DAY 4th Feb. ARRIVAL TO PUERTO NATALES.
Meeting point at Puerto Natales Hotel Sheuen. Briefing with your guide. Dinner and accommodation.
DAY 5th February. HIKE TO THE BASE OF THE TOWERS. 21 KM. 8-10 HOURS
Breakfast. Transfer to Torres del Paine National Park. To begin this experience, you will arrive at the main entrance of Torres del Paine National Park, Laguna Amarga, where you must register with CONAF (park rangers). You will then register at the Cerro Paine Reserve and, after a walk of approximately 5 minutes, you will arrive at Torre Central, where you must check in at the refuge or campsite before starting the trek. Today’s hike begins in Valle Ascencio and traverses its extensive native forests. During the final ascent, you will cross an imposing field of giant rocks until you reach one of the most iconic viewpoints in the world: the famous Mirador Base Torres. At an altitude of approximately 900 meters above sea level, marvel at the three granite towers (North, Central, and South) and the sparkling turquoise glacial lake at their feet. You will have time to take pictures and enjoy your box lunch before returning along the same trail back to Torre Central. After a long day of hiking and contemplating this iconic landscape, enjoy dinner at the refuge.
DAY 6th Feb: TREK TO LOS CUERNOS OR FRANCES. 12,5 or 16 KM. 6-7 HOURS
Enjoy breakfast and then order your box lunch to start the hike deep into the park to the Los Cuernos or French refuge. During this hike, you will pass by beautiful crystalline streams and admire the glaciers that hang from the Almirante Nieto mountain at 2,670 m. You will be able to see the majestic condors gliding from the heights and go along the fascinating waters of Nordenskjöld Lake. Continue along the trail until you reach Los Cuernos refuge or Domo Francés, where you will relax all night.
DAY 7th Feb: EXPLORE THE FRENCH VALLEY. 14-18 KM. 6-7 HOURS
Breakfast. This hike will take you to the heart of Torres del Paine National Park. After breakfast, ask for your box lunch and get ready for a day of amazing Patagonian landscapes. After 2 hours walking, you will pass through the Francés campsite, and you will arrive at the entrance of the French Valley. You can leave your backpack at the Italiano camp, where there is a park ranger outpost, and start your journey up to the French Valley. Climb through a massive boulder field and follow a tree-lined ridge until reaching the French plateau. Here, you will be rewarded with stunning views of Los Cuernos (the Horns), turquoise glacial lagoons and amazing blue hanging glaciers cascading down the east face of the Paine Grande Mountain (3,050 m.a.s.l.). If you are lucky, you will hear the thundering sound of water and ice crashing down, as it is very common to witness avalanches. Keep walking for 3 hours, and you will reach the incredible Mirador Británico viewpoint.
Take some photos, enjoy your box lunch and a well-deserved rest. Descend through the same path back to the Italiano camp (remember to grab your backpack). From here, walk to Paine Grande refuge (about 2.5 hrs). Take it easy, as it is practically flat. In the evening, you will enjoy a delicious dinner at the refuge.
DAY 8th Feb: HIKE TO GREY (OPTIONAL HIKE TO THE HANGING BRIDGES) 11 KM. 5-6 HOURS
After breakfast, remember to order your box lunch and start today’s trekking. The hike begins through a narrow, winding valley that leads to Los Patos Lagoon. As you continue on, you will begin to see parts of the immense Southern Icefields, as well as the ice floes of Grey Lake. After passing the sometimes very windy viewpoint, the trail descends through a mountainous forest until you reach the Grey refuge. From here, if you continue walking for about 10 minutes, you will reach the Grey glacier viewpoint, where you will come face to face with this blue ice massif. Dinner will be served at the refuge between 18:00 and 21:00 hrs.
OPTIONAL
For an unforgettable view of the Grey Glacier, book an extra 3 – 4 hours (round trip) past the refuge in the direction of the famous hanging bridges. This is by far the best viewpoint on the glacier. Besides contemplating the impressive ice, you can see the depths of the ravines formed by the rivers and waterfalls that come from the Olguin Cordon. If you are lucky, you may even see the glacier’s ice flowing into the cold waters of Grey Lake.
DAY 9th Feb: HIKE TO PAINE GRANDE. 11 KM. 5-6 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. Then, continue along the same trail back to Paine Grande to take the catamaran at 6:35 p.m. to Pudeto, from where you can take the 7:15 p.m. bus back to Puerto Natales. The approximate arrival time in Puerto Natales is 9:30 p.m. Accommodation in Puerto Natales. Dinner not included.
DAY 10th Feb: 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 on to El Calafate. The overall journey is some 500km, taking 5/6hrs. The scenery along the route offers you a wonderful opportunity to enjoy this unique Patagonian landscape in the deep south of South America. We check into the Hotel Glaciar del Libertador. Relax & take a stroll around this frontier town. Later, we will all meet for dinner at Mi Rancho.
DAY 11th Feb: GLACIAR PERITO MORENO – EL CHALTÉN
Breakfast. This morning we drove 78km through the Patagonian countryside, snow-topped mountains, lakes, rivers & wild forest. 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 along the boardwalks alongside the glacier. There's time to experience the wonderful sight of this natural phenomenon. Its situation is stunning & unusual: a glacier located in the lake, with the mountains as a backdrop. You will feel the power of nature & the 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 El Chalten.
Day 12th Feb: HIKE TO MIRADOR DEL CERRO TORRE. 7 Km. 3-4 hours
Breakfast. This beautiful hike begins in the village of El Chaltén and follows a well-marked trail through lenga forests and open valleys carved by glaciers. Along the way, hikers enjoy spectacular views of the Fitz Roy massif and the dramatic Patagonian landscape. The trail gradually climbs to the Mirador del Cerro Torre, a stunning viewpoint overlooking the Torre Valley, with the iconic granite spire of Cerro Torre rising sharply above the surrounding glaciers. The viewpoint offers one of the most impressive panoramas in Los Glaciares National Park. It is a relatively accessible hike with moderate elevation gain, making it a perfect introduction to trekking in Patagonia while experiencing the wild beauty of the southern Andes. Dinner in a local restaurant and accommodation in El Chalten.
DAY 13th Feb: HIKE TO LAGUNA CAPRI. 9KM. 3-4 HOURS
Breakfast. This scenic hike starts directly from the village of El Chaltén and follows a steady trail that climbs through beautiful lenga forests and open viewpoints overlooking the Río de las Vueltas valley. After a gradual ascent, the trail reaches Laguna Capri, a peaceful glacial lake set beneath the towering peaks of the Fitz Roy massif. The lake offers breathtaking reflections of Mount Fitz Roy and its surrounding granite spires, making it one of the most iconic viewpoints in the region.
This hike is relatively short but highly rewarding, offering some of the best close-up views of Fitz Roy and an unforgettable introduction to the spectacular landscapes of Patagonia. Return to El Chaltén. Dinner not included. Accommodation in El Chalten.
DAY 14th Feb. TRANSFER TO EL CALAFATE. FLIGHT TO USHUAIA
Breakfast. Transfer to El Calafate and flight to Ushuaia. Transfer to the hotel and a free afternoon to visit this amazing town. Dinner and accommodation in Ushuaia.
DAY 15th Feb. VISIT TO HARBERTON ESTATE AND PENGUIN COLONY
Breakfast. We depart by vehicle to the historic Harberton Estate. There, we head in a semi-rigid boat for 15 minutes to Isla Martillo. We walk for an hour among the Magallanes penguin colony and some individuals of the Papuan penguin. We return to the estate, where there is free time to visit the estate’s main building, the first in Tierra del Fuego, and the Acatushún Museum of Birds and Marine Mammals. We then return to Ushuaia. Dinner and accommodation in Ushuaia.
DAY 16th Feb. NAVIGATION OF THE BEAGLE CHANNEL AND THE LIGHTHOUSE AT THE END OF THE WORLD.
Breakfast. Known as the Onashaga Channel in the native language, the Beagle Channel is a strait connecting the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, and Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world, extends along its shores. During the journey, we will have the opportunity to spot an incredible variety of wildlife, including sea lions, cormorants, petrels, condors, gulls, and penguins, among others. The Sealions’ Island, Bird Island, and the Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse are just some of the highlights we will visit on this unforgettable voyage.
Additionally, there are options for landings on some of the islands in the Bridges archipelago, where you can explore the lush natural surroundings firsthand, with stunning views of Ushuaia and the Andes Mountain Range. Dinner and accommodation in Ushuaia.
DAY 17th Feb: FLIGHT TO BUENOS AIRES.
Breakfast. We leave Patagonia today with wonderful memories. Undoubtedly, they will inspire you to return or seek out other adventurous opportunities to enjoy our beautiful, diverse natural world. We drive to Ushuaia airport and take a flight to Buenos Aires, where you will stay for 2 nights, enjoying your own free time. Airport transfer, flight cost Ushuaia to Buenos Aires & two nights in Hotel Tango de Mayo in Buenos Aires are all included in the tour price.
DAY 18th Feb: DAY OFF IN BUENOS AIRES
Enjoy this vibrant city on your own. Accommodation in Hotel Tango de Mayo.
DAY 19th Feb: END OF THE TOUR.
You may fly home to Dublin or choose to extend your trip.
