El Calafate and El Chaltén are known worldwide for their emblematic glaciers and soaring peaks. Walk Patagonia has prepared a selection of the most exclusive excursions in the region, which will allow you to appreciate the beauty of the immense and remote Patagonia. This programme includes high-end accommodation and –if you have time- it could be combined with a night or two at an Estancia – a typical Argentine ranch!
Arrive into El Calafate. Depending on what time you arrive you may have time for visiting the town centre, bird watching at Laguna Nimes or visiting Glaciarium – the ice museum – a great introduction to Patagonia!
– Accommodation at Los Ponchos Hotel –or similar-, includes breakfast
Today you take a step back in time and start the day learning about the estancias – the old Patagonian ranches that in their heyday had more than 20.000 heads of sheep, whose wool they used to be exported to northern Europe. You journey along the old track that connects these estancias, until you arrive at one of most famous; Nibepo Aike.
On arrival, you will learn about the estancia’s family history, see how sheep used to be sheared before technology arrived and general ranch life. Then you will taste a delicious barbeque lunch with Patagonian lamb and salads accompanied by fine wine.
In the afternoon you will depart the estancia by boat and sail across Brazo Rico, part of the Argentino lake and then land at Playa de las Monedas where you will have a gentle walk in a forest, until you reach a unique viewpoint of the Perito Moreno glacier. You return to the ship to sail in front of the southern face of Perito Moreno Glacier while enjoying a whiskey on the rocks. The sheer size of the glacier and the calving you may hear is aweinspring.
Finally you disembark at the balconies in the afternoon, when the Park is less crowded. At the end of the day you will be dropped off at your hotel in El Calafate.
This excursion runs with a maximum of 15 passengers, so you are not affected by large tour groups in the same way! One of the best ways of enjoying one of the most photographed glaciers of Patagonia!
– Duration 10 Hs
– Accommodation at Los Ponchos Hotel –or similar-, includes breakfast
After breakfast you’ll be picked up from your accommodation and driven across the 220km of steppe that separate Calafate from El Chaltén. Hopefully the sky is clear so you can enjoy some photo stops along the journey. The steppe is inhabited with some animals, the easiest to spot is the guanaco – from the camelid family – elegant runners but shy. Or you may spot a choique, a rhea, a flightless bird and a distant relation of the ostrich.
After checking in to your accommodation, about 3 hours later, you’ll have time for lunch before your afternoon walk and excursion.
Andreas Madsen, a Dane that lived in the valley where El Chaltén is located today, has left us an amazing family saga that will give us a fantastic introduction to the area. Learn about why he ended up here, how he survived as a pioneer and what it was like to live in this distant and inhospitable corner of Patagonia. Enjoy a gentle walk to his home, lovely views of the national park, a visit of his property and then afternoon tea at his family dining room table. At the end of the afternoon you return to town.
El Chaltén, the youngest town of Argentina, is a small town of around 2000 inhabitants, a perfect size for exploring by foot and large enough to have a good variety of restaurants and bars to try out during your stay.
– Accommodation at Chaltén Suites Hotel –or similar-, includes breakfast
This day you will meet with your guide at your accommodation and decide which trail you fancy hiking according to your preferences and the weather conditions. Choose from the well trodden path to Laguna de los Tres – the FitzRoy trail (well trod for a reason) or you might want to hike something shorter that still permits you to enjoy glacial valleys, shimmering blue lagoons and more. The guide will help you to decide which would be the best option for the day and off you trek in Los Glaciares National Park! Your guide will hand over your packed lunches so you will be set for the day.
The longest trail is about 8/9 hours so you are back in town to enjoy dinner.
– Accommodation at Chaltén Suites Hotel –or similar-, includes breakfast
Today you will leave El Chaltén on a gravel road northbound for 40 km. While driving along we pass spectacular landscapes such as the valley of Río de Las Vueltas, the pretty Los Cóndores range and we’ll be able to look along some glacial valleys that lead up to the Continental Ice Field.
Some waterfalls along the way will invite us to stop to marvel them. If we are lucky we may spot a torrent duck or a night heron hunting for its next meal nearby.
There is a historical landmark too, that tells us about the history of this valley; Argentina and Chile fought over this lake and valley as recently as the 1960s.
Arriving at Lago del Desierto, we prepare to go up to the Huemul Glacier viewpoint and marvel at the forest and flora en route The Lago del Desierto area is so much more humid than the before. Here you will admire lush moss growing, evergreen trees and the chance to see one of Patagonia’s small frogs.
After our walk we head down to near the lake to find a good lunch spot. Here you’ll try a “Picada Argentina” – a typcial Argentine lunch made up of different cheeses, cold meats, olives and more – accompanied by wine or beer.
Then we will board the boat and sail over Lago del Desierto, admire the beautiful lake surrounded by the snow capped Andes, and a unique view of the north face of Mount Fitz Roy in the distance.
After a coffee it’s time to head back to town!
– Duration 7/8 Hs
– Accommodation at Chaltén Suites Hotel –or similar-, includes breakfast
Today, you drive back to El Calafate airport, 5 hours prior to flight departure, where you say goodbye (or until the next time!) to this beautiful land of mountains, forests, glaciers and space.
