FAMOUS FOR BEING A NATURAL WONDER OF THE WORLD, PATAGONIA IS HOME TO SOME OF THE
MOST PRISTINE AND UNTOUCHED REGIONS ON THIS PLANET.
OVERFLOWING WITH BREATHTAKING MOUNTAIN SCENERY, PATAGONIA IS KNOWN FOR ITS SINGULAR, RUGGED LANDSCAPES OF COBALT-BLUE GLACIERS, JAGGED PEAKS, SWEEPING STEPPE, AND ANCIENT FORESTS.
Wherever you choose to start your trip, you must ensure that you arrive in Puerto Natales to join the tour group, preferably before 5 p.m.
SUMMARY
- Day 2nd Feb: Arrival to Puerto Natales.
- Day 3rd Feb: Transfer to Torres del Paine National Park. Hike to Serón
- Day 4th Feb: Hike to Dickson
- Day 5th Feb: Hike to Los Perros
- Day 6th Feb: Hike to Grey via the John Garner Pass
- Day 7th Feb: Trek to Paine Grande
- Day 8th Feb: Visit to the French Valley – Hike to Los Cuernos Day 9th Feb: Hike to Torre Central.
- Day 10th Feb: Hike to the Base of the Torres. Return to Puerto Natales
- Day 11th Feb: Transfer from Puerto Natales to El Calafate.
- Day 12th Feb: Glaciar Perito Moreno.
- Day 13th Feb: Trek to Laguna Torre.
- Day 14th Feb: Trek to Laguna de los Tres.
- Day 15th Feb: Optional activity: Kayaking on the river de las Vueltas or Hike to Huemules Reserve.
- Day 16th Feb: Transfer to El Calafate and flight to Buenos Aires.
- Day 17th Feb: End of the tour
Day 2nd February. ARRIVAL TO PUERTO NATALES.
Meeting point at Puerto Natales Hotel Sheuen. Briefing with your guide. Dinner and accommodation.
Day 3rd February. HIKE TO SERÓN. 9 KM. 4-5 HOURS
Breakfast. Transfer to Torres del Paine National Park. Although it is considered one of the easiest hikes of the circuit, the trail to Serón offers many breathtaking landscapes of the untamed side of Torres del Paine National Park. You walk along a vibrant green carpet of trees and continue along a pleasant slope that descends towards an endless pasture in the Patagonian plain. You will see crystal clear streams along the relatively flat path towards the Serón campsite. After settling into the campsite, you will have some time to enjoy the immensity of the vistas surrounding you before dinner, which will be served inside Serón's small but cosy dining room. Accommodation in tents.
Day 4th February. HIKE TO DICKSON. 18,5 KM. 6-7 HOURS
Breakfast. Today begins with a long walk-through of the park's rolling hills and humid plains. Snowcapped mountains, pastel blue lakes, and vast expanses of grassland will be the backdrop as you explore the north side of the park, plus the stunning and commanding views of the Dickson glacier, Cuba hill (2200m), and other rugged peaks that mark the border between Chile and Argentina. Once you reach the Dickson area, check-in, and during the afternoon, you may take a walk along the stony shore of Dickson Lake, all before dinner at the refuge. Accommodation in Dickson Refugio in bunk beds 4-6 per room.
Day 5th February. WALK TO LOS PERROS- 9 KM. 5 HOURS
Breakfast. Take in the crisp, organic, earthy smell as you enter a sea of ancient trees. Today, the walk will take place in the most remote area of the park, in the middle of lush and green vegetation. You can feel the wind blowing in the middle of the bushes and hear the pleasant sound of Magellanic woodpeckers. Bordering the Los Perros River, you will climb a large moraine where you will be breathless to see another picturesque mountain as a backdrop, the wonderful Los Perros glacier and its blue-green lagoon. Continue along a rocky path before reaching Los Perros campsite, once more the accommodation tonight is in tents. Dinner in the communal dining hall. It is recommended that you rest; tomorrow will be a long day!
Day 6th February. : HIKE TO GREY VIA THE JOHN GARNER PASS- 22 KM. 10-12 HOURS
Breakfast. Take a breath and get ready for the most demanding day of the Paine circuit, which is, at the same time, a very rewarding one. After having breakfast early in the morning, pick up your box lunch, and off we go to make our way along a path through gnarled tree roots and large mud puddles under the green treetops. Leaving the forest, you begin to ascend through worn and loose rocks (sometimes with snow) until you reach the highest point of this circuit, the famous John Garner Pass (1200 m). Sometimes, there are very strong Patagonian winds along the ascent, especially at the top of the pass. There, you will see the most spectacular sights, including the Southern Ice Field and its wonderful grandeur, hear its growls, and see it calving as you descend and walk by its side, a giant wall of ice. The trail continues by El Paso campsite, where there is a park ranger outpost. Then, you will cross the exciting hanging bridges before arriving at Grey Refugio for dinner and a well-deserved rest in bunk beds.
Day 7th February. HIKE TO PAINE GRANDE. 11 KM. 4-5 HOURS
Breakfast. Enjoy your breakfast in Grey Refuge and take in more spectacular views of the Southern Ice Field and the icebergs of Grey Lake. You will hike up through a mountainous forest until you reach the sometimes very windy Grey Glacier viewpoint. Continue your trek until you reach Los Patos lagoon, where you will begin the descent through a narrow and windy valley that takes you directly to Paine Grande refugio, dinner and accommodation there.
Day 8th February. EXPLORATION TO THE FRENCH VALLEY. 15 KMS (REFUGE – VIEWPOINT - FRENCH DOMES)
Breakfast. Get an early morning start for an all-day hike to the core of Torres del Paine National Park. After breakfast, request your box lunch and prepare yourself for a jaw-dropping Patagonian landscape. Walk amidst arid landscapes and along the shore of the wonderful blue waters of Skottsberg Lake. After approximately 2.5 hours of hiking, you will arrive to the Italiano campsite, where you will begin your journey up to the Valley.
Climb through the immense rocky terrain and continue until you reach the French plateau, where you will be rewarded with impressive landscapes of Los Cuernos (the Horns), turquoise glacial lagoons and wonderful hanging snowdrifts that fall in the form of waterfalls on the east side of Paine Grande mount (3,050 m). You will hear the rumble of ice and snow falling if you are lucky! It is a point where avalanches can commonly be observed. This is the ideal time to take pictures and enjoy your box lunch.
Your way back is by the same path until the Italiano campsite, and then continue on to Domos Francés. Take it easy for the evening, enjoy a delicious dinner at the refuge, and sleep in bunk beds in the Domes.
Day 9th February. HIKE TO TORRE CENTRAL. 14,5 KM. 4-5 HOURS
Breakfast. Today, you will make your way across pristine streams, see snowdrifts of Almirante Nieto peak (2,670 m), and look above to see the Patagonian condors, the mighty birds with 3m wingspan soaring above. Beside you will be the captivating blue-green waters of the Nordenskjöld lake. Follow the well-signposted path eastward until you reach the Torre Central refuge. Dinner and accommodation will be in the Torre Central refugio.
Day 10th February. HIKE TO THE BASE OF THE TOWERS. 22 KM. 10-12 HOURS
Breakfast. Today's hike follows the Ascencio Valley as it snakes through windswept hills and extensive forests. During the final ascent, you will traverse through an immense boulder field until reaching one of the most iconic mountain viewpoints in the world, the famous Base of the Towers. At an altitude of 900 meters above sea level, you will marvel at the sheer granite walls of the north, central and south towers and the brilliant, bright, turquoise glacial lake at its feet. This is the ideal time to take pictures and enjoy your lunch before returning along the same path, now downhill, to the Torre Central refuge. Private transfer to Puerto Natales. Free time this evening. Dinner is not included. Accommodation in Hotel Sheuen.
Day 11th February. TRANSFER FROM PUERTO NATALES TO EL CALAFATE
Breakfast. After a relaxing evening & final night in Puerto Natales, we take an early bus, public transport, from the central bus station, crossing the Argentine border at Cancha Carrera, where we stop to go through passport control. Then, we continue to El Calafate. The overall journey is 500km, taking 5/6hrs. The scenery along the route allows you to enjoy this unique Patagonian landscape in the deep south of the South American continent. We check into Hotel Glaciar del Libertador. Relax & take a stroll around this frontier town. Later, we will all meet up for dinner later at La Tablita restaurant.
Day 12th February. GLACIAR PERITO MORENO – EL CHALTÉN
Breakfast. This morning we drive 78km through the Patagonian countryside, snow-topped mountains, lakes, rivers & wild forests. We stop at Curva de los Suspiros to enjoy the first views of Perito Moreno. Arriving at the glacial park, we will take a 4km walk alongside the glacier using the boardwalks. Time there to experience the wonderful sight of this natural phenomenon. Its situation is stunning & unusual, with the glacier located as it is in the lake with the mountains as a backdrop. You will feel the power of nature & beauty of raw, primaeval nature. Option to take a boat and get right up close to the face of the glacier. After a few hours there, we take the transport to El Chaltén. Dinner in La Vineria restaurant in El Chaltén. Accommodation in Hotel Cumbres Nevadas in El Chalten.
Day 13th February. TREK TO LAGUNA TORRE. 19 Km. 7-8 hours
Breakfast. Besides Laguna De los Tres, this is a great classic you cannot miss. A valley trek that will take you to an overwhelming site of mountains and glaciers. Here stands Cerro Torre. Experienced mountaineers rate it as one of the most difficult and extraordinary climbs in the world.
The trail enters the valley of the Fitz Roy River and follows it to its source. Halfway along the path, you will reach a natural viewpoint with magnificent panoramic views of the Adela range, Cerro Torre and its satellite granite needles. Finally, the trail crosses the De Agostini base camp. The path continues towards the frontal moraine, which ascends until reaching its crest after walking for 15 minutes. From there, it is possible to go down to the Torre lagoon or to continue along the same ridge for another 2 km to the Maestri viewpoint. This lagoon tends to group numerous icebergs on its shore that fall from the Grande glacier's front face. Return to El Chaltén. Dinner in a local restaurant and accommodation in Hotel Cumbres Nevadas.
Day 14th February. TREK LAGUNA DE LOS TRES – FITZROY. 24KM. 8-9 HOURS
Breakfast. We begin the day trekking toward Los Tres; the path ascends steeply along the valley of the Las Vueltas River. After 1.5 hours, we arrive at the Cerro Fitzroy viewpoint. A spectacular scene to behold. The trail continues down to Poincenot Base Camp until arriving at our objective today, Laguna de los Tres, rewarding your effort with some of the most wonderful views in Patagonia.
We take breaks along the way, picking spots to enjoy the views, have lunch, and return by Poincenot, Laguna Capri, and take the path back to El Chaltén. We have dinner in a local restaurant and accommodation in Hotel Cumbres Nevadas.
Day 15th. February. DAY OFF IN EL CHALTÉN OR OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES
Kayaking on the River “Las Vueltas” 10 Km
We start the morning with our guide, who will brief us about the safety of the activity and help with equipment testing. Some manoeuvring and safety practices before we go on the river. Paddling in the kayak for about 10 km, we can enjoy views of a different aspect of Fitz Roy and its satellite needles. When we reach the end of the route, we use the changing rooms to change and put on dry clothes. After enjoying a coffee with a snack, travel back to El Chaltén, accommodation in Hotel Fitzroy or similar.
Reserva Los Huemules. 16 Km. 7-8 hours
We take a vehicle from our hotel for 20 km to the start point in Los Huemules Nature Reserve. After a short visit to the Visitor Center to register, we begin our walk towards the Loma del Diablo (1,790m) to reach the viewpoint above the vegetation line at 1,050m high.
In bad weather, we can visit the Azul and Verde lagoons, connecting with the valley leading to the Diablo Lagoon.
Transfer to the spectacular Laguna Condor Refugio. Relax in the hot tub on the riverbank, enjoy a celebration, and then rest well in the superb log cabins.
Day 16th February. TRANSFER FROM EL CHALTÉN TO EL CALAFATE. FLIGHT TO BUENOS AIRES.
We leave Patagonia today with wonderful memories. Undoubtedly, they will inspire you to return or seek other adventurous opportunities to enjoy our beautiful, diverse natural world. We drive from El Chalten to El Calafate airport & take our flight to Buenos Aires, where you will stay for one night enjoying your free time there. Airport transfer, flight cost El Calafate to Buenos Aires & one night in Hotel Tango de Mayo in Buenos Aires are all included in the tour price. (If you want to extend your stay in Buenos Aires, please let us know).
Day 17th February. END OF THE TOUR.
You may fly home to Dublin or choose to extend your trip.
