Patagonia Hiking

12 Days

Dates

• February-March, 2022

Pricing

• Tour Pricing: $6,895

Patagonia Hiking

12 Days

DAY 1: ARRIVE: EL CALAFATE, ARGENTINA

Welcome to Argentina! 

A Volant representative will pick you up at the airport and transfer you to your hotel.

Tonight we'll celebrate your arrival with a warm welcome dinner in true Argentine fashion with a famous Argentine Barbecue. 

Accommodations: El Calafate, Argentina

 

DAY 2: PERITO MORENO GLACIER | EL CALAFATE, ARGENTINA

You'll have the morning to yourself as you explore optional excursions in this wild, Patagonian landscape. You can choose to take an adventurous cruise on a mountain lake to the terminus of a massive glacier, or you can choose to book a hike on the actual glacier itself. The choice is yours. 

We'll meet up as a group in the afternoon for a visit to one of the most famous glaciers in all of South America: The Great Perito Moreno Glacier, in Los Glaciares National Park. The intentional late arrival to the glacier is for the opportunity to see the sunset over the blue ice. It's absolutely something to behold (depending on weather of course). 

This evening we'll head back to El Calafate for another wonderful Argentine dinner. 

Accommodations: El Calafate, Argentina

DAY 3: LOS GLACIARES NATIONAL PARK | EL CHALTÉN, ARGENTINA

After breakfast, we'll get in the van for a drive through the Patagonian landscape. Keep your eyes open. You may be able to spot desert eagles, various hawks, maybe even the endangered lesser rhea, and more than likely, the iconic, Patagonian Guanaco.

We'll be arriving at El Chaltén for lunch. We'll be spending the next few nights here in order to access some of the wildest backcountry in Patagonia. The towering pinnacles of Cerro Torre loom above the small town. We'll take an early evening, short hike up to a viewpoint overlooking the impressive Cordon Aldeia mountain range.

This evening we'll retire to our hotel for an evening meal and a relaxing time with friends. 

Accommodations: El Chaltén, Argentina

DAY 4: CERRO TORRE | EL CHALTÉN, ARGENTINA

Today is an exciting day. We'll starting hiking after breakfast towards one of the most scenic and rugged landscapes in all of Patagonia. The ominous tower of Cerro Torre is our aim. We'll hike up the mountain slopes with Cerro Torre looming above in the distance the whole time. It's an impressive sight, one that will continue to impress the closer you get to it. 

We'll have a lakeside picnic below Cerro Torre. After lunch, we'll make our way back down to the valley to El Chaltén.

Hike: Campamento De Agostini: 5 hrs | 9.5km 

Accommodations: El Chaltén, Argentina

 

DAY 5: FITZ ROY | EL CHALTÉN, ARGENTINA

We'll hit the trail after breakfast. Today's journey through the Patagonian backcountry will take us to one of the most well known mountains in the Southern Hemisphere: Mt. Fitz Roy. Depending upon the group's timing, we'll have the chance to take one of two optional side hikes. Whether we continue on or rest and then go down, today's hike will not disappoint. 

After a mountain picnic, we'll turn around and head back down the way we came up, ending in El Chalten for diner time. 

Hike: Campamento Poincenot: 6hrs Return (3hrs one way) | 8km

• Optional Side Trip: Laguna Sucia: 2hrs Return | 5km
• Optional Side Trip: Laguna De Los Tres: 3hrs Return | 5km | 450m ascent/descent

Accommodations: El Chaltén, Argentina

DAY 6: TORRES DEL PAINE NATIONAL PARK, CHILE

After breakfast we'll begin our journey southwards, crossing the international border between Argentina and Chile. After passing customs, we'll work our way through the southern Patagonian landscape to Torres del Paine National Park, the most well-known national park in all of Chile. 

Transfer: El Chaltén --> Torres del Paine National Park, Chile: 6.5hrs - 7.5hrs

Accomodations: Hotel Las Torres, Torres del Paine National Park, Chile

Alpaca, Torres del Paine National Park, Chile

DAY 7: LAS TORRES | TORRES DEL PAINE LOOKOUT, CHILE

Torres del Paine National Park boasts of some of the most beautiful postcards sent from all of South America. Today, you'll have the chance to visit one of the most popular postcard sites: Torres del Paine Lookout. This hike leads to a picturesque, alpine lake below commanding granite spires. 

After a lakeside, mountain picnic we'll hike back to our hotel at the foot of the Torres del Paine mountain range. 

Hike: Torres del Paine Lookout: 6-8hrs Return | 10.6 miles / 19km | 2,500 ft. ascent/descent | moderate-difficult

Accommodations: Hotel Las Torres, Torres del Paine National Park, Chile

DAY 8: LOS CUERNOS | TORRES DEL PAINE NATIONAL PARK, CHILE

Today's hike is part of the traditional "W Route." It's a high-trafficked trail, and for good reason. Commanding views of Curenos mountains will be in full view during this beautiful portion of our hike. It skirts the Torres del Paine range, maintaining an almost level elevation as the trail parallels Lago Nordenskjöld. 

We'll eat lunch alongside the trail, overlooking the aqua blue waters of the Lago Nordenskjöld, and underneath the towering Cuernos. 

Hike: Las Torres --> Los Cuernos: 5-6hrs | 7.5 miles | easy-moderate

Accommodations: Los Cuernons, Torres del Paine National Park, Chile

Torres del Paine

DAY 9: PAINE GRANDE LODGE | TORRES DEL PAINE NATIONAL PARK, CHILE

After breakfast, we'll continue our trek alongside the Lago Nordenskjöld and head towards the beautiful Valle del Francés. It is here, at the junction to the upper canyon of the Valle del Francés, and the straighter, flatter path leading to our final destination, that we'll decide whether to add on a side hike. Either way, we'll continue our hike with stunning mountain and aqua blue lake views. 

We'll end our hike at the Paine Grande Lodge where we'll spend the night. 

Hike: Los Cuernos --> Paine Grande Lodge: 5-6hrs | 7.5 miles

Accommodations: Paine Grande Lodge, Torres del Paine National Park, Chile

DAY 10: TORRES DEL PAINE NATIONAL PARK, CHILE

This is our last day of hiking on the traditional "W Route." We turn the corner at the Lago Grey and hike parallel to it for the length of half a marathon! What a beautiful--and long--lake! Our hike ends at the Grey Glacier's terminus, offering up spectacular views of glacial blues and whites.

In proper "spectacular" fashion, we'll be picked up by a tour boat that will take us along the length of the glacier's terminus. This cruise is one of the only tours that can get so close to the glacier itself due to the glacier's stable condition. It's truly an experience of a lifetime. The after touring the spectacular views of the Grey Glacier, we'll sit back and relax as we ride the cruise ship to the other end of the lake where our hotel will be waiting for us (3hrs). 

Hike: Grande Paine Lodge --> Refugio Grey (Cruise ship pick-up point): 5-6hrs | 14 miles | 750 ft ascent/descent

Accommodations: Hotel Lago Grey, Torres Del Paine National Park, Chile

Grey Glacier, Torres del Paine National Park, Chile

DAY 11: PUERTO NATALES | PUNTA ARENAS, CHILE

Our adventure in Chili's most popular national park has come to an end. We'll leave Lago Grey and Torres del Paine National Park after breakfast. 

On our way south, we'll pass by the fascinating Chilean national monument called, the Cueva de la Milodon. Inside the massive cave, we'll see a replica of a massive, and now extinct, ground sloth, known as a Mylodon. The replica was patterned after the actual remains of a mylodon that was found in the cave. It is said to have lived over 10,200-13,500 years ago. 

After our interesting history lesson, we'll head further south to Puerto Natales, where we'll have lunch. After lunch we'll continue our journey south to our ending point, Punta Arenas. We'll end this fine Patagonian adventure with a farewell dinner. 

Accommodations: Punta Arenas

DAY 12: DEPART - HOME

Unfortunately, every adventure has to come to an end. This one ends after breakfast. Enjoy your morning at your leisure. Transfer to airport for flights home. 

Thank you for choosing Volant Travel! 

Patagonia Hiking

12 Days

Inclusions

• Scheduled meals
• Scheduled overnight accommodations while on the tour
• Entrances fees to museums, archaeological sites,  etc.
• National park entrance fees and permits

Excluded

• Items of a personal nature (personal gear, telephone calls, laundry, etc.)
• International airfare
• Staff/guide gratuities
• Nonscheduled lodging and meals
• Alcoholic beverages
• Trip cancellation insurance
• Medical rescue insurance

Patagonia, Argentina/Chile