Patagonia Adventure

On your arrival in El Calafate, make your way to the group hotel. A transfer can be booked on request for an additional cost. You will meet your guide in the evening for a group briefing.

Overnight Imago Hotel or similar.

The trip begins this morning around 8am, when we are met by our group leader. We head towards the Andes to the edge of the icecap for a full day tour to the impressive Perito Moreno Glacier that advances across Lago Argentino. This day tour is on a private service basis. We spend several hours wandering the many paths that offer different vantage points of this calving glacier. The glacier is 4 km wide and the height of the front wall ranges between 50 and 60 meters above the level of the lake almost cutting the lake in two. Occasionally massive pieces break off and fall into the lake becoming icebergs and creating huge waves in the process. The groans and creaks of the active glacier precede dramatic falls of the ice face.

Overnight Imago Hotel or similar.

Please Note: Lunch is not included today. We recommend that you purchase supplies in El Calafate.

Embark on a scenic five-hour drive to El Chalten, where rolling hills and occasional herds of guanaco and rhea grace the landscape. Keep an eye out for majestic Condors gliding above the vast Patagonian pampas. Upon reaching El Chalten, enjoy the afternoon at your leisure to explore the town. Please note that this is a shared transfer. In El Chalten you will not find money exchanges or banks. ATMs might not always be filled with cash. It is recommended to carry cash.

Overnight Hotel Poincenot or similar.

El Chalten is a village in the heart of Los Glaciares National Park from which we make our day trips. The two most famous hikes in this area are day walks to Laguna Torre (approx 6 hours - 18km) and Laguna de Los Tres (approx 9 hours - 20km) which we want to undertake in the next two days - these hikes are on a private service basis. Both treks start at our hotel and they offer stunning views of Cerro Torre and Cerro Fitz Roy. Mount Fitz Roy is found at the northern end of the park and is part of a range of bizarre peaks including the needle like rock pinnacle of Cerro Torre - for a climber it looks to be one of the most unclimbed peaks in the world - in fact it was only scaled for the first time in 1974. To the south runs a great chain of massive glaciers that basically follow the line of the Chile/Argentina border. The dramatic rock spires beckon and our days here will be a highlight of the itinerary. The beautiful valleys hold crystal clear streams and are home to a multitude of bird life. During the short summer the Patagonian flowers bloom profusely. Please note, all treks are subject to weather conditions.

Overnight Hotel Poincenot or similar.

Laguna Torre: Walking distance: 18km Difference in altitude: 250m

Laguna de Los Tres: Walking distance: 20km Difference in altitude: 750m

We begin today with a drive of 5 - 6 hours to the fishing village of Puerto Natales situated on the Ultima Esperanza Fiord in Chile (shared transfer). We are crossing the border from Argentina into Chile today and border formalities can make the journey a bit longer. Depending on the group size we might need to change buses in El Calafate. Depending on timing and schedule, the transfer from El Calafate to Puerto Natales will be in a private vehicle for our group.

Overnight in Puerto Natales, Hotel Australis or similar.

A spectacular day cruising towards Torres del Paine National Park, we enjoy impressive glaciers tumbling down from the mountains and beautiful panoramic views. Many past travellers rate this as one of the best days on this trip. From Puerto Natales we join our boat trip to the massive Balmaceda Glacier which calves into the Ultima Esperanza Fjord. After lunch in a beautiful location on the fjord, we continue onto the National Park by Zodiac. The Towers of Paine are right before us, as we enter the National Park. This boat trip certainly is the best and most interesting way to arrive into Torres del Paine. We plan to arrive at the park in the late afternoon and the remainder of the day is at leisure.

Overnight Hotel Las Torres or similar.

PLEASE NOTE: The boat trip is on a shared service basis and is weather dependent. If boats are not able to operate due to weather conditions, we will organise alternative transportation into Torres del Paine National Park.

When we first see the great granite pinnacles of Paine it is worth remembering that the Andes is the youngest chain of mountains in the world. One can imagine the great pressures and movements of the earth that created these spectacular peaks. Today we will take full day tour through Torres del Paine National Park and you will get a beautiful taste of what this park has to offer. We'll get to see most of the must-see places in the park and we can enjoy terrific views of the entire Paine Massif. We will stop at several view points and you can undertake short hikes to admire the scenery. Stops along the way include Black Bridge, Nordenskjöld Lookout, Sarmiento Lookout, Lake Pehoé and the Salto Grande Waterfall. You’ll enjoy lunch with a view and then choose between hiking along the southern shore of Lake Grey and gazing at the floating icebergs, or taking a boat trip on catamaran across the lake to the face of the Grey Glacier (additional cost for boat trip). With 30 metres, Grey Glacier is not as high as Perito Moreno but not less stunning due to its surrounding of the Paine Mountain Range. Small icebergs are usually floating on the lake and provide fantastic photo opportunities. The walks today are easy and short. After a full day of sightseeing in the park we return to our comfortable lodge.

Please note, this full day tour is conducted on a shared service basis with other travellers. All walks and excursions are subject to weather conditions.

Overnight Hotel Las Torres or similar.

Hotel Las Torres works in partnership with a not-for-profit organisation called AMA to make sure the park remains sustainable into the future. On top of critical conservation activities such as trail maintenance and waste management, AMA also engages in scientific research and provides essential educational services. They regularly work with Chilean schools to improve environmental awareness.

The second day in Torres del Paine is set aside to walk to the base of Las Torres, one of the most iconic day walks in the park. This trek is on a shared service basis with other travellers. It is more challenging than the day before, but the walk provides excellent views of the park if weather permits. At the end of the way up you will be rewarded with magnificent views of the famous towers and a beautiful glacier lake. The walk will take approximately 7-8 hours return and the last 1 hour of the trek to the towers is steep and rocky. As with any trek, the fitter you are the more you will enjoy the experience. (If this trek is too difficult, other options can be arranged at an additional cost.) The whole experience of trekking in Patagonia will spoil you for most other trekking areas in the world – the scenery is really awe-inspiring. Blue glacial and iceberg strewn lakes combined with dramatic granite peaks and snow covered mountains which lead to the Patagonian ice-cap.

Please note, all treks are subject to weather conditions.

Overnight Hotel Las Torres or similar.

We drive for approximately 5 - 6 hours across the steppes following the face of the Andes. The scenery is breathtaking, with great rolling hills dotted with stunted beech trees. During high season, there are two transfers available, one at 7am and one at 2pm. You can choose which transfer time you prefer. If you depart at 7am in the morning, you will be able to take an afternoon flight out of El Calafate. Please don't book flights before 2.30pm in high season and 4.30pm in low season. If you would like to spend the morning in Torres del Paine and take the afternoon transfer, you will require one additional night in El Calafate. Please let us know if you would like us to book a hotel for you. This trip concludes on arrival in El Calafate or El Calafate airport. In case you have decided to spend the night in El Calafate, there is time for last minute shopping or enjoying 'dulce de leche' for the last time, a dessert you will by now be familiar with!

You can also choose to take a transfer to Puerto Natales or Punta Arenas if this suits your travel plans.