Los Glaciares and Torres del Paine, two of the world's best national parks, are waiting for you! Join us for 8 days of spectacular hikes, sublime views and unique fauna encounters during this once-in-a-lifetime trip to Chilean and Argentine Patagonia.
Our trip begins with a morning pick-up from the airport or your hotel in Punta Arenas before we venture off to EcoCamp Patagonia, the world's first geodesic dome hotel located in Torres del Paine National Park. Alternatively, you can also start your trip in Calafate. On the way to EcoCamp, we’ll make a stop in Puerto Natales, a small town on the shores of Last Hope Sound (Ultima Esperanza) where we will enjoy a hearty lunch. Afterwards we will continue our journey into heart of the National Park, where will we enjoy epic views of the Paine Towers and look out for unique native fauna. After arriving, you can settle into your cozy Standard Dome and enjoy the company of your travel companions.
Today we'll trek up to the base of the Paine Towers, one of the most glorious sights in the entire park. We’ll start walking from EcoCamp and head towards Hostería Las Torres, joining the uphill path to the Ascencio Valley on the Tower's eastern face. Dry mountain spots, beech forests and small rivers line this scenic walk. Our big challenge is climbing the steep moraine, a mass of boulders leading towards the base. The famous Torres del Paine namesake (2,900 m/ 9,400 ft) consists of three gigantic granite monoliths, the remains of a great cirque sheared away by glacial ice. After an uphill slog, the Towers will eventually come into full view, rising majestically with the glacial lake visible below. Is there any better place in the world to have lunch? After feasting on the view and our picnic, we’ll backtrack along the same trail through the Ascencio Valley to our 'dome sweet dome' for a good night's rest.
Today we’ll begin by driving across the park, admiring the views of Paine Grande and the black, granite horn-like spires of Los Cuernos (the Horns). Walking along the shores of the stunning Lake Pehoe, we can admire the furious Salto Grande Waterfalls where the water from Lake Nordenskjold cascades down into Lake Pehoe. Our gentle walk continues along the Nordenskjold trail until we reach a spectacular lookout point. Later, back at Lake Pehoe, we'll drive south to a beach along the glacier-lined shores of Lake Grey. Here we’ll enjoy a tasty picnic by the lake before embarking on a boat ride across the icy waters to the towering blue walls of Glacier Grey. After this incredible close-up of the glacier, it’s time to drive back to EcoCamp.
*During Shoulder Season (October and April), the boat trip to Glacier Grey may be canceled due to failing to acquire the minimum number of 12 passengers. If this is the case, you will take part in a suitable alternative excursion in the park.
After enjoying a delicious breakfast, it’s time to board the bus to Argentina and pass through the international border crossing at Cerro Castillo. Once we have completed the immigration process, we'll enter Argentina and continue to El Calafate, a small town alongside the edge of Los Glaciares National Park. At the bus station, a local representative will greet us and take us to lunch at a nearby restaurant before enjoying some free time in the area. In the late afternoon, we'll catch the bus to El Chalten, around 3 hours drive away. The drive takes us along isolated roads and across pampas along the northern end of Viedma Lake. El Chalten is a tiny outpost at the foot of impressive Mount Fitz Roy and beside the national park. We’ll arrive at our hotel in time to get a warm meal and some well-deserved rest.
Today’s hike is along the Rio Blanco (White River). First we'll drive to El Pilar, 11 miles north of El Chalten, and then follow the trail to the Piedras Blancas Glacier, a hanging glacier that descends from the base of Mount Fitz Roy. We’ll enjoy a tasty picnic here before continuing along the Rio Blanco Trail, which will eventually bring us to one of the best views of Mount Fitz Roy, Los Glaciares’s most iconic landmark. After enjoy the incredible views, we'll descend back on another path and head past Laguna Capri before returning to El Chalten.
Today we’ll take on a full day hike along the Cerro Torre Trail to Laguna Torre, a stunning mountain lake before the majestic Mount Torre. After a filling breakfast we'll walk eastwards, following the trail through plentiful beech forest until we reach the Fitz Roy River. From here we will continue until we reach Base de Agostini Camp, from where we’ll do a short hike to Laguna Torre. Icebergs can be seen peacefully floating on Laguna Torre as the wind pushes them to the coast and we can stop at different points to take in the magnificent views and enjoy a picnic. Once arriving back at the hotel, we’ll gather our luggage and then take the bus back to El Calafate. We’ll arrive at our hotel for the night after a 3-hour drive.
Now it's time for our final excursion to the beautiful Perito Moreno Glacier, one of the most famous landmarks in Patagonia. We’ll go first to the glacier’s less-frequented northern face where we’ll observe (and hear!) giant chunks of ice plummet straight down into the waters of Lake Argentino. We’ll then continue to the footbridges and take a break, enjoying the surroundings at our own leisure. We’ll also have the opportunity to do a short nautical safari to observe this magnificent glacier from up close. After a thrilling encounter with the Perito Moreno, we'll drive back to El Calafate for our final night.
Today we'll finish up this memorable trip - adiós Patagonia! After having breakfast, a transfer will take us to the airport and we’re free to continue traveling on our own or to take another extension with Cascada.
Ecocamp Patagonia is located in the heart of Torres del Paine National Park in Chile, with a unique view of the majestic granite towers. The region’s first fully sustainable accommodation south of the Amazon and the first of its kind in the Patagonian wilderness, EcoCamp offers upscale camping in geodesic domes inspired by the region’s ancient nomadic inhabitants.
Featuring views of Argentinian Lake, Hosteria Los Hielos offers accommodations in El Calafate. The common living room offers views of the Patagonian landscape and guests can enjoy a sauna room. All rooms in Hoteria Los Hielos feature a private bathroom, a seating area, a cable TV and views of the lake. Guests are offered a daily breakfast with sweets and homemade pastries made with regional fruits.
Regular Departures are available every day on request from October to April.
This trip requires a moderate level of physical activity. We can make as many stops as is necessary depending on the rhythm of the group. Travelers doing active excursions will find them sufficiently energetic. To enjoy these options, it is essential to be in shape before arriving. All trails visited in the programs are under 1,000 m / 3,000 ft high so passengers need not worry about altitude.
Minimum age to participate in program is 6 years old:
In Torres del Paine and throughout Patagonia, transportation is in minivans that normally seat between 8 to 14 people. Pick-up/drop-off times as shown in the Weekly Transfer Board are approximate and will be confirmed by our local operations team.
The vast unbroken stretch of ocean to the west and south of the South American continent leaves the Patagonian Andes very exposed to winds that circle the Antarctic landmass. This means that fine weather may deteriorate almost without warning, bringing rain and even snow. Even in summer (December to March) you should come prepared to find strong cold winds (up to 130 km/hr), rainfall, and more. Summer’s average temperature is 11ºC (52ºF), ranging between 2 to 24ºC (35 to 75ºF).
Passengers need to be prepared for summer and winter all at once. We recommend the following:
The weather in Patagonia can be difficult to plan around at times. We reserve the right to change the order of the days in any itinerary at the discretion of the trip guide based upon operational considerations. The trip guide can modify, change or eliminate any part of the itinerary based on these considerations.
Searching Availability...
Updated October 4th, 2022
Dear Traveler,
We are very happy to announce that there are currently no travel restrictions in Chile.
Together with the above mentioned, it is mandatory to comply with the following requirements:
In case you have any questions, we will be happy to help you!
Best,
The Team at Cascada Expediciones & EcoCamp Patagonia