Discover the Wild Heart of Patagonia, Chile and Argentina

The Trip

Patagonia is remote, unspoiled, and untamed; nature is at its wildest and you get to see it all on this unique trip! With immense, sweeping vistas, vast open landscapes, and thick Magellanic forests, its stark beauty is mesmerizing and will take your breath away. Many people return to Patagonia again and again after their first experience in this stunning, magical land.

Measuring about twice the size of France, the land ranges from towering granite peaks and turquoise glacial lakes to windswept pampas (steppe) 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 Patagonian hiking adventure starts in Bariloche, Argentina, travels across the border to Puerta Varas in Chile, then continues on to Torres del Paine National Park, Chile, and ends in El Calafate, Argentina. By day hiking, we'll explore the mountains, glaciers, and lakes of the national parks nestled in the Andes.

Bariloche is the ultimate mountain "ski town" here, known for its location and fabulous chocolate. Here we will take a local hike and then the next day cross over to Chile by boat and bus, through yet another national park to Puerta Varas. This charming German-style town is on the edge of Lake Llanquihue, which has the massive, snow-capped Osorno Volcano (dormant) towering above it. After two days of hiking, kayaking, and exploring Puerta Varas, we take a plane to Punta Arenas and travel to Torres del Paine National Park to hike sections of the "W" -- the classic Patagonian trek. The trail winds along the edge of the mountains next to a chain of glacial lakes and we will take an awe-inspiring day hike to the breathtaking Torres, for which the Park is named. Hiking in Patagonia is "high altitude" hiking, but at low altitude -- often above tree line, though barely 3,000 feet above sea level at the most.

From here, a bus takes us back over the border to Argentina and El Chalten in Los Glaciares National Park. 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 -- towers above the town, snow-capped and stunning. The vertical granite fin of the mountain is 11,290 feet high and surrounded by sparkling glaciers. To get there, we will hike through forests of lenga and nirre trees (deciduous "false" beeches), then finally over a glacial moraine, to see the magnificent towering peaks and a hidden lake. We may see condors and the endemic Magellanic woodpecker as they nest in these areas.

We end the trip with a visit to the awe-inspiring Perito Moreno Glacier, also in the National Park. This groaning, grinding river of ice is vast, a small outlying finger of the Southern Ice Field. It seems endless, dazzlingly white and brilliant blue; one of the few glaciers in the world to be stable. Our last night will be spent in El Calafate where we will have a delicious farewell dinner.

Day 1: Arrive in Bariloche by late afternoon. We will meet for an orientation meeting and welcome dinner.

Day 2: We will travel to a local Park and take a six-mile hike in the beech forest, unique to Patagonia, with views of the lakes and small islands. On our return, there will be plenty of time to explore the streets of Bariloche.

Day 3: The ultimate Patagonian experience -- crossing the Andes by bus and boat! This is a 12-hour crossing, which can only be done by bus-boat-bus-boat; it is a fabulous way to travel from Argentina into Chile. Our final boat trip will end at Lago Todos los Santos and our hotel is on the lakefront.

Day 4: From the hotel, we will set off to hike by Osorno Volcano. There will be spectacular views of the volcano and we will be able to enjoy our picnic lunch on its slope. We plan to visit the on-site museum to learn about the lake crossing between Chile and Argentina.

Day 5: Today we will spend half a day kayaking on the gorgeous Lake Todos los Santos, weather permitting, taking a picnic with us. We will sadly leave our lovely lakeside hotel in the early afternoon and drive to Puerto Varas, where we will spend the night. On the way there we will take a short hike to the breathtaking Petrohue Falls. Dinner on your own.

Day 6: This morning, we will fly to Punta Arenas, arriving early afternoon. From the airport, we will travel by private bus to Puerto Natales and then onward a lovely hotel in Cerro Castillo for the night.

Day 7: A great day! Today's hike is to see the magnificent Torres (towers), the namesake of the Park. The hike to the base of the Torres is on a well-maintained trail that gains 1,800 feet over about five miles. The sixth and last mile is a steep trail along the side of a rocky talus slope. But the view at the top is worth every step. The Torres are vertical monoliths, part of a high-walled bowl that has a crystalline-blue glacial lake at its center; they are breathtaking from every aspect. 12 miles, 3,000 feet up and 3,000 feet down. We have a celebratory dinner at the legendary Hotel Las Torres and then travel later to our hotel in Puerto Natales.

Day 8: Today is an easy day. We will take some short hikes to Salto Grande and Los Cuernos Lookout and then transfer through the Park to the boat dock at Pudento and catch the afternoon catamaran across Lago Pehoe to Paine Grande Lodge, our next refugio for two nights. On the way, we will take a short hike on the Fauna trail and also stop to admire stunning wateralls and herds of guanacos -- possibly also flamingos and other waterfowl, condors, and foxes. Overnight Refugio Paine Grande Lodge.

Day 9: The hike today will take us to the French Valley and back. Our walk takes us along Lake Nordenskjöld, with outstanding views of the black-tipped mountain peaks of the Cuernos (horns) and the lake. This hike is 10 miles with 1,800 feet gained and lost. There is an optional (and worthwhile) side hike after five miles up French Valley (weather permitting). This adds another five miles and another 1,500 feet onto the day. But you will hike into an enormous granite bowl, surrounded by snow-capped peaks, hanging glaciers, and pygmy forests on the way to the French and British camps, which were the base camps for the climbing expeditions that explored the nearby peaks.

Day 10: We will enjoy a day's hike to Lago Grey and Grey Glacier, another finger of the Southern Ice Field, and return to Paine Grande Lodge. All along this hike, you will have outstanding views of the lake, floating icebergs, surrounding mountains, and the glacier. 8 miles, 800 feet up and 800 feet down.

In the early evening, we get the catamaran back to Pudeto, where our bus will pick us up and take us to a a lovely hotel in Cerro Castillo, a small town at the border between Argentina and Chile.

Day 11: We will take a private bus to cross the border into Argentina and on to El Chalten, where we will stay in a delightful locally owned guest house. El Chalten is a small town, less than 50 years old, that was built as a result of a land swap with Argentina. Although it is still growing, it only has one main street and is quite charming. We will spend four nights in the guesthouse.

Day 12: We will take a lovely, picturesque hike from the hotel to Laguna Torres, which is under another set of "torres," part of the Fitzroy massif. The trail runs along the ridge of a canyon and then over the moraine to the lake, where you will see icebergs -- not recommended for swimming! 12 miles, 600 feet up and 600 feet down. Dinner is on your own tonight.

Day 13: Today we will enjoy another incredible hike to see Mt. Fitzroy, the "jewel in the crown" of the massif! We take a shuttle bus to the trailhead, hike up to the base of the mountain to the glacial lake and then continue to another, hidden lake. It is a day of strenuous walking as we'll be hiking for 15 miles. On our hike on the well-marked trail, we'll pass through several ecosystems, maybe see the Magellanic woodpecker, which is endemic to Southern Patagonia, and be treated to incredible views of the mountain range. The trail up to the base of Mt. Fitzroy is steep for the last mile, but the lake and massif view at the top makes it all worthwhile. From there, we walk back to town and our hotel by a different trail, past freshwater pools and minature trees, through lenga forests and verdant meadows, directly onto the main street, where we can buy an ice cream that's flavored with local fruits as our reward! 15 miles, 1,800 feet up and 2,600 feet down.

Day 14: Our final hike is along the verdant banks of the Rio Electric to a small delightful refugio by a glacier that feeds the river. Along the way, we will have magnificent views of the Fitzroy massif from a different angle than the one we had yesterday. The refugio staff is welcoming and has baked goods for sale for visiting hikers! Tonight we have a special dinner treat — an Argentinian asado (barbeque) prepared by the local flying club. Our guide will give a presentation about his climbs on the Fitzroy Ice Field and Fitzroy as well. It will be a great evening!

Day 15: Our final full day! A private bus and guide will take us from El Chalten this morning to visit the magnificent Perito Moreno Glacier. We can watch it calving and creaking as the ice formations react to the environmental changes of snow, air, and water. Lunch today is on your own. After lunch, we get back on the bus and drive back to El Calafate and our hotel. We will have a wonderful farewell dinner in a local restaurant.

Day 16: We depart after breakfast for flights back to Buenos Aires and the U.S.

Getting There

This trip starts and ends at different locations. It begins at Bariloche, Argentina and ends in El Calafate, Argentina. You will need a "multicity air ticket," which can be purchased from many discount sites, such as Orbitz or Travelocity. You may wish to spend time in other places such as Buenos Aires, Mendoza, or Iguazu Falls, Argentina.

United States citizens entering Argentina or Chile by air must have a valid passport (good for six months AFTER your planned departure from either country) with at least four empty pages. At this time, no visa is required for entry into either Argentina or Chile. 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, refugios, and a guest house. Hotels and the guest house will be rooms with double occupancy and private bathrooms. On the days that we are staying at refugios on the trail (four nights total), we will be sleeping in small six-bunk dorm rooms with common eating areas and shared bathrooms. Bedding is provided. Please be prepared for this.

Most meals are included in the trip price, except for two dinners and one lunch. Patagonian food is fabulous, fresh, mostly local, and very meat based. Patagonian lamb and beef are outstanding, and the fish and shellfish are delicious. Salads or vegetables are served with all meals and we will go out of our way to take care of vegetarians. It is not practical to be a vegan on this trip. Breakfasts are simple (cereal, toast, fruit, and eggs) and lunches will be mostly a box lunch.

Trip Difficulty

This is a moderately strenuous trip and participants should be in good physical condition and comfortable walking on a rocky, steep trail. All our gear will be transported for us and you will carry water, lunch, and rain gear in your day packs on the hikes. It is essential to take part in a regular exercise program (running, hiking, biking, swimming) several months in advance to prepare for the trip. We will have some long hiking days, but none of the hikes is at high altitude. The most difficult hike on the Argentina side is going to the base of Mt. Fitzroy. It is 15 miles round-trip; 600 feet up in the first four miles and then 1,200 feet over the last mile to the top. The most difficult hike we will do in Chile is the hike to Las Torres in the national park. It is 12 miles; 3,000 feet up and 3,000 feet down. Both trails are well used and have some rocky parts and a small scree field at the end of each destination. Remember, the fitter you are, the more fun you will have.

Equipment and Clothing

The weather in Patagonia is very unpredictable. We can get extreme wind, snow, 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 hiking boots. Hiking poles are highly 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:

• Bariloche Cerro Catedral Trekking Map
• Torres Del Paine Trekking Map
• Chalten - Fitzroy - Torre Southern Icefield map
• LLanquihue, Chile, travel and trekking map

The trip leader will bring these maps with her as she has one for each area that we will visit, but any map that covers these areas is appropriate. 

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 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 and price of energy keeps increasing. In Chile, a multi-dam project was planned in Patagonia that threatened several pristine rivers and flood rural areas, and overall would have a devastating effect on many ecosystems. This was a serious issue, which was challenged by many international environmentalists. As of now, the project has been rejected after several years of protests and court cases. However, it will be proposed again in the future and we will be updated with the latest developments.

In Argentina, years of intensive grazing have destroyed much of the native grassland, setting up the environment for a "dustbowl" with little chance of recovery. There is work being done to change the way ranches are run and much is attributed to the fabulous efforts of the Patagonia Foundation.

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.