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Argentina

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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 World’s 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 Park’s 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

Day 6 El Calafate – Perito Moreno glacier
We dedicate this day to one of the World’s 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

We’ll 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. We’ll 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 we’ll 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 we’ll be transferred in our bus to el Calafate, where we’ll 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 World’s 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. It’s 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