The tour Discovery Patagonia Atacama and la Quebrada combines the very best of Patagonia with the comfort of our fine selection of lodges in the area. 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. Then we’re flying north, where places such as the Altiplánicas lagoons, the Geysers of the Tatio Volcano at Atacama, together with the Quebrada de las Señoritas, the community of the Hornaditas, and the Quebrada de Sapagua in the northeast of Argentina, will allow us to have a much more intimate and complete look at the region.
This is a regular group walking activity but with a minimum of 2 travelers.

Departures 2009/2010:

   21 days - 20 nights

    Season: All year

    Begins: Saturdays

Starts at: El Calafate Airport (FTE)
Ends at: Salta Airport (SLA).

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 travelers.
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 picturesque village 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 local inn to enjoy his 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.
Lodging at Hosteria or Inn, double or single Room with private bathroom
Included meals: breakfast (B), box lunch (BL) and dinner (D)

Day 9: Pehoe Lake Navigation - Del Frances Valley
We leave early our lodge to check in in the boat that crosses lake Pehoe from Puerto Pudeto to the far northwest end of Refugio Pehoe. The French valley is the interior valley of the massif. The trail offers spectacular views of Paine Grande Himalayan style southeast face and its glaciers and the Horns with their characteristic black topping of sedimentary rock. Keen hikers can reach the upper viewpoints of the valley, where you can see also the spires and walls that feature the high valley, as Hoja (Blade), Máscara (Mask), Espada (Sword), Catedral (Cathedral), Aleta de Tiburón (Shark Fin) and the magnificent Fortaleza (The Fortress). In the afternoon we take the boat back to Pudeto and to our lodge. It is 5 to 6 hs. round trip to the gate of the valley and its viewpoints, 9 hs. to the upper viewpoints.
Lodging at Hosteria or Inn, double or single Room with private bathroom
Included meals: breakfast (B), box lunch (BL) and dinner (D)

Day 10: Lake and Glacier Grey
In our bus, we visit lake Grey south side. A short, gentle 2 hs walk along the shore lead us to the viewpoint of the lake, from where you see the glacier calving from the Patagonia Ice Field into the far end of the lake. The shore is usually invaded by the blue icebergs that break out from the glacier and sail all the way down to the south end pushed by the Patagonia wind. In the afternoon, after our box lunch, we start our trip to Punta Arenas.
Lodging at Hosteria or Inn, double or single Room with private bathroom
Included meals: breakfast (B) and box lunch (BL)

Day 11: Punta Arenas Airport - Calama Airport
After breakfast we transfer to Punta Arenas Airport from where we take a flight to the airport of Calama. We welcome you at the Calama Airport and transfer to your lodge in San Pedro de Atacama in the North of Chile.
Lodging at Hosteria or Inn, double or single Room with private bathroom
Included meals: breakfast (B)

Day 12: Valle de la Luna
The morning will be free for us to recover from the long journey. In the afternoon we will take a trek to the Valle de la Luna; located at 17 km from San Pedro in the area of the Cordillera de la Sal, it has an especial appeal for its amazing resemblance to the lunar surface.
Lodging at Hosteria Double or Single Room
Included meals: breakfast

Day 13: Altiplanicas Lagoons
This day we will visit the Miscanti and Miñique lagoons; with their wonderful colours are located over 4000 meters over sea level. On our way to them, we stop at Toconao, an old town made complete of stone, where the art craft is also well known. Another highlight of this journey is the ‘Salar de Atacama’ which has an extension of more than 100 km. We will also appreciate some of the birds and fauna that have managed to survive in one the most deserted places of the earth. We will require around 6 hours. Our lodging will be approx. 90 Km from San Pedro de Atacama.
Lodging at Hosteria Double or Single Room
Included meals : breakfast (B)

Day 14: Geyser Del Tatio
This day starts quite early in the morning. We will depart before dawn (4 AM) in order to go to the Tatio volcano, located 4500 meters over sea level. When we arrive we will go to the geothermal field located in Los Andes mountain range. Early in the morning this place has an amazing steamy activity because of the high temperatures that are coming up from the craters. The boiling water, the huge columns of steam and the water that runs underneath the surface make of this day an unforgettable experience. We will have breakfast here, and then we will take a walk and those who want may take a bath in the warm water near the geysers. This is the reason why we recommend you to bring, besides warm clothing, a swimming suit, towel & sun block.
Lodging at Hosteria Double or Single Room
Included meals : breakfast (B)

Day 15: San Pedro de Atacama - Tilcara
Early in the morning we say goodbye to San Pedro de Atacama and by bus we travel to Argentina crossing Los Andes mountain range. Through 'Paso de Jama' mountain pass we will be able to appreciate the Salinas Grandes; then descending over the path of the Lipan, we will make a stop at the town of Purmamarca and its famous Mount of ‘Los Siete Colores’. Later we arrive to our lodge at the picturesque town of Tilcara in la Quebrada de Humahuaca, Jujuy.
Lodging at Hosteria Double or Single Room.
Included meals: breakfast (B)

Day 16: Devil’s Throat - Tilcara
We will have the morning free to walk and discover the town and its unique places such as: la Plaza Grande, la Plaza Chica, the town Church and the Pucará de Tilcara, an important milestone in the Quebrada de Humahuaca. In the afternoon we will do a small trek to the devil’s throat, walking along the old Kollas paths and watching the amazing view. After 3 or 4 hours we finally go back to Tilcara.
Lodging at Hosteria Double or Single Room.
Included meals: breakfast (B)

Day 17: Tilcara – Iruya - Humahuaca
Early in the morning we travel out of Jujuy towards the North in a local bus and go to a picturesque village located right in between the mountains, Iruya, just in the north of Salta. From it we can have a special view since its right on the end of the valley. We will have enough time to walk around the town, discovering its beautiful cobbled streets and its typical chapel. After enjoying the town we return back to the Quebrada to spend the night at Humahuaca.
Lodging at Hosteria Double or Single Room.
Included meals: breakfast (B) and box lunch (BL)

Day 18: Uquia - Quebrada de las Señoritas
Alter breakfast we leave Humahuaca by bus and after 10 km we arrive to the small town of Uquía. Once there we visit the church of “San Francisco de Paula” with its altar laminated in gold by the Jesuits in 1691 - year in which it was built - and adorned with the pictures of the 'arcabuceros angels' brought from Cuzco. Then we do a small trek to La Quebrada de las Señoritas or Yacoraite. The intense red color makes of it a shocking place; also because it’s known for its paleontological deposit where fossils of the last great mammals that inhabited the Earth have been found, like milodontes and gigantic perezosos. Back in Uquía we visit a place where vicuñas are raised and an old hydraulic mill. At the end of the day we go back to Humahuaca.
Lodging at Hosteria Double or Single Room.
Included meals: breakfast (B) and box lunch (BL)

Day 19: Pueblo de Santa Ana - Yunga viewpoints
We depart early to the view point of the cloudy forest with our 4 x 4 van until we reach the 4400 meters, lowest point between the mountains of the Zenta. From there we descent to the small village of Santa Ana, last town before the jungle region of Yungas. After lunch we take a small trek through the area until we reach the Abra, natural balcony to the subtropical forest of the Yungas. Finally, we go back to our lodge in Humahuaca. During this night we will enjoy the northern ‘’Peñas’’.
Lodging at Hosteria Double or Single Room.
Included meals: breakfast (B) and box lunch (BL)

Day 20: Quebrada de Sapagua - Hornaditas Community
We travel in our mini bus from Humahuaca to the Quebrada de Sapagua, where we will take a walk around the area. For there we continue to the small community of Hornaditas, where we will be able to share the life experience of the natural inhabitants of the area, who will open the door of their homes. Finally we go back to the city of Salta.
Lodging at Hosteria Double or Single Room.
Included meals: breakfast (B) and box lunch (BL)

Day 21: Salta – Salta Airport
After breakfast we are transferred to the Salta airport where our tours ends.
Included meals: breakfast (B)

Price: 5159 u$d (Hosteria - Double room)
           6408 u$d (Hosteria - Single room)

Included services: Incoming services, 20 nights in Hostería double or single with private bath and breakfast, Bilingual guide (Spanish – English) during all the excursions, 20 breakfast(B), 10 box lunch (BL) and 5 dinners (D), all transportation as shown in the itinerary combining private and regular buses, transfers from/to airports at Calafate, Punta Arenas, Calama & Salta, all excursions as detailed on the program.

Not included services: international and domestic flights, airport taxes, transfers in Buenos Aires, nights in Buenos Aires, drinks, foods not detailed, optional excursions, medical covering, tips, 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 to cross the border between Argentina and Chile.
• Garbage bags (we Leave No Trace)