PWT - Torres del Paine Adventure

(ID 1)

Day 1 El Calafate airport – El Calafate

We welcome you at Calafate airport and transfer to town to check in at your accommodation. You get the rest of the day to enjoy the town.

Lodging: Lodge

Provided meals: None

(ID 12)

Day 2 El Calafate - Torres del Paine National Park

Early start for a 6 hs drive to our camp in Paine. We drive across the patagonic steppe, still following by parts the legendary route 40, to get around Sierra de los Baguales, an impressive range in between Calafate and Paine. We cross the Argentinean Chilean border at Cancha Carrera/ Cerro Castillo. After the border crossing, we start our final sprint to Paine National Park, World Heritage by the UNESCO (United Nations Education, Science and Culture Organization). Approaching the Park, we start to see the different mountains that feature the area: Paine Grande, the Horns, Admiral Nieto and the Towers. Once we entered the Park, we go for a short 1 to 2 hs walk to get familiar with the landscape, the wind and the rich wildlife: guanacos, lesser rheas, condors and all types of wetland and buzzard birds will be available for our eyes and cameras. Also lots of flowers. Back in the bus, we reach our camp at the foot of Paine massif.

Lodging: Full Camp

Provided meals: Breakfast, Box Lunch, Dinner

Full Camps are pitched up early in the season, so we find the camp ready upon arrival. It offers comfortable igloo type tents for 1 or 2 passengers, with insulation mat and sleeping bags. The camp also features a spacious dinning tent, a kitchen tent, tables, benches or chairs and a full set of table service and kitchenware (area with sanitary services).

This day's walk may vary for logistical reasons.

(ID 13)

Day 3 Paine Towers – Ascensio River Valley

Early in the morning we start walking towards the bridge over the Ascensio river, headtrail for the world famous Paine towers. We "warm up" hiking a steep one hour slope, to get inside the valley itself, a narrow "V" shape alpine valley coming from inside the Paine massif. A gentle downhill leads us to Refugio Chileno, a cozy and comfortable mountain lodge, which can be a good turnaround point for those not willing to make a full day hike. We then walk in a gentle slope along the river side and inside beech forest. A final climb on moraine take us to the Towers viewpoint: a glacier origin lagoon and the three towers rising vertically 1000 mts from the glacier. The lack of breath will be either because the climb and the sight!!!! We go back to our camp on the same way we came. Walking time: 7 to 8 hs.

Lodging: Full Camp

Provided meals: Breakfast, Box Lunch, Dinner

(ID 14)

Day 4 Lake Pehoe crossing – French Valley

Early in the morning a 1 h drive takes us to Port Pudeto to board the catamarán that crosses lake Pehoe twice a day. Once at the far side of the lake, we leave unnecessary items in our tents and we set out to the French Valley trail. The trail skirts Paine Grande south slopes and lake Skottberg, to take us after 2 hs and a half of continuous ups and downs, to the hanging bridge upon the French River. This breathtaking location is at the foot of both the 2700 mts south east face of Paine Grande (to the west) and the Horns, with its characteristic black sedimentary topping, to the east. We continue walking 1 h further by Italian camp to reach breathtaking viewpoints over the area. After lunch and photos we retrace our steps back to Paine Grande Full Camp. Walking time: 5 to 6 hs.

Lodging: Full Camp

Provided meals: Breakfast, Box Lunch, Dinner

(ID 163)

Day 5 Grey Valley - Puerto Natales

Lake Grey trail leads from Pehoe valley across ridges to reach Grey valley. This magnificent valley flows down 60 km from the Patagonian Icefield, featuring the huge glacier calving down in the grey colour lake. Our trail skirts the lake, going up and down the westerns slopes of Paine Grande, offering some of the most impressive sights of the Park. From the trail we can see the south end of the lake where the blue icebergs gather, the mountains rising far in the distance above glaciers Grey and Tyndall. We come back along the same trail, crossing bogs, shrublands and forest. Once again at Paine Grande Refuge we take the boat to cross lake Pehoe back and then we go to our accommodation in Puerto Natales, a picturesque fishermen town located in the shores of the Ultima Esperanza (Last Hope) fiord.

Lodging: Lodge

Provided meals: Breakfast, Box Lunch

(ID 164)

Day 6 Puerto Natales – El Calafate

Today we leave Puerto Natales, as our fellow travelers are going south to Ushuaia and we are getting back to the border to reenter Argentina and drive back to El Calafate. Upon arrival to El Calafate we have the rest of the day at your own to visit town.

Lodging: Lodge

Provided meals: Breakfast

(ID 21)

Day 7 El Calafate - El Calafate airport

After breakfast we transfer to El Calafate airport where our services ends.

Lodging: None

Provided meals: Breakfast