Tomás at Mirador Británico, Torres del Paine – Photo by Sophia Denardo
Tomás Tricallota is a very talented bright young man who calls Patagonia home. I met him this spring as the group leader of my trip to Chile and Argentina.
Tomás’s love for Patagonia and knowledge of the land made him a natural leader. He led us with remarkable wisdom and aplomb. He offered an evocative viewing mirror to appreciate this magnificent terrain.
I loved the people of Patagonia. Everyone I met emitted a genuine love for the land. They adore their heritage and culture, they worship the natural wonders. They know the stories that matter. They know where the fault lines lie and don’t try to hide them. I loved their authenticity, openness, and their reverence for the living world.
I asked Tomás if he would let me write about him and he kindly agreed. His answers to my questions tell his story, and in turn of Patagonia, beautifully.
Tomás lives in Puerto Natales, a region of Magallanes in Chilean Patagonia.
Sree: Tell us a few words about yourself and how you became a tour leader.
Tomás: I am from Chile and at the age of seven I moved to the United States with my parents. I stayed there until I was seventeen. Returning to Santiago, Chile, as a bilingual made me understand the powerful tool I had acquired, and it opened many professional and educational doors. I got a bachelor’s degree in Ecotourism and Expedition Management (receiving a 40% scholarship because I knew a second language; at that time only 2% of Chileans spoke English). From there I headed to Patagonia, which opened more doors. I worked as an adventure guide, mainly leading hikes in the Torres del Paine National Park. The pieces of the puzzle fell into place when I discovered that my uncle and great uncle also worked as guides in Costa Rica, Colorado and Machu Picchu. It made me believe I was on the right path.
This job flows effortlessly for me. After gaining enough experience I decided it was time to become a tour leader, guiding participants through incredible landscapes rich with local culture and people. Planning, logistics, reservations, and even handling medical emergencies are tasks I happily repeat to ensure trips end successfully and safely. I am now into my 5th season as a tour leader and have a decade in the tourism industry, providing my knowledge and helping with the right pacing to discover the wonders of South America.
Sree: What do you love most about Patagonia?
Tomás: The sensation it gives me when I look at the majestic landscapes. This soul-filling and humbling admiration towards nature, and the abundance of love that floods into me are what keep me coming back and calling this place home. It’s a spectacular arrangement of scenic beauty in the most divine way.
Sree: How has Patagonia shaped the way you view the world?
Tomás: Thanks to Patagonia I have been able to view the world with ease. To understand that we cannot change the things we can’t control. That living simply—enjoying the scenery, drives, hikes, and mountains, and feeling the wind—is essential for mindfulness, and this gives us the strength to move forward in life. I believe I might have an above average amount of dopamine and serotonin in my body as this land is also my workplace. I want to share this love with everyone who visits, so that they can hopefully feel what I feel when I’m here.
Sree: Tell us about one of your Patagonian adventures.
Tomás: Patagonia is erratic, the weather is unpredictable. On one of my adventures I was headed into the famous W-Trek. It was a five-day trek along the foothills of the Paine Massif with a group of travelers. On the first day it started raining hard as soon as we stepped out of the van. As we headed straight into the storm the rain turned into snow. The group fell silent. I knew that stopping was not the answer as it was around 1º Centigrade and we were all soaked. We finally made it to our refuge for the night. We dried our gear, warmed up, and got ready for the next days. As it turned out, each subsequent day got better than the last. By the end of the five days, one of the participants confessed that this trip had extended her parameters of life by including both the worst and the best days of her life.
Patagonia is a reminder of our capabilities, our inner strength and the beautiful surprises along the way. These extremes coexist and only when you feel both, you can really value the present and understand that nothing lasts forever and that every moment matters.
Sree: Do you worry about Patagonia’s future?
It is impossible not to want to protect what you love. My biggest concerns are the health of the glaciers as global warming continues to accelerate the receding ice fields. Increased salmon caged fish farming in the fjords harms the ecosystems. This is compounded by a lack of regulation, and excessive selling of lands in Chile and Argentina to countries that want to mine the glaciers for water resources and use the area as their bunkers on Earth’s haven.
Sree: What are your dream goals in life?
Tomás: My dream goals are to continue doing what I love for many years to come. To extend this opportunity into other countries, to continue growing my travel agency in Patagonia, and to show more visitors the beauties of this corner of the world.
Find Tomás at @tomastricallota
See his photos at https://www.facebook.com/tomastricallota/
Explore Patagonia with his travel agency: www.x-plorepatagonia.com and “extend the parameters of your life”