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Patagonia Discovery Trips
Our Discovery trips features the best of
Patagonia combined with the comfort and relaxation of the hosterias and
hotels of the area. They are designed for people who love to see spectacular
sceneries in an active way, hiking moderate distances to get back in the
evening to a cozy lodge.
We use minibuses to transfer from one location
to another, and we hike and go in boat trips to reach the best viewpoints.
During daylight we perform outdoors activities and in the afternoon we
come back to a comfortable and cozy lodge where you can relax and enjoy
the evening and night in order to start the next day full of energy again.
The Discovery trips are offered in two different
categories of accommodation: Classic and Superior. In both cases we use
small and comfortable Hosterias (Inns). In the following towns: Los Antiguos,
Lago Posadas and in Torres del Paine National Park both categories share
the same Hosterias. The difference is at El Chaltén and El Calafate
where the lodging options are greater.
Our Discovery trips are suitable for all
kind of passengers. No special requirements, except the desire of hiking
in 2 of the most beautiful National Parks of South America. Only advice
is for children under 12 or people suffering any health problem. In that
case, please ask for advice from our office.
The group always travel escorted by a local
professional tour leader from our staff. While hiking, professional certified
mountain guides will lead the walks. Most of the hikes are around 6 hours,
on very easy trails, no risky steps. We plan the walks considering also
that some people might want to walk less time. During our activities,
we get to the best viewpoints and panoramic views in each location.
Mountains, spires, glaciers, lakes, forest,
steppe, flowers, birds
Patagonia is these and much more!
Glaciers Discovery 11 days - 10 nights (Moderate trek)
Departures: 2007 - Oct. 21, Nov. 4
& 18, Dec. 2, 16 & 30. 2008 - Jan. 13 & 27, Feb. 10 &
24, March 9
Season: October thru March
Trip starts at: El Calafate airport
Trip ends at: El Calafate airport
Group departures with a minimum of 2 pax
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 really fit to take these trips. All treks
include a mid way turn around point.
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.
The trip offers a perfect balance of outdoors
and comfort, making special emphasis in the Natural History and discovery
of Patagonia.
Day 1 El Calafate airport El Calafate
We welcome you at El Calafate airport and transfer to town, where we check
in at our lodge. In the evening we meet our tour leader, 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.
Meals we provide: Dinner
Day 2 El Chaltén Cerro Torre
trail
Alter breakfast, we take our bus towards the picturesque village of El
Chaltén, at the foot of Fitz Roy. We drive km across the steppe
and around lakes Argentino and Viedma. Upon arrival, 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 origin 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.
Meals we provide: Breakfast, box lunch and dinner
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.
Meals we provide: Breakfast, box lunch and dinner
Day 4 Loma del Pliegue Tumbado
This 1500 mts 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 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 Patagonian
Icefield. According to the group capacity, we choose the lower terraces
or try the summit, a long but gentle climb in scree. The lower part of
the mountain is covered by shrubland and forest.
Lodging at Hosteria or Inn, double or single room with private bathroom.
Meals we provide: Breakfast, box lunch and dinner
Day 5 From El Chaltén to El Calafate
Morning at leisure or to go in some optional excursion, as the boat trip
& glacier walk in lake and glacier Viedma or the visit to Lago del
Desierto.
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.
Meals we provide: Breakfast
Day 6 El Calafate Perito Moreno
glacier
We dedicate this day to one of the Worlds Natural Wonder: the Moreno
glacier. This ice field- type glacier flows down from the Patagonian Icefield,
and big sheet of ice 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). Because unusual favorable local conditions, this glacier
is the only one in the world that shows a closure and rupture process.
The road leads to the very front of the glacier, which will be only meters
away from your eyes. A beautiful, short trail, will lead us from the shores
of the lake to the upper viewpoints. The roar of the chunks of ice falling
inside the glacier or from the glacier into the lake, the frequent collapse
of the front seracs into the turquoise water, makes out of this day a
very special and unique experience. We will drive 80 km (1 and a half
hour) to get and 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.
Meals we provide: Breakfast
Day 7 El Calafate Torres del Paine
We leave early in the morning towards Torres del Paine National Park,
Chile. We follow typical Patagonian gravel road with guanacos, lesser
rheas, flamingos, condors and eagles. We enter Chile across 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.
Meals we provide: Breakfast, box lunch and dinner
Day 8 Torres del Paine
We go in one of the Parks classic: the Towers trail. Our goal are
the three spectacular and vertical spires known as the Towers,
1000 mts of vertical granite, challenge for climbers of all over the World.
We start walking crossing Ascensio river across 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, 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.
Meals we provide: Breakfast, box lunch and dinner
Day 9 French 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 to the upper viewpoints.
Lodging at Hosteria or Inn, double or single room with private bathroom.
Meals we provide: Breakfast, box lunch and dinner
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 Icefield 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 Patagonian wind.
In the afternoon, after our box lunch, we start our trip back to El Calafate.
Lodging at Hosteria or Inn, double or single room with private bathroom.
Meals we provide: Breakfast and box lunch
Day 11 El Calafate airport
After breakfast we take our transfer to El Calafate airport where our
services end.
Meals we provide: breakfast.
Price:
Spanish Speaking guide- US$2656 per person double, US$3406 single
English Speaking Guide - US$2731 per person double, US$3481 single
INCLUDED:
Bilingual tour leader (Spanish English) during
all the trip.
Mountain guides while on trek.
All excursions as shown in the itinerary.
Lake Pehoe boat trips (in and out).
All transportation as shown in the itinerary combining private and regular
buses.
10 breakfasts, 7 box lunch y 7 dinners as detailed below.
10 nights lodging in Hosterias double or single room with private bathroom
NOT INCLUDED:
Entrance fees to National Parks.
Medical and life insurance.
Tips.
Drinks and beverages (all foods are without alcoholic or non alcoholic
drinks).
Flights or airport taxes.
Optional excursions.
Services not shown or detailed in the program.
Accommodation: The following are some
of the lodges we use:
CLASSIC - Calafate - Hotel Sierra Nevada, Hotel Michelangelo,
Hostería Kalken
SUPERIOR - Calafate - Hostería Mirador del Lago, Hotel Quijote,
Hotel Koi Aiken
These accommodations can be modified for similar ones pending to availability
and taking
in account the specific needs of the passengers
List of suggested personal equipment:
Backpack, 40 liters or so
Trekking shoes or boots
Thermal underwear
Trekking pants
Fleece
Parka and overpants
Gaiters
Gloves
Thermal socks
The necessary spare cloth
Wool hat
Sun hat
Sun glasses
Sun screen (UV is very strong during the southern spring, from september
thru december)
Personal items
Lamp
Trekking poles (recommended, if you are use to them)
Personal medication
Personal documents to cross the border between Argentina and Chile.
Weather in Patagonia is unpredictable. Not very cold, but it is usually
windy. To dress in layers is the best advice.
Discovery Glaciers - 6 nights / 7days
Departures: 2007 - Oct.
21, Nov. 4 & 18, Dec. 2, 16 & 30. 2008 - Jan. 13 & 27, Feb.
10 & 24, March 9
Season: October thru March
Trip starts at: El Calafate airport
Trip ends at: El Calafate airport
Group departures with a minimum of 2 pax
Day 1 El Calafate airport El Calafate
We welcome you at El Calafate airport and transfer to town, where we check
in at our lodge. In the evening we meet our tour leader, 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.
Meals we provide: Dinner
Day 2 El Chaltén Cerro Torre trail
Alter breakfast, we take our bus towards the picturesque village of El
Chaltén, at the foot of Fitz Roy. We drive km across the steppe
and around lakes Argentino and Viedma. Upon arrival, 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 origin 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.
Meals we provide: Breakfast, box lunch and dinner
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.
Meals we provide: Breakfast, box lunch and dinner
Day 4 Loma del Pliegue Tumbado
This 1500 mts 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 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 Patagonian
Icefield. According to the group capacity, we choose the lower terraces
or try the summit, a long but gentle climb in scree. The lower part of
the mountain is covered by shrubland and forest.
Lodging at Hosteria or Inn, double or single room with private bathroom.
Meals we provide: Breakfast, box lunch and dinner
Day 5 From El Chaltén to El Calafate
Morning at leisure or to go in some optional excursion, as the boat trip
& glacier walk in lake and glacier Viedma or the visit to Lago del
Desierto.
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.
Meals we provide: Breakfast
Day 6 El Calafate Perito Moreno glacier
We dedicate this day to one of the Worlds Natural Wonder: the Moreno
glacier. This ice field- type glacier flows down from the Patagonian Icefield,
and big sheet of ice 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). Because unusual favourable local conditions, this glacier
is the only one in the world that shows a closure and rupture process.
The road leads to the very front of the glacier, which will be only meters
away from your eyes. A beautiful, short trail, will lead us from the shores
of the lake to the upper viewpoints. The roar of the chunks of ice falling
inside the glacier or from the glacier into the lake, the frequent collapse
of the front seracs into the turquoise water, makes out of this day a
very special and unique experience. We will drive 80 km (1 and a half
hour) to get and 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.
Meals we provide: Breakfast
Day 7 El Calafate airport
After breakfast we take our transfer to El Calafate airport where our
services end.
Meals we provide: breakfast.
Price:
Spanish Speaking guide- US$1225 per person double, US$1600 single
English Speaking Guide - US$1269 per person double, US$1644 single
Los Glaciares National Park - 7 days - 6 nights
Season: October thru April
Beginning day: Every day
Departure: Individual
Minimun of pax: No minimun
Difficulty: Low difficulty
Trip starts at: El Calafate airport
Trip ends at: El Calafate airport
Well get to enjoy the National Park Los Glaciers
(in Argentina) going thru the Lake Argentino. Later, our trip ends with
a visit to the Glacier Perito Moreno
Day 1 El Calafate airport El Calafate
We welcome you at El Calafate airport and transfer to town, where we check
in at our lodge. Well have the rest of the day to enjoy the town.
Lodging at Hosteria or Inn, double or single room with private bathroom.
Meals we provide: none
Day2 El Chalten Day Off
After breakfast we take our bus for the 220 km long drive to El Chaltén,
a small and picturesque village at the foot of Fitz Roy & Cerro Torre
massif.
Since this is a free day, you ca choose between a trek to the view point
of the Torre Mount or the one of the Fitz Roy mountain or just chill in
the nearby of the town.
Lodging at Hosteria or Inn, double or single room with private bathroom.
Meals we provide: Breakfast.
Day 3 El Chalten Viedma lake navigation
Alter breakfast, we leave in bus to the Bahia tunel Port where the slip
that will take us to the Viedma Glacier departs. The amazing glacier has
a one front superior to the Moreno Glacier will show us its colours. Later
well be able to descent the ship and take a small trek over it.
Lodging at Hosteria or Inn, double or single room with private bathroom.
Meals we provide: Breakfast.
Day 4 El Chalten El Calafate
The morning will be free to enjoy different activities or just to rest.
Among the different activities, we can visit the Balcones Del Cerro Pliegue
Tumbado with its wonderful and panoramic views of the National Park. Another
option is to visit the Estancia Madsen (one of the first inhabitants of
the area) in the nearby of the town.
In the afternoon well be transferred in our bus to el Calafate,
where well be taken later to our accommodation.
Lodging at Hosteria or Inn, double or single room with private bathroom.
Meals we provide: Breakfast.
Day 5 El Calafate - Perito Moreno glacier
We dedicate this day to one of the Worlds Natural Wonder: the Moreno
glacier. This ice field- type glacier flows down from the Patagonian Ice
field, and big sheet of ice 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). Because unusual favourable local conditions,
this glacier is the only one in the world that shows a closure and rupture
process. The road leads to the very front of the glacier, which will be
only meters away from your eyes. A beautiful, short trail, will lead us
from the shores of the lake to the upper viewpoints. The roar of the chunks
of ice falling inside the glacier or from the glacier into the lake, the
frequent collapse of the front seracs into the turquoise water, makes
out of this day a very special and unique experience. We will drive 80
km (1 and a half hour) to get and 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.
Meals we provide: Breakfast
Day 6 Optional: Navigation in the Argentine lake
This day is free, with the possibility to choose between the optional
proposals that the city of the Calafate offers. It stands out among them,
the navigation of the Argentinean Lake. It starts in the banderas harbour,
from where the ship will take us to the most impressive glaciers of the
National Park: The Upsala and the Spegazzini. Its also possible
to have lunch in the Onelli Bay alter visiting it.
In the afternoon we go to the Upsala glacier (which is the biggest one
in the National Park).the town also has other options such us rides in
4 x 4 and more.
Lodging at Hosteria or Inn, double or single room with private bathroom.
Meals we provide: Breakfast
Day 7 El Calafate airport
After breakfast we take our transfer to El Calafate airport where our
services end.
Meals we provide: breakfast.
Price:
Spanish Speaking guide- US$575 per person double, US$800 single
English Speaking Guide - US$619 per person double, US$844 single
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