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Expedition Patagonia
$5,995 per person, based on double occupancy. Single supplement: $1,495.
Trip Overview
Like Bora Bora or Kathmandu, the name Patagonia is evocative of the globe’s most exotic travel destinations. Our trip to the remote southern reaches of Chile and Argentina fulfills that mystique.
Distant and compelling, the Andes Mountains rise in spires to the sky, their sheer granite walls drawing the eye and the heart upward. Glaciers wind down in frozen rivers from the ice-crowned massifs, choking lakes and fjords with floating bergs. Despite the austerity of the landscape, this mountain enclave is home to an array of wildlife, which we encounter on foot and at sea.
Visit the world's largest ice field and cruise to the face of massive glaciers. Hike among alpine lakes and granite spires with stunning views of Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre. Stay at famed Ecocamp Patagonia, in the heart of Torres del Paine National Park.
Trip Itinerary
Please note that the dates below do not include travel time to and from the destination. We suggest consulting our tour operator, Natural Habitat Adventures, to discuss the best flight options for your travels.
Thursday, March 3, 2011: El Calafate, Argentina
Arrive in El Calafate, where we meet our Expedition Leader at the airport and transfer to our hotel. This evening, we learn about the adventures ahead at a Welcome Dinner with our traveling companions. Hotel Kosten Aike (D)
Friday, March 4: Torres del Paine National Park
Drive through pampas and steppe into Chile and Torres del Paine National Park. A UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, the park is home to a host of wildlife and a remarkable array of birds, including eagles, hawks, lesser rheas, buzzards and South American condors returned from the verge of extinction. Dominating the horizon are the famous “horns and towers of Paine,” igneous rock spires millions of years old.
Arrive early in the afternoon, with hours ahead to drink in this stunning landscape. During the southern summer the sun sets around 11 p.m., leaving plenty of light this evening to admire the furry guanacos grazing on the steppe and the mythical-looking peaks on the horizon.
Spend the three nights in domed suites modeled on traditional Kawesqa native huts. This renowned accommodation offers surprising luxury amid the wilderness while achieving a low-impact footprint on the land. Warm and wind-resistant, our nomad-style dwellings afford superlative views and an unparalleled immersion in nature. Ecocamp Patagonia (B,L,D)
Saturday, March 5:Laguna Inge / Botanical Safari / Lake Pehoe
Rising at dawn to see the sunrise (weather permitting), set out on a hike to Laguna Inge, watching overhead for Andean condors and eagles hunting hares and small rodents. The return route from the lake winds around Almirante Nieto Mountain, taking you back to the EcoCamp in time for lunch, followed by a detailed exploration of the flora surrounding the camp. This afternoon, drive across the expanse of the park, drinking in vistas of the snow-clad massif of Paine Grande, highest in the range, and Los Cuernos – famed for its black granite horn-like spires. On a calm day, brilliant blue Lake Pehoe reflects the serrated peaks like a mirror. As you walk along its shoreline you'll see Salto Grande Falls, a thunderous cataract pouring into the lake from Lake Nordenskjold above. Return to camp in time for a hearty dinner Ecocamp Patagonia (B,L,D)
Sunday, March 6: Torres del Paine Hiking
Travel to the eastern side of the park to follow the sendero de la fauna– "the animals’ trail" – so named because of the large number of guanacos often seen along the way. It winds through a favorite puma hunting area, so we may also see the remains of these camelids upon whom the big, tawny cats have preyed. High rock formations flank the path, serving as dwelling and lookout points for the pumas. They are highly elusive, however, and sightings are rare. Visit a cave en route with ancient paintings decorating the walls, mostly representing guanacos. Return in the afternoon to camp and spend the remainder of the day exploring the flora and fauna of the surrounding environs. Ecocamp Patagonia (B,L,D)
Monday, March 7: Trek to Laguna Torre
A full day’s hike on the Cerro Torre Trail to Laguna Torre takes you to one of the most exquisite settings in Patagonia. The alpine lake sits at the base of regal Mount Torre, the granite spire eroded by wind and ice into one of the world’s most distinctive alpine profiles. Begin on a trail through beech forest and bogs to the Fitz Roy River, continuing to Base Camp de Agostini. From here, it’s a short hike to Laguna Torre. Icebergs float peacefully on the lake, drifting with the wind. Stop at various points to absorb the stupendous views and enjoy a picnic lunch along the way, returning to town in the afternoon. An optional extended hike is available for those who wish to continue to Laguna Torre. There’s free time after dinner this evening to wander the streets of this small town, known as the Trekking Capital of Patagonia. Hotel Kosten Aike (B,L,D)
Tuesday, March 8: Mini-trek on Perito Moreno Glacier
A full day is devoted to one of the world’s most spectacular natural wonders: Perito Moreno Glacier. One of very few advancing glaciers on the planet, it is Patagonia’s most famous. Nearly 200 feet high, this massive river of ice winds down from the perpetual snowfields of the Andes to its terminus in Lago Argentino.At Bajo de las Sombras Bay, board a boat and head for the south wall of the glacier, cruising among enormous icebergs that calve from the glacier’s face and crowd the water with floating rafts of ice.
On a short walk to the edge of the glacier, learn fascinating details about its formation, before donning crampons for our next adventure: a trek atop the ice! The steel spikes beneath our shoes give us traction, allowing us a vantage point over the glacier’s surface that few visitors get to experience. At the end of the easy trek, enjoy a drink chilled with millennia-old glacial ice – a rare treat. After lunch, explore a network of footbridges that offers panoramic views of the glacier’s north face. Return to El Calafate for dinner. Hotel Kosten Aike (B,L,D)
Wednesday, March 9: Upsala Glacier Cruise
After a hearty breakfast, transfer to Puerto Banderas to board a catamaran for a cruise into the heart of Los Glaciares National Park. Sailing on Lago Argentino, our destination is the magnificent Upsala Glacier, nearly five miles across. Unlike Perito Moreno, this glacier is retreating rapidly, leaving a jagged puzzle of ice floes as it recedes.
Disembark at Estancia Cristina, an early 20th-century sheep breeding farm where the traditional gaucho way of life once prevailed. Hike to some lookout points for impressive views of Upsala Glacier and Lago Argentino, working up an appetite for the traditional lunch that awaits: a delicious Patagonian lamb barbecue. Later, take a short hike to a nearby waterfall before returning to El Calafate. Hotel Kosten Aike (B,L,D)
Thursday, March 10: Petrified Forest / El Chalten
Spend the day on the broad expanse of the Patagonian steppe that sprawls northeast from El Calafate. Along the drive, admire gorgeous views of Lago Argentino, cross the Santa Cruz River, follow the La Leona River valley and marvel at the panorama of the Southern Andes and striking Mount Fitz Roy.
Our destination is the La Leona Petrified Forest, where we set out on a fascinating walk into this stark landscape filled with remnants of a warm, humid prehistoric Patagonia. See enormous tree trunks that date back millions of years, heaps of fossilized broken bones and occasionally whole leg bones of large reptiles, some of which are still in the process of being identified. After a gentle, three-hour hike, continue to El Chalten. Hosteria Senderos (B,L,D)
Friday, March 11: Trek to Laguna Torre
A full day’s hike on the Cerro Torre Trail to Laguna Torre takes you to one of the most exquisite settings in Patagonia. The alpine lake sits at the base of regal Mount Torre, the granite spire eroded by wind and ice into one of the world’s most distinctive alpine profiles.
Begin on a trail through beech forest and bogs to the Fitz Roy River, continuing to Base Camp de Agostini. From there, it’s a short hike to Laguna Torre. Icebergs float peacefully on the lake, drifting with the wind. Stop at various points to absorb the stupendous views and enjoy a picnic lunch along the way, returning to town in the afternoon. There’s free time after dinner to wander the streets of this small town, known as the Trekking Capital of Patagonia. Hosteria Senderos (B,L,D)
Saturday, March 12: Campo Los Huemules
Embark on an all-day odyssey to the icefields. Drive from El Chalten following the Las Vueltas River, with impressive views of Mt. FitzRoy along the way, until reaching the private conservation reserve of Campo Los Huemules. Stopping first at the visitors center, learn about the geology, animals and plant life of the region before continuing to Laguna Azul, or “blue lake.” Crossing the Diablo River, begin an easy trek into the hills, ascending gradually past several waterfalls until we reach the source of the river. Here we may be fortunate to see some of the huemules – a type of deer – from which the camp derives its name.
After the hike, descend again to El Chalten, where you'll have lunch at a local restaurant and a short tour of the town, including a visit to the Tony Egger Climbers’ Chapel. The memorial is a gift from a group of Austrian climbers to pay tribute to Egger and other courageous mountaineers who sacrificed their lives attempting to conquer the peaks of Patagonia. Egger lost his life while descending the first successful summit of Cerro Torre. The tour of Chalten ends at the Puesto Amarillo, the historic yellow surveillance post of Estancia Fitz Roy and current starting point for the most popular treks in the area. The day’s finale on our return to El Calafate is a festive farewell dinner, marking the end of our adventure in the Andes. Hotel Kosten Aike (B,L,D)
Sunday, March 13: El Calafate / Depart
Transfer to the airport for flights home. (B)
