Come with us to travel the most splendid Patagonia National Parks, trekking at El Chalten, Mount Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre bases, visiting the Perito Moreno Glacier, hiking in Torres del Paine National Park (Chile). In this hiking trip you will walk along the most spectacular landscapes of Southern Patagonia, at El Chalten, El Calafate, and Torres del Paine (Chile). The tour combines the very best of Patagonia with the comfort of our fine selection of lodges in the area. We do not use Full Camps in this tour. The design of the program includes some moderate treks, which are performed at a slow pace with all the necessary stops, meaning you do not need to be in excellent fit to take these trips. All treks include a mid way turn around point. The trip offers a perfect balance of outdoors and comfort, making special emphasis in the Natural History and discovery of Patagonia. We visit, hike and enjoy 2 of the most important National Parks of Patagonia, Los Glaciares National Park in Argentina and Torres del Paine National Park in Chile, both Worl Heritage by the UNESCO. This is a group travel departure with a minimum of 2 travelers.

Departures 2016/2017:

    11 days - 10 nights

    Season: October to April

    Begins: Sundays

    Starts at: El Calafate Airport (FTE).

    Ends at: El Calafate Airport (FTE).



Itinerary
Day 1: El Calafate Airport (FTE) - El Calafate
We welcome you at El Calafate Airport and and transfer to town, where we check in at our lodge. In the evening we meet our tour leader to talk about the details of the program and to share our first dinner with our fellow travellers.
Lodging at Hosteria or Inn, double or single Room with private bathroom
Included meals : dinner (D)

Day 2: Bus to El Chalten - Cerro Torre trail
After breakfast we travel by bus to El Chalten, a little and colorful town next to Mount Fitz Roy. To arrive to El Chalten we will cross cross 220 km through the Patagonia steppe, around lakes Argentino and Viedma, stopping at a picturesque inn to enjoy a coffe and homemade cakes. When we arrive to the town we prepare for the trekking, and we go hiking in the Cerro Torre trail, reaching the first viewpoint of the valley, from where the Cerro Torre group and valley is entirely visible. For those willing to walk further, our guide leads you to Laguna Torre, something like 9 km away from town. The trail goes in a glacier valley. The lagoon features the Torre glacier calving in the far side, and the Cerro Torre group & spires rising in the background. 3 hs round trip to the first viewpoint. 6 hs round trip to the lagoon.
Lodging at Hosteria or Inn, double or single Room with private bathroom
Included meals: breakfast (B), box lunch (BL) and dinner (D)

Day 3: Fitz Roy trail - Laguna Capri
Fitz Roy trail climbs gently in the slopes of Cerro Rosado and along the “Chorrillo del Salto” valley, a beautiful mountain stream with rapids and waterfalls. Our destination is Laguna Capri, a beautiful lagoon in the forest with full views on the Fitz Roy spires and glaciers. For keen hikers, the option is to continue to Rio Blanco (basecamp for climbers) and to Laguna de los Tres, end of trail and one of the highlights of the National Park. The sight of the spires and glaciers from here are breathtaking. 2 hs from town to Laguna Capri, 1 more hour to Rio Blanco and 1 hour of steep climb to Laguna de los Tres. We hike back to Chaltén along the same trail.
Lodging at Hosteria or Inn, double or single Room with private bathroom
Included meals: breakfast (B), box lunch (BL) and dinner (D)

Day 4: Loma del Pliegue Tumbado
This 1500 m hill, immediately south of Cerro Torre valley, offers some of the best views over the different group of mountains, glaciers and lakes that features the area. From the lower terraces to the summit, you can get spectacular views of Mt. Fitz Roy, Torre and the spectacular glacier valley in between both. From the summit the bonus is the sight of Paso del Viento and some of the mountains that stick out from the Patagonia Ice Field. According to the group capacity, we choose the lower terraces or try the summit, a long but gentle climb. The lower part of the mountain is covered by shrubland and forest.
Lodging at Hosteria or Inn, double or single Room with private bathroom
Included meals: breakfast (B), box lunch (BL) and dinner (D)

Day 5: El Chalten - El Calafate
Morning at leisure or to go in some optional excursion, as the boat trip & glacier walk in lake and glacier Viedma or you can choose to explore the town of El Chalten, with the possibility of visiting The Climbers Chapel; or visit estancia Madsen (home of the first european immigrant that settled in the valley); or the Interpretive Center of National Parks; or taking a bus to visit the area of Del Desierto Lake located 45 Km out of town for a short hiking or practice kayaking on Las Vueltas river. In late afternoon we take our bus to El Calafate, 220 km away, a 4 hs trip.
Lodging at Hosteria or Inn, double or single Room with private bathroom
Included meals: breakfast (B)

Day 6: Perito Moreno Glacier
We dedicate this day to one of the World’s Natural Wonders: the Perito Moreno glacier. After breakfast we travel by bus, on a road that allows us to go through the folds left on the steppe by the glaciers, to the Magallanes peninsula where the southern entrance of Los Glaciares National Park is located. Its major attraction is the Perito Moreno Glacier which, because of unusually favorable local conditions, is one of the world’s few advancing glaciers. This ice field-type glacier flows down from the Patagonia Icefield, a big ice surface that with its 22.000 square kilometres is the third largest glacier area in the world, after Antarctica (14 M sq km) and Greenland (1 M sq km). The Perito Moreno Glacier is the only one in the world that shows a closure and rupture process. Huge icebergs from the glacier wall collapse into the De los Tempanos Channel. The roar of the gigantic ice rocks falling and crashing into the waters of the channel is a unique experience. Our bus will lead us just in front of the Glacier, allowing us to walk and view the Glacier from different viewpoints. We return to El Calafate using a different route. We will drive 80 km (1 and a half hour) to get and then again to come back from the glacier across the steppe, watching a wide variety of birds.
Lodging at Hosteria or Inn, double or single Room with private bathroom
Included meals: breakfast (B)

Day 7: El Calafate – Torres del Paine
We leave early in the morning towards Torres del Paine National Park, Chile. We follow a typical Patagonian gravel road, part of the legendary Route 40, with guanacos, lesser rheas, flamingos, condors and eagles. We enter Chile through Cancha Carrera / Cerro Castillo pass. Approaching Paine National Park (World Heritage by the UNESCO) we will see the different mountains that feature the massif: Paine Grande, the Horns, Admiral Nieto and the Towers. We will have the chance of close up pictures of guanacos and lesser rheas. On our way we make all the necessary stops for pictures. We check inn in our hosteria by 4 PM.
Lodging at Hosteria or Inn, double or single Room with private bathroom
Included meals: breakfast (B), box lunch (BL) and dinner (D)

Day 8: Torres del Paine
We go in one of the classic hikes in Paine National Park: the Towers trail. Our goal are the three spectacular and vertical spires known as Las Torres (Towers), 1000 m of vertical granite, challenge for climbers of all over the World. We start walking crossing Ascensio river through a hanging bridge. An hour of climb in a steep slope lead us to the gate of the valley and a short downhill get us to Refugio Chileno, a mountain hut in a beautiful location, which can be the turn around point for those who want to avoid the final effort. For those who want to go to the end, which we strongly recommend, we go on walking in the forest up valley, until our final 1 hour climb in the moraine that comes down from the Towers. The trail, though demanding, rewards you with fantastic close up views of the walls. 4 hs round trip to Refugio Chileno, 8 hs round trip to the Towers viewpoint. In the evening we go to our accommodation in Puerto Natales, a picturesque fishermen town located in the shores of the Ultima Esperanza (Last Hope) fjord.
Lodging at Hosteria or Inn, double or single Room with private bathroom
Included meals: breakfast (B), box lunch (BL) and dinner (D)

Day 9: Balmaceda and Serrano Glaciers
This morning by 8 am we will be navigating already through the Ultima Esperanza Fjord. In our way to the glaciers Balmaceda and Serrano, we will see ice waterfalls, beautiful landscapes and a wide variety of animals of the area. Once there, we will take a walking tour. This area of the National Park Bernardo O'Higgins is one of the most fascinating parts of the Chilenean south. We will be back around 18 hs. so we can have enough time to enjoy the town at night.
Lodging at Hosteria or Inn, double or single Room with private bathroom
Included meals: breakfast (B)

Day 10: Puerto Natales - Calafate
After breakfast, we start our trip back to El Calafate where we will have the rest of the evening free to enjoy the town.
Lodging at Hosteria or Inn, double or single Room with private bathroom
Included meals: breakfast (B)

Day 11: El Calafate - El Calafate airport
After breakfast we transfer to El Calafate Airport. End of the Discovery Trip.
Included meals: breakfast (B)

Price (u$d):

Included services: Bilingual tour leader (Spanish – English) during all the trip, trekking /mountain guide while on trek, 10 nights hosterias or inn double or single room with private bathroom, 10 breakfast (B), 5 box lunch (BL) and 5 dinners (D), all transfers in Patagonia and trekking activities. All excursions as shown in the itinerary. More information

Not included services: international and domestic flights, airport taxes, transfers in Buenos Aires, nights in Buenos Aires, drinks, foods not detailed, tickets entrance to 2 National Parks (5/10 u$d ea.), Lago Argentino Navigation, medical covering, tips, optional excursion Holiday On Ice, services not detailed in the program. More information

List of suggested personal equipment:
• Backpack, 40 lts
• Trekking shoes or boots
• Thermal underwear
• Trekking pants
• Fleece
• Breathable parka and over pants
• Gaiters
• Gloves
• Thermal socks
• Swim suit & towel (for a warm bath at Atacama geysers)
• The necessary spare cloth
• Wool hat
• Sun hat
• Sun glasses
• Sun screen / block (UV is strong)
• Personal items
• Lamp
• Trekking poles (recommended, if you are used to them)
• Water bottle
• Photo camera & batteries
• Personal medication
• Personal documents (passport, visa if needed) to cross the Argentina and Chile border.
• Garbage bags (we Leave No Trace)