Wonders of Patagonia – Extended Tour

Transfer El Calafate Airport / El Chaltén Hotel

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 few 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. This 3-hour trip will allow you to enjoy the desert of Southern Patagonia on the famous Route 40.

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.

Type of service: Shared.
Included: Transportation mentioned above.
Duration: 3 hours approximately.
Note: bare in mind that the luggage should be equivalent to a bag up to 18k. Excess baggage will pay an extra charge.

El Chalten

Prepare yourself for an exciting day in the wild. El Chalten offers a wide range of hiking paths with varying difficulties. You can choose where and when to go, paths are self-guided and very well-marked and maintained.

From the main door of your hotel, you can go for a short 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) walk to Cerro Torre viewpoint—it will take you around 1 hour. Enjoy Rio de las Vueltas and lenga forest with its amazing views, be prepared to see all kinds of birds—This is a great woodpecker spotting opportunity!

For true hiking lovers, continue all the way to Base Torre or go for an 8 hour-long hike to see the most impressive view of the Fitz Roy Mountain and emerald waters of Laguna de Los Tres. Although this hike becomes difficult in the last part, it’s totally worth it. Seize the day, wake up early and watch the sunrise at the Laguna de Los Tres (see Fitz Roy peaks turning red)—A true once in a lifetime opportunity.

El Chalten

Today, our recommendation for truly hiking lovers: make all the way to Laguna de los Tres.
You can start the trek directly from town, or take a shared bus up to Hostería El Pilar, located 14km from downtown, and have different views of this incredible place. From there, you will hike along a beautiful trail through the lenga forest, following the Río Blanco (White River) towards the Poincenot campsite.

Along the way, you can stop at the beautiful Piedras Blancas (White Rocks) viewpoint. From where you will see the Piedras Blancas glacier and its associated glacial features, including the erratic boulders and lateral moraines left behind as the glacier retreated over the last few decades.

You will have many different views of the Fitz Roy mountain chain as you make your way towards your final objective for the day - the magnificent Laguna de Los Tres. This unforgettable location has the best view of Cerro Fitz Roy.
We recommend having lunch while appreciating these breathtaking views and then beginning your descent towards El Chaltén.

El Chalten

At the appropriate time, you will be picked up to board a bus to go from your hotel in El Chalten 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.

Type of service: Shared
Included: Transportation mentioned above
Duration: 3 hours approximately

El Calafate

We will pick you up from your hotel early in the morning to take you to Los Glaciares National Park located 50 miles from El Calafate, home of the magnificent Perito Moreno Glacier.

The itinerary begins inside the National Park, departing from the pier of Bahía Tranquila in Punta Bandera port. The glaciers of Mayo Mount and Negro Mount are located in Mayo Canal in Argentino Lake and Los Glaciares National Park. The only way to reach them is by sailing along the lake. So we will navigate De Los Témpanos Canal to enter Seno Mayo of Argentino Lake, the biggest and most austral lake in the country.

When arriving at Toro Bay we will disembark, and accompanied by a guide, we start a walk through the Andean-Patagonian forest, where we will see cherry and cinnamon trees, lengas, and ñires until reaching a 100-year-old cherry tree which has a trunk of more than three meters in diameter.

Then, we will walk across the forest until reaching a stream fed by a waterfall, which was originated due to landslides, and where we will be able to observe a lime rock formation of approximately 180 meters high
and 100 meters wide. We stay here until we return to the sailing boat that will take us to our next stop or destination.

Navigating the lake's Seno Mayo, Mayo Hill’s glacier and Negro Hill’s hanging glacier can be appreciated: a wonderful show. When disembarking at Negro Hill, the guide will start another walk, covering one kilometer, that will provide more details of the Andean Patagonian forest and its vegetation, typical of mountain regions of the South of Chile and the South West of Argentina where mountain forests are abundant.

Starting at Toro Bay, we sail along Mayo Canal in Argentino Lake and observe the glaciers of Mayo Mount and the hanging glacier of Negro Mount.

After disembarking, and being accompanied by a guide, we start a 1.000-meter walk towards the Andean-Patagonian forest. We will follow a stream that will lead us to the stone wall from where we can observe the Hanging Glacier and where we will be amazed by the 360° views of the landscape, including Mayo Mount and Blanco Mount.

We stay for some time in this place before going back to the sailing boat which will take us to the north face of Perito Moreno Glacier. We will disembark at Moreno floating dock, situated at the foot of the
walkway, to enjoy the view from the different walkways, and finally, we will return to El Calafate.

*The itinerary may change due to weather conditions

Type of service: Shared
Duration: 8 hours
Included: Transportation mentioned above, Bilingual guide (Spanish / English)
Not included: Entrance fee to the National Park, box lunch
Difficulty: Easy

El Calafate

Today you will have a free day in the city.

El Calafate

In the morning, you will make your way to the bus station to take your bus to Puerto Natales. It is important to remember that today you are crossing the border into Chile. Please make sure you have your passport.
Please be at the bus terminal half an hour before departure time. Most hotels are within walking distance of the bus terminal, but if you prefer to take a taxi, it may cost roughly US$ 5/7.

After this 5-hour-long trip, you will have crossed hundreds of kilometers of beautiful Patagonian steppe dramatically situated between the mountains. Once you arrive in Puerto Natales, the guardian Milodon statue (the last ground sloth that walked the Earth 5000 years ago) will wave its bronze hand at the entrance of this picturesque town.

Upon arrival at the bus station, you will make your way to your hotel and will have time to explore this small town, known as the base to visit the world-famous Torres del Paine National Park. Most of the hotels are located within walking distance of the bus terminal, but if you prefer to take a taxi, it may cost roughly US$ 7/9.

At Torres del Paine National Park there are no shops, so Puerto Natales will be your last chance to buy provisions for the next day. Shops don’t provide plastic bags so if you buy something you’ll have to bring your own ecological bag or make some space in your hiking one.

Duration: 5 hours
Included: Transportation mentioned above
Not included: Transportation to and from the bus station in El Calafate and Puerto Natales
Important: You are not allowed to take any fresh food, plants, seeds, etc. into Chile. If you are not sure if something is allowed or not, please declare it (they will provide you with a form) and they will inform you if you can carry it or not.

Puerto Natales

After an early morning pickup from your hotel in Puerto Natales, you will go on a scenic drive through Torres del Paine National Park to hike up to Base Las Torres.

Upon arrival at Las Torres sector, we will take the road that heads to the Valley and after 10 minutes of walking, we will get to an old pendant bridge that crosses the Ascencio river. About 150 meters further, we will see a bifurcation and will take the left path that leads to Base Las Torres.

Following a winding and green slope and after an hour of walking, we will pass by Chilean Campsite. We will continue walking until reaching the foot of the moraine that gives access to a viewpoint. Afterwards, we will continue hiking ascending among the rocks. The path will become steeper and steeper as we approach the most amazing view of the three towers: Central, Monzino, and Dagostini.

After taking some pictures and enjoying lunch at the base of the Towers, we will begin our descent.
At the end of this experience, you will be taken back to your hotel.

Type of Service: Shared
Duration: 13 hours
Difficulty: High
Included: Transportation, bilingual guide, lunch box
Not included: Entrance fee to Torres del Paine National Park

Puerto Natales

Today you will go on your own to Puerto Natales bus station to take a bus to Punta Arenas.

Upon arrival, you will go to the hotel by yourself.

Punta Arenas is the Chilean southernmost city, sited at the Magellanic Strait, and the leading port for Antarctic cruises and scientific research. Before the construction of the Panama Canal, Punta Arenas was the most important maritime crossroad between the Pacific and the Atlantic Ocean, thus, the city grew as a commercial center surrounded by European-type buildings. There are colorful houses, standing out from a backdrop of snow-capped mountains.

Type of service: Shared
Duration: 3 hours
Included: Bus ticket
Not included: Food, extras
Travel season: October to March
Note: December 25th and January 1st buses are available only after 1:00 PM. We recommend that you arrive at the bus station 30 minutes before the departure time to avoid any last minutes inconvenience

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
Duration: 12 hours
Included: One-way bus ticket
Not included: Transportation to/from hotel
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!

Ushuaia

Today, you will be picked up from your hotel to go on a tour to Tierra del Fuego National Park, which hosts beautiful natural landscapes.

After traveling for about 6 miles, we will get to the park. Upon arrival, we will go for a hike along an undulating 4-mile-long Coastal Path. As you continue to walk down this path you will be in constant contact with nature and will be able to admire beautiful views from the lakes, sea, and surrounding mountains.

After the hike, we will access Acigami Lake or Roca Lake, and near the border of Lapataia River, you will enjoy a comforting hot lunch with a great panoramic view from inside a heated dome-tent, to avoid wind or rain.

Afterward, you will be equipped with rubber boots, cover pants, and lifejackets. The excursion will continue from Lake Acigami down the freshwater of Lapataia river aboard inflatable canoes (duckies) until reaching the sea in Lapataia Bay. After a 1-hour paddle (paddling time is subject to weather conditions) your tour will end at the mentioned bay, where the National Route Nº 3 meets its southern end.

From there, you will be driven back to your hotel.

Type of service: Shared
Duration: 8 hours
Hiking difficulty: Moderate - Canoeing difficulty: Easy
Total trekking length: 4,4 miles (it's a 3-and-a-half-hour walk)
Age restriction: Canoeing ride is only available for children over 5 years old
Included: Transportation, bilingual guide (English/Spanish), lunch, drinks, and canoeing equipment
Not included: Gratuities, National Park entrance fee
Notes: Times described are estimated and may vary due to bad weather conditions

Ushuaia

In 1833 Charles Darwin sailed the Beagle Channel and discover something great. Today it is your turn: become another explorer of this channel, primitively named Onashaga Channel since the Onas were its first sailers.

At the appropriate time, you will go on your own to the tourist pier (located in the center of the city). You will embark on a 3-hour long boat trip along the famous Beagle Channel. You will gain panoramas of Ushuaia Bay, where the city lies proudly crowned by the Martial Glacier. Unearth the diverse marine wildlife, such as cormorants (flying birds, closely related to penguins) and fur seals which frolic their time away on Alicia Island.

Argentina standing at your left and Chile at your right, you will sail this natural border till reaching the iconic Les Eclaireurs lighthouse, the ancient guard of the bay.

On our way back, we will stop at Bridges Island to walk a wildlife interpretative path, hear about Yaman’s history (the native inhabitants) and see the largest shelly deposits of the region. During the excursion, you can enjoy a delicious hot chocolate with cookies or try the Mate (strong green tea) the favorite Argentine drink.

Once we get back to the port, you will make your own way back to your hotel.

Type of service: Shared
Duration: 3/4 hours
Included: Bilingual guide (English/Spanish)
Not included: Port tax (2 dollars), transportation to and from the port
Note: Departure time is at 10 AM and 3 PM from Patagonia Explorer Stand, located in the tourist pier

Ushuaia

At the appropriate time, you will be transferred from your hotel to Ushuaia airport to take your flight.

Type of service: Shared
Included: Transportation mentioned above

Every effort is made to ensure that your excursions itinerary order and hotel reservations are respected entirely. However, due to weather conditions, nature disasters, or any other circumstance that would affect in any possible way your security, our local suppliers are in the right to change the order of services. For more information, please, check our Terms & Conditions.