Bosques de Koniñamco - Pitril

We are a Pewenche organization that, through communitarian tourism, aims to share and give value to activities we have traditionally carried out since immemorial times in our summer highlands or veranadas, in the Andes Mountains in Alto Bio Bio.

We aim to improve the economic situation of our families by developing an activity that is respectful of the traditions of our territory, and its cultural and natural heritage.

Trekaleyin brings together Pewenche entrepreneurs in tourism from four communities of the Queuco Valley, which are Butalelbún, Trapa Trapa, Cauñicú and Pitril. They include tourist guides, artisans, cooks, camping and cabins owners and horse owners, who are all part of our organization.

Our first steps can be traced back to the spring of 2005, when was first established the link between the four communities, Sendero de Chile, SEPADE (NGO) and Servicio País Rural. Since then we have realized the huge potential that our ancient mountain track offer to work in communitarian tourism.

We started to dream that tourists could come to know our territories and us, taking care of our environment and culture, not just being a spectator but rather a protagonist of our initiative, and sharing an unforgettable experience in Pewenche lands.

Caballos - Trapa Trapa

Some years ago, we were granted a project called “Riding and walking our ancient tracks” (II Sustainable Tourism Award, Sendero de Chile), that funded the construction of infrastructure, training, equipment purchase, and more important, generated spaces to meet and discuss about local development associated to tourism.

During the 2006-2007 season, the first visitors arrived to our tracks, which motivated us to keep working, and at the same time, to ask ourselves: Which is the best way to organize what we offer?. With a new project, Trekaleyin (III Sustainable Tourism Award, Sendero de Chile), we searched for an organizational structure to improve the marketing of our work, where each community has a participatory process to arrange their touristic offer.

We want to invite you to experience the deeper aspects of Pewenche life. This can be done by joining horse riding trips to the summer highlands, sharing with us talking to the guides or to the ñaña who cooks delicious foods or makes handicrafts, always surrounded by the magic and beautiful nature of our mountains.

Today, as a result of our effort and enthusiasm, we are together as Asociación Indígena Red de Senderos Ecoturísticos Trekaleyin (Network of Eco-touristic Pewenche Tracks Indigenous Association). Our goal is to become a local microenterprise managed by our own people, with a strong communitarian spirit where the benefits are shared in a fair way, and where we can show the unknown wonders of our territory, with respect and cultural identity.

Cruzando el Queuco

Our Network tries to promote our own development through communitarian tourism, with the active, democratic and permanent participation of our members. We have a Directorate where the different communities are represented, and we always try to share the benefits of our activities with more families in our territory.

We have a partnership with Sendero de Chile, a programme that aims to establish ecotourism routes along the national territory for the enjoyment of the natural and cultural heritage of the Andean spaces.

Our challenge is huge, and our path has not been free of difficulties. However, we trust our Newen (strength) to make our dreams come true, build a better future for our children and contribute towards tolerance and the valuing of cultural diversity in our country.