DAY 1 CALAFATE

• Arrival at Calafate Airport
• Transfer to the “ALTO CALAFATE” 4* Hotel
• 2-night stay in a double-occupancy room. Includes breakfast.
• 4×4 afternoon excursion to the Balcón del Calafate. This amazing vantage point gives you a view of the source of the Perito Moreno Glacier, the peaks of the Chaltén Mountains which reach a height of 3,375 meters and Torre which reaches 3,128 meters. On the right you can see the Santa Cruz River, which empties into the Atlantic Ocean after traveling more than 186 miles. Below, you can see the city of El Calafate.

Photo: Courtesy of Marcelo Sola

DAY 2 CALAFATE

• All-day excursion to the Perito Moreno Glacier which includes mini trekking.

The excursion departs from Calafate and lasts all day. The road trip to the glacier is 50 miles long. The first overwhelming feeling you will experience is when you reach the “curve of sighs”, the very moment you see the glacier for the first time. Here you will have an opportunity to stop and take photos before continuing the journey to the port. After embarking and reaching the south side of the glacier, the trek on the Perito Moreno begins. Countless crevasses, drains, small lagoons and fragmented ice blocks create a magical environment. Here you will be mesmerized by bright whites, deep blues, light crystals, small waterfalls down below and yarns of pure water that invite you to take a drink.

DAY 3 CALAFATE -EL CHALTÉN

• Passengers are picked up at the hotel by a bus which takes them to El Chaltén (3-hour trip).
• Arrival at El Chaltén
• Transfer to “LA ALDEA” 4* Hotel
• 3-night stay in a double-occupancy room. Includes breakfast.
• Free afternoon ideal for preparing for the next day’s activities.

DAYS 4 and 5 EL CHALTÉN

During these 2 days you will have the option to choose between 4 hiking activities with different levels of difficulty and lengths of duration.

• PIEDRA DEL FRAILE: Bus transfer to the Electric River located 11 miles from El Chaltén. From there you will take an easy walk on flat terrain. It is a two-hour long and tranquil walk through forests and small streams until reaching Piedra del Fraile, Father Agostini’s base camp for his explorations of the region. From this location you will have a unique view of the northeastern wall of the Fitz Roy Mountain. The area includes the Los Troncos Refuge where you can have a bite to eat and which also offers camping accommodations. It is necessary to purchase a ticket since this is a private camp. Duration: 2 hours. Distance: 3.7 miles. Difficulty: Easy

• RIO BLANCO: The path begins with a few undulations which take you through a beech forest to the Piedras Blancas Glacier viewpoint, where you will arrive after a 1.5 hour hike. There you will enjoy an incredible frontal view of the glacier and its lagoon, located at the foot of the Fitz Roy Mountain. It is another 30 minutes to the Poicenot Camp and an additional 15 minutes to Rio Blanco. The return trip to the town is taken through the Laguna Capri and descends the last bit of this path. Approximate duration: 7 hours. Total distance: 11 miles. Difficulty: Intermediate

• PLIEGUE TUMBADO: This path begins at the entrance of the town at the National Park Information Center. This trek provides the best panoramic views of the main peaks, Fitz Roy and Torre, as well as the thickest forests. At the 1.5 hour mark you will reach the first lookout point, called Pampa de las Carretas, where you will have the first view of Torre and Fitz Roy Mountains. The panoramic views continue as you follow the trail. Here you will have perfect view of Lake Viedma, the Huemul Mountain and the Paso del Viento to the Río Túnel Valley, exit door to the Continental Ice sheets. In Pliegue you will have views of the Fitz Roy River, lakes, glacier and Torre Mountain, and from the Madre e Hija Lakes you will have a view of the Fitz Roy Mountain. Duration: 7 hours. Difficulty: Intermediate. Total distance: 9.3 miles.
• LAGUNA TORRE: This trek is one of the most popular in the region leading to one of the most beautiful and difficult mountains in the world, Torre Mountain. The trail begins in the village and follows the Fitz Roy River upstream with a slight slope at the beginning, which later becomes a tranquil hike reaching the first viewpoint at the 1.5 hour mark. From there you will have a beautiful view of Torre Mountain, the Adelas and part of Fitz Roy massif. The road continues with mild undulations approaching the river to Camp De Agostini, after approximately 45 minutes. After an additional 10 minutes you will arrive at Laguna Torre, after crossing the moraines. From here you will have a spectacular view of the Torre Mountain, flanked by the Egger, Standhard, Bífida and Adelas Mountains with their stunning glaciers spilling into the lagoon. The same path is taken for the return journey. Approximate duration: 6 hours. Total distance: 14 miles. Difficulty: Intermediate.

DAY 6 EL CHALTÉN – EL CALAFATE- USHUAIA

• Bus transfer to the Calafate airport en route to Ushuaia
• Arrival at Ushuaia airport
• Transfer to the “LAS LENGAS” 4* hotel
• 3-night stay in a double occupancy room. Includes breakfast.

DAY 7 USHUAIA

• All-day off-road Lake excursion:

This tour allows you to scuttle waves and travel through impossible muddy roads and is great for all ages. On this trip you will cross the Andes, 9 miles on the shores of Lake Fagnano until reaching a beach where a shelter awaits you for a delicious barbecue and wine lunch amidst an ancient forest.

Attractions: Valle Carvajal and Tierra Mayor, Paso Garibaldi, Lake Escondido, Aserradero Bronzovich, Castoreras, Lake Fagnano.

Duration: 8 hours.

Meals: Snacks + Barbecue with salad and dessert. Drinks included (wine, sodas, mineral water). Transportation: Land Rover Defender. 8 passengers + guide and vehicle.

DAY 8 USHUAIA

• All-day excursion to the Tierra del Fuego National Park

This is the only Argentinian National Park that combines sea, mountains and forests.  Here you will see Lapataia Bay, the shores of the Beagle Channel and the most impressive flora and fauna including red foxes, woodpeckers, steamer ducks, condors, eagles, beavers and peat bogs.

After a .5 mile trek you will have the option of taking a semi-rigid boat to Isla Redonda. You can also paddle through the beautiful internal lakes of the Park using inflatable canoes. These activities give you a different perspective of this majestic place.

Attractions: Ensenada Bay, Beagle Channel, Lapataia Bay, Lake Roca, Isla Redonda or the Ovando and Lapataia Rivers.

Duration: 8 /9 hours

Meals: Snacks + Picnic (Local cuisine appetizers, hamburgers, chorizo sandwiches). Drinks included: mineral water, wine and sodas.

Day 9 USHUAIA

• Transfer to the Ushuaia airport for travel to the next destination.

PRICE: $1399 USD/per person for double-occupancy during March & April 2013 (Does not include Easter week). Does not include airfare or entrance to the National Parks. Can be combined with trips to Buenos Aires or Iguazú.

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