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Fitz Roy Wild Trails is a popular program for those active passengers who enjoy
intense trek out of the beaten and crowded trails and are neither interested in climbing nor
in risky activities.
It allows a deep glance into Fitz Roy area, more than the classic one that you get in the standard programs.
The trek visits the northern area of Los Glaciares Nacional Park, visiting Fitz Roy massif, Cerro Torre group and the gate of the Patagonian Ice Field. Includes a spectacular glacier walk on the Cerro Torre glacier.
The Itinerary
Day 1 El Calafate Airport - El Calafate
We welcome you at Calafate airport and transfer to town to check in at your hostel. By 7 pm the group meets in the lobby of the Hostel del Glaciar Pioneros, street Pioneros 251, El Calafate, to meet your guide, discuss details of your program and enjoy your welcome dinner together with your fellow travellers.
Lodging in a Hostel room with private bathroom.
Meals: Dinner
Day 2 El Calafate - El Chalten
After breakfast, we take our bus to El Chaltén, 220 km to get to this picturesque village at the foot of Fitz Roy. Stop over on road for coffee and home made cakes. While we approach, we get spectacular views of Viedma lake and glacier, and Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre groups.
Lodging in a Hostel room with shared bathroom.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 3 Piedra del Fraile
Today we start our trek in the National Park. We go in a short drive to the Electrico river bridge and a gentle hike inside a beautiful southern beech forest to get to Piedra del Fraile. From Piedra del Fraile, we hike on to the viewpoints of Fitz Roy north face and Pollone glacier and the viewpoints of Marconi Glacier, entrance to the Patagonian Ice field. We hike back to our Full Camp in Piedra del Fraile.
Lodging in Full Camp at Piedra del Fraile in double tent (rural area)
Meals: Breakfast, box lunch and dinner.
Day 4 Rio Blanco, De los Tres Lagoon
Today we retrace our steps to the Rio Blanco valley, which we hike upriver to visit the Piedras Blancas glacier and lagoon. Further on, we get to Rio Blanco (Fitz Roy base camp for climbers in the east walls of the group) and we hike up to Laguna de los Tres, viewpoint of Fitz Roy and probably one of the most spectaculars locations in the National Park. WE hike down to Rio Blanco and to Laguna Capri.
Lodging in Full Camp at Laguna Capri in double tent (rural area)
Meals: Breakfast, box lunch and dinner.
Day 5 Cerro Torre
Today we make it around Laguna Capri to get to the Lagoons Madre and Hija Valley and down to Fitz Roy river valley, where we meet Cerro Torre trail and we get to Cerro Torre Full Camp. The trail runs along beech forest, bogs and shrub land. From the camp, a short hike takes us to Laguna Torre, enclosed by moraines and with the Glacier Grande calving in its west side. It is usual to see icebergs pushed by the wind in the coast of the lagoon. The thin and elegant 3128 mts of Cerro Torre group and the Adela range in the background complete this spectacular view.
Lodging at Cerro Torre Full Camp in double tent (rural area)
Meals: Breakfast, box lunch, dinner.
Day 6 Glacier Trek on the Torre Glacier
This day is a highlight of the trip. We provide crampons, harnesses, and we set out to hike in the cerro Torre glacier. We cross river Fitz Roy river through a tyrolean (horizontal fixed rope attached to both sides of the river). We walk on the moraine around the lagoon and then down to the glacier visiting crevices, ice caves and holes and all the interesting places that a glacier can show. The bonus is the close up views of Cerro Torre group spires. We hike back to our camp in the afternoon.
Lodging at Cerro Torre Full Camp in double tent (rural area)
Meals: Breakfast, box lunch, dinner.
Day 7 Pliegue Tumbado, Toro Lagoon
We again cross the tyrolean but now to hike up to Paso de las Agachonas, a 1300 mts pass on top of Pliegue Tumbado, which divides the Cerro Torre valley from the River Tunel valley. Full views on Fitz Roy, Cerro Torre and the glacier valley in between the two mountains. From the pass we hike down to Laguna Toro.
Lodging at Laguna Toro Full Camp in double tent (rural area)
Meals: Breakfast, box lunch, dinner.
Day 8 Paso del Viento
A full day hike from Laguna Toro to Paso del Viento (1500 mts above sea level) and back, across moraines, glacier and alpine meadows, to get to a spectacular view of the Patagonian Ice field, including the Mariano Moreno Range and many other mountains rarely seen by men. The hike is demanding, with a day pack, 9 hs round trip from Laguna Toro, to climb 800 mts from our camp to the Pass.
Lodging at Laguna Toro Full Camp in double tent (rural area)
Meals: Breakfast, box lunch, dinner.
Day 9 Río Túnel, El Chaltén
We follow a trail along the River Tunel valley and up Pliegue Tumbado. On the ridge, we get again splendid views of most of the mountains and lakes of the area. Gentle downhill to El Chaltén.
Lodging in a Hostel room with shared bathroom.
Meals: Breakfast and box lunch.
Day 10 El Chalten - El Calafate
Morning at your own in El Chaltén, to relax after the trek and visit the town. By 5 pm we take our bus back to El Calafate.
Lodging in a Hostel room with private bathroom.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 11 El Calafate - Perito Moreno Glacier
We dedicate this day to one of the World’s Natural Wonder: the Moreno glacier. This ice field- type glacier flows down from the Patagonian Ice field, and big sheet of ice that with its 22.000 square kilometres is the third largest glacier area in the world, after Antarctica (14 M sq km) and Greenland (1 M sq km). Because unusual favourable local conditions, this glacier is the only one in the world that shows a closure and rupture process. The road leads to the very front of the glacier, which will be only meters away from your eyes. A beautiful, short trail, will lead us from the shores of the lake to the upper viewpoints. The roar of the chunks of ice falling inside the glacier or from the glacier into the lake, the frequent collapse of the front seracs into the turquoise water, makes out of this day a very special and unique experience. We will drive 80 km (1 and a half hour) to get and come back from the glacier across the steppe, watching a wide variety of birds.
Lodging in a Hostel room with private bathroom.
Meals: Breakfast.
Day 12 El Calafate - El Calafate Airport
After breakfast, transfer to El Calafate Airport.
Meals: Breakfast
Maps of Patagonia
| Patagonia | Glaciares NP | El Chalten area |
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General Information
Weather is unpredictable in Patagonia. One day can be warm and sunny whereas the following days can be
pretty miserable. An open attitude towards outdoor activities is required.
You are required to carry no more than a light day pack.
Rated: Moderate/Intense. This means that you need to be fit to enjoy it. No previous technical knowledge is required. The group will walk an average of 6 to 7 hs a day, may be 9 in some specific days, at a moderate pace and with all the necessary stops for water, snacks or rest. The trek includes up hills and down hills, some of them quite steady. We never walk higher than 1500 mts above sea level. Previous outdoor experience in camping and hiking in the wilderness results in more chances of enjoying the trek, as we use a lot our camps inside the National Parks. We carry the passengers’ luggage up to a maximum of 8 kg, including your own sleeping bag and mattress.
About the camps: Full Camps are pitched up early in the season, so we find the camp ready upon arrival. It offers comfortable 3 people igloo type tents for each 2 passengers, with mattresses and sleeping bags. The camp also features a spacious dinning tent, a kitchen tent, tables, benches or chairs and a full set of table service and kitchenware.
In order to benefit of flight availability during the high season (December to March) we do recommend
that you book at least 4 months in advance.
Fixed Departure dates
Every two weeks from Saturday, October 14, 2006 to March 31, 2007 with a minimum of 3 passengers
Private departure:
Any day between end of October and mid March
| Tour Tariff | |||||
| Fixed Departure | Private Departure | ||||
| N° of participants | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| USD | $ 1660 | $ 2987 | $ 2490 | $ 2165 | |
| EUR | € 1377 | € 2479 | € 2066 | € 1796 | |
| GBP | £ 929 | £ 1673 | £ 1394 | £ 1212 | |
Included:
Bilingual tour leader (Spanish – English)
Mountain guide
3 nights lodging in a hostel room with private bathroom
2 nights lodging in a hostel room with shared bathroom
6 nights lodging in Full Camp
Transportation El Calafate airport – El Chaltén –El Calafate – El Calafate airport.
During the trip we combine private and regular buses.
Perito Moreno glacier excursion.
11 breakfasts, 7 lunch box and 7 dinners .
Not included:
National Parks fees
Life and medical insurance
Drinks
Tips
Air tickets and airport taxes
Services not detailed in the program
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