The best journeys
slow you down and
bring you closer

Leentje Toering

For almost 14 years, Leentje Toering was Director of the tall ship Bark EUROPA, leading sailing expeditions to Antarctica and across the world’s oceans. These voyages shaped her passion for exploration, authentic encounters, and creating transformative travel experiences.

Born in Friesland, in the north of the Netherlands, Leentje grew up close to the water and has been a sailor since childhood. The rhythm of the sea taught her about freedom, patience, and respect for nature. These values continue to guide her life and work today.

Through her work with Bark EUROPA, Leentje first came to the far south, where she fell in love with the raw and untamed nature of Tierra del Fuego. During an IAATO conference, the International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators, she met Hernán, who owns a port agency in Ushuaia. Their shared love for eachother, the sea, the south, and a life connected to nature eventually led her to make Tierra del Fuego her home.

Since 2019, Leentje has been rooted in this southern land, where she sees both immense natural beauty and unique opportunities for meaningful, sustainable tourism. Together with her family, she is developing Estancia Las Loicas, a place where land and ocean meet, and where adventure, nature, and gastronomy come together.

Leentje holds an International Bachelor’s Degree in Tourism and Leisure Management, and besides focusing on building up Las Loicas, she maintains a close connection with the Antarctic community through her work for the IAATO Gateway Committee and in her role as advisor for Bark EUROPA.

At the estancia, her attention to detail, experience in organizing events, and passion for decoration and design all come together, along with her constant curiosity for learning new skills, her adventurous spirit, and her love for animals and nature.

When the opportunity arose to take over Estancia Las Loicas, Leentje immediately saw its potential and felt an instant sense of excitement and peace. Her heart settled here; this land feeds her soul. She feels deeply passionate about developing the project further and sharing it with others who seek connection, authenticity, and the quiet beauty of Tierra del Fuego.

Leentje believes the province is still a hidden gem, a place with extraordinary diversity and potential that many travelers only glimpse for a few days before continuing to Antarctica. Through Las Loicas, she hopes to inspire visitors to slow down, to look beyond the city and the national park, and to discover the richness of the Fuegian landscape, its people, its stories, and its wild, unpolished beauty. For her, Tierra del Fuego is a raw diamond, one that deserves to be appreciated, understood, and cared for with time and heart.

The best journeysslow you down and bring you closer

The best journeys
slow you down and
bring you closer