Cerro Castillo 5 Day Trek
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As an alternative to the now crowded Torres del Paine, start from one of the world’s most isolated highways, the Carretera Austral, deep into the paradise that is the Aysen region in Northern Patagonia. This 5-day hike over mountains and through dense forest in the Cerro Castillo National Park is perfect for adventurous trekkers looking to experience a side of Chile that few have seen before. Get there before everyone else does!
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DAY 1 (FRIDAY): ARRIVAL TO AYSEN REGION AND TRANSFER TO VILLA CERRO CASTILLO
Following your 2 ½ hour flight from Santiago to Balmaceda Airport, we will pick you up from the airport and make the 1 ½ hour scenic drive to the town of Cerro Castillo in Northern Patagonia. We’ll take you to your bed and breakfast to get settled in, and then head into town for dinner and to go over tomorrow’s trek with your guides.
DAY 2 (SATURDAY): ADVENTURE STARTS, CERRO CASTILLO TREK BEGINS We begin the first day by hiking approximately 15 kilometers along the trail known as “Las Horquetas.” You will follow an old logging road for about two hours, which gently winds through the mountain valley passing the camps of local gauchos who used to take their livestock into the mountains in the summer months. You’ll make your first stream crossing here and get a glimpse of the crystal clear waters of Patagonia. At the Reserve entrance, you’ll register your details with the Park wardens and then continue hiking 2 km, until you reach Camp Turbio and set up camp ready to spend your first night. 15km (9.3 miles) of hiking - about 7 hours
DAY 3 (SUNDAY): FIRST CHALLENGE, PORTEZUELO EL PEÑON Your second day of trekking begins by following the Turbio River through the valley until the ascent into the mountains. You’ll then cross Pinon Pass, which has an altitude of 1,300 meters, and which has a challenging descent along loose, steep rock scree and even a small amount of snow (except February and March). After making your way past the hanging Pinon Glacier and over the pass, we will arrive at the campsite, La Tetera Camp, where our guides will help us settle in and where we will rest until the next day. 12km (7.4 miles) of hiking - about 8 hours
DAY 4 (MONDAY): FROM LAGUNA CERRO CASTILLO TO EL NEOZELANDES CAMP After an early start, we continue to the famous lagoon of Cerro Castillo. You’ll take a short break here to take in the scenery and marvel down at the valley you have spent the last two days hiking through, before gathering yourself up to continue on. We climb up Morro Negro, reaching 1,700 meters, and then descend down the steep rock scree to Camp Porteadores. From here we continue to the upper camp, Camp Neozelandes, where you can check out views of the North face of Cerro Castillo and the glacial basin making up Castillo and Cerro Palo. 10km (6.2 miles) of hiking - about 8 hours
DAY 5 (TUESDAY): LAST REWARD LAGUNA DUFF AND END OF THE HIKE Depending on how you feel, you can walk to Lake Duff for a quick dip in its glacial waters. Afterward, we descend down the mountain back to the trailhead and make our way through Southern Beech forest to Villa Cerro Castillo. After a yummy lunch, we have time for a shower before continuing our journey to the airport. 10km (6.2 miles) of hiking - about 6 hours maximum altitude is about 4,700 feet. GROUP SIZE & GUIDING STAFF Minimum is 2 people and maximum of 10 people. TRANSPORT Transport is in minivans that normally seat 8 to 14 people. WEATHER During the summer months (December to March), you can expect to have some nice weather and warm days. However, you also need to bear in mind that it may rain - a lot - no matter the season, so you should come prepared for potential rainfall. Remember: the weather in Patagonia is unpredictable and may move between all four seasons in one day. It is recommended to come prepared.
Minimum age is 15 years and are considered adults. WHAT YOU NEED TO BRING Passengers need to be prepared for fluctuating weather that can move from summer to winter in a day. Essential equipment includes:
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Rates from November 2020 to March 2022: 1 Person = CLP 1,609,400 2 People = CLP 1,070,400 per person 4-6 people = CLP 781,300 per person DEPARTURES Regular Departures. Every Friday* from November to March *Recommended departure day Do you want a private departure for this trip? We can do it, please send us an email STARTING / FINISHING POINTS
PHYSICAL DEMANDS Active travelers with an adventurous spirit and a positive attitude will enjoy this trek. To have the best experience possible it is essential to be in good physical condition before you arrive. It is not recommended to regard this trek as a means of getting into shape or losing excess weight. Start a program of conditioning well before departure. INCLUDED
NOT INCLUDED
Reservations and Payment
To make a booking definite, the participant must pay a 20% non-refundable deposit. The rest of the total amount must be paid 30 days before departure in case of booking a regular departure and 60 days before departure in case of booking a private departure trip. Cancellation and Refund Policy If it becomes necessary for you to cancel your trip, your money (minus the cancellation fees) will be refunded depending on the cancellation date. Any additional non-refundable cancellation fees and payments already paid in advance to airlines, hotels, and other local suppliers will be forfeited. a) cancellation fees for regular departures These are departures with fixed dates. Cancellation of the confirmed booking more than 30 days prior to departure results in loss of deposit, which is 20% of the total trip cost. Thereafter, the following losses apply:
These are trips operated with a non-fixed date upon special request. Cancellation of the confirmed booking more than 60 days prior to departure results in loss of deposit, which is 20% of the total trip cost. Thereafter, the following losses apply:
Please note that in case that services have been confirmed and you need to change trip dates this will be considered a cancellation and our above mentioned cancellation policies will apply to the original reservation. Covid-19 Flexible Policies We are committed to help so you can book your next holiday adventure in confidence. For this reason, we are offering Flexible COVID-19 Policies while we still deal with the pandemic. All bookings will allow rescheduling, without increasing prices, up to 24 hours prior to the trip and above all events. All bookings will allow cancellation due to COVID-19 reasons up to 24 hours prior to the trip, although third parties will apply their own cancellation policies when it comes to third party costs. What are considered COVID-19 reasons to cancel a booking? • Illness of the passenger or direct family member. • Restrictions of the authority in the country of origin or destination. • Flight cancellations or airport closures. Clients will be entitled to a refund after showing proof documents of the reasons mentioned above. If the cause of the cancellation is different from the above criteria, then regular cancellation policies will apply. |
