The Sleeping Lion

“South America from Above: where Luxury Only Lands in Private – The Region’s most exclusive corners”

-By Enriqueta Zambonini-

When we think of luxury, our minds easily drift toward Europe or the Caribbean (or perhaps Southeast Asia). But what if I told you that some of the most breathtaking corners of the planet are quietly hidden in South America – accessible only to those willing to go the distance? South America is far more than a backpacker’s paradise. It is the new promised land of emerging luxury: a silent gem beginning to shine brightly on the global stage.

This is where time stands still, nature remains untouched, landscapes burst into a symphony of colors, scents and flavors, and exclusivity transforms the journey into something intimate – even secret. Discover a new kind of luxury: venturing into the unexplored, aboard a private jet.

In an era where luxury has shifted from opulence to authenticity, privacy, and experience, a new geography is beginning to appear on the radar of the most discerning travelers: South America.

Far from mass tourism, this region holds hidden treasures among its mountains, jungles, deserts, and archipelagos. Wonders that can only be truly discovered from above. Or rather: that can only be reached – and savored – through executive aviation.

Because there are places roads cannot reach – but jets can.

A wild continent… exquisitely so.

South America is not just a natural promise: it is a vibrant stage where luxury fuses with the remote, and the untamed meets the sublime. It is a vast, indomitable territory that reveals its greatness only to those who know how to look – and arrive – from the sky. From private estancias in Patagonia, where the wind paints silence and lakes reflect skies so pure they seem imagined, to white-sand islands hidden along Brazil’s coast, where the only way in is a low glide by helicopter or a seaplane landing in emerald waters.

Each destination holds a once-in-a-lifetime experience, designed not for just anyone – but for those who understand that true luxury is about inhabiting the inaccessible. Every place featured in this article has something in common: it cannot be easily accessed through conventional means. And that’s precisely what makes it even more valuable.

Because new luxury is not just about arriving first. It’s about being one of the few who can.

We will explore this in some editions, uncovering an exploring journey across amazing places, starting with my beloved Argentina.

1. Patagonia Argentina: The Luxury of wildness isolation

 In the untamed heart of the Patagonian steppe, where the horizon blurs into the Andes in a line as faint as it is magical, lie private ranches spanning thousands of hectares – hidden from the world. They can only be reached by air, landing on rural airstrips where the wind is your first greeter.

But here, the experience goes far beyond lodging: it’s about being mesmerized by endless prairies, horseback riding between crystal-clear streams and wild guanacos, losing track of time in the sacred silence of golden sunrises or cobalt-blue sunsets. It’s dining on slowly fire-roasted Patagonian lamb under a sky so pure it seems to pulse with stars. And when morning comes, the only sound is nature’s – and your nearest neighbor is miles away.

In the provinces of Neuquén, Santa Cruz, and Chubut, some properties have become ultra-luxury sanctuaries fully integrated with the landscape. Estancias near the Upsala Glacier offer not only complete privacy, but a deep connection with nature: guided glacier treks, wildlife photo safaris, lake cruises, boutique wine tastings, and open-air wellness sessions in natural lookout points.

Further south, near Los Glaciares National Park, private ranches accessible only by charter flights let guests live Patagonia at its most authentic: horseback rides through remote valleys, al fresco lunches facing Mount Fitz Roy, and warm evenings by the fireplace as the wind sweeps the steppe.

Many of these properties are managed with sustainability in mind – preserving native species, using clean energy, and offering conscious tourism experiences far from the crowds. Some don’t appear on any public platform, and reservations are handled exclusively through boutique agencies or by invitation only.

In Patagonia, luxury isn’t a building or a spa: it’s the privilege of inhabiting the untouched – unhurried, undistracted. It’s traveling to reconnect with the essential. And returning changed.

Curious fact: some of these estancias are owned by European art collectors or global magnates seeking total disconnection, with satellite connectivity only for emergencies. Argentine Patagonia is one of the most exclusive and dazzling gems in the world.

How do you see yourself living in first person this adventure?

See you soon to uncover the next hidden paradise.