Fitz Roy Mount Horseback Ride

"Patagonia - Argentina"

A unique experience, horseback riding across the Tunel River Valley and the surrounding fields to Viedma Glacier. The ride offers wonderful views over Fitz Roy, Torre and Grande Mounts and on front side of the extremely large Viedma glacier. Daily horse rides are complemented with short hikes to accede to some viewpoints unreachable on horseback.
During the season 2004/2005 horse riding was suspended by the National Park authorities. This tour is then cancelled this season.

The Itinerary

Day 1 El Calafate
We welcome you at El Calafate Airport and drive you to El Calafate town where at 7 pm the group have a meeting at the Hostel del Glaciar Pionero Lounge. You meet our Guide, converse about the details of our expedition and enjoy our first dinner together. Overnight in hotel. (D)

Day 2 El Chalten - Cerro Fitz Roy
After breakfast we drive to El Chalten, a little and colourful town on the edge of Los Glaciares National Park and nearby the awesome Mount Fitz Roy. We cross 190 km of gravel road through the Patagonian Steppe. En route, we stop at La Leona, a picturesque inn to enjoy home-made cakes. Views over the Viedma Lake are stupendous.
Once in El Chalten we fix the last details and start our horse ride. A nice trail along the De las Vueltas River leads us to the first viewpoint over the Fitz Roy Mount(3441 metres/11.289 ft) We continue riding to a camp set at the Fitz Roy base near Rio Blanco (White River). From there we hike for about one and a half hour to De los Tres Lagoon, one of the main viewpoint of the Park. Fitz Roy Mount and its vertical walls rising some 1,350 meters (nearly one mile) above the surrounding glaciers and lagoons offer some of the more incredible sights of this expedition. Finally, we hike back to Rio Blanco Camp and continue south to our camp by Capri Lagoon. Overnight in Camp at Capri Lagoon. (BLD)

Day 3 Cerro Torre - El Chalten
In the morning we ride around Capri Lagoon to Madre e Hija Lagoons Valley. Crossing a dense forest and a wet area, we then arrive to Torre Mount Valley. We ride along Fitz Roy River to Torre Lagoon. This lagoon, contained between moraines, hoards icebergs breaking from Torre Glacier on the west side of the lake and dominated by the impressive group of Mount Torre needles (3128 meters/10262 ft). We enjoy our lunch box and ride back to El Chalten (6 hours riding). Overnight in hotel.(B)

Day 4 El Chalten - Laguna Toro
From El Chalten we ride towards the Pliegue Tumbado mountainside through the steppe and then through the forest. We finally arrive at the sharing point between the waters from Torre and Tunel Valleys and hike to Pliegue Tumbado Ridge. We continue riding our horses descending through Tunel River Valley to Laguna Toro. We ride get around the lake and visit Tunnel Glacier (4-5 hours riding). Overnight in Camp at Toro Lagoon. (BLD)

Day 5 Laguna Toro - Peninsula Ventisqueros
From Toro Lagoon we ride down the Tunel River Valley nearby the Huemul Mount. We enter the "Ventisqueros Fields", used by locals to feed the cattle, near Viedma Glacier. These fields are limited by the Viedma Lake shore, and the eastern side of Huemul Mount. Our destination is our camp set up in bay near Peninsula Ventisqueros and from where a short walk leads us to the Glacier viewpoint. Overnight in Camp at Peninsula Ventisqueros. (BLD)

Day 6 Peninsula Ventisqueros - Bahia Tunel
Today, we come back part of our way through Ventisqueros Fields to the Tunel River, riding around the tunnel bay to finally reach Tunel Bay Restaurant where a nice afternoon snack, with tea, coffee and cakes is waiting for us. We return by Mini Van to El Chalten. Overnight in hotel. (BLD)

Day 7 El Chalten - El Calafate. Perito Moreno Glacier
We leave El Chalten in the morning to travel by bus to El Calafate where we arrive in afternoon. After lunch, drive to Perito Moreno Glacier located 80 km far El Calafate inside Magallanes Peninsula on the south part of the Los Glaciares National Park. The bus drops us just in front of the Glacier, allowing us to walk on the gangplanks to view the Glacier from different viewpoints. The roar of the gigantic ice rocks falling and crashing into the waters of the channel is a unique experience. Return to El Calafate to enjoy a farewell dinner. Overnight in hotel. (BD)

Day 8 El Calafate - El Calafate Airport
After breakfast, transfer to El Calafate Airport. (B)

General Information

Rated: Moderate

About the camps: All camps were previously set up by our staff. They feature wide igloo type tents we use in double or single base. Each tent has high mountain sleeping bags, individual sheets and insulating mattresses. The camp also counts with chemical sanitary services (basic), a large dining tent with tables, benches, dishes and complete kitchenware with a cook in charge to prepare meals.

Fixed Departure dates
Every Saturday, from October the 16th,2004 to April 2, 2005

Tour Tariff
	Per person
USD	$ 1030
EUR	€ 854
GBP	£ 576

(*) Price last updated on 11 October 2004. Current price may vary due to elements out of our control, so please always check by sending us a quotation request .
(***) If your flight to Patagonia arrive in Rio Gallegos, instead of El Calafate (because you booked late), there will be an additional charge
(****) We need 2 participants minimum to operate this expedition.

Included: Accommodation in hotel in double room with private facilities in El Calafate and El Chalten (usually in double bedroom but also in shared accommodation with bathroom depending on availability) and in double tent during the ride, camping equipment, meals as specified, transport, bilingual experienced mountain guides licensed by National Park authorities, cook, horses and all riding gear

Not included: Domestic flights, other meals, drinks while in town, optional excursions, entrance fees to National Parks (USD 7)