In Patagonia, where mountains cradle valleys and rivers carve ancient paths, healing doesn’t come in bottles—it grows from the earth. Along remote forest edges and wind-swept plains, Patagonian women walk slowly, attentively, searching not just for plants, but for meaning.
These are the herb walkers, women whose lives are intertwined with the medicinal power of nature, and whose knowledge transforms each trail into a sacred healing path.
This article explores the botanical wisdom of Patagonian women, especially those who lead healing walks, tend wild gardens, and use sacred herbs in rituals and daily life.
More than just herbalists, they are healers, teachers, and protectors of ancestral memory—and they are opening their paths to travelers seeking reconnection with land, body, and spirit.
The Role of Women in Patagonian Plant Medicine
In many indigenous and rural communities across Patagonia—particularly among the Mapuche, Tehuelche, and mestiza populations—women are the primary carriers of medicinal plant knowledge.
They are known by many names:
- Lawentuchefe – in Mapuche culture, a healer who works with plants and nature spirits.
- Curandera – a folk healer blending indigenous and settler traditions.
- Sabia de monte – the wise woman of the bush.
These women often learned from grandmothers and mothers, not through books, but through observation, intuition, and experience. Their work is not only therapeutic—it’s spiritual. The act of gathering, preparing, and sharing plants is imbued with ritual and reverence.
What Are Healing Walks?
Healing walks are guided, mindful journeys where the focus is not on distance or fitness, but on:
- Identifying and honoring medicinal plants in their natural habitat.
- Engaging the senses—touching, smelling, listening.
- Learning the cultural context of each plant.
- Participating in rituals that use herbs for emotional, physical, or spiritual balance.
These walks are usually conducted in small groups, and often involve personal reflection, gentle movement, and intentional silence.
Key Healing Plants Used by Patagonian Women
Here are some of the most important herbs used in traditional medicine and healing rituals:
🌿 Canelo (Drimys winteri)
- Sacred tree for the Mapuche, symbol of peace and spiritual power.
- Bark and leaves used to treat digestive issues and respiratory infections.
- Burned in rituals for protection and purification.
🌿 Palo pichi (Fabiana imbricata)
- Used for urinary and liver conditions.
- Leaves prepared in strong infusions or steams.
- Often harvested with a blessing to the plant.
🌿 Matico (Buddleja globosa)
- Excellent for wound healing and skin inflammation.
- Also used in women’s health, especially postpartum.
- Applied as compresses and in baths.
🌿 Llanten (Plantago)
- Soothing for sore throats and skin issues.
- Used in cleansing rituals for emotional grief.
🌿 Maqui (Aristotelia chilensis)
- Berries rich in antioxidants, used in medicine and food.
- Leaves used for inflammation and pain relief.
- Associated with women’s strength and resilience.
Places to Experience Botanical Healing Trails
1. Curarrehue (Chile) – The Sacred Plant Trail
A small Mapuche village surrounded by rivers and mountains, where women lead seasonal herb walks along ancestral paths.
Highlights:
- Walks guided by lawentuchefe, with storytelling in Mapudungun.
- Hands-on harvesting and preparation of teas, salves, and smudge bundles.
- River cleansing rituals using canelo and matico.
Travelers are encouraged to leave behind a personal offering, such as a thread or poem, as a sign of reciprocity.
2. El Bolsón (Argentina) – Earth and Spirit Walks
Here, a collective of women healers and herbalists offers multi-day botanical retreats that combine:
- Forest hikes for foraging.
- Wildflower meditations.
- Ceremonial plant baths under the moonlight.
They blend Mapuche wisdom with modern herbalism, welcoming women from all backgrounds to reconnect with their inner cycles.
3. Futaleufú (Chile) – Herbalism and Ancestral Grief Work
In this river town, a group of elder women offers walks focused on emotional and ancestral healing through plants.
Expect:
- Dream interpretation with herbal teas.
- Use of herbs for grief and trauma, especially among women healing from generational pain.
- Creating personalized herbal amulets to carry home.
Ritual Practices Along the Trail
Healing trails are more than informative—they’re transformative, thanks to the integration of ritual.
🔥 Smudging and Purification
- Using canelo, rosemary, or sage.
- Performed at the trail’s entrance to clear old energy and open intention.
💧 Herbal Foot Baths
- Done at stream crossings.
- Invites participants to reflect on where they’ve been and where they’re going.
🍵 Medicinal Tea Ceremonies
- Shared in silence or with music.
- Each plant is introduced as a spiritual ally, not just a remedy.
🌸 Plant Offerings and Blessings
- Participants are often asked to thank the plants verbally or with small gifts (stones, seeds, songs).
- Respect is fundamental—take nothing without asking, and never overharvest.
The Emotional Impact of the Healing Trail
Travelers describe these walks as:
- Soft but profound: “I didn’t know I needed healing until I felt the forest breathe with me.”
- Clarifying: “I left with fewer answers but clearer questions.”
- Rebalancing: “My body slowed down to meet my soul.”
Many say the healing begins not with the herbs themselves, but with the slowness, silence, and sacred attention the walks demand.
How to Prepare and Participate with Respect
- Wear natural fabrics and simple colors.
- Bring a notebook, water, and a small item for offering.
- Come with questions, not expectations.
- Don’t photograph without consent—some plants and rituals are sacred.
Most importantly: Listen. To the plants. To the women. To your body.
Why These Trails Matter Today
In a world of quick fixes and clinical detachment, the healing trail led by women offers a counterpoint:
- Slowness instead of speed.
- Intuition instead of metrics.
- Community instead of isolation.
These women are preserving not just remedies, but ways of relating—to land, body, and each other. And they are doing it with grace, wisdom, and resilience.
As one healer puts it:
“Plants don’t just heal symptoms—they remember who you are.”
Leonardo e Raquel Dias are a couple passionate about travel, exploring the world together and sharing their experiences. Leonardo is a photographer and food enthusiast, while Raquel is a writer fascinated by history and culture. Through their blog, they inspire other couples over 50 to embark on their own adventures.