Day 1: El Calafate Airport - Calafate
Transfer from El Calafate Airport to the hotel, where
you will be met by your guide. Dinner whilst discussing the
up and coming trek.
Day 2: El Calafate - Torres del Paine
Depart from El Calafate, until reaching the legendary
40 Route, where you turn towards the south for 70 kilometers
of rubble way. About 3 hours you will arrive at the border
between Argentina and Chile (Cancha Carrera- Cerro Castillo
Pass). Continue for another 2 hours on a well maintained rubble
way, with the fabulous Torres Massif coming into view. A few
stops to take panoramic pictures and to observe groups of
"guanacos". Finally you will arrive to the Torres del Paine
National Park by Amarga Lagoon. Arrival at your camp at Las
Torres.
Day 3: Torres -Ascensio River Valley
This day is dedicated to one of the most classical and amazing
treks of the Park, the trail towards the Torres del Paine.
After breakfast, you will cross a hanging bridge and join
the Almirante Nieto Mount path, going on the border of Ascencio
River. After one hour you will enter into the valley, until
the Chileno Refuge. The trail slopes down into an impressive
forest where you get unforgettable landscapes. You will reach
Las Torres Base Camp, an amazing natural amphitheater at the
bottom of the vertical granite towers that reach 2800m. Return
to the refugio. Lodging in camp at Las Torres.
Day 4: Las Torres -Los Cuernos Refuge
Today is the start of the two days Nordenskjold crossing,
that leads you to the camp at Refugio Pehoe, with one night
spent at Los Cuernos Refuge. Before breakfast, prepare your
backpack for the next two days trekking. The rest of the luggage
will be transferred by the bus to the Refugio Pehoe Full Camp.
Trek by the Nordenskjold lake north shore. Arriving three
hours later at the Los Cuernos Refuge. Lodging in camp at
Los Cuernos Refuge.
Day 5: Valle Frances - Pehoe Refuge
A demanding 9 hour trekking day means an early start
in the morning, arriving some two hours later at the start
of the Frances Valley. This is a beautiful valley that descends
from the massif to the Nordenskjold Lake, outflanked by the
imposing Paine Grande Mount, (3050m) on the west side. We
rejoin the valley until the upper viewpoints, surrounded by
the most impressive peaks of the massif; Cuernos, Espada,
Mascara, Hoja, Aleta de Tiburon, Catedral, and Paine Grande.
The forest and the suspended Glaciers that produce continuous
ice and snow fallings give a spectacular backdrop to this
walk. Return, descending the valley until reaching the Skottberg
Lake, and arrive at your camp at Refugio Pehoe at the end
of the day. All your luggage will be available for collection.
Lodging at Refugio Pehoe.
Day 6: Grey Glacier Valley - Pehoe Refuge
Another unforgettable day dedicated to the Grey Glacier,
an impressive Glacier with some 300 square kilometers of surface
area (115 square miles), and 25 kilometers long (16 miles).
It overflows from the Continental Ice Field that falls into
Grey Lake. The Glacier produces enormous amounts of blue icebergs
that sail over the lake southwards, giving the characteristic
feature to this lake. The trail leads to a wonderful viewpoint
where you can appreciate the whole lake, the glacier and the
mountains that emerge from the west of the Ice Field. Two
more hours walking and you will arrive to another viewpoint
just in front of the Glacier. All the treks are between Andean
bush and lengas forest, at the shadow of the ice blocks that
drape the Paine Grande Mount. Today you will walk about 8
hours. Lodging in camp at Refugio Pehoe.
Day 7: Pehoe Lake Navigation - Salto Grande - Camping
Pehoe
After a late breakfast, time to relax a little. In the afternoon,
with all your luggage, you will cross Pehoe Lake on a catamaran
towards Pudeto, where you will continue by land to your camp
located at Camping Pehoe. After lunch, you will we visit Salto
Grande and walk for about 45 minutes to get to the Nordenskjold
Lake beaches, where you will have a wonderful view of the
entire path that you have walked the last few days. Lodging
in camp at Camping Pehoe.
Day 8: Grey Lake - Camping Pehoe
Today, you will visit the west side of the Park. You will
pass an easy trail by the Grey Lake south shore, where there
are many icebergs, and ascend to the Ferrier viewpoint which
overlooks the entire Park. Lodging in camp at Camping Pehoe.
Day 9: Torres del Paine - Puerto Natales - El Calafate
In the morning you will start the land transfer from
Torres del Paine to Puerto Natales, for a short visit of the
town. Then continue being transfered by regular bus crossing
the border to re-enter Argentina. Your guide will leave today
afterwhich you will board the bus at Puerto Natales, arriving
to El Calafate at the end of the day. Transfer to your hotel.
Day 10: El Calafate - El Calafate Airport
After breakfast, transfer to El Calafate Airport.
If you may be interested in the Fitzroy trekking program,
Argentinian volcanoes tour or perhaps across the Andes on
horseback, ask for further details.