Different journeys.
One shared landscape.
Wilderness guides, rural hosts and curious minds.
Connected by a place we call home.
A place to explore.
A territory to understand.
Errática brings people into the quieter, less-travelled landscapes of Aysén, on horseback and on foot, through relationships with the people who live here.
We build small-group journeys around rural life, close observation and time in the field. Along the way, scientific knowledge and local experience help us see how water, wildlife, geology and human livelihoods connect.
Our story begins with two different journeys meeting in Puerto Guadal. It continues with every person who brings their knowledge, care and curiosity to this territory.
Meet the founders.
Two paths, brought together by a shared way of welcoming people into Patagonia.
CO-FOUNDER & LEAD GUIDE
Ilango Aaron
Originally from India, Ilango grew up exploring jungle environments and spending time alongside Indigenous communities, where everyday life revealed the close relationships between people, wildlife, and the land. These early experiences sparked a curiosity about the natural world that would shape his training as a wildlife researcher and eventually bring him to the remote landscapes of Chilean Patagonia.
His journey
With over a decade of experience in wildlife research and conservation, he has worked across diverse ecosystems, contributing to field studies, wildlife monitoring, and habitat conservation. His collaborations with organizations including the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and WWF have grounded his scientific knowledge in practical fieldwork: observing animal behaviour, understanding ecological relationships, and learning to ask questions about what makes a landscape thrive.
Alongside his research, Ilango has participated in humanitarian and community initiatives that deepened his understanding of the human dimensions of conservation. Working with people whose livelihoods depend on the land reinforced an approach that values local knowledge and recognizes rural communities as essential partners in caring for natural ecosystems.
Today, based in Puerto Guadal, Ilango brings these experiences together as co-founder of Errática Patagonia. A horseman, wilderness guide, and certified firefighter, he combines calm leadership with the attentive eye of a field biologist. On the trail, a footprint, a change in vegetation, or an encounter with a gaucho can open a conversation about how wildlife, rural traditions, and the landscape influence one another.
CO-FOUNDER, HOST & OPERATIONS LEAD
María Ignacia “Totó” Acuña
Raised in a rural chilean family, Totó grew up around shared meals, open doors, and a natural instinct for making people feel welcome. This connection to rural life shaped her appreciation for community, good food, and the care that goes into hosting others.
Her journey
She studied Hotel and Gastronomic Administration at the University of Valparaíso, Chile, before setting off to explore India, Europe, and the United States. Driven by curiosity, she travelled to discover different ways of living, learning yoga and meditation practices along the way.
Back in Chile, she trained as an outdoor educator with NOLS in Coyhaique, bringing together her love of nature and her interest in learning through experience. Her curiosity later led her to spend several seasons working at Huerto Cuatro Estaciones, where she gained practical experience in organic agriculture and a deeper understanding of the relationships between soil, food, and everyday life. She also trained as an ecosystemic facilitator, further exploring the connections between people, communities, and the landscapes they inhabit.
Together, these experiences have shaped her role as co-founder of Errática Patagonia. Totó leads hospitality, administration, and operations, bringing thoughtful planning and personal care to every journey. On selected trips, she also joins as a guide and host, sharing her love of the countryside, outdoor learning, and life close to the land. Whether welcoming guests around a table or accompanying them on the trail, she creates space for people to feel at home, stay curious, and connect with Patagonia and its people.
At Errática she oversees administration, coordination and hospitality. On selected journeys, she also joins as a guide and host, connecting guests with the everyday life of the territory.
The people who
bring the landscape to life.
A mountain can be read in many ways. Our collaborators bring experience from research, guiding, horsemanship and everyday rural life.
GUIDING & HORSEMANSHIP
Alicia Guilloux
Horseback riding guide with equestrian experience in France and the United States. Alicia also contributes to the training and care of our horses.
Experience & contribution
Her background includes staff training and supervision at Shelby Farm Stables, racehorse training at Stephane Wattel Stable, and training and post-exercise care at Melander Stable. She brings that experience to guiding and working with horses at Errática.
GAUCHO & RURAL KNOWLEDGE
Leopoldo “Don Leo” Mansilla
A lifetime working with horses and livestock in these mountains. Don Leo connects our journeys with the routes, rhythms and knowledge of rural Patagonia.
Experience & contribution
Born and raised in the area, with more than 50 years working in its mountains and valleys, Don Leo carries knowledge shaped by daily ranch work and generations of family history.
PALEONTOLOGY
Enrique Bostelmann
Enrique Bostelmann Torrealba is a Chilean paleontologist and geoscientist who leads the Paleontology and Biostratigraphy Unit at Chile’s National Geology and Mining Service (SERNAGEOMIN).
Experience & contribution
His work focuses on vertebrate paleontology, biostratigraphy, lithostratigraphy, biogeography and paleoecology, with particular emphasis on the evolution of Patagonian ecosystems. Through field research in Aysén, Magallanes and other regions of Chile, he has contributed to the study of fossil mammals, ancient environments and the geological history of Patagonia.
He has published and collaborated on research concerning the temporal and geographic distribution of fossil mammals, Patagonia’s changing ecosystems and the relationship between geology, biodiversity and landscape evolution. His work has helped establish Patagonia as an important natural archive for understanding the evolution of South American life over millions of years.
researcher
Kabir sharma
Kabir Sharma is an Indian systems modeler, researcher and the founder of DESTA Research LLP, an organisation focused on applying systems thinking and system dynamics to complex policy and sustainability challenges.
Experience & contribution
His work explores how environmental, social, economic and institutional factors interact. His areas of expertise include systems thinking, system dynamics, participatory modelling, decision science, climate change, energy, resilience, energy-food-water linkages and sustainability.
Through DESTA, Kabir develops quantitative and participatory models that help organisations and communities understand complex problems, identify leverage points and co-create sustainable strategies. His work includes modeling transitions in energy, food and natural-resource management, as well as research related to climate adaptation and mitigation.
Before founding DESTA, he held research positions in the energy, environment and climate fields and carried out fieldwork on education and public accountability. He holds a dual master’s degree in engineering and a bachelor’s degree in physics. His approach combines analytical modelling with local knowledge and participatory inquiry, making complex systems easier to understand and act upon.
SCIENTIFIC COLLABORATION
Ryan
Ryan Sincavage is an Associate Professor in Radford University’s Department of Geospatial and Earth Sciences. His research focuses on sedimentary geology and the interpretation of geological records to reconstruct past Earth-surface environments.
Experience & contribution
His areas of expertise include sedimentary geology, geomorphology, stratigraphy, hydrogeology and the use of unmanned aerial systems in geological research. His work examines how river systems and landscapes respond to climate, tectonics and extreme events, with current research extending from Southeast Asia and the eastern Himalaya to the Soler Valley, Cachet Basin, Nef Glacier and Colonia Glacier in northern Patagonia, Chile.
Ryan holds a B.S. in Earth Sciences from Pennsylvania State University, an M.S. in Geology from the University of Colorado Boulder and a Ph.D. in Earth Science and Environmental Engineering from Vanderbilt University. In 2025, he received a Fulbright fellowship for research in Calabria, Italy, investigating tectonic uplift and sedimentary records relevant to earthquake and tsunami hazards.
His fieldwork in Patagonia has included research on glacially fed lakes, sedimentary landscapes, drone-based mapping and sediment sampling. He also leads field-based educational programmes that connect students with Patagonia’s glaciers, geological formations, fossils and changing landscapes, integrating scientific research with hands-on learning.
A question.
A conversation.
A shared day in the field.
Interested in contributing your experience to rural and scientific expeditions?
Collaborations take different forms. The people involved depend on each programme, its focus and availability.
Brands & organisations.
A place in the story.
Alongside individual collaborators, this space introduces the organisations and brands involved in our work—and explains what each relationship makes possible.
DESIGN PREVIEW · Partner names, logos and relationships are awaiting confirmation.
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SCIENCE & EDUCATION
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TERRITORY & CONSERVATION
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BRANDS
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LOCAL HOSPITALITY & SERVICES
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Working together starts with a clear shared purpose.
Moved by the journey.
Rooted in the place.
Erratic rocks travel far from their origins, carried by glaciers until they become part of a new landscape. They give Errática its name—and a way to think about our own journeys.
We arrived by different paths. Being here means learning from the place, contributing to it and caring for the relationships that make it home.
Our vision & mission
Our vision. Travel that deepens understanding of landscapes, rural life and our shared responsibility for their future.
Our mission. To create value for nature conservation and cultural identity through small-scale travel, education and respectful relationships with local communities.
Explore slowly.
Small groups and time to observe. We make room for the unexpected question, the change in vegetation and the story shared on the trail.
Learn together.
Scientific interpretation and rural knowledge offer different perspectives. Citizen-science activities follow the purpose and methods defined for each programme.
Stay connected.
We work through local relationships, bringing visitors closer to the people whose lives are part of the landscape.
What comes next
starts here.
Our expeditions and existing collaborations are the starting point for deeper field learning and exchange.
- Rural and scientific expeditions shaped with specialist knowledge and local experience.
- Educational journeys and citizen science with clear questions and suitable field methods.
- A future meeting and research space for visitors, researchers and local people to learn together.
There is more to a place
when you know its people.
Join a journey, bring a group into the field, or talk to us about a collaboration.