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Trekking in Patagonia

Great Value Classics
Staying in good quality 3 star and 3+ star hosterías and hotels, using shared tours and transfers wherever possible.
Itinerary Details [pdf file]

Superior & Boutique
Staying mainly in 4 star boutique hotels and hosterias; using private airport transfers, with some private tours and the occasional high quaility small group shared tour to keep prices competitive.
Itinerary Details [pdf file]

Bespoke Luxury
Staying only in 5 star properties and top boutique hotels where perfect service is guaranteed; using only private guided services (where possible in executive or top of the range vehicles).
Itinerary Details [pdf file]

COST: Please enquire for current pricing, varies during seasons.

SAMPLE ITINERARY - Superior & Boutique

Day 1: Arrival in Buenos Aires

On arrival in Buenos Aires you will be met by our English speaking guide and taken to your hotel in a private vehicle.

Overnight at the Hotel Mine in a classic double room with breakfast included.

Day 2: Buenos Aires

This is a premium shared city tour. Throughout the tour you will enjoy an audiovisual experience prior to each stop, the bus will turn into a micro-cinema and you will see a series of 5-minute video-clips. You will see Evita speaking to the crowd from the Casa Rosada, or the Argentines celebrating the return of democracy. The tour explores the busy centre, including the Plaza de Mayo, where the Casa Rosada Presidential Palace is located; trendy Palermo and the working-class South, such as the famous La Boca and San Telmo districts, heartland of the Tango; and the elegant neighbourhoods of Recoleta & Puerto Madero.

Overnight at the Hotel Mine in a classic double room with breakfast included.

Day 3: Buenos Aires to El Calafate

You will be taken to the airport by private car at a prearranged time. On arrival in Calafate airport our driver will be waiting to take you via minibus to the trekking village of El Chalten, around 3 hours drive north of Calafate. This evening you will have a briefing with our local guide, he will assess your fitness and discuss your trekking options for the next two days.

Overnight at the Hosteria Senderos in a standard double room with breakfast included.

Day 4: Private Trekking to Lago de los Tres (FD)

Today's walk starts with a beautiful 18 kilometer drive up the valley to Hosteria Pilar, from where we trek through sub-Antarctic forest and pass the small glacier lake named Piedras Blancas. From here the route crosses the Rio Blanco before you begin the toughest part of your trek - a fifty minute climb that weaves its way up a 45° slope. From the top of the climb you can see glacial Laguna de Los Tres and one of Patagonia's most majestic views. We then return to Chalten on foot via a different route. NB these treks are samples, your guide will discuss your options.

Notes: Depart: 8am; Return: 6pm; Technical Difficulty: Beginner; Stamina Level: Moderate; Duration: 8/9 hours Includes picnic lunch.

Overnight at the Hosteria Senderos in a standard double room with breakfast included.

Day 5: Private Trekking to Pleigue Tumbado (FD)

This simple trek is a good leg warmer and offers the best general view of the region. From Pleigue Tumbado we can see the Paso del Viento, the Continental Ice Field and Tore Laguna, and of course all the granite massifs that dominate the area.

Notes: Depart: 8:30am; Return: 4pm; Technical Difficulty: Beginner; Stamina Level: Moderate; Duration: 6/7 hours. NB these treks are samples, your guide will discuss your options. Includes picnic lunch. This evening you will be taken to the bus stop in a shared transfer in order to catch the bus to El Calafate. On arrival in El Calafate our driver will be waiting to take you to the hotel in a shared transfer.

Overnight at the Esplendor de El Calafate in a concept room with breakfast included.

Day 6: Big Ice - extended trekking on the glacier (FD)

The tour begins at Bajo de las Sombras pier, 4 miles away from the glacier. You will cross the Rico branch of the lake on the Tehuelche boat. After landing on the opposite shore there is a short walk to get to the shelter where the guides give a complete explanation about glaciation and a safety briefing for the ice trek. After this you will start a walk through the exuberant Magellanic forest to the ice. The tour is guided by experts along the paths on the southern moraine of Perito Moreno Glacier and, after an hour, you reach a viewpoint from where the ice cap can be accessed. You then explore every corner of Perito Moreno Glacier for over three hours; you will of course be provided with crampons to walk safely on the ice surface. Once on the glacier, blue lakes, deep cracks, huge sinks and caves can be seen. Visitors will have half an hour for lunch (not included), and they will walk back to the boat from the moraine, returning at around 3 pm. Then there will be time to explore the walkways before heading back to Calafate.

Notes: The trip from Calafate to the pier takes about an hour. Pick Up SIB: from 7am. Duration 11 hours. Meals included as standard: None. Age limits apply and are strictly enforced - trekkers must be between 18 & 50 yrs. Old (alternatives exist if outside this range).

Overnight at the Esplendor de El Calafate in a concept room with breakfast included.

Day 7: Into Chile: Torres del Paine (FD)

After crossing the Patagonian steppe south of Calafate, you arrive at the border post of Cancha Carrera, some two hours' drive. After crossing the border you start to travel through Southern Chile until you arrive at the Torres del Paine National Park. The trip from El Calafate to National Park Torres del Paine takes around 4 hours in total. Once in the park, you mainly move about by vehicle but will also combine this with some excellent short hikes, as there are hundreds of hiking paths from one side of the park to the other. The itinerary and hikes are adapted to the group (by default, the level of difficulty of the activities in our program is low). You will go to strategic points to get the most beautiful views of the park. Among the different places and viewpoints, you will be able to see: Sarmiento de Gamboa Lake viewpoint, Azul Lagoon, a panoramic view of Las Torres, the Saltos del Rio, Cerro Almirante Nieto and Cuernos del Paine, Laguna Amarga, Salto Grande viewpoint), Nordenskjold Lake, Pehoe Lake, and the Interpretation Centre. The places and viewpoints that will be included depend on the weather conditions, your physical condition and available time, and the development of the excursion is left to the discretion of our excellent bilingual guide. At around noon, we will offer you an outdoor picnic - with a fantastic view of course (if the weather is bad we will use mountain shelters).

Notes: Includes box lunch. Does not include entrance fee to the National Park.

You will finish the tour at around 4pm at the park entrance. A driver will be waiting to take you to the Hotel Las Torres.

Overnight at the Hotel las Torres in a superior Canelo room breakfast included.

Day 8: SELF GUIDED Trekking to "BASE TORRES" (8-9 hours).

Recommended hour to start: 9.00 AM. The first hour and a half is up with fantastic views of lake Nordenskjôld and Almirante Nieto Mn (2.670 m.s.n.m), with its hanging glacier until you reach Refugio El Chileno to recover energies. Then the trail continues through a millenary Lenga forest (1 hour) until the base of "the moraine" which challenging ascent (45 min), will take you to one of the most impressive places in the park: the lookout of the "Base of Torres del Paine" where you will enjoy the view of Torre Sur (2,850 m.s.n.m.), Torre Central (2.800 m.s.n.m), Torre Norte (2.600 m.s.n.m) and Cerro Nido de Cóndor. Difficulty Level: High

Overnight at the Hotel las Torres in a superior Canelo room breakfast included.

Day 9: Torres del Paine to El Calafate to Buenos Aires

This morning you will be taken back to El Calafate airport for your flight to Buenos Aires. This transfer will take around 5 hours. Depending on flight schedules and availability, it may be necessary to add a night in Calafate. On arrival back in Buenos Aires our driver will be waiting to take you to the hotel.

Overnight at the Hotel Mine in a classic double room with breakfast included.

Day 10: Buenos Aires

Today you will be taken to the international airport in plenty of time for your flight home.

For more information
Contact:
Dive Discovery
@
1 800 886-7321
(415) 444-5100
or
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