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Prices
for - Chile Trekking and Adventures
Chile
Trekking - Fitz Roy Trek and Perito
Moreno Glacier
Fitz Roy Trek To complement any trip on the Chilean side of
Patagonia there is "Los Glaciares National Park" in Argentina. Los Glaciares is
one of the most scenically impressive national parks in South America. This vast
reserve protects around 2300 square miles of the Patagonian Andes, including
over 40 major glaciers. The northern section of the park is dominated by the
incredible, world-famous form of the Fitzroy Massif, with its sheer, 6000-foot
rise from the glaciers at its base. There are numerous spectacular mountains
rising above the immense Lago Viedma, including Fitzroy 3405m (11,072') , and
Cerro Torre 3128m (10,280'). The latter is such a steep and difficult granite
needle that its summit was not climbed until 1974.The southern section is one of
the world's glacier wonderlands (40 percent of the park is covered by glaciers).
About a dozen glaciers flow east to feed two huge lakes, Lago Viedma and Lago
Argentino, and there are another 190 glaciers not connected to the park's giant
South Patagonis Icefield. We will spend several days exploring and hiking
through these places of outstanding beauty that have made of Patagonia a true
hiker's paradise at the ends of the earth.
ITINERARY
Day 1, The Patagonic Adventure Starts…
Los Glaciares NP, Argentina
We wake up early and start driving to Cerro Castillo border
crossing to Argentina. In Castillo we board a regular bus to Calafate, a small
town set on the edge of Los Glaciares NP amidst dramatic scenery and natural
beauty. If there are other travel fellows starting from Calafate we will meet
them in town. After some hours on the bus, we arrive to Calafate, where a local
guide meet us and give us a general explanation about the trip while we have
lunch; after this we have a couple of hours to explore the down town. From the
bus terminal we embark on about a 4 hour regular bus ride to Chalten, The drive
is on isolated dirt roads across the pampas and along the northern end of Lago
Viedma. Chalten is a tiny outpost beside the National Park at the foot of
impressive Mount Fitzroy. Once we’ve checked in at the hotel, its time to get a
well-deserved rest, which will be needed for the next couple of days!
Day 2, A precious hike to Laguna Torre
Los Glaciares NP, Argentina
We do a full day hike along Cerro Torre Trail to Laguna Torre,
an extremely pretty mountain lake with majestic Mount Torre in the background.
After breakfast, we walk eastward, following the trail through beech forests and
bogs to a pleasant encounter with Fitroy River. We continue advancing and reach
Camp Base de Agostini and then do a short hike to Laguna Torre, escorted in the
west by Cerro Torre and the Adela range. Icebergs can be seen peacefully
floating on Laguna Torre as the wind pushes them to the coast. We stop at
different points to take in the magnificent view and enjoy a picnic. Later, we
return to Chalten following the same trail. There is an optional day trip for
those wanting to trek on Torre Glacier. Those taking this exciting option get up
earlier and do it apart from the main group. Upon returning from the trek, the
evening is free for you to enjoy a delicious dinner at one of Chalten’s cozy
restaurants.
Day 3, The Challenge: Monte Fitzroy, Mountain of Mountains
Los Glaciares NP, Argentina
Today’s trek is to Laguna Los Tres with the best available
view of Monte Fitzroy - THE landmark in Los Glaciares NP! Once again, a big
breakfast and lots of enthusiasm is required. We begin our hike by heading
towards silent Laguna Capri, passing just beside its northern corner. Then we
follow the Fitz Roy Trail up to Rio Blanco, passing Poicenot, the mountaineering
camp. Finally, a short but steep trail will take us to Laguna de Los Tres to
take in one of the park’s most marvelous natural scenes! The turquoise-blue of
the Lagoon is a stunning sight and this is of course is magnified by the
accompanying view of Fitz Roy’s spires and glaciers. You will probably
experience a Torres del Paine flashback. If Torres del Paine is the king
mountain of Patagonia, Fitz Roy is surely the beautiful queen! Time for a
picnic. In such a memorable place the food can not help but taste better than
ever! When everyone is ready, we will hike back to Laguna Capri and continue
along the trail back to tiny Chalten. We return with time to recover and enjoy
our last night in this beautiful park.
Day 4, Last steps in Chalten
Los Glaciares NP, Argentina
This morning we will trek to Loma del Pliegue Tumbado and we
will have covered the best spots of the Park. After some hours of challenging
trek we will reach the western bank of the Massif with superb views of Cerro
Torre and the picks around Mount Fitzroy. We come back to Chalten in the
afternoon to sadly prepare our luggage and start our way back to Calafate. We
are transferred to the terminal and board the regular bus back to Calafate,
following the same road filled with Argentinean pampas that welcomed us some
days ago. We will arrive in Calafate late at night with little time to have
dinner. Nevertheless we will probably be exhausted after today’s adventure and
will go straight to bed!
Day 5, The Big Daddy is on the Way: Glacier Perito Moreno
Calafate, Argentina
Once we finish enjoying an early breakfast we board the
minibus and start the drive that will takes us to Perito Moreno Glacier. After a
couple of hours we will reach Los Glaciares NP and continue driving to Bajo de
las Sombras Bay sector, where we board the boat that will sail approximately
twenty minutes on Lago Rico reaching the south wall of the glacier. In the other
side the guides give us a short talk about the formation of glaciers together
with other interesting details about local geology. From this point we do a
short walk to the edge of the glacier where we are given the crampons to be
fitted to our shoes. Now we start the ice trekking adventure! Although we feel
somehow strange walking with the crampons, it will take us just a few minutes to
get used to it. As we walk ahead we face terrific views of the glacier and
surroundings. Our trek finishes with a little ice bar serving whisky on freshly
shopped millenary ice from the glacier, a cute touch. After the walk and having
lunch we continue on to the footbridges with multiple view points of the
glacier’s superb north wall with its incredible cracking walls. Here we are left
free to enjoy the surroundings at our own leisure. After the thrilling encounter
with the glacier, we drive back to Calafate. This is our final night together
and the tour leader will ask us for feedback on the trip. It’s time to review
our personal notes, socialize, look for a great farewell dinner and exchange
contact info with new friends. After celebrating our last night we return to the
hotel for a sweet overnight.
Day 6, Adios!
Calafate, Argentina
Today we finish this memorable trip, Adios Patagonia!
Hopefully we will meet somewhere else. After having breakfast, a transfer will
take us to the airport and we are free to continue travelling.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Regular Departures
Departures every day
from October to April.
Private or Custom
Departures
Starting / Finishing
Points
The trip starts every
day either in Torres del Paine/Puerto Natales at 8 am or Calafate City at 2 pm.
The trip finishes at Calafate Airport at 10 am. For those taking the extension
to finish in Punta Arenas, the trip finishes at Punta Arenas Airport at 10 am.
For domestic flights you have to be at the airport 1 hour before the flight
leaves.
Included - 3
nights in El Chalten, 2 nights in Calafate City. - All transportation as
indicated in the itinerary. - Park Fees. - 1 bilingual escorting guide during
Chalten excursions.
- 1 bilingual
escorting guide during Perito Moreno ice-trekking excursion.
- Crampons during
Perito Moreno ice-trekking excursion.
- Meals:
day 1: L
day 2: B, BL
day 3: B, BL
day 4: B, BL
day 5: B, BL
day 6: B
B: breakfast, BL: box
lunch, D: dinner.
Excluded
- Flight tickets.
- Insurance (it is
mandatory you purchase appropriate insurance for this trip).
- Voluntary tipping to
guides and staff.
- Items of personal
nature.
- Optional Finish in
Punta Arenas.
- Optional ice
trekking in Glacier Torre.
Accommodation
Details
3 star Hotels
Chalten: our first
option will be Hostería Senderos. Check this hotel, click here.
Calafate: our first
option will be Hostel Lar Aike. Check this hotel, click here.
4 star Hotels
Chalten: our first
option will be Hosteria El Puma. Check this hotel, click here.
Calafate: our first
option will be Hotel Kosten Aike. Check this hotel, click here.
Group Size & Guiding
Staff
8-12 travelers is the
most typical group size plus guiding staff. Maximum is 14 clients. Guide to
passenger ratio: 1:6
Transport
In Torres del Paine
and throughout Patagonia transport is in minivans that normally seat from 8 to
14 persons. When we have only 2 to 4 persons we use smaller vehicles, usually
4x4, driven by the tour guide. On the regular departure trips you will share the
vehicle with other EcoCamp guests joining other tours. On the private departure,
the vehicle will be of your use exclusively although limited to the given
itinerary and time schedules; additionally arrival and departure transfers for
private groups might be shared with other passengers following our environmental
policy which impel our operations to keep the ecological impact as low as
possible and thus avoiding to drive the same way at the same time with two
half-empty vehicles.
Weather
The vast unbroken
stretch of ocean to the west and south of the South American continent leaves
the Patagonian Andes very exposed to the saturated winds that circle the
Antarctic landmass. Also, both the strong marine and the South Patagonic Ice
field influence make the weather hard to predict. In spring or early summer fine
weather may deteriorate almost without warning, bringing rains and eventually
snow. Even in summer (December to march) you should come prepared to find cold-
strong winds (up to 130 km/hr) and rainfalls. The summer’s average temperature
is 11ºC/52ºF (24ºCmax, 2ºC min).
Physical Demands
This is the right trip
for energetic people who like to be active and have a spirit of adventure and a
positive attitude. To enjoy this trek it is essential to be in shape before you
arrive. It is not wise to regard this trek as a means of getting into shape or
losing excess weight. Start a program of conditioning well before departure.
What You Need to
Bring
We will send you a
complete pre-trip info brochure once you book including things you need to bring
in detail. Meanwhile take a look of some general items to have on mind: day
backpack (20-30lt), duffel bag (70 liters), waterproof trekking boots,
waterproof parka & pants, inner isolating layer (fleece or wool), three changes
of clothes, sun hat, sun screen, hiking socks, sandals (for after hikes),
bathing suit, sunglasses, towel (optional), ski poles (optional), long
underwear, extra change of socks, flashlight/headlamp, extra insulating layer
(fleece, wool, or expedition weight long underwear.
Itinerary
Modifications
We reserve the right
to change the order of the days in any itinerary under the sole discretion of
the trip guide and based on operational considerations. The trip guide can also
modified, change or eliminate part of the itinerary based on safety/weather
considerations
DISTANCES AND OTHER
DETAILS
Day 1, From Torres
del Paine to Chalten
Torres del Paine to
Cerro Castillo (borderline): 63 km / 39 miles / 1.5 hrs driving.
Cerro Castillo
(borderline) to Calafate: 287 km / 180 miles / 3 hrs driving.
Calafate to Chalten:
220 km / 138 miles / 4 hrs driving.
Day 2, Los
Glaciares NP, Argentina
Laguna Torre Trail:
Approximate walking
time: 7 hrs. Distance: 14 km / 8.69 miles round trip.
Altitude: low altitude
trails, no need to worry.
Optional Glacier Torre
Trekking:
Approximate walking
time: 12 hrs (2 hours on the glacier)
Distance: 15 km / 9.32
miles round trip.
Day 3, Los
Glaciares NP, Argentina
Ftiz Roy Trail:
Approximate walking
time: 7 hrs. Distance: 9 km / 6 miles round trip.
Altitude: low altitude
trails, no need to worry.
Day 4, Los
Glaciares NP, Argentina
Loma del Pliegue
Tumbado Trail:
Approximate walking
time: 3,5 hrs. Distance: 6 km / 4 miles round trip.
Altitude: low altitude
trails, no need to worry.
Day 5, Los
Glaciares NP, Argentina
Perito Moreno
excursion: 8 hours approx.
Approximate ice
trekking time: 2 hrs.
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for - Chile Trekking and Adventures
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