Natural Patagonia
Explore Los Glaciares National Park: El Chalten/ Fitz Roy and El Calafate/Perito Moreno Glacier. Enjoy spectacular landscapes and hiking in Torres del Paine NP
Duration: 11 days/ 10 nights
Best time to go: Oct-Apr
ITINERARY
DAY 1: BUENOS AIRES
Arrival and meeting at the airport. Private transfer to your hotel. Lodging at Hotel Pulitzer, Hotel Intersur Recoleta, or similar for two nights.
DAY 2: BUENOS AIRES
In the morning you will enjoy a private tour of this cosmopolitan city of 12 million inhabitants, and capital of the Argentine Republic. You will visit the most distinct neighborhoods such as Palermo, Avenida de Mayo, La Boca and Recoleta. Rest of the afternoon and evening at leisure. NOTE: We recommend a tango show/dinner at the traditional Esquina Homero Manzi for your evening in the city. (Optional. Not included). (B)
DAY 3: LOS GLACIARES NATIONAL PARK: EL CHALTEN/FITZ ROY
Later, private transfer to the airport and flight to El Calafate. Arrival, reception at the airport and transfer to your hotel in El Chalten (about 3 hours drive – Car/driver). Lodging at Hosteria Infinito Sur, Hotel Poincenot, or similar for three nights. (B)
DAY 4: LOS GLACIARES NATIONAL PARK: EL CHALTEN/FITZ ROY
Today you will enjoy a full day trekking excursion to Laguna de Los Tres including Piedras Blancas Glacier and base camp Fitz Roy. Picnic lunch during the excursion. Lodging in El Chalten. (B,L).
DAY 5: LOS GLACIARES NATIONAL PARK: EL CHALTEN/FITZ ROY
After breakfast, you will enjoy a trekking excursion along the Fitz Roy River valley to Cerro Torre base camp (Camp De Agostini). About 500 mts from the camp, at the end of the trail in Laguna Torre on a clear day, you will have amazing views of Mt Torre, Torre and Grande Glacier, Adela chain, Mt. Egger, Standhard, Bifida and Four Dedos Peaks. Picnic Lunch included. (B, L)
DAY 6: LOS GLACIARES NATIONAL PARK: EL CHALTEN – EL CALAFATE
Breakfast. In the morning, you will drive back to El Calafate and your hotel: Private transfer with driver (no guide). Lodging for two nights at Hotel El Galpón del Glaciar or similar. If you stay at Hotel El Galpón del Glaciar, you will enjoy a visit of the ranch, sheep shearing demonstration, and dinner and folk show. If you prefer to be in town you would stay at Hotel Mirador del Lago or similar. Dinner included. (B, D)
DAY 7: LOS GLACIARES NATIONAL PARK
After breakfast you will depart to visit Los Glaciares National Park. This park of 600.000 hectares (2,300 square miles) has thirteen glaciers that flow into the Argentino and Viedma lakes. Perito Moreno Glacier, is one of the few glaciers in the world that is still progressing. It is only 500 ft above sea level, which makes it very accessible, allowing one to stand in front of a mountain of ice that measures 60 m (180 ft) by 5 km (2.5 miles). The constant fall of huge towers of ice from its walls and into the lake is an unforgettable spectacle. Trekking on the Glacier: You will board a boat to cross the lake. You will land on an isolated beach and trek for about 1 ½ hour on the glacier while enjoying a magnificent landscape of ice formations in different shades of blue, crevasses, streams and small lagoons. (not additional equipment, or previous experience required). Picnic lunch at the park. In the evening, return to your hotel in El Calafate. Dinner at the hotel. (B,L,D)
DAY 8: EL CALAFATE – TORRES DEL PAINE
You will take a bus from your hotel to the border with Chile (Cancha Carrera/Cerro Castillo) where your Chilean guide will be waiting for you and drive to Torres del Paine National Park. Torres del Paine is a large park (450,000 acres) declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO. You will visit Sarmiento, Nordenskjold and Pehoe Lakes. You may enjoy a short hiking to Grey lake to view part of the glacier. The park is particularly rich in fauna, and you’ll be likely to see guanacos, lesser rheas, black-necked swans, geese, flamingos, Magellanic woodpeckers, and peregrine falcons and condors on the mountain slopes. Lunch during the excursion. You will arrive at the hotel late in the evening. Lodging for one night at Hosteria Serrano or Hotel Cabañas del Paine or similar in the park. (B, L)
DAY 9: TORRES DEL PAINE/ PUERTO NATALES
After breakfast, you will depart in Zodiac boats down Serrano River. You will enjoy a short hike to Glaciar Serrano. Then you will sail through Ultima Esperanza Fjord to a ranch overlooking the fjord. Lunch at the ranch. Later you will continue by boat to Puerto Natales, a charming town on the shores of Ultima Esperanza Sound. Arrival and transfer to your hotel. Lodging in Puerto Natales at Hotel CostAustralis (overlooking the Sound) or similar. (B, L)
Note: We’ll take your luggage from your hotel in Torres del Paine to Puerto Natales.
DAY 10: PUERTO NATALES / EL CALAFATE/BUENOS AIRES
Breakfast. Public bus to the airport in El Calafate to take your flight to Buenos Aires. Arrival and transfer to your hotel. Lodging for one night at Hotel Pulitzer or Hotel Intersur Recoleta. (B)
DAY 11: BUENOS AIRES…
Private transfer to Ezeiza International Airport to take your international flight. (B)
Trip Price: Contact us for current pricing and bookings.
2 to 3 travelers: $3955 per person double occupancy
Single Supplement: $860
SERVICES INCLUDE:
-Lodging for 10 nights (mentioned or similar hotels, Inns / estancia)
– All private transfers from and to airports.
– Public bus from El Calafate to the border with Chile (Day 8), and public bus from Puerto Natales to El Calafate (Day 10).
-Bilingual local guides for all excursions, most transfers, and local assistance.
– During the trekking expeditions in Fitz Roy area: Bilingual expert mountain guides.
– Private excursions with bilingual guides as described in the itinerary
– Boat and trekking excursions on the glacier, and visit to Estancia are group excursions shared with other passengers.
– Meals as mentioned in itinerary: All breakfasts (B), 5 lunches (L), 2 dinners (D)
– Park entrance fees.
