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El Calafate · Santa Cruz · Argentina
Hiking in Patagonia - 16 Days
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From $8,120.00 per person
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The Experience
What your day looks like
Our Hiking in Patagonia tour offers you the independence to discover Patagonias glaciers and mountain trails without the constraints of large groups. Take your time and explore Perito Moreno Glacier, the trekking village of El Chalten, Torres del Paine National Park and Ushuaia.
At a Glance
The experience, in brief
- El Chalten offers a range of options for all kind of difficulty of trekking
- Excursion to Perito Moreno Glacier in Los Glaciers National Park, A UNESCO World Heritage site
- Perito Moreno Glacier boat cruise
- Hiking at Torres Del Paine National Park
- Punta Arenas, the Chilean southernmost city, once a wealthy, aristocratic European style place
- Hiking at Tierra del Fuego National Park
- Canoeing along Lapataia River
- Embark on a boat excursion along the famous Beagle Channel
Your Itinerary
Your day, step by step
Day 1
El Calafate
Welcome to Southern Patagonia! The town of El Calafate is located in the Patagonian steppe, an extreme and deserted place with an amazing landscape. It is on the border of Lago Argentino (Argentina’s biggest lake) and it is considered the capital of the glaciers. It is the gateway to visit the world-renowned Perito Moreno Glacier, one of the only glaciers in the world that is still advancing. At the appropriate time, you will be transferred from El Calafate Airport to your hotel in El Chalten in a shuttle transportation. This 3-hour trip will allow you to enjoy the desert of Southern Patagonia on the famous Route 40. You will pass through La Leona River, which connects Lake Argentino and Lake Viedma. By the river, you will see La Leona Road House where once Butch Cassidy and Sundance Kid after robbing a bank were hidden for almost a month. El Chalten is the top-rated trekking destination, the Argentinean capital of trekking. Located at the foot of the Fitz Roy Mountain, surrounded by glaciers, lakes, rivers, and forests, it is still a hidden gem of our south. The charming little village, which is also the start point for most paths, is a paradise for walkers and trekkers alike. Once you arrive in El Chalten, you will spend the rest of the day at leisure to relax or explore the areas around the town. You can explore the surroundings, have a stroll around a little waterfall, or just relax in the local brewery. Note: bare in mind that the luggage should be equivalent to a bag up to 18k. Excess baggage will pay an extra charge.
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Chaltén Village
Night in El Chaltén.
Day 2
Chaltén Village
Hiking at Fitz Roy. Day at leisure in El Chalten: Be prepared for an exciting day in the wild Nature. El Chalten offers a range of options for all kinds of difficulty of trekking. From the door of your hotel, you can go for a short 3 K walk, with views of the Rio de las Vueltas, lenga forest and the chance to see all kinds of birds (great woodpecker spotting opportunity). If you are looking for great mountain views, in one hour and a half you can be at the Cerro Torre viewpoint. For trekking fans, continue all the way to Torre base or go for the 8 hours trekking for the most impressive view of Fitz Roy and the whole massif by Laguna de los Tres path (Highly recommended!!). This is a trek that becomes difficult in the last bit but totally worth the effort.
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Chaltén Village
Night in El Chaltén.
Day 3
Chaltén Village
Hiking. This morning you can choose any other trek from a great variety that this National Park offers, or optionally purchase a trek over the glacier.
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Chaltén Village
Night in El Chaltén.
Day 4
Chaltén Village
Leisure. Day at leisure to enjoy any of the self guided treks in the area. We recommend taking the path to Pliegue Tumbado from where you get impressive panoramic views of the Mounts Fitz Roy and Torre.
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Chaltén Village
Night in El Chaltén.
Day 5
Chaltén Village
Hiking. This morning you can choose any other trek from a great variety that this National Park offers.
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El Calafate
At the appropriate time, you will be picked up to board a bus to go from your hotel in El Chaltén to your hotel in El Calafate. The 3-hour-long drive will be a good opportunity to rest, relax and enjoy the passing landscapes at your window.
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El Calafate
Night in El Calafate.
Day 6
El Calafate
Hiking at Perito Moreno Glacier. After an appropriate time you will leave on a full day excursion to Perito Moreno Glacier (shared service), in Los Glaciers National Park. A UNESCO World Heritage site since 1981 and home to one of the most awe inspiring landscapes in Argentina; Perito Moreno Glacier is a site to behold. During about 1 hour a bilingual guide will provide you with all the information you might want to know, and things you might have never thought about. On arrival, you will have the chance to enjoy stunning views of the glacier from the nearby walking trail and viewing platforms.
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El Calafate
Boating. You will also enjoy the included Perito Moreno Glacier boat cruise that will take you close enough to fully appreciate the 80m high ice walls! In the afternoon, you will return to your hotel in Calafate.
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El Calafate
Night in El Calafate.
Day 7
El Calafate
Leisure. Day at leisure to enjoy any of the optional tours around El Calafate. We suggest a visit to Estancia Cristina, a bike ride out to the lake, or a boat cruise to explore some of the more remote glaciers in the region.
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El Calafate
Night in El Calafate.
Day 8
El Calafate
In the early morning, you will be picked up for the full-day excursion to Torres del Paine National Park (shared service).
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El Calafate
Sightseeing. Along the road, you might be able to see rheas, guanacos, Patagonian hares, and even condors. Keep an eye out for wild guanacos as they roam the windy plains. After crossing the Patagonian steppe from North to South for about two hours, you will arrive at the border post “Cancha Carrera” (time spent at the border may vary). Don't worry about the Spanish there, because your tour guide will assist travelers with customs documentation. It is important to remember that today you are crossing the border into Chile. Please make sure you have your passport. Before entering the National Park, make a stop at the Sarmiento Lake panoramic viewpoint, to get your first full view of the massive Paine landscape and its wild animals! Around midday, you can choose to end your excursion in Laguna Amarga and go to your hotel inside the park, or continue and take a short walk along the coastline of Amarga Lagoon, reach Paine Fall, and eat lunch outdoors while enjoying the views of Rio Paine and the Towers. At the end of this panoramic journey and after making short stops at key viewpoints, you will be dropped off at Portería Laguna Amarga from where your hotel transfer will take you to your accommodation.
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El Calafate
Night in Central Sector (camping option)
Day 9
El Calafate
Hiking at Torres Del Paine National Park. To take the most of your experience, today we recommend you to trek to the base of the magnificent Torres del Paine. Breakfast. Today you can enjoy the trek (by your own) to the base of Torres del Paine. You will get to the feet of the 900-meter granite Paine Horns which are a challenge for climbers all over the world. This trek takes 8-10 hours for the round trip. The very first 2 hours are very tiring, since you walking up, leaving the valley where the Hosteria and Refuge Torres del Paine are. But after this, and with views of Ascencio river, you will have a nice walk until you get to a refuge (Refugio El Chileno). From here, you have one hour more through the lenga forest, until you finally get to the morrein. This is the last beat- and the hardest. But every effort will be compensated with breathtaking views of this massif granite mountains that grow next to a blue lake and up to the sky.
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El Calafate
Night in Central Sector (camping option)
Day 10
El Calafate
Hiking. Today you will be taken from your accommodation to take you in private service for one hour to Pudeto to continue trekking on the other side of the Park. From Pudeto you will take 45-minute navigation to the opposite shore of Lago Pehoe. Arrive and go on your own (just a few meters) to Paine Grande Sector, where you will spend one night. From here you can enjoy the Trekking to the French Valley. This beautiful valley takes you, walking through woods and hanging glaciers, to a natural lookout point from where you will be able to make out several walls of the Paine Range: Cuernos, Espada, Máscara, Hoja, Aleta de Tiburón, Catedral, Paine Grande.
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El Calafate
Night in Paine Grande camping.
Day 11
El Calafate
Hiking. In the early morning, and after enjoying a delicious breakfast, you will hike approximately 4 hours from Refugio Paine Grande to the Grey Mountain Hut. This is a lovely trek, where you will see lakes, mountains, forest, waterfalls and rivers- to finally get to the impressive Grey glacier.
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Puerto Natales
A private transfer will be waiting for you and take you to Puerto Natales (3-4 hours) where you will stay for the night.
Day 12
Puerto Natales
Today you will depart by bus to Punta Arenas. We recommend being at the bus station ½ hour before the bus departure.
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El Calafate
Sightseeing. After 3-4 hours you will arrive to Punta Arenas, the Chilean southernmost city, that it was once a wealthy, aristocratic and European style place. Before the Panama Canal opened, this was the most important stop before or after crossing the Magallean straight. You can see the remains of that in the local cemetery, with its impressive mausoleums and in the architecture of the oldest areas. Stroll around to discover the old mansions and a character filled place in the extreme south Patagonia- where now more sheep than people live.
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Punta Arenas
Night in Punta Arenas
Day 13
Punta Arenas
In the early morning, you will go on your own to the bus station to embark on a full-day bus trip to Ushuaia. This is a 12-hour long trip on a semi-reclinable bus, crossing the Patagonian steppe. Although the bus trip is long and tiring, it will allow you to know more about the Chilean territory: yellow and green grasslands, Chilean gauchos riding into the wild, and grazing unworried sheep will roll on the square landscape of your window until you reach the ferry crossing. It will take around 45 minutes to cross the mythical Strait of Magellan and hit the road again to cross the border and finally enter Tierra del Fuego Island in Argentine lands. As the end-of-the-world most famous city approaches, grazing sheep will turn into wild guanacos, and horses, snow-capped mountains, and evergreen woods will arise in the vicinity of Ushuaia. Once you get the "Southernmost City in the World" passport stamp, you will realize this intrepid journey through Patagonian remote roads was worth it. Upon arrival in Ushuaia, you will make your way to your hotel. Ushuaia is a small city, really easy to get around on foot. The Yamanas, its first inhabitants, called it Ushuaia, which means 'protected bay' in their language. Ushuaia was officially incorporated into the Republic of Argentina in 1884, and it soon became a penal colony in order to establish a permanent Argentine settlement. Take the afternoon to explore the town, learn of the region's history at the Prisoner's Museum or visit the Galleria of Fueguian History. Please, do not forget the local gastronomy! Ushuaia is the number one place to try the best seafood in Argentina. Type of service: Shared Travel season: October to April Note: We recommend that you arrive at the bus station 30 minutes before the departure time to avoid any last minutes inconvenience. Take into account that you will be crossing borders, so have your passport handy!
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Ushuaia
Night in Ushuaia.
Day 14
El Calafate
Hiking at Tierra del Fuego National Park. You will be picked up from your hotel (shared service) and driven towards Tierra del Fuego National Park. Once at Ensenada Bay, you will have time to enjoy the view over the Beagle Channel before starting the trekking along the coast. These six kilometers of wild trail will give you the possibility to watch the native flora and wild fauna of the channel as well as the opportunity to discover old native remains left by the ancient dwellers of the area, the Yamanas.
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El Calafate
Canoeing. In 3 hours you will reach Roca Lake where lunch will be ready. After a complete homemade picnic you will start canoeing along Lapataia River, which will take you to Lapataia Bay on the Beagle Channel, precisely where the Panamerican Highway and number 3 National Route ends.
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Ushuaia
Night in Ushuaia.
Day 15
Ushuaia
Boating. After making your way to the tourist pier, embark on a boat excursion along the famous Beagle Channel. You will gain panoramas of Ushuaia Bay and see the diverse marine wildlife, such as cormorants and fur seals, on De los Lobos and De los Pajaros Islands. On one of the Bridges Isles, you can explore the island for concheros, or giant shells, and enjoy the views of Chile and Argentina. Not to mention, passing the Les Eclaireurs lighthouse. During the excursion, you can enjoy snacks and the favorite Argentine drink, mate.
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Ushuaia
Night in Ushuaia.
Day 16
Ushuaia
At the appropriate time you will have a transfer (shared service) to the airport or bus station.
Before You Go
What to know before booking
Included
All Transfers mentioned, including to and from airports Describe tours Bilingual guide (English / Spanish) Round trip bus El Calafate / El Chalten / El Calafate One way bus Puerto Natales / Punta Arenas One way bus Punta Arenas / Ushuaia
Not Included
International or Domestic flights National Park Entrance Fees Please note- while in El Chalten trekking / hiking the mountain trails is a very popular activity. Most trails are clearly marked and well-maintained, however, if you would prefer to be accompanied by a local mountain guide, just let us know and we will be happy to arrange it (cost to be confirmed at the time of booking) Insurance (Say Hueque offers Travel insurance with special rates for this trip. Please just let us know if you are interested)
Meeting & Pickup
Upon arrival in El Calafate airport you will be taken to the bus station
Languages Offered
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Before Booking
The following information, for each passenger, is required to confirm your booking: Full name (as passport): Date Of Birth: Nationality: Valid Passport Number: Email: Cell Phone number: Without this information, we cannot confirm reservations. In addition, when flights are involved we require a scanned copy or a picture of their passport. Additional information that can be sent at a later date (before the trip), but can also be completed now: Allergies: Medication: Physical restrictions: Food Restriction: Hobbies: The main reason of their trip:
Planning Notes
Hotel pickup offered: No Confirmation: Manual By Business
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