Guided Group Tour: Patagonia Essentials

Today, Southern Patagonia welcomes you with open arms. El Calafate is a starting point for adventure travelers who desire to unearth the most spellbinding natural wonders of Patagonia, like the Perito Moreno Glacier.

Upon arrival, you will meet the tour leader at the airport and take a transfer to the hotel, where you will have the rest of the day to relax or explore the surroundings.

Before dinner, the tour leader will brief us about the marvelous days to come!

Get ready and depart to the hiker’s village of El Chaltén. Enjoy the desert of Southern Patagonia on the famous Route 40 in this 3-hour trip.

El Chalten is the Argentinean capital of hiking. Located at the foot of the Fitz Roy Mountain, surrounded by glaciers, lakes, rivers, and forests, it is still a hidden gem of our Patagonia.

Prepare to engage in your first hiking experience upon arrival!

• Half-day hike to Laguna Capri

Meet your mountain guide and start the hike from the door of your hotel. During the first hour, the slope is fairly steep until the viewpoint of Rio de las Vueltas valley.

Continue for an hour and a half through a Ñire and Lenga forest until the bifurcation that shows the trail to Laguna Capri. From Capri Lagoon we will have a unique view of the iconic Cerro Fitz Roy.

Enjoy a break lunch admiring the stunning views. Then, return by the same path, and appreciate the views of El Chaltén Town.

¡Time for a well-earned beer!

This classic trail is one of the most challenging for climbers worldwide. The path ascends for 30 minutes to the first viewpoint of ‘Cascada Margarita,’ offering the first complete view of the mountain ranges.

The trail continues gradually ascending to the highest point of the route, the main viewpoint of Cerro Torre, with a full view of the valley, Glacier Grande, and Cerro Solo.
Keep walking and enter the valley of Cerro Torre, through the forest near the Fitz Roy River until reaching the area of Campamento D’Agostini. The final stretch concludes with a trail that crosses the large frontal moraines of Laguna Torre.
Make a stop to rest, and enjoy lunch with views of Cerro Torre, flanked by the needles of Egger and Standhart along with the background of Cordón de Las Adelas.
Return to El Chaltén by the same trail, with some variation along the moraine ridge.

Prepare yourself for an exciting day in the wild!

El Chaltén offers a wide range of hiking paths with varying difficulty. You can choose where and when to go, paths are self-guided and very well-marked and maintained.

• Transfer El Chaltén hotel / El Calafate hotel
  

Then, get ready to be transferred from your hotel in El Chaltén to your hotel in El Calafate.

A transfer will pick you up from your hotel and drive you to Los Glaciares National Park home of the magnificent Perito Moreno Glacier.

Los Glaciares National Park has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981 when its almost 200 glaciers were discovered. Half of the park is occupied by the Patagonian ice field, the third largest after Antarctica and Greenland.

Upon arrival at the National Park, your guide will show you the different walkway circuits to wander in front of the colossal ice walls of Perito Moreno.

We will start the adventure from the main balcony and then, have some free time to wander freely until the meeting time agreed with our guide.

• Navigation Moreno Spirit
  

Near the walkways, embark on Puerto Moreno, and start sailing the Iceberg Channel. Navigate in front of the north wall of the Perito Moreno glacier to appreciate the height of its walls and its beautiful landslides.

We will observe the landscape and enjoy both the silences and the noises that announce the landslides of the glacier, witnessing a natural phenomenon that leaves an lasting memory.

The Perito Moreno glacier shows a surprising and curious phenomenon, in which its great mass of ice continuously advances, causing the accumulation, rupture, and detachment of gigantic blocks of ice on its 5 km wide front.

The height of the glacier exceeds 60 meters above the water level, and pieces of various sizes continually fall from it, producing thunder-like sounds.

At the end, you will be transferred to your hotel.

Prepare to leave Argentina and be transferred from El Calafate to Puerto Natales in Chilean Patagonia.

It is important to remember that today we are crossing borders. Please make sure you have your passport.

• Half-day Walking City Tour 

Upon arrival to Puerto Natales, our local guide will introduce us to this picturesque town, at the shores of Señoret Channel and the gate to Torres del Paine National Park.

Puerto Natales was officially discovered by European sailor Juan Ladrilleros in 1557. He named the area Última Esperanza (Last Hope) as it was his last chance to find the Strait of Magellan, after exploring the labyrinthic fjords of the area.

But it was not until 1911 when the town was officially founded, with the construction of the port that served the sheep and wool industry.

You will visit the remodeled waterfront, the main Square, the church, the Historical Museum, and the dock of the artisan fishermen.

Upon ending, we will drive you back to your hotel.

We will pick you up from your hotel and head to the amazing Torres del Paine National Park, declared a Biosphere reserve by UNESCO in 1978.

Our first stop will be at Grey Lake. If the weather allows it, we will be able to make a pleasant hike along the shores of Lake.

We began the second stage of our visit heading to the Salto Grande sector. Here Salto Grande Waterfalls welcomes us and shows us the trail to our hike to Los Cuernos (the Horns) viewpoint, from where we will get the best views of the complete massif and heart of the park.

Then, visit the Paine waterfall, a beautiful place where we can appreciate the discharge of milky water coming from the glaciers through the Paine River and finally draining into the bosom of Ultima Esperanza.

We continue the journey enjoying various views in our undulating route that brings us to the end of the trip.

Return to your hotel in Puerto Natales by the end of the tour.

Today, enjoy a day at leisure to keep discovering Puerto Natales.
You may go for a walk on the shores of Last Hope Sound, explore the little and picturesque town by bike, or even book an optional tour for today.

• Optional tour: Balmaceda and Serrano Navigation

One of our favorite tours is the Balmaceda and Serrano Navigation, in which you will sail the fjords and discover the natural wonders of the Bernardo O’Higgins National Park.

This is a full-day trip that allows you to stay in contact with nature while also showcasing one of the most awe-inspiring landscapes of Chilean Patagonia.

Say goodbye to Puerto Natales and Chile, and prepare to be transferred from your hotel to El Calafate.

Rest and enjoy views from your window.

¡And think about the homemade Patagonian dinner that awaits tonight!

This is the last day of your trip. We hope to see you soon exploring Patagonia!

At the appropriate time, a transfer will drive you from your hotel to El Calafate airport.

Find some inspiration to keep traveling in Patagonia, or customize your perfect trip with a local expert.