Los Glaciares, Torres del Paine and El Chalten Trekking Tour

Argentina welcomes you! You’ll be met at the Calafate airport and you and your luggage will be taken into town where you can check in at your accommodation. For the rest of the day you are free to enjoy exploring the town before your hiking adventure begins tomorrow.

All aboard the bus! Today is a 220 km drive to a picturesque village called El Chaltén which is tucked away below the mountains of Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre. The bus will stop about halfway through the drive so you can stretch your legs and enjoy some of the local coffee and pastries. Once you arrive in El Chaltén you will begin your guided hiking tour. You need only bring the necessities for your 3-day journey, as you can leave your additional luggage in the office where it will be delivered to your accommodations on day 4. As you begin hiking, you’ll ascend gently along the Fitz Roy trail until you reach the top overlooking the River de las Vueltas Valley. From there a couple more hours walk will bring you to several viewpoints displaying the incredible mountain scenery. Two hours more will take you through dense forests and bogs to the first Full Camp, which displays a stunning view of the entire Fitz Roy mountain group pushing up skyward from the glaciers all around

Today on the Los Glaciares and Torres del Paine Tour, you’ll begin your trek by following the first morning glow up the trail as it illuminates the granite face of Fitz Roy. You’ll hike along the Fitz Roy trail over the ridge known as Cerro Fitz Roy on the way to Rio Blanco. From there a challenging one-hour hike will take you to Laguna de los Tres, which is one of the most spectacular viewpoints in the park. Steep yourself in the natural beauty of aquamarine water shimmering under the massive jutting peaks of the Fitz Roy mountain group as it stretches 3405 meters into the sky.

Your guided hiking adventure begins to the south today as you make your way along the Hija Valley down into the Fitz Roy River Valley. It’s there you’ll find the Cerro Torre trail and begin your journey through a beech forest and a mix of bogs and shrublands until you arrive at Laguna Torre. There you’ll discover stunning vistas of Grande Glacier carving west, while the towering spire of Cerro Torre presides over all 3128 meters above. While you explore, keep your eyes peeled for icebergs that have been blown in toward the coast. You’ll return to El Chaltén in the afternoon via Cerro Torre trail.

Today you’re in for a treat with some of the most spectacular panoramic views of the El Chaltén area! Your climb will take you to vistas overlooking Cerro Torre, Fitz Roy, and various glaciers and lakes. Once you reach the summit, you’ll be able to see Paso del Viento which has several peaks jutting up out of the Patagonian Ice field. You’ll arrive back in El Chaltén by late afternoon.

Your free to spend the morning exploring El Chaltén and taking advantage of any optional excursions you’d like to do in the area. After you finish, you’ll return to El Calafate in the late afternoon.

This day is a favorite on the guided trek as you journey to the legendary Perito Moreno Glacier, a natural wonder! This type of glacier is known as an ice-field type glacier and it flows all the way down from the Patagonian icefield, which is the third largest in the world. Witness the only glacier on the planet with the special conditions that allow you to see a closure and rupture process. When you reach the end of the road you’ll be mere meters from the face of the glacier, and you’ll have a chance to experience the awesome power of the roar and crash of ice chunks shearing off and falling, sometimes within, and sometimes into the pristine azure water below.

Your morning begins with a 6-hour scenic drive to the camp in Torres del Paine National park. You’ll travel over the Patagonian steppes as you circle around the Sierra de los Baguales mountains to get to the Park. You’ll cross the Chilean border and begin your final leg of the journey into Torres del Paine. As you go, you’ll glimpse Paine Grande, the Horns, Admiral Nieto, and the Towers. After you get to the park, you’ll get out and embark on a 1-2 hour nature walk where you’ll see many local birds and wildflowers and familiarize yourself with the local landscape. Following the nature walk, you’ll head to camp.

Today your guided trek starts off with a steep hike up to the Ascencio River Valley. When you reach it, you’ll continue along a sloping downhill to Refugio Chileno lodge. From there you’ll follow the riverbank through a beech forest until you reach the majestic Paine Towers viewpoint. Below and beyond you’ll see a glacier-fed lagoon with the three giant towers pushing 1000 meters up from the glacier itself. Breathtaking!

Take a 1-hour drive to Port Pudeto and climb aboard the catamarán to the far side of Lake Pehoe. After crossing, you can stop by your tent to drop off any items you won’t need for the day and then set off on your guided hiking adventure down French Valley trail. As you go, you’ll walk along the edge of the Paine Grande south slopes and Lake Skottsberg, through various hills and valleys, and eventually arrive at the hanging bridge over the French River. From there you’ll see a spectacular westerly view of the southeast face of Paine Grande rising 2700 meters, while to the east you’ll see The Horns with their striped, craggy peaks

As you embark today, you’ll hike along the edge of Lake Grey, climbing and descending along the western slopes of Paine Grande. Along your guided hiking adventure, you’ll find some of the Park’s most magnificent sights. Witness how the massive glacier, flowing 60 km down from the Patagonian icefield, cut its way through the solid rock all the way to Lake Grey. You’ll marvel at the blue icebergs clustering in the southern waters of the lake, while mountain peaks meet the stark sky above the ice flows. On returning, you’ll take the boat back across Lake Pehoe to your next accomodation in Puerto Natales, a small fishing town on the shores of the Ultima Esperanza fiord.

You’ll leave Puerto Natales early in the morning. Your guided trekking adventure has come to an end, as all good things do. Today you’ll head back across the border into Argentina and arrive in El Calafate where you’ll be taken to your accommodation. After you get settled, you’ll be free to explore the town and rest from the hiking trek

After breakfast, you and your luggage will be transferred to the El Calafate airport. This concludes your guided tour.