Trekking the Patagonia Circuit, Argentina and Chile

The Trip

Patagonia is a remote, unspoiled, and untamed wilderness, and the southern part is where nature is at its wildest. Measuring about twice the size of France, the Patagonian landscape ranges from towering granite peaks and turquoise glacial lakes to windswept steppes and icy seas. Two countries, Chile and Argentina, share this sparsely populated, wide-open space, split by the Andes and bodies of water -- and we will see the best! Our trip starts and ends in Calafate, Argentina. The most beautiful area of the Chilean side of Patagonia is Torres del Paine National Park. Filled with stunning mountain peaks, brilliant turquoise lakes, and calving glaciers, it is considered by many to be the finest travel destination in Chile. The "W," one of the classic treks in Patagonia, winds along the edge of the mountains next to a chain of glacial lakes and ends with an awe-inspiring day hike to the breathtaking Torres, for which the Park is named. The centerpiece of the Argentinian side of Patagonia is Los Glaciares National Park, where the awe-inspiring Perito Moreno Glacier is found in the southern part. This groaning, grinding river of ice is vast and seemingly endless and, in fact, is one of the few glaciers in the world that was still advancing until the 1980s. In the north of the national park is the famous Mt. Fitzroy massif, named after the Beagle's Captain Fitzroy, who sailed Charles Darwin's expedition up the Rio Santa Cruz in 1834. The vertical granite fin of the mountain is 11,290 feet high and is surrounded by icy glaciers. To get there, we will hike through forests of lenga and nirre trees (deciduous beeches). Hiking in Patagonia is "high altitude" hiking BUT at low altitude, which is often above tree line! Our days will take us between approximately 1,000 to 3,400 feet overall. 

All of the activities listed will be included, but the order of the activities in Torres del Paine NP (Chile) may be changed. It is highly recommended that you arrive at least a day early in El Calafate, Argentina, as it will be extremely difficult to catch the trip once we leave Argentina on day two for Chile. The national Argentina airlines frequently change schedules so missed flight connections are possible.

Day 1: Meet in El Calafate, the gateway to Patagonia, located on the shores of Lago Argentino. We have some time to explore town and get a taste of the Patagonian landscape. We have an orientation meeting and a welcome dinner and settle in for the night as we are introduced to the wonders of Patagonia. Overnight El Calafate.

Day 2: Today we travel from El Calafate to Chile, stopping for incredible views and wildlife spotting. It is common to see herds of guanacos, flocks of rheas and flamingos, possibly foxes and condors on the way. On the way to the Chilean border, we will stop at Esparanza for a short break/toilets. It is difficult to predict how long the border crossing will take; it will depend on how many others are crossing the border when we arrive. We will have lunch at a shop just across the border where shopping is available. From the border we will drive to Serrano Village, just outside the southern border of Torres del Paine with magnificent views of the mountains. Overnight Refugio Darwin.

Day 3: We bus to Lago Pehoe where there's an optional hike to Salto Grande, a huge cataract pouring into Lago Pehoe. We will take a catamaran across Lago Pehoe to our next lodge, where we will be staying in six-person dorm rooms with bunk beds. After we settled into our rooms, we hike to Lago Grey Lookout, which is about 10 miles round trip. The view of the lake, Glacier Grey and surrounding peaks are absolutely stunning. Glacier Grey is a beautiful glacier that extends into the lake. Overnight Torres del Paine. (10 miles, 1000' elevation change)

Day 4: Today we hike to Campamiento Italiano (Italian camp) at the entrance to the Valle del Frances (French Valley). We will pass by views of Lago Pehoe, Lago Skottsberg, Lago Nordenskjold and we will have glimpses of Los Cuernos (the horns). We can hike up the French Valley to a beautiful overlook across the valley from a large glacier, returning to our Torres del Paine lodge where we overnight. (11 miles to overlook, 850’ elevation change)

Day 5: We board the catamaran across Lago Pehoe and bus to the La Fauna trail where a short (2- to 3-mile) hike ends at the base of a cliff where we’ll see ancient petrogylphs and probably observe wildlife, like guanacos and perhaps fox, along the way. Time permitting, when we arrive at our lodge we will take a short hike along the circuit trails that goes around Torres del Paine. Our lodge will have six-person bunk rooms. Overnight Torres del Paine.

Day 6: Today we make the classic hike to the base of the Torres (towers). Our hike will be about 13 miles on a well-maintained trail and over 3,000 feet in cumulative elevation gain. The end of the trail provides an amazing view -- vertical rock, a glacial cirque with an azure glacial lake at its center, and breathtaking views. It is possible to do a shorter hike, also with great scenery and views, and stop at a refugio (campground) part of the way up the trail or along the trail. This is one of the most strenuous of our treks in Patagonia. Overnight Torres del Paine. (13 miles, 3,000’ elevation change)

Day 7: We travel back to Argentina today, crossing the border and stopping at Esparanza for a break before finally arriving back at our El Calafate hotel for dinner and overnight. We’ll have beautiful views of Torres del Paine and the southern Andes, and are likely to see more guanacos and rheas. Overnight El Calafate.

Day 8: In the morning, we bus to Perito Merino Glacier, one of the few stable (not receding) glaciers in the world. We’ll begin by hiking along boardwalks directly across from the glacier, and watch icebergs calf off the glacier face and listen to the cracking as huge chunks of ice fall into the water. We’ll board a boat which will take us close to the face of the glacier and observe the beautiful deep blue colors created as the light penetrates the glacier and ice. On the way back we’ll visit the Los Glaciares museum outside of El Calafate, which explains the power of glaciers and how they have sculpted the Patagonia landscape. Overnight El Calafate.

Day 9: A very special activity is planned today -- a visit to an authentic Argentinian estancia, or ranch. We learn about the importance of the estancia in the history of Patagonia, and discover the work and challenges of ranching in this austere landscape. We will witness a sheep shearing and an equestrian race/demonstration, and have a guided tour of the ranch and nearby area. An optional horseback ride (on your own) up into the foothills above the ranch is also available. We’ll enjoy a traditional, lavish asado (barbecue). Dinner will be on your own tonight after our fulfilling lunch at the estancia. Overnight El Calafate.

Day 10: We board our private bus for a ride to our next adventures around the beautiful town of El Chalten. We will drive by turquoise-colored, glacier-fed lakes and stop at historic Campo La Leona, where Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid visited on their South American adventure. As we approach El Chalten, Mt. Fitz Roy and the surrounding massif will greet us. Overnight El Chalten.

Day 11: Today we hike to Laguna Torre with a close-up view of Glacier Torre. We will be hiking through lush forests with dramatic views of Mt. Fitz Roy and the surrounding peaks. We will have lunch at Laguna Torre and hike back to El Chalten where we’ll have our second dinner on our own at one of the local restaurants. Overnight El Chalten (12 miles, 900’ elevation change).

Day 12: Today’s hike has two options: a moderate hike through beech (lenga) forests and along a beautiful glacial river, including a stop at Laguna Capri to our next lodge (8 miles, 1500’ elevation change). For those who want a more strenuous and spectacular hike, we will depart about half way along the previous trek and climb up a steep trail to Laguna de los Tres and the very base of Mt. Fitz Roy (12 miles, 3000’ elevation change total). Our last night at El Chalten is at a historic estancia (ranch) home with gourmet cuisine.

Day 13: We end our stay in the Mt. Fitz Roy area with a moderate hike up the nearby valley of Rio Electrico to Piedra del Fraile, where we’ll have lunch near a small shop and the campground. We will hike back down along the river back to our lodge where we will board our bus and return to El Calafate, stopping again at Campo La Leona. At our farewell dinner we will share highlights of our trip and overnight in El Calafate.

Day 14: After breakfast we can return to the El Calafate airport just outside of town (on your own) or extend the stay in El Calafate. In the past some participants have visited Buenos Aires, other sites in Argentina and South America and/or have combined this with a trip to Antarctica.

Getting There

This trip starts and ends at El Calafate in Southern Argentina. You may wish to spend time in Buenos Aires, Argentina on the way to El Calafate. Note that there are two airports in Buenos Aires — EZE and AEP. Both accept international and domestic flights. Not only is Buenos Aires wonderful, it is the changing point for flights to El Calafate. United States citizens entering Argentina or Chile must have a valid passport (good for six months AFTER you leave either country) with at least four empty pages. Please do not make non-refundable travel arrangements until notified to do so by the trip leader. 

Accommodations and Food

We will be staying in hotels and refugios (mountain huts). On days when we are staying at refugios on the trail, we will be sleeping in dorm rooms (shared) with common eating areas and shared bathrooms. The rest of the time we will stay in delightful local hotels that have double rooms with private bathrooms. 

All meals (except two dinners) are provided in the trip price. Patagonian food is fabulous, fresh, and mostly local. It is very meat based. Salads and vegetables are served with most meals and the guides will go out of their way to take care of vegetarians. Breakfasts are simple (cereal, toast, fruit, and eggs) and lunches will be either a sit-down lunch or a box lunch.

Trip Difficulty

This is a moderately strenuous trip and participants should be in good physical condition to fully enjoy our hikes. On all of our treks we’ll be only carrying day packs with food, water, clothing, and a personal first aid kit. Except for the Mt. Fitz Roy hike on day 12, all of our treks return the same way we go out, so if participants get tired they can stop and rejoin the group on their return to the lodge. If you take part in a regular, vigorous exercise program (walking/hiking, running, biking, swimming, weight training) you will enjoy the physical aspects of our trip much more! The two most strenuous hikes are to Las Torres in Torres del Paine NP (Chile) and the (optional) strenuous climb up to the base of Mt. Fitz Roy (Argentina).

Equipment and Clothing

The weather in Patagonia is very unpredictable. We can get extreme wind, torrential rain, brilliant sunshine -- all in the same day. Clothes made of a wicking fabric are essential as are good rain clothes and warm layers. You will need a good pair of broken-in, waterproof, over-the-ankle hiking boots. Hiking/Trekking poles are strongly recommended. A detailed equipment list will be sent to participants.

References

Books:

• Chatwin, Bruce, In Patagonia.
• Yates, Simon, Against the Wall.
• Bridges, E. Lucas, Uttermost Part of the Earth.
• Any guidebook e.g. Lonely Planet, Rough Guide, Frommers etc.
• Jaramillo, Alvaro, Birds of Chile. 
• "Patagonia: The Wild, Wild South." National Geographic, January 2004.

Websites:

• www.argentinaturistica.com
• www.turismo.gov.ar
• www.gochile.cl
• www.interpatagonia.com

Maps:

• Hiking maps of the two areas will be provided to participants on the trip.

Conservation

Since its founding in 1892, the Sierra Club has worked to preserve and restore the natural environment we all share on this planet. Thousands of grassroots-level volunteers spearhead our efforts to conserve and sustain resources, both in our own backyards and on a global scale. Through direct experience in the outdoors, Sierra Club outings enable participants to better understand, advocate, and participate in the environmental conservation goals of the Club.

Patagonia is a beautiful region that is facing several major challenges to its fragile environment:

• More and more tourists are attracted to this region, but the infrastructure is not growing fast enough to handle the increased demand for sewage, garbage, etc.
• Some tourists have been careless handling fires -- this caused several major wildfires with huge damage to the forests and habitats. 
• Overgrazing has caused severe damage to the natural wildlife and habitat. Furthermore, the livestock industry is no longer viable as the damaged land can no longer support livestock.
• Hydroelectric plants: Patagonia has one of the world's greatest water reserves due to its glacial lakes, powerful rivers, and two very large non-polar ice fields. However, this makes it of great interest to hydroelectric companies, with international investment, as the demand for energy keeps increasing.

There are several organizations that are working hard to deal with these challenges. Also, private individuals like Chouinard and Tompkins have been buying land to protect it and turn it back over to the countries to manage as national parks.

Evacuation and Travel Insurance

The Sierra Club provides evacuation insurance to all participants on international trips. Since this coverage does not include any trip cancellation or interruption insurance, we suggest you purchase another policy separately to provide coverage for your trip and other travel costs. This policy also does not cover pre-trip and post-trip travel. Please note the evacuation insurance provided does not cover claims resulting from any pre-existing condition that occurs within 60 days of the trip departure. If you have specific questions about this exclusion, please review the insurance brochure. For information on purchasing a separate policy, please see our travel insurance page.