Today you will arrive into El Calafate where we will meet you and transfer you privately to your hotel. You will have the rest of day free to explore this colourful town.

After breakfast in your hotel, this morning you will be picked up in a small bus from your hotel at around 08:30 to visit the renowned Perito Moreno glacier, unique on the planet in its constant forward movement.

Along the 85 km (53 mi) that you will drive to get to the park, you will discover many Andean pre-cordillera sites that are worth sight seen or recording on camera and by the Argentino Lake you will access the National Park “Los Glaciares”. Along Brazo Rico River you will start to spot the floating icebergs until you finally are able to grasp in all its awe this natural wonder considered World Heritage by the United Nations. You will have a few hours to yourself to explore the walkways and observe the glacier from an array of different angles.

In the afternoon you will be transferred back to your hotel. There is an option to also go glacier hiking on Perito Moreno too for an additional cost or include a boat navigation too. Please contact us for further details. 

After breakfast you will be picked up from your hotel early this morning and transferred across the Argentinean border to Chile and to the Torres del Paine National Park. As you get closer to the National Park, you will start to spot wildlife out of the bus window, including guanacos, flamingos and rheas. There are 26 species of mammal in the National Park so it’s worth keeping your eyes peeled. After settling into your accommodation this evening and enjoying an evening meal, you will be briefed about your day of activity tomorrow.

During your stay in Torres del Paine, you can choose between nature walks, longer treks, horse-riding and bike excursions. Depending on your energy levels, interests and weather conditions, you will have a choice of half day and full day trip options to pick between each day.

Here is a summary of just some of the trip options:

Laguna Azul: This is a great option for those wishing to observe and photograph the towers, but with minimum trekking.  The view of the towers from the East is particularly impressive.   It is also a great opportunity to encounter many of the National Park’s resident wildlife, including guanacos, flamingos, a variety of water birds, condors and raptors.

Salto Grande You will first drive westwards to Pudeto in the heart of the National Park’s lake district, from where you can walk to Salto Grande, a beautiful cascading waterfall, descending from Nordenskjold Lake into Pehoe Lake.  From here you will then enjoy a short hike to Mirador Cuernos, arguably one of the National Park’s most impressive viewpoints where you will witness the “Horns” (Los Cuernos), Mount Paine Grande, the French Valley and the French Glacier rising straight up from the north shore of Lago Nordenskjöld, a breathtaking spectacle of rock and water.

Glacier Grey: This is a great option for those wishing to get a complete introduction to Torres del Paine in the shortest amount of time. It begins with a drive into the heart of the national park, offering views of snowy peaks and horn-like spires as well as opportunities to encounter herds of guanacos, Andean condors and interesting flora. You will then embark a catamaran boat and take a 3 hour journey across the icy waters to the towering blue walls of Glacier Grey which tumbles down from the impressive Southern Patagonia Ice Field. Lago Sarmiento Named after Spanish explorer Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa, who wrote a famous book called ‘The History of the Incas’, this startlingly blue lake provides endless photographic opportunities.  Keep your eyes peeled for various aquatic birds, grazing guanacos and ostrich-like ñandús (rheas).  This fairly flat trek boasts diverse natural scenery, interesting geology and wildlife spotting opportunities.  You will be able to observe the lake’s interesting calcium carbonate formations called thrombolites, fossils formed some 7,000 years ago. 

Cerro Paine: This day hike can be undertaken on foot or by horseback.  You will head to the slopes of Cerro Paine which has an altitude of 1,500 metres and begin your ascent through lenga forests, stopping en route to observe the immense Almirante Nieto mountain and its glacier. Upon reaching your goal you will be rewarded with views that really help you to appreciate the majesty of the national park.

Tower Base Trek: This is the ultimate trek to be embarked on, a challenging hike of 18km (11 miles) across varying and often steep terrain. Your goal is the base of the Torres (towers), a stunning viewpoint beside a glacier-fed lagoon with iconic views of the slender rocky peaks which give the National Park its name. You may even catch a glimpse of some condors circling the towers up above.  This adventurous journey can be undertaken solely on foot or going halfway on horseback.  

French Valley Hike: Situated in the heart of Torres del Paine, a 45 minute drive from your accommodation, the French Valley is part of the famous ‘W’ Trail and makes for very rewarding hike. A half hour ferry crossing across lake Pehoé brings you to your start point.  From here you will trek up to 21km (13 miles) through varied landscapes of lenga woods, rocky moonscapes and grasslands.

A number of the day trip options within Torres del Paine can be enjoyed via horseback, ranging from rides between 3km to 18km, from flat and easy terrain to steep and challenging assents.  Patagonia is famous for is horses, so no trip to the region is complete without at least one ride. You can even spend the morning with the baquenos; join them for a typical breakfast chatting about Patagonian culture and learn how to saddle and of course how to ride a horse.  By the end you will have a better understanding of what it was like to live and work in this remote corner of South American before the arrival of tourism.

After a final breakfast in Torres del Paine, you will be picked up this morning and transferred to your choice of either Punta Arenas or El Calafate, where you can either spend an extra night or catch a flight from today.