Patagonia Sea Kayaking Explorer

Torres del Paine
Trip Length: 3 Days
Group Size: 1-6
Difficulty
From: 1,630 USD
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Encounter the perfection of Patagonia on a 3-day adventure into its wildest corners

Kayak along the impressive Serrano River, passing awe-inspiring ice fields, mighty peaks and fjords every paddle of the way. This wonderful add-on to your EcoCamp adventure is perfect for those looking for a fresh perspective of Patagonia.

KAY050_Patagonia_Kayaking Grey Lake

 

Highlights

Highlights

  • Enjoy a panorama of the Southern Ice Field.
  • Ride along Last Hope Fjord.
  • Go on an exciting river kayaking adventure through Grey Lake and Grey River.
  • Visit Bernardo O'Higgins National Park.
  • Check out Balmaceda and Serrano Glaciers.

Itinerary

Day 1: The Kayaking Adventure Begins

Torres del Paine National Park, Grey Lake, Serrano River

We’ll start the day by driving towards the Grey Lake sector in Torres del Paine National Park. Once arriving at the Playa Grey bank, we will receive our equipment and a short safety briefing. Once we are ready to go, we’ll get in our kayaks and begin the excursion starting at the mouth of Grey Lake, alongside the Paine Massif. Along the way, we will paddle near stunning icebergs that came off the beautiful Grey Glacier. The trip along the lake has some incredible views, including landscape from the famous Cuernos del Paine.


After our lake navigation, we make our way down Grey River. Get ready for a wild ride! This adventure will take you through rapids, cannons and quick turns, overlooking Sierra del Toro. After a few hours of paddling, we will stop for a short rest and delicious lunch near the Grey Bridge. We will then continue our journey until we reach the confluence with Serrano River, a place where Grey River’s water that is full of sediments merges with the clear water of Lago del Toro.


The day will end at Pueblito Serrano after 3-4 hours paddling. Here we will have a tasty dinner and rest for the night!

*Please note: Changes to the itinerary will be made in cases of strong wind.

Overnight at Serrano campsite

Day 2: Monte Balmaceda

Serrano River, Monte Balmaceda

After a filling breakfast, we will start paddling towards an incredible waterfall named Salto del Rio. Once we get close, we will take a short walk with our kayaks to avoid these rough waters. The navigation will then continue along the mighty river, as we make our way towards the Serrano Glacier. We will spot some beautiful views of the Tyndall Glacier and Geike Mountains, which will give us the indication that we are close to the Southern Ice Field.

Here we will stop to enjoy our lunch with a spectacular view of the landscape. After we finish lunch, we’ll continue towards Monte Balmaceda until we meet with Ultima Esperanza fjord waters. At these same waters, Juan Ladrilleros looked for a passage into the Atlantic sea in the year 1558. From this point, we will learn more about this small bit of history and enjoy the remarkable view from the Serrano Glacier. We will end our day at Puerto Toro, enjoying a delicious meal and wild landscapes.

Overnight camping at Puerto Toro

Day 3: End the Excursion at the Last Hope Fjord

Balmaceda Glacier, Last Hope Fjord, Puerto Natales

We’ll start early in the morning, carrying our kayaks for about 30 minutes until reaching Serrano Lagoon. We will then hop back in the water and paddle alongside beautiful blue icebergs. We will finish our journey around midday and take a bigger boat back to Puerto Natales through Ultima Esperanza fjord. We’ll have a chance to admire the amazing view of the Balmaceda Glacier on the way! Once we arrive to Estancia Perales, we’ll indulge in a delicious and traditional roasted lamb. Around 6 PM, we’ll arrive back in Puerto Natales.


*Please note: Sometimes the lagoon is blocked with ice. If this is the case, we cannot paddle on the lake.

Additionally: The minimum age for this program is 15 years old and maximum is 65 years old.

Accommodation

Camping

The camping gear consists of all-season tents for 2, 3 or 4 people. YOU HAVE TO BRING YOUR OWN SLEEPING BAG (Puerto Natales Town has rental shops). The guides will have marine VHF radios for communication and emergency purposes.

Included

Included

  • Certified kayaking guide.
  • Transfer to and from Puerto Natales or inside Torres del Paine.
  • Double or single kayak, depending on your experience.
  • Entrance fee into the Bernardo O’Higgins National Park.
  • Navigation ticket Puerto Toro – Puerto Natales.
  • 2 nights of camping.
  • Complete paddling equipment, including dry suit and dry bag.
  • Complete camping equipment. (MSR Elixir 3 tent and Thermarest mats)
  • Barbeque at Estancia Perales. (drinks not included).
  • Meals:
    • Day 1: Box Lunch, Dinner.
    • Day 2: Breakfast, Box Lunch, Dinner.
    • Day 3: Breakfast, Lunch.

Not included

  • Fee for the Torres del Paine National Park.
  • Sleeping bags (-10°C/4°F is recommended). You can rent from stores in Puerto Natales.
  • Flight tickets.
  • Insurance. (it’s mandatory you purchase appropriate insurance for this trip)
  • Voluntary tipping to guides and staff.
  • Personal items.

Facts

Departures

Regular departures are available every day on request from October to March.

Starting / finishing point

The trip starts on day 1 at midday at your accommodation in Torres del Paine National Park or Puerto Natales.
The trip finishes on day 3 at your hotel in Puerto Natales at approximately 6 PM.

Physical demands

This trip is recommended for people in good physical condition who are accustomed to camping outdoors. Basic experience with kayaks is recommended.

  • Minimum age: 15 years old
  • Maximum age: 65 years old

Group size guiding staff

4 travelers is the most typical group size plus guiding staff.
Maximum 12 clients. Guide to passenger ratio: 1:3.

Transport

In addition to your kayaks, we will use minivans that normally seat between 8 to 14 people. We use smaller vehicles with small groups.

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 winds that circle the Antarctic landmass which makes the weather hard to predict. In spring or early summer, fine weather may deteriorate almost without warning, bringing rain and even snow. Even in summer (December to March), you should come prepared to find cold, strong winds (up to 130 km/hr) and rainfall. Summer’s average temperature is 11ºC (52ºF), ranging between 2 to 24ºC(35 to 75ºF).

Sea kayaking in Patagonia can be very unpredictable due to weather conditions. Sometimes the wind from the ocean blows with such force that waves break upstream, making navigation almost impossible. If you book this trip please keep in mind that it is weather permitting and that considerable physical effort is required.

Kayaking gear

We’ll provide the following gear:

  • Single Necky HV kayaks, paddle and skirts.
  • Double Necky Amaruk kayaks, paddle and skirts.
  • Neoprene suit, gloves and shoes.
  • Paddle jacket with hood and life vest.
  • Dry bags for personal items and clothing.
  • Tents.
  • All kitchen equipment.

What you need to bring

  • Bathing suit or short wetsuit for paddling.
  • First layer pants and shirt .(polypropylene or Capilene suggested)
  • Second layer pants and shirt. (polar 100 or thicker suggested)
  • Third layer pants and jacket. (short wind or Gore-Tex suggested)
  • An extra set of clothes. (pants, shirt, and socks)
  • Day bag.
  • Wet shoes, camp shoes (high cane trekking shoes are suggested) and resting shoes.
  • 3 pairs of socks. (wool)
  • Sandals, sun hat, shirt, pants, shorts and underwear top and bottom.
  • Hat and gloves.
  • Sunblock and sunglasses.
  • Insect repellent.
  • Lip balm.
  • Small flashlight and batteries.
  • Sleeping bag (comfort -10ºC/ 4ºF) and mattress. (we can suggest local rentals)
  • Bottle for water.

Please note: Cotton is not recommended as it absorbs moisture and is difficult to dry.

Itinerary modifications

We reserve the right to change the order of the days in any itinerary at the discretion of the trip guide based on operational considerations. The trip guide can modify the original itinerary of the trip, wait for better conditions, take a different route, or, in severe cases, ask for an evacuation in different embarkation; in this case, there will be no refund.
Please note: Sea kayaking in Patagonia can be very unpredictable due to weather conditions. Sometimes the wind from the ocean blows with such force that waves break upstream, making navigation almost impossible. If you book this trip please keep in mind that it is weather permitting and that considerable physical effort is required.

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We are a Chilean owned adventure tour operator, based in Santiago de Chile, operating adventure tours in Chile, Argentina and Bolivia. Our base prices are in Chilean Pesos (CLP), but we charge prices in USD based on the exchange rate valid on the day of payment.

Destinations | Chile

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