Trip Code: PAT 017 / Style: Expedition9 DAY TORRES DEL PAINE CIRCUIT

- As our booking process considers one 1^st payment of 20% when booking and a 2^nd payment of 80% 4 weeks before the trip starts, then the 2^nd payment could be adjusted and travelers will just pay for the trip’s final price.

2. GENERAL INFORMATION

Regular Departures

Every Wednesday from November 3^rd 2010 to March 23^rd 2011.

Note: due to operational reasons Feb 9th 2011 departure is closed.

Private or Custom Departures

We can do it, please contact us.

Starting / Finishing Points

The trip starts on Wednesday’s morning in Punta Arenas, last pick-up time: 12:30 pm at the airport. The trip finishes on Thursdays at Punta Arenas Airport at 4 pm or later depending on the group flight schedule. For domestic flights you have to be at the airport 1 hour before the flight leaves. You can also either start or finish in El Calafate city, Argentina, regular tickets included, check last section.

Included

- All ground transport as indicated in the itinerary.

- Regular bus tickets Calafate<>Natales if starting/finishing in Calafate, check last section.

- 8 nights camping, including all equipment EXCEPTING mat and sleeping bag.

- Park fees for Cueva del Milodon and Torres del Paine National Park.

- One expert English speaking trekking guide.

- Meals:

day 1: L, D

day 2: B, BL, D

day 3: B, BL, D

day 4: B, BL, D

day 5: B, BL, D

day 6: B, BL, D

day 7: B, BL, D

day 8: B, BL, D

day 9: B, BL

B: breakfast, BL: box lunch, L: Lunch, D: dinner.

Excluded

- Flight tickets.

- Insurance (it is mandatory you purchase appropriate insurance for this trip).

- Soft drinks or snacks not served with the meals included at the EcoCamp or refuges. Bringing US$ in cash for buying extra drinks/snacks or souvenirs in Torres del Paine NP is suggested.

- Voluntary tipping to guides and staff.

- Items of personal nature

Accommodation Details

Tents & Camping Sites

The tents arranged for this program are typical mountain tents with enough room for a 2 people overnight in comfortable conditions. We provide all the camping gear nevertheless you have to bring your own mat and sleeping bag (please ask us for mats and bags rental rates). Our team will be responsible for setting up the tents in the camping site. There will be also a big and comfortable dining tent for enjoying dinners and breakfasts. Additionally, the camping sites along the trek will have mountain bathrooms facilities in good conditions to be used by the group.

EcoCamp (optional accommodation)

Located in the heart of Torres del Paine, the EcoCamp consists of tented igloo-type domes built to minimize the environmental impact while providing a comfortable setting and maximum exposure to nature. There is electricity available for charging just camera batteries (voltage: 220 Volts at 50 Hertz, two round pins plug). Food at the EcoCamp has the same quality as the one you will have on a family dinner at your home, this means it is plenty and delicious!

Standard Domes at EcoCamp

For our trekking programs the accommodations at the standard domes are in a sharing basis only. There is not single accommodation availability unless a "forced" single accommodation is needed due to different gender single travelers not willing to share. Bathrooms are located in a single facility divided by gender and are shared by all the guests; they have showers with hot water.

Group Size & Guiding Staff

8-12 travelers is the most typical group size plus guiding staff. Maximum is 14 clients. Guide to passenger ratio: 1:4

Transport

In Torres del Paine and throughout Patagonia transport is in minivans that normally seat from 8 to 14 persons. When we have only 2 to 4 persons we use smaller vehicles, usually 4x4, driven by the tour guide. On the regular departure trips you will share the vehicle with other EcoCamp guests joining other tours. On the private departure, the vehicle will be of your use exclusively although limited to the given itinerary and time schedules; additionally arrival and departure transfers for private groups might be shared with other passengers following our environmental policy which impel our operations to keep the ecological impact as low as possible and thus avoiding to drive the same way at the same time with two half-empty vehicles.

Weather

The vast unbroken stretch of ocean to the west and south of the South American continent leaves the Patagonian Andes very exposed to the saturated winds that circle the Antarctic landmass. Also, both the strong marine and the South Patagonic Ice field influence make the weather hard to predict. In spring or early summer fine weather may deteriorate almost without warning, bringing rains and eventually snow. Even in summer (December to march) you should come prepared to find cold- strong winds (up to 130 km/hr) and rainfalls. The summer’s average temperature is 11ºC/52ºF (24ºCmax, 2ºC min).

Physical Demands

This is the right trip for energetic people who like to be active and have a spirit of adventure and a positive attitude. To enjoy this trek it is essential to be in shape before you arrive. It is not wise to regard this trek as a means of getting into shape or losing excess weight. Start a program of conditioning well before departure.

What You Need to Bring

We will send you a complete pre-trip info brochure once you book including things you need to bring in detail. Meanwhile take a look of some general items to have on mind: US$ in cash for buying extra drinks/snacks or souvenirs in Torres del Paine NP, MAT and SLEEPING BAG, day backpack (20-30lt), duffel bag (70 liters), waterproof trekking boots, gaiters, waterproof parka & pants, inner isolating layer (fleece or wool), three changes of clothes, sun hat, sun screen, hiking socks, sandals (for after hikes), bathing suit, sunglasses, towel (optional), ski poles (optional), long underwear, extra change of socks, flashlight/headlamp, extra insulating layer (fleece), wool, or expedition weight long underwear.

Porter service and luggage handling during the trip

The porter service for this trip is included in the trip’s price. Nevertheless for the trekking days with overnight out of Las Torres camp the porters can only carry up to five kilos per person. The handling works this way: the day the group arrives each person has to separate his luggage in two dry bags provided by Cascada, maximum 5 kilos of content in each one. One bag will be carried by the porter service and the group until they leave Los Perros on day 4. The other bag will reach the group on day 4 with the content needed for the days 5, 6 and 7, so this day the group leave their first bag to be  sent back to Camp Las Torres and continue just with the second bag. This method allows trekkers to change clothes and gear in the middle of the trek without surpassing the 5 kilos limit per bag.

Itinerary Modifications

We reserve the right to change the order of the days in any itinerary under the sole discretion of the trip guide and based on operational considerations. The trip guide can also modified, change or eliminate part of the itinerary based on safety/weather considerations.

Option 1: Interprovincial Public Bus (tickets included in the program price)

***Calafate to Torres del Paine***

Pick up at hotel 7:00-7:30 AM, arrive at EcoCamp 7 PM.

We pick you up at your hotel in Calafate and take you to the bus terminal; we give you the tickets to board a public bus heading to Puerto Natales. You reach this town around 2 PM, we wait for you at the bus terminal and arrange lunch for you. Close to 4 PM board our van going to Torres del Paine and reach the EcoCamp on time for dinner.

***Torres del Paine to Calafate***

Leave EcoCamp at 8 AM; arrive at your hotel in Calafate at 2 PM.

After breakfast board the van that will drop you off at Cerro Castillo (borderline) on time to catch the public bus going to Calafate. Arrive in Calafate bus terminal where our transfer waits for you and then drive to your hotel. Transfers to Calafate Airport have an additional cost.

Option 2: Semiprivate van transfer (not included); +US$100 p.p. each way

(This service is available from mid October to March)

This service consists of comfortable vans that seat maximum 9 people, all of them guests of both EcoCamp and Hostería Las Torres. The service provides a direct and relaxed connection between El Calafate and Torres del Paine NP, with just one stop at the borderline for exchanging vans.

***Calafate to Torres del Paine***

Pick up at hotel 7:00-7:30 AM, arrive at EcoCamp 1 PM.

We pick you up at the hotel in Calafate and start driving to Chile. Once we reach Cancha Carrera (borderline) about 11 AM we do the immigration process, and then we drive to the Chilean side where we board another van. We continue driving towards Torres del Paine NP and finally we arrive at the EcoCamp on time for lunch.

***Torres del Paine to Calafate***

Leave EcoCamp at 10 AM; arrive at your hotel in El Calafate at 3:30 PM.

After breakfast we board the van and drive towards the borderline. We reach Cerro Castillo around 11:30 AM, do the immigration process and continue to the Argentine side where we board another van. We start driving towards El Calafate city and we reach our hotel in the early afternoon.