HIGHLIGHTS Superb Trekking John Gardner Pass Grey and Dickson Glaciers Complete Paine Massif Round Optional Start in Calafate Valle Frances Torres del Paine Towers

The Torres del Paine circuit around the famous craggy mountains that crown the Park is one of the world’s classic trekking routes. Breathtaking views together with glaciers, rivers, lakes, forests and abundant wildlife provide the trip with constantly changing sceneries and experiences. This is one of the greatest scenic wonders of the world and one of those places to which all serious mountain-lovers must make a pilgrimage at least once in their lifetime. The circuit, rated strenuous, covers a distance of approx. 100 kms/60 miles. This is a demanding trip, best suited for very physically fit hikers who enjoy camping and hiking in a challenging and remote environment.

DETAILED ITINERARY

 

Day 1, Wednesday, the Patagonic Adventure Starts…

Torres del Paine NP, Chile

The trip starts in Punta Arenas city during the morning either at your hotel or at the airport. From Punta Arenas we drive to camping Las Torres located in world famous Torres del Paine National Park. During summer the sun sets around 11 pm, so as you drive in you’ll have plenty of light to admire the Patagonian steppe with its guanaco and snow-peaked mountain horizon. Before arriving though, there are a couple stops. One is at Puerto Natales, a small but lively town on the shores of Seno Ultima Esperanza - “Last Hope Sound”. You are invited to check out the town, leave any luggage you will not need for the trek in our office, and finally enjoy a hearty lunch with delicious local food. The other stop is at Cueva de Milodon, a massive prehistoric cave where the remains of a giant ground sloth were discovered in the 1890’s. The surrounding area is very scenic with plenty of wild birds to be seen. The day ends with an overnight at the camping Las Torres.

 

Day 2, Thursday, Camp Torres to Camp Dickson

Torres del Paine NP, Chile

The day will start at EcoCamp with a long trekking heading to Dickson Lake. Once arriving to Dickson we enjoy a spectacular view on Dickson Glacier and part of the Hielo Patagonico Sur (South Patagonia Ice Field). The trek continues along the eastern bank of the Rio Paine. We will stop at a lookout point with a wonderful panoramic view of Lago Paine below and then we descend to the lake level and continue across open grasslands along the Rio Paine to Refugio Dickson. Our stunning campsite will be in the Dickson Valley surrounded by towering snow capped peaks and the pretty waters of Dickson Lake with Mt. Cubo in the distance. Hot showers available. Overnight camping at Dickson.

 

Day 3, Friday, Camp Dickson to Camp Perros

Torres del Paine NP, Chile

The trail follows Los Perros river and encounters the wildest and least accessible section of the trek. A virgin beech forest crossed by many water courses leads the way towards the lovely Laguna Los Perros where we set up camp. Enjoy the night camping at Los Perros.

 

Day 4, Saturday, Cam Perros to Camp Grey, through John Gardner Pass

Torres del Paine NP, Chile

In this section we reach the highest point of the circuit at 1300 mts (4000 ft) with an awe-inspiring view of the Grey glacier, an enormous fractured mass of ice choking the valley. The pass John Gardner is one of the most famous points of Torres del Paine and a must-do for any trekker longing to do the circuit. If the weather conditions have been tough the trail in this part could be broken so the guide might propose a short and non-technical rappel to continue advancing. Once leaving the highest point the route continues roughly south along forested slopes with occasional landslides and a beautiful view of the enormous Grey Glacier (more than five miles across and ten miles in length). Overnight camping at Grey.

 

Day 5, Sunday, Camp Grey to Pehoe Lake

Torres del Paine NP, Chile

After the big effort done yesterday, today the group will have the morning to rest and enjoy Grey Glacier surroundings. During the morning those who wake up with energy could do an optional ice trekking on Grey Glacier until midday. After having lunch is time to continue trekking. The trek continues going by the eastern side of Grey Lake through clearings of Calafate bushes. The view over the lake, with numerous giant icebergs drifting across the waters is very impressive at this point. Finally, the track climbs onto flat ridges and passes a small lake one hour before descending through a shallow dry valley to arrive at Lago Pehoe. We spend the night in our camp by the turquoise lake Pehoe.

 

Day 6, Monday, Stepping into the Paine Massif’s Heart: Valle Frances

Torres del Paine NP, Chile

After breakfast, we begin a challenging trek to Valle Frances (French Valley), a steep trail that goes into the very heart of the Paine Massif. How deep we go depends on our groups’ rhythm. An active walk leads us to the hanging bridge over the French River, located at the foot of the south east face of the Massif. From this point, we can enjoy our first truly wonderful view and then continue up the trail until reaching the upper prospects of the valley. The entire group of geological formations of the high valley can be admired here: Hoja (Blade), Máscara (Mask), Espada (Sword), Catedral (Cathedral), Aleta de Tiburón (Shark’s Fin) and the magnificent Fortaleza! (Fortress). It is time to have a picnic and recover from the walk. An optional trek to Mirador Britanico is available as well. Next, we descend through an undulating terrain of mixed grassland and continue walking until we reach Camp Cuernos.

 

Day 7, Tuesday, Bordering the Nordenskjold Lake

Torres del Paine NP, Chile

Once we are done with breakfast we start our trekking day heading to the EcoCamp through the curly Cuernos trail located beside beautiful Lake Nordenskjold. During the day we take in the park’s charming flora and fauna, its strong wind and the curious 4-seasons weather that has accompanied us all these days. As we advance through the trail we enjoy magnificent views of the park’s central lakes and enjoy other perspective of the Paine’s Horns. We will of course stop to enjoy a delicious box lunch to energize us for the rest of the walk. The trek ends at the EcoCamp. The evening is left free to enjoy dinner and share experiences.

 

Day 8, Wednesday, the Final Challenge: The Mighty Torres del Paine

Torres del Paine NP, Chile

Time for a great breakfast and lots of enthusiasm! Our goal is to complete the most famous trekking trail in Torres del Paine NP. We walk from the camp site towards Hostería Las Torres and connect with the winding uphill path to Ascencio Valley – the valley which supports the eastern face of the Towers’ base. Dry mountain spots, beech forests and small rivers are passed along the scenic walk into the valley. It’s not a difficult walk, but energy should nevertheless be saved for the final challenge: the moraine. This mass of boulders is the last guardian before our face to face meeting with the uplifting Torres del Paine. The moraine is sufficiently steep to consider doing it slowly and with an adequate amount of precaution. After a considerable effort, the Towers come into full view, rising majestically before us with the glacial lake visible below. This is one of the most breathtaking sights of the world! The famous Torres del Paine (2, 900 m/ 9, 400 ft) consists of three gigantic granite monoliths, the remains of a great cirque sheared away by the forces of glacial ice. Is there any better place on this planet to have lunch? Of course! But since we are in Patagonia, at the feet of the mighty Torres del Paine, we will enjoy life, the view, and a bite to eat! Once everyone is ready, we backtrack along the same trail through Ascencio Valley, and return to camping Las Torres. This is sadly our last night in Torres del Paine, we take notes and talk with our friends, relax, feel the strong Patagonic wind while watching the heavens above, all these days in the Park will be profound memories when we return home.

 

Day 9, Thursday, Adios Torres del Paine!

Punta Arenas, Chile

We board an early morning vehicle, sit back, relax, and enjoy a scenic ride back to Punta Arenas on time to catch the evening flight to Santiago.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Regular Departures

Every Wednesday from Nov 4th ’09 to Mar 24th ’10.

 

Private or Custom Departures

We can do it, please contact us.

Starting / Finishing Points

 

The trip starts on Wednesday’s morning in Punta Arenas, last pick-up time: 12:30 pm at the airport. The trip finishes on Thursdays at Punta Arenas Airport at 4 pm or later depending on the group flight schedule. For domestic flights you have to be at the airport 1 hour before the flight leaves.

 

Included

- All ground transport as indicated in the itinerary.

- 8 nights camping, including all equipment EXCEPTING mat and sleeping bag.

- Park fees for Cueva del Milodon and Torres del Paine National Park.

- One expert English speaking trekking guide.

- Meals:

day 1: L, D

day 2: B, BL, D

day 3: B, BL, D

day 4: B, BL, D

day 5: B, BL, D

day 6: B, BL, D

day 7: B, BL, D

day 8: B, BL, D

day 9: B, BL

B: breakfast, BL: box lunch, L: 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

 

Accommodation Details

Tents & Camping Sites

 

The tents arranged for this program are typical mountain tents with enough room for a 2 people overnight in comfortable conditions. We provide all the camping gear nevertheless you have to bring your own mat and sleeping bag (please ask us for mats and bags rental rates). Our team will be responsible for setting up the tents in the camping site. There will be also a big and comfortable dining tent for enjoying dinners and breakfasts. Additionally, the camping sites along the trek will have mountain bathrooms facilities in good conditions to be used by the group.

 

EcoCamp (optional accommodation)

Located in the heart of Torres del Paine, the EcoCamp consists of tented igloo-type domes built to minimize the environmental impact while providing a comfortable setting and maximum exposure to nature. There is electricity available for charging just camera batteries (voltage: 220 Volts at 50 Hertz, two round pins plug). Food at the EcoCamp has the same quality as the one you will have on a family dinner at your home, this means it is plenty and delicious!

 

Standard Domes at EcoCamp

All accommodations at the standard domes are in a sharing basis only. There is not single accommodation availability unless a "forced" single accommodation is needed due to different gender single travellers not willing to share. Bathrooms are located in a single facility divided by gender and are shared by all the guests; they have showers with hot water.

 

Group Size & Guiding Staff

8-12 travellers is the most typical group size plus guiding staff. Maximum is 14 clients. Guide to passenger ratio: 1:4

 

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: MAT and SLEEPING BAG, 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.

 

Porter service and luggage handling during the trip

The porter service for this trip is included in the trip’s price. Nevertheless for the trekking days with overnight out of Las Torres camp the porters can only carry up to five kilos per person. The handling works this way: the day the group arrives each person has to separate his luggage in two dry bags provided by Cascada, maximum 5 kilos of content in each one. One bag will be carried by the porter service and the group until they reach Camp Grey on day 4. The other bag will reach the group on day 4 with the content needed for the days 5, 6 and 7, so this day the group leave their first bag to be sent back to Camp Las Torres and continue just with the second bag. This method allows trekkers to change clothes and gear in the middle of the trek without surpassing the 5 kilos limit per bag.

 

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.

 

Optional Transfers to Start / Finish in Calafate - Description

 

Option 1: Shuttle Tour Bus (Direct)

Calafate to Torres del Paine: pick up at 5:30 am at hotel, arrive at EcoCamp 2 pm.

Torres del Paine to Calafate: Leave EcoCamp at 3 pm, arrive at hotel in Calafate 10 pm.

 

Description: This is a shuttle tour bus with escorting guide that goes directly from Calafate to Torres del Paine NP. Once you reach the Chilean borderline at Cerro Castillo village, the bus will stop for switching the group to smaller vehicles; there will be some minutes to enter a local coffee/souvenirs shop aside. When everyone is ready the drive continues until reaching the Park’s east entrance -Laguna Amarga- another transfer will be waiting for you there to take you to the EcoCamp. You will be on time to have lunch and then enjoy a free afternoon. On last day you will have a free morning to relax; after lunch board the transfer that will take you to the Park’s entrance on time to catch the shuttle tour bus going back to Calafate.

 

Option 2: Interprovincial Public Bus (Stop over in Puerto Natales)

Calafate to Torres del Paine: pick up at 7 am at hotel, arrive at EcoCamp 7 pm.

Torres del Paine to Calafate: Leave EcoCamp at 8 am; arrive at Calafate bus terminal at 2 pm.

Description: A transfer will take you to Calafate bus terminal, then board public bus heading to Puerto Natales. Reach this town around 2 pm, we wait for you and arrange lunch. Leave at 4 pm to Torres del Paine and reach the EcoCamp at 7 pm, on time for dinner. On last day, after breakfast board a transfer that will drop you at Cerro Castillo (borderline) on time to catch the public bus going to Calafate. Arrive in Calafate bus terminal. Continue on your own.

All times shown above are approximate.