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This Expedition runs from North to South along the east border of the Icefiled, at the foot of the most important and impressive mountains range of the National Park: Fitz Roy, Torre, Moyano and Norte.
While classic treks just get in the border of the National Park, coming in and out in day hikes, this Expedition runs in the heart of the Park, combining hiking with lakes Viedma and Argentino crossing.
In the first part of the tour we visit Fitz Roy & Cerro Torre area, using our Full Camps. In the second part, we get to the opposite side of lake Viedma and hike Expedition style all the Cañadón Norte, at the foot of mounts Moyano and Norte, down to Estancia Cristina, in the shores of lake Argentino.
The Itinerary
Day 1 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 trekkers.
Lodging in a Hostel room with private bathroom.
Meals: Dinner.
Day 2 El Calafate - El Chaltén
Alter breakfast we take our bus for the 220 km drive to El Chaltén, a small and picturesque village at the foot of Fitz Roy & Cerro Torre massif. We make a stop half way to enjoy local pastries and hot coffee. On approach, the views of both Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre massifs and of glacier Viedma and the mountains of the Ice field are spectacular.
During the afternoon we prepare our packs for the first part of our trek.
Lodging at a Hostel room with shared bathroom.
Meals: Breakfast and dinner.
Day 3 Laguna de los Tres, Fitz Roy, Laguna Capri
Alter breakfast we drive 15 km north to river Electrico bridge. There we start our walk towards Laguna Capri Full Camp, following upriver the Rio Blanco valley, visiting the Piedras Blancas glacier viewpoint and Laguna de los Tres. This is the viewpoint for Fitz Roy massif. We have spectacular views of all the spires and glaciers. 7 hs trekking.
Lodging at Laguna Capri Full Camp in double tent (rural area)
Meals: Breakfast, box lunch, dinner.
Day 4 Laguna Torre
We go around Laguna Capri to get to the lagoons Madre and Hija valley and then to the Cerro Torre valley. We reach our camp at Laguna Torre and visit in the afternoon the northern moraine with spectaculars vies of Cerro Torre, Solo and Adela Range, and the glacier and lagoon Torre. 5 hours trekking.
Lodging at Laguna Torre Full Camp in double tent (rural area)
Meals: Breakfast, box lunch, dinner.
Day 5 Cerro Torre - El Chaltén.
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 offer. The bonus is the close up views of Cerro Torre group spires. We hike back to our camp and on to El Chaltén in the afternoon.
Lodging in a Hostel room with shared bathroom.
Meals: Breakfast, box lunch and dinner.
Day 6 Lake Viedma, Estancia Helsingfors
Alter breakfast we start the second part of our Expedition.
We drive to Bahía Tunel on lake Viedma, where we get the boat to visit the Viedma glacier and we sail on to reach the opposite coast of the lake, close to Estancia Helsingfors.
From there we walk up to our first Expedition Camp, along the Moyano fiord, a narrow and sharp valley between ranges Mascarello and Huemules. At the end of the fiord we can see the glaciers coming down from the Icefield. Is one of the wildest and less visited areas of the National Park.
Lodging in Expedition Camp
Meals: Breakfast, box lunch and dinner.
Day 7 Towards Paso Norte
We hike up the valley that leads to the Paso Norte (Northern Pass). The sides of the valley show the traces of old forest fires. During all day we will have spectacular views of this wild section of the Park. We camp in the upper part of the valley. 700 mts to climb, 6 hs trekking.
Lodging in Expedition Camp
Meals: Breakfast, box lunch and dinner.
Day 8 Cerros Norte & Moyano, Cañadón Norte
We go on up valley until we reach the pass that leads to the Cañadón Norte (Northern Canyon). The pass is at 1100 mts above sea level. Once in the Pass we are at the foot of the impressive Cerro Moyano and we can see the Mascarello Natural Reserve (habitat for the endangered local deer, called huemul). We can see the canyon winding down in its long way to Laguna Pearson. We start our descent along glacier polished rocks, we cross some boggy areas and low forest to reach 2 spectacular lagoons at the foot of Cerro Norte. The southern one has a beautiful glacier coming down from Cerro Norte and calving in its far end. 7 hs trekking.
Lodging in Expedition Camp
Meals: Breakfast, box lunch and dinner.
Day 9 Fossils Canyon
We walk our way down along the valley, following old cattle trails. Moving from the forest into the shrubland, we climb the ridge of the valley that is to our left and from there we have spectacular views of the Fossils Canyon in front of us, Upsala glacier and Cerro Murallón in the background and Estancia Cristina in the shores of lake Argentino far away in the distance. 400 hs mts of downhill, 6 hs trekking.
Lodging in Expedition Camp
Meals: Breakfast, box lunch and dinner.
Day 10 Estancia Cristina, lake Argentino & El Calafate
We spend the day admiring the Perito Moreno Glacier, observing the advance and rupture process of
We start our way down to this big wide valley, dig by the glaciers many years ago. We cross several ridges before reaching its flat bottom. A final effort is to be made, we need to wade river Los Perros, and we get to Estancia Cristina.
In the afternoon we take the boat to Puerto Bandera and we drive to El Calafate.
Lodging in a Hostel room with private bathroom.
Meals: Breakfast and box lunch.
Day 11 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. 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 60 mts high 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.
Lodging in a Hostel room with private bathroom.
Meals: Breakfast.
Day 12 El Calafate airport
After breakfast we transfer to El Calafate airport for your return flight to Buenos Aires or continuation of your journey.
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.
Rated: Moderate/Difficult. To take the best out of this tour you should be in good physical
condition. We grade this trek as demanding. It is not necessary to have former experience.
The group walks an average of 6 to 7 hs a day, some days may be more, at a moderate and steady pace
with the necessary stops. The trek includes some long and steady climbs, up to 800 mts in key days,
some of them steep enough to be demanding. It also includes a lot of off trail walking. Outdoors and
camping experience in the wilderness is also advisable.
We will carry all the general equipment for the Expedition, (tents, food, gas, first aid kit).
In our Expeditions the passenger carries its own personal equipment (backpack, spare cloth, sleeping
bag and mattress, personal items) and also carries the personal equipment provided by us to go on trek
and the box lunch for that day. This is necessary not only to spread the weight but also to have it
handy when you need it.
The luggage that you will not take with you in the first section of the trek stays at El Chaltén in
our office. The luggage that you do not carry with you in the second section of the Expedition, will
be taken to El Calafate and you will meet it upon arrival in your hostel.
The guides carries a basic first-aid kit and VHF communication equipment for any emergency
that could take place.
We pitch up the Expedition Camp upon arrival to our camping site. Includes tents and all the necessary equipment to cook and serve meals but no dinning nor kitchen tent is provided. Meals are served outside or in your tents, according to weather conditions.
In this style of Camps the passenger uses its own sleeping bag which he carry as part of his personal equipment.
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. An inside cotton sheet is provided as inner clothing for the sleeping bag. The camp also features a spacious dinning tent, a kitchen tent, tables, benches or chairs and a full set of table service and kitchenware.
Full Camps inside Los Glaciares National Park are in the wilderness, so toilettes and showers are not available. We provide hot water for personal cleaning and bathrooms are latrine type.
In El Calafate we lodge in hostel rooms with private bathrooms. This means that you take a bed and you share the room with fellow travellers of your same gender and your same group.
In El Chaltén we take a bed in hostel rooms, but with shared bathrooms. This mean the bathroom is outside your bed room, being available different bathrooms for both men and women. You share the room with other guests of the Hostel of your same gender.
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.
Private departures upon request
Fixed Departure dates
Every two weeks from Saturday, October the 28th,2006 to March 17, 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 | $ 1770 | $ 3186 | $ 2655 | $ 2310 | |
| EUR | € 1469 | € 2644 | € 2203 | € 1917 | |
| GBP | £ 991 | £ 1784 | £ 1486 | £ 1293 | |
Included:
Bilingual Tour Leader (Spanish – English)
Mountain guide
3 nights lodging in Hostel room with private bathroom
2 nights lodging in Hostel room with shared bathroom
2 nights lodging at Full Camp
4 nights lodging at Expedition Camp
Tents and general camping equipment
12 breakfast, 8 box lunch and 9 dinners
All transfers El Calafate airport – El Calafate – El Chaltén – Bahía Túnel – Pto Bandera El Calafate – El Calafate airport
Boat trip from Bahia Tunel to Helsingfors
We combine private and regular buses for our transfers.
Perito Moreno glacier excursion.
Not included:
National Parks fees
Medical and life insurance
Drinks
Tips
Air tickets and airport taxes
Services not detailed in the program
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