- Explore Los Glaciares National Park: El Chalten/ Fitz Roy and El Calafate/Perito Moreno Glacier.
- Enjoy spectacular landscapes and hiking in Torres del Paine NP
Duration: 15 days/ 16 nights
Date: AS REQUESTED October through April
Price: 2 to 3 travelers: $5,182 per person double occupancy
4 to 6 travelers: $4,745 per person double occupancy
ITINERARY
DAY 1/ BUENOS AIRES: Arrival and meeting at the airport. Private transfer to your hotel. Lodging atHotel Intersur Recoleta or similar for two nights.
DAY 2/ BUENOS AIRES: In the morning you will enjoy a private tour of this cosmopolitan city of 12 million inhabitants, and capital of the Argentine Republic. You will visit the most distinct neighborhoods such as Palermo, Avenida de Mayo, La Boca and Recoleta. Rest of the afternoon and evening at leisure. NOTE: We recommend a tango show/dinner at the traditional Esquina Homero Manzi for your evening in the city. (Optional. Not included). (B)
DAY 3/ LOS GLACIARES NATIONAL PARK: EL CHALTEN/FITZ ROY: Later, private transfer to the airport and flight to El Calafate. Arrival, reception at the airport and private transfer to your hotel in El Chalten (about 3 hours drive – Car/driver). Lodging at Hotel Poincenot, or Hosteria Infinito Sur, or similar for three nights.(B)
DAY 4/ LOS GLACIARES NATIONAL PARK: EL CHALTEN/FITZ ROY: Today you will enjoy a full day trekking excursion to Laguna de Los Tres including Piedras Blancas Glacier and base camp Fitz Roy. Picnic lunch during the excursion. Lodging in El Chalten. (B,L).
DAY 5/ LOS GLACIARES NATIONAL PARK: EL CHALTEN/FITZ ROY: Breakfast. Today you will enjoy a private trakking excursion along the Fitz Roy River valley to Cerro Torre base camp (Camp De Agostini). About 500 mts from the camp, at the end of the trail in Laguna Torre on a clear day, you will have amazing views of Mt Torre, Torre and Grande Glacier, Adela chain, Mt. Egger, Standhard, Bifida and Four Dedos Peaks. Picnic Lunch included. (B, L)
DAY 6/ LOS GLACIARES NATIONAL PARK: EL CHALTEN – EL CALAFATE: Breakfast. In the morning, you will drive back to El Calafate and your hotel: Private transfer with driver (no guide). Lodging for three nights at Hotel El Galpón del Glaciar or similar. If you stay at Hotel El Galpón del Glaciar, you will enjoy a visit of the ranch, sheep shearing demonstration, and dinner and folk show. If you prefer to be in town you would stay at Hotel Mirador del Lago or similar. Dinner included. (B, D)
DAY 7/ LOS GLACIARES NATIONAL PARK: After breakfast you will depart to visit Los Glaciares National Park. This park of 600.000 hectares (2,300 square miles) has thirteen glaciers that flow into the Argentino and Viedma lakes. Perito Moreno Glacier, is one of the few glaciers in the world that is still progressing. It is only 500 ft above sea level, which makes it very accessible, allowing one to stand in front of a mountain of ice that measures 60 m (180 ft) by 5 km (2.5 miles). The constant fall of huge towers of ice from its walls and into the lake is an unforgettable spectacle. Trekking on the Glacier: You will board a boat to cross the lake. You will land on an isolated beach and trek for about 1 ½ hour on the glacier while enjoying a magnificent landscape of ice formations in different shades of blue, crevasses, streams and small lagoons.. (not additional equipment, or previous experience required). Picnic lunch at the park. In the evening, return to your hotel in El Calafate. Dinner at the hotel. (B,L,D)
DAY 8/ LOS GLACIARES NATIONAL PARK/ ESTANCIA CRISTINA BOAT EXCURSION “Discovery”: Transfer in the morning to Punta Bandera Pier. Boarding at about 8:15am. You will sail among icebergs and enjoy the stunning scenery overlooking the western front of the Upsala Glacier. Later you will continue through Cristina Channel to disembark at the Estancia. (Arrival at Estancia Cristina will be at about 11:30am).
You’ll visit the estancia museum. Later you’ll ascend in All-Terrain (4×4) vehicles for about 9,5 Kms through mountainous roads to arrive at the continental Ice shelter. After a 30 minutes walk, you’ll get a privileged view of the Eastern front of Upsala Glacier, Lake Guillermo, Southern Patagonian Ice and Andes. Return to the ranch on time to board the boat back to Puerto Banderas (departure from the ranch at 5:30 pm and arrival at about 7pm). Picnic Lunch during the excursion. Transfer from Puerto Banderas to your hotel in El Calafate. Dinner and lodging. (B, L, D)
DAY 9/ EL CALAFATE – TORRES DEL PAINE: Today, you will take a bus OR have a private transfer (car/driver) from your hotel to the border with Chile (Cancha Carrera/Cerro Castillo) where your Chilean guide will be waiting for you and drive to Torres del Paine National Park. Torres del Paine is a large park (450,000 acres) declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO. You will visit Sarmiento, Nordenskjold and Pehoe Lakes. You may enjoy a short hiking to Grey lake to view part of the glacier. The park is particularly rich in fauna, and you’ll be likely to see guanacos, lesser rheas, black-necked swans, geese, flamingos, Magellanic woodpeckers, and peregrine falcons and condors on the mountain slopes. Lunch during the excursion. You will arrive at the hotel late in the evening. Lodging for two nights at Hosteria Las Torres, Hosteria Serrano or similar in the park. (B, L) NOTE: For a group of 2 passengers: you will take a bus (transfer to bus station in El Calafate and bus tickets included) to the Chilean Border. If you prefer a private transfer to the border please add $180 per person to the tour cost.
DAY 10/ TORRES DEL PAINE: Breakfast. Day at leisure to enjoy the park on your own. We recommend hiking to Las Torres. (B)
DAY 11/ TORRES DEL PAINE/ PUERTO NATALES: After breakfast, you will depart in Zodiac boats down Serrano River. You will enjoy a short hike to Glaciar Serrano. Then you will sail through Ultima Esperanza Fjord to a ranch overlooking the fjord. Lunch at the ranch. Later you will continue by boat to Puerto Natales, a charming town on the shores of Ultima Esperanza Sound. Arrival and transfer to your hotel. Lodging in Puerto Natales at Hotel Weskar (overlooking the Sound) or similar. (B,L)
DAY 12/ PUERTO NATALES / PUNTA ARENAS/SANTIAGO: Breakfast. You will drive back to Punta Arenas and the airport to take your flight to Santiago. Arrival and private transfer to your hotel. Lodging at Hotel Fundador or similar for two nights. (B)
DAY 13/ SANTIAGO: Breakfast. Morning at leisure. In the afternoon, you will enjoy a tour of the city including Santa Lucía Hill (the city founding site), the picturesque neighborhoods of Paris and Londres , modern business centers of Providencia and El Bosque and elegant Vitacura and Los Condes residential neighborhoods. You’ll visit the City Civic Center where you’ll find the “Palacio Presidencial de La Moneda”, nearby you’ll find “Palacio de Justicia”, “Plaza de Armas”, the old Post Office building, and by the Mapocho River the Cultural Center “Estacion Mapocho” and the Museum of Fine Arts by the “Parque Forestal”. (B)
DAY 14/ SANTIAGO: After breakfast, you will depart towards the Pacific Ocean on a full day private excursion to the coastal towns of Viña del Mar & Valparaiso. On your way you’ll be able to enjoy beautiful views of the wine valleys of Curacaví and Casablanca. Valparaiso, located 120km from Santiago, is the legislative capital and main Port of Chile. It is a picturesque town that was recently declared Cultural Patrimony of Humanity by UNESCO, and it will delight you with its houses perched from its hills. You will visit several attractions, walk around the hills and enter the elevators. Later you will visit Viña del Mar, also known as the “Garden City”. You will see the Flowers Clock, and make a stop at one of its beautiful beaches. You will stop at Isla Negra, with its thick vegetation and big scented pines. In Isla Negra you will have the opportunity of visiting the house-museum of the famous Literature Novel Prize Pablo Neruda. Return to your hotel in Santiago in the evening. (B)
DAY 15/ SANTIAGO …: Breakfast. Morning at leisure to enjoy the city on your own, or take an optional excursion to visit the wineries at the nearby Maipo Valley (such as “Concha y Toro Vineyard”). In the evening, transfer to International Airport to take your flight back to …. (B)
OUR SERVICES INCLUDE:
-Lodging for 14 nights (mentioned or similar hotels, Inns / estancia) – All private transfers from and to airports. – Public bus or group transfer from El Calafate to the border with Chile -Bilingual local guides for all excursions, most transfers, and local assistance.
– Bilingual expert mountain guides during the trekking expeditions in Fitz Roy area.
– Private excursions with bilingual guides as described in the itinerary. – Boat and trekking excursions on the glacier, and visit to Estancia are shared with other passengers.
– Meals as mentioned in itinerary: All breakfasts (B), 6 lunches (L), 3 dinners (D) – Park entrance fees.
NOT INCLUDED IN THE TOUR PRICE:
– International airline tickets
-Domestic flights are NOT included in the tour price. COST for the flights Buenos Aires/ El Calafate will be from about $250 per person, and Flight from Punta Arenas/Santiago about $400. Price may vary. – Personal expenses, tips, drinks, other meals or services not mentioned in the itinerary description.