Patagonia Revealed
Patagonia Revealed
Puerto Natales, Torres Del Paine & El Calafate 9 days / 8 nights Sep 15, 2022 - Apr 30, 2023 with choices of 4 or 5 star lodgings.
This in-depth tour itinerary reveals the best-kept secrets of Patagonia’s most picturesque season. Explore Puerto Natales, Torres del Paine, and the Fjord of Last Hope. Hike Perito Moreno’s icy landscape and tour El Calafate town–it’s all about the journey.
The Itinerary:
Day 1: Fri - Puerto Natales & Patagonia Surroundings|
Fly this morning from Santiago, Chile to Punta Arenas or Puerto Natales in Southern Patagonia. Which airport you fly into will depend on the route of the flights you booked. Transfer privately from the airport to your hotel in Puerto Natales.
Enjoy a free afternoon and evening to rest and relax from your day of traveling before your full program briefing and dinner. If you arrive late to your hotel this day, we will move the briefing for the morning of Day 2, after breakfast.
Day 2: Sat - Torres del Paine National Park
Enjoy a full day of activities today at the authentic Patagonian ranch Estancia La Peninsula*. Activities available at the ranch include walks & hikes, horseback riding and 4x4 tours. After a morning exploring the lands around the fjord, we will enjoy a traditional Patagonian BBQ lunch and some fine Chilean wine, before ending the day with a sheep shearing and Border collie herding demonstration. We navigate back to Puerto Natales to enjoy a relaxing evening at the hotel before our full program briefing where you will receive the keys to your Jeep Wrangler vehicle. Dinner will follow.
Day 3: Sun - Torres del Paine NP
Today we have a full day to enjoy Torres del Paine National Park, and our excursion for the day will be a full day Jeep Reconnaissance Tour* around the park. This excursion is recommended in all of our safaris, as it is the best way to get to experience all aspects of Torres del Paine in the shortest amount of time. On this full-day excursion, we cross the entire park from West to East (or East to West – depending on where you are staying) and it includes the opportunity to enjoy one leisurely hike to Laguna Azul* that takes in the full spectrum of the park’s flora and fauna, in company with various breathtaking views of the Paine Massif, surrounding lakes, rivers, waterfalls and countryside. This is a day for those seeking the ultimate view where there is never a dull moment. We end our tour at the hotel for a relaxing evening before dinner.
Day 4: Mon - Torres del Paine NP
We will begin the day with a morning navigation across the wall of the mighty Glacier Grey*. This nautical voyage takes us on a threehour excursion of Grey Lake aboard a motorized catamaran, to witness the majesty of Glacier Grey from up-close. p.m. | After returning back to Grey beach from the navigation, you will have choice between several scenic hikes including Mirador Ferrier*, Mirador Condor* or Laguna Azul*. We return back to our hotel in the early evening for some relaxation time before dinner.
Day 5: Tue - Torres del Paine NP
Today you have a full day of activities in Torres del Paine National Park. You can choose between an active day or a more relaxing day, depending on your desired level of activity. For our Active Option, we recommend the hike to the Base of the Towers*, which is one of the most emblematic, spectacularly beautiful and physically challenging hikes available in the national park that bears their name. For the Easy Going Option, we will do a combination of short & scenic hikes around the Park including Mirador Cuernos*, and a few shorter hikes to different waterfalls, overlooks and other points of interest within the Park. We return back to the hotel in the late afternoon for a relaxing evening before dinner.
Day 6: Wed - El Calafate & Glacier National Park
After breakfast we drive east across the border, and into El Calafate and Argentina’s Los Glaciares National Park. Total drive time this morning is about 4 to 5 hours, depending on road and weather conditions, with plenty of stops along the way. We will arrive at our hotel in time for lunch. Enjoy a free afternoon to rest and relax from your day of traveling, or pay a visit to the Glaciarium Museum,* for a one-of-a-kind experience in this state-of-the-art facility that places the Patagonian ice sheets in a natural and historical perspective.
Day 7: Thu - Glacier NP
Today you will enjoy a full day expedition to the mighty Perito Moreno Glacier with both an Active and an Easy Going Option available in the morning. The Active Option is a short ice hike atop the glacier known as the “Mini Trekking*”. This unique activity requires sure-footedness, but it is not considered a physically demanding activity and it requires no previous ice-trekking experience to be enjoyed. For the Easy Going Option, we will take an hour-long Navigation* across the southern arm of the glacier aboard a large motorized catamaran, offering both indoor and outdoor viewing areas to the massive ice wall of Perito Moreno. We will enjoy our box lunches at the glacier before our afternoon activity. After lunch we will enjoy a leisurely one to two hour-long walk across the multi-level observation boardwalk* in front of the Perito Moreno Glacier. This feat of engineering is the best way with which to appreciate this mammoth ice structure and its famous calving phenomenon. We return back to our hotel in the early afternoon to rest and relax before dinner.
Day 8: Fri - Glacier NP
After breakfast this morning we will drive just 15 minutes from our hotel to Galpon del Glaciar, an old Patagonian ranch that offers some great horseback riding*. On this 2 to 3-hour horseback ride, we will get a chance to ride through the Patagonian steppe and explore the shores of Lake Argentino. Our ride covers a variety of terrain across including rolling pampas, lagoons, hills and cattle trails. We return back to our hotel for lunch. You have a free afternoon today to explore the town of Calafate. A stroll in town will offer you the possibility to shop around for local Argentine souvenirs and sweets. Among the most popular items in town are the famous mate tea gourds, wool products and local sweets made from ‘dulce de leche’ or from the calafate berry. There is also an optional short walk to Laguna Nimez to observe Patagonian birdlife right at the edge of town. We return back to our hotel for dinner. Your Jeep will also be picked up this evening by one of our representatives.
Day 9: Sat - Onward travels
Private morning transfer from your hotel to El Calafate airport (FTE) for your flight to Buenos Aires. Extend your trip in Argentina with tours in Buenos Aires, Iguazu or Mendoza with Quasar or take an international flight home.*
* Contact us for availability and rates. A shorter 7-Day program is also available.
