Trip Program - 
D1: Meet at the hotel in Buenos Aires
D2: Morning flight to Rio Gallegos, followed by a bus drive to Puerto Natales, in Chile. This is an interesting fishing village on the shore of a fjord at Seno Ultima Esperanza. Beautiful view during our trip where we will see, around the arid Patagonian steppe, immense lakes with icebergs wandering, summits covered with snow, and glaciers. We will see guanacos (kind of lama), nandus (type of ostrich) and flamingos on the lakes’ shores. Free afternoon to wander around the village or walk by the lagoon.
D3: Bus drive to Torres del Paine park. It is the most well known South American Park, having been classified by UNESCO as World Heritage in 1978 due to its beauty, variety of landscapes, flora and fauna. We start the trek by crossing the suspended bridge over the river Ascensio. We traverse easy slopes in open terrain with beautiful views over some distant lakes and snowy mountains. We reach the Chileno hut after crossing a suspended bridge amid thick beech woods. After leaving here our packs, we continue on a winding trail along the river then into the woods. Then we climb a steep rocky slope to reach the famous Torres del Paine lookout. Wonderful panorama of massive and high rock pinnacles above the glacier and its green water lake. Pause for pic nic. Return to the Chileno hut where we will stay overnight (6h30).
D4: Pleasant hike along the lake Nordenskjold enjoying its vastness and the undulating relief on the opposite shore. Above us will rise a compact ridge in ochre and black colours from small waterfalls pour. We traverse green meadows with bushes that bloom nicely in spring with red flowers. We go up and down on this irregular land until finally we reach a huge bright wall with a large dark platform at the top, and a big breach in the middle were it fall a water-fall. It is the Cuernos del Paine, one of the most spectacular rocks of the park. Soon we reach the Cuernos hut on the lake’s shore at a panoramic lookout (6h).
D5: We trek to SW following the lake’s shore,
passing through dense woods, under the majesty of the Cuernos
peaks. Then we climb along the stream that comes from the French
valley. Wonderful view of Cerro Paine Grande (3050m)
with its suspended glaciers on its slopes. The cirque at French
valley will offer us a superb view of the rocky ridges and its
monolithic peaks surrounding us. Superb tranquility and nice
occasion for a pic nic. We return on the same trail and cross
the stream on a suspended wooden bridge. Further on we reach
lake Skottsberg’s shore which we follow till we reach
Pehoé hut, on the shore of lake Pehoé
(6h). 
D6: We trek north through Quebrada de los Vientos (: Windy Gorge) and climb gently to a ridge which we follow amid a strong wind which is peculiar of this sector. We pass two ponds among cliffs where ducks and geese swim. Later on we come to see the large Grey lake with its icebergs that detach from the vast glacier of the same name.
A descent follows and we reach the woods which we cross passing by small gorges and a waterfall. We reach Grey hut (4h) on the lakeshore where the scenery of the icebergs passing in front of us is most stunning. The hikes from here to the Grey glacier take 30mn.
D7: Morning return hike to the Pehoé hut (2h30). Here we board a boat that leaves us on the other shore. Drive to the hotel in the park.
D8: Exciting return to Puerto Natales rafting the river Serrano on a pneumatic motor boat. We traverse a wild and lonely region with views of snowy peaks at a distance and observe its wildlife, namely condors and guanacos (kind of llamas)
On arriving at fjord Seno Ultima Esperanza we board a catamaran that will take us to Puerto Natales, passing close to a sea lion colony.
D9: Bus drive to El Calafate, a small village in the Andes. Free afternoon.
D10: Morning departure to El Chalten and start trekking over green meadows and through beech forests. After a while we reach the top of a hill from where we will enjoy the view of the Cerro Torre (3128m) chain, beautiful granitic sharp rocks and pinnacles, rising above the glaciers. The valley in front of us is very green with meadows, bushes and some woods, and takes us to Bridwell's base camp and to laguna Torre, a lake of green colour fed by the glacier. On the way we may see some cauquén (geese) families in the ponds, or be lucky enough to encounter a red headed big patagonic woodpecker. Return to El Chalten in the beginning of the afternoon and accommodation in a hotel (6h).
D11: Hike to NW under some cliffs above the Rio de las Vueltas valley, then zigzagging upwards through the woods. Before Chorrillo del Salto we will have a splendid panorama of Fitz Roy (3441m) rising above its glaciers. We continue across bushland and beech and birch forests sometimes crossing some streams. We may see a condor flying low searching for preys. Finally we reach a steep slope (45mn) that will take us to the shore of Laguna de los Tres in front of Fitz's Roy glacier. Wonderful view around and pause for a good rest and for a pic nic. Return to El Chalten (5h30) and bus drive to El Calafate.
D12: Visit Perito Moreno glacier, a huge and vast mass of ice with some 60m in height. We will see and hear its strange activity by hearing the noise of the ice being compressed and by the fall ice blocks. The fall of huge blocks of ice onto the lake is always a admirable show. In the afternoon we return to El Calafate.
D13: Bus drive to Rio Gallegos and fly to Ushuaia in Tierra del Fuego.
D14: In the morning we sail on the Beagle channel to watch the colonies of sea lions and sea birds namely the graceful cormorants, the Pacific ocean’s typical bird. We land on an islet to hike around and observe the nesting places of the cormorants. Splendid view around us of distant snowy peaks and the vast skies in constant mutation.
Free afternoon to wander around town, enjoying the architecture of its houses in alpine style, visit one of its museums, or simply walk by the sea at this end of the world.
D15: Bus drive to National Park of Tierra del Fuego. We hike the coastal trail enjoying the diversity of its sea landscape with small bays and beaches, rocky islets and islands and the variety of its birds (namely the petrel and the duck vapor austral. In the larix forest we will see several trees thrown down by beavers and glades with dikes built by them. We will encounter many chimangos, a bird of prey similar to an eagle. In the afternoon we will kayak down the Lapataya river and enjoy the view of its curious fauna full of birds namely the ostreiros (oysterers) with long beak, the ibis and the graceful herons. Return to Ushuaia in the afternoon.
D16: Transport to the airport and fly to Buenos
Aires. Transport to the hotel.
D17: Free day in Buenos Aires that is known as the most European city in South America.
D18: End of the program after breakfast.
Price: Eur 2400. per person.
Difficulty: Moderate.
Dates: Jan 25-Feb 11, Feb 22-Mar 10, Nov 24-Dec 11, Dec 28-Jan 14; 2005: Jan 26-Feb 12, Mar 9-26.
Single room supplement: Eur 226.
To convert these prices
in a different currency please click : 
Booking Conditions
Booking: Payment of 30% of the price as a confirmation, the remainder 70% to be paid up to 30 days before departure.
Price - Valid in 2004.
Includes: hotel in double room with breakfast or mountain huts, all mentioned domestic transport, entry fees in the national parks, mountain guides for the hikes, pic nics on D3 to D8, D10, D11, D15, dinners from D3 to D8.
Does not include: personal equipment, visits on free time, meals except the ones mentioned above, tips, single room supplement, travel insurance, airport taxes.
Guiding: Argentine and Chilean guides speaking Castillian and English.
Group: min 4 persons, max 16.
Program: Depending on weather conditions, the groups’ condition or other justifiable, the guide may change the program. In Torres del Paine park we will stay in mountain huts and you will have to carry your gear. The program may suffer some adjustments if changes on the timetables of buses and flights occur.
Vaccines: None recommended or mandatory.
Equipment: Trekking boots, sleeping bag (2-3 seasons), waterproofs, camera. After your booking you will receive a Trip Information sheet which includes a detailed recommended equipment list.
Documentation: Valid passport and a visa may be required depending on your nationality. Please check with your local Argentine and Chilean consulate or embassy for entry requirements.
apati-20apr04
