord and a driver and guide.

Departures are in groups of up to eight people, although it is also possible to arrange private programmes by car or pickup truck, self-guided or with a driver and guide. Itineraries may change depending on weather conditions.

Listening to Nicolas talk about his travels, his friends, the horses and the southern landscapes, it is clear that his proposal is not simply born of a business opportunity. It is the result of more than two decades of experiences, encounters and discoveries in the south of Chile.

Perhaps that is why, when asked what he expects from the future, he doesn't speak of grand plans or very defined goals. His answer is much simpler: to keep enjoying each day and let life continue to show the way.

After so many miles travelled, he seems to have found in Tierra del Fuego something many travellers search for all their lives: a place to stop, look at the horizon and feel, quite simply, at home.