Winter Tours in Patagonia
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Winter is a special, unique and magic season in Patagonia. Short days and the sun that stays low in the horizon give special light to the landscape. Beside this, wind stops, silence appears, and frozen lagoons and waterfalls open to the visitor the door of a different world. Our Patagonia Winter Tours visit the classic areas of Southern Patagonia, using snowshoes to hike to the viewpoints of each trail. In the afternoon we get back to our lodge to enjoy of a hot meal and a fireplace. We offer the Winter Trips below from beginning of June thru the beginning of September. Minimum of 2 people required to confirm. Below are 2 options, from 8 to 11 days |
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11 days - 10 nights
(Moderate trek) Season: June thru September Starts at: El Calafate airport Ends at: Ushuaia airport A unique trip that allow discovering Patagonia in its more unknown season. Snow, frozen lagoons and waterfalls, short days and the special winter southern light open to the visitors the doors of a different world. This program visits Los Glaciares National Park, Fitz Roy & Cerro Torre, the Perito Moreno glacier and the legendary Tierra del Fuego and the city of the End of the World, Ushuaia, which is specially prepared for winter activities. We hike or snowshoe in each trail, depending on snow conditions, to reach the main viewpoints. By the evening, we get back to our lodge to enjoy a hot meal and a fireplace. This trip has incoming services and not a tour leader. Passengers are welcomed at each city and they are given vouchers for the excursions, transfers or any other service that is not accommodation. Upon passengers arrival, when the operator welcomes them, they are given vouchers for services at El Calafate and El Chalten. Once they arrive in Ushuaia, they will be given vouchers for the services in Ushuaia. Day 1 El Calafate airport - El Calafate Upon arrival we welcome you at El Calafate airport and transfer you to town. Check in at your lodge and spare time to visit this picturesque village. Lodging in a Hostel room with shared bathroom Alternative: Hosteria double or single room with private bathroom No meals provided today. Day 2 El Calafate – El Chaltén After breakfast we drive 220 km across the steppe and around lakes Argentina and Viedma towards El Chaltén, at the foot of Fitz Roy. Stop over on route for coffee and home made cakes. Approaching town we will have spectacular views of the mountains and of Glacier Viedma. In the afternoon, we’ll have time to visit town and get used to winter conditions. Lodging in a Hostel room with shared bathroom Alternative: Hosteria double or single room with private bathroom Meals we provide: Breakfast and dinner. Day 3 El Chaltén – Fitz Roy trail
The trail starts in the north corner of the town. A gentle slope leads us to the first viewpoint over the River de las Vueltas valley, and we go on to Laguna Capri and the first sights of Fitz Roy. Laguna Capri should be frozen by this time of the year, giving us the chance to get a unique picture of the frozen lagoon with Fitz Roy spires and glaciers in the background. From Capri we already have full views over Fitz Roy. If conditions are OK, we go on towards Rio Blanco, Fitz Roy base camp for climbers. Once at the base camp and depending on weather and terrain conditions those who want can go on snowshoeing to Laguna de los Tres, spectacular viewpoint for Fitz Roy massif, spires and glaciers. During this trek we climb 500 mts to get to the first viewpoints and 400 more meters if we climb to Laguna de los Tres. We carry snowshoes and we use them when necessary. Walking time depends on the conditions of terrain but please consider a full day hiking. Lodging in a Hostel room with shared bathroom Alternative: Hosteria double or single room with private bathroom Meals we provide: Breakfast, box lunch and dinner. Day 4 El Chaltén - Cerro Torre trail We visit today the Torre valley. This valley starts as a glacier valley in the Laguna Torre reaching town as a fluvial valley. Is shorter and with less gain of altitude than Fitz Roy trail. We get to a first viewpoint of the glacier part of the valley after a first hour of walking. Depending on conditions, we will go on to reach the lagoon, natural viewpoint for the group of ice-mushroom-covered spires of Cerro Torre massif. The lagoon should be frozen and we can cross it up to the front of Glacier Grande. Its blue colour and dimensions are breathtaking. We hike back to El Chaltén in late afternoon. Lodging in a Hostel room with shared bathroom Alternative: Hosteria double or single room with private bathroom Meals we provide: Breakfast, box lunch and dinner. Day 5 El Chaltén – El Calafate
Morning at leisure to rest or to take different optional alternatives that the place offers: a walk to Cerro Pliegue Tumbado with beautiful sightseeing points over Fitz Roy, Torre and the glacier valley in between. Or to visit estancia Madsen (home of the first white settler of the valley) or the Chorrillo del Salto waterfall, that should be half frozen in this time of the year. In the afternoon we take our bus back to El Calafate where somebody will meet us and transfer to our lodge. Lodging in a Hostel room with shared bathroom Alternative: Hosteria 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 Ice field, a 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 in a Hostel room with shared bathroom. Alternative: Hosteria or Inn, double or single room with private bathroom. Meals we provide: Breakfast. Day 7 El Calafate – Optional Boat Trip on Lake Argentino This is a spare day and you can choose some of the options that El Calafate can offer. The most advisable is to go sailing in the catamarans that make the trip to the glaciers which calve in the west arms of Lake Argentino. Among them are glaciers Upsala, Spegazzini and Onelli, Bolados and Agassiz glaciers in the area of Laguna Onelli. Also 4 wheel drive excursions and horse riding is available at El Calafate. Lodging in a Hostel room with shared bathroom. Alternative: Hosteria or Inn, double or single room with private bathroom. Meals we provide: Breakfast. Day 8 El Calafate - Ushuaia (flight not included in price)
We fly today from El Calafate airport to Ushuaia airport, in the island of Tierra del Fuego, the legendary Land of Fire. We fly over the Magellan Strait and the snow covered mountains of the south end of the Andes range. Upon arrival, we check in our lodge and we can then visit the different museums of the City of Ushuaia, like the Navy Museum or the Old Presidium. Lodging in a Hostel room with shared bathroom. Alternative: Hosteria or Inn, double or single room with private bathroom. Meals we provide: Breakfast. Day 9 Tierra del Fuego - Tierra Mayor valley (optional)
After breakfast we have the entire day to relax at the hotel or we can choose an optional excursion to ski in the valley. Lodging in a Hostel room with shared bathroom. Alternative: Hosteria or Inn, double or single room with private bathroom. Meals we provide: Breakfast and box lunch. Day 10 Tierra del Fuego National Park and Beagle Channel Boat trip The Island of Tierra del Fuego is divided north to south by the border between Argentina and Chile. In the southwest corner of the argentinean side is Tierra del Fuego National Park, a place where the forest covered mountains meet the sea. In this spectacular location we will visit Lapataia bay. In the afternoon we take a boat to go sailing in the Beagle Channel. The goal is the view of Ushuaia and the mountains from the sea, as well as the many sea mammals and birds that lives in the Channel. We will also see the Faro (Light house) Les Ecleurs and we will have a good idea of the braveness of the first sailors of the Channel. Lodging in a Hostel room with shared bathroom. Alternative: Hosteria or Inn, double or single room with private bathroom. Meals we provide: Breakfast. Day 11 Ushuaia – Ushuaia airport Visit the town in the morning by your own. Transfer to the airport to take our flight. Meals we provide: breakfast 2023 price per person in US$ INCLUDED:
Bilingual guide (Spanish – English) during the excursions. 10 nights lodging in Hostel room with shared bathroom (00) or Hosteria double or single room with private bathroom (01 – 02). 10 breakfasts, 3 box lunch y 3 dinners Trek to Cerro Fitz Roy viewpoint Trek to Cerro Torre viewpoint Perito Moreno glacier excursion Beagle Channel boat trip Excursion to Tierra del Fuego National Park Optional full day activity with snowshoes and Nordic skis in the Tierra Mayor valley with the supply of the necessary equipment for this activity (snowshoes and shoes, Nordic skis and ski poles) Transfer El Calafate airport – El Calafate - El Chaltén – El Calafate – Aeropuerto El Calafate Transfers in Ushuaia as detailed in the program We combine regular and private transfer in our tours. |
8 days - 7 nights
(Moderate trek) Season: June thru September Starts at: El Calafate airport Ends at: El Calafate airport This is the first 8 days of the program above. It visits Los Glaciares National Park, Fitz Roy & Cerro Torre and the Perito Moreno glacier. Day 1-7 - same as tour on 11 day tour Day 8 El Calafate - El Calafate airport After breakfast we transfer to El Calafate airport where our services end. Meals we provide: Breakfast 2023 Price per person in US$: . INCLUDED:
Bilingual guide (Spanish – English) during the excursions. 7 nights lodging in Hostel room with shared bathroom (00) or Hosteria double or single room with private bathroom (01 – 02). 7 breakfasts, 2 box lunch and 3 dinners Trek to Cerro Fitz Roy viewpoint Trek to Cerro Torre viewpoint Perito Moreno glacier excursion Transfer El Calafate airport – El Calafate - El Chaltén – El Calafate – Aeropuerto El Calafate We combine regular and private transfer in our tours. 
Notes
operator holds the right of changing the itinerary or to cancel any of the activities when any natural cause (or any other cause of any type) justifies it in order to look after the group safety. List of suggested personal equipment for these tours: Backpack, 50 liters or so Thermal underwear Trekking shoes or boots Trekking pants Fleece Parka and over pants Gaiters Gloves Thermal socks Necessary spare cloth Wool hat Sun hat Sun glasses Sun screen Personal items Lamp Trekking poles (recommended, if you are use to them) Personal medication |
