Patagonia, the southern tip of the planet
A journey to discover South America's last wild frontier. Patagonia awaits us with its immense glaciers, blue fjords, and ancient forests spread between Chile and Argentina. We'll begin in the legendary Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world, located on the shores of the Beagle Channel. There, we'll sail to observe the passage of whales and the diving of penguins, and we'll also ascend to a summit that offers spectacular views of Tierra del Fuego and the channel. We'll continue further north, now in Chile, undertaking one of the most beautiful treks on the planet, the so-called "W" trek in Torres del Paine National Park: lakes, peaks, glaciers, and the light of the austral summer's end... Returning to Argentina, we'll visit the most photographed glacier in the Americas, the famous and stunning Perito Moreno, before heading towards El Chaltén, a secluded village at the foot of the Fitzroy massif. Here we embarked on the second trek of the trip, venturing into this wildly beautiful granite mountain range, exploring its valleys and admiring its lakes and jagged peaks. We finished in Buenos Aires, with some free time to attend a tango show and stroll through the city.
20 days from €7,125 per person (domestic flights included, international flights not included)
From February 20 to March 14, 2027
Difficulty: Medium. Hiking and Trekking. Between 4 and 7 hours of walking per day.
A good level of physical fitness is required.
The pluses of this program
A journey through the most beautiful landscapes of Patagonia
from Chile and Argentina.
The several-hour voyage through the Beagle Channel,
in Ushuaia
The 5-day trek in Torres del Paine
Visiting the Perito Moreno Glacier
A trek in the heart of the Fitzroy massif
A team of experienced guides.
Are you a family or group and want to privatize the trip by choosing
the dates?
PROGRAM
Day 1 (March 1) · Flight to Buenos Aires,
Arrival at Buenos Aires airport and welcome by our guide. Transfer to the hotel and, depending on the arrival time, free time to visit the city. Welcome dinner.
Night in a hotel in Buenos Aires
Day 2 · Flight Buenos Aires-Ushuaia (Argentina). Tierra del Fuego
In the morning, transfer to the airport and flight to Ushuaia (3 hours). The southernmost city in the world—with the exception of its Chilean neighbor, Puerto Williams—welcomes us with its colorful houses and streets that climb the mountain. In the afternoon, we hike in Tierra del Fuego National Park, where we discover a valley covered in peat bogs, shaped by beavers and protected by several peaks.
Overnight stay in a hotel or bed and breakfast
TIERRA DEL FUEGO (ARGENTINA)
Day 3 · Discovery of the Beagle Channel, its landscapes and its fauna (sailing)
The Beagle Channel cuts through Tierra del Fuego, connecting the Atlantic to the Pacific, and is home to exceptional marine life. We set sail on its waters and won't need much luck to spot whales, a colony of sea lions, and numerous species of seabirds, including some penguins on Penguin Island. The surrounding scenery is breathtaking, and we enjoy it for five hours.
Hotel or Bed and Breakfast accommodation.
Day 4 · Tierra del Fuego National Park: Lapataia Bay or Darwin Range
First excursion in Tierra del Fuego National Park: route towards Lapataia Bay and the Darwin Range.
4 hours 30 minutes of hiking. Elevation gain/loss: +/- 230 m. Overnight stay in a hotel in Ushuaia.
Day 5 · Tierra del Fuego National Park: Cerro Guanaco, an exceptional viewpoint overlooking the channel and its mountains.
Second excursion in Tierra del Fuego National Park: towards the "Enchanted" Lagoon and optional (selective) the "Sphinx Hill" at 1,200 m altitude. All this in the magnificent "Torres del Río Chico" massif
3 hours 30 minutes of hiking. Elevation gain/loss: ± 900 m. Overnight stay in a hotel or hostel in Ushuaia.
PUERTO NATALES (CHILE)
Day 6 · Transfer to Puerto Natales
Transfer (12 hours) by regular bus to Puerto Natales (Chile), located in the fjords at the entrance to Torres del Paine National Park.
Night in a hotel in Puerto Natales.
TORRES DEL PAINE NATIONAL PARK. THE “W” TREK (CHILE)
Day 7 · Torres del Paine National Park
In the morning, transfer (3 hours) to Torres del Paine National Park, where we will stay until day 11 of the program. First 2-hour hike in the park.
Night in a camp/refuge in Torres del Paine.
Day 8 · The walls of the Towers (2,600 m)
Ascent to the magnificent rocky cirque and lake of the Towers. The immense walls of the Towers (2,600 m) before your eyes, unforgettable. Descent via the same path.
6 hours of hiking. Elevation gain/loss: +/- 750 m. Second night at the Torres refuge.
Day 9 · Lake of the Towers
We walked along the lake with magnificent views to the Italian camp/refuge. 5 hours of walking, 3
5 hours of hiking. Elevation gain/loss: +/-300 m.
Day 10 · French Valley
Ascent through the French Valley, between the impressive "Horns" and Paine Grande mountains, to the British Camp viewpoint. Descent through the same valley and end of the day skirting Lake Skottsberg to the Paine Grande camp/refuge.
6 hours of hiking. Elevation gain/loss: +/-600 m. Overnight stay at Paine Grande camp/refuge.
Day 11 · From Paine Grande to Grey Glacier
From Paine Grande, we set off for the Grey Glacier refuge, skirting Grey Lake. The views of the glacier calving into the lake in a multitude of small icebergs are magnificent. At the end of the day, we sailed across Grey Lake, and a bus transfer took us back to Puerto Natales, where we spent the night.
Positive/negative elevation difference: +/- 200 m.
EL CALAFATE: PERITO MORENO GLACIER (ARGENTINA)
Day 12 · Transfer to El Cafete
Transfer (4-5 hours) by bus to El Calafate, a small town on the shores of Lake Argentino, return to Argentina.
Overnight stay in a hotel in the lively city.
Day 13 · Perito Moreno Glacier
We set off in the morning for the famous Perito Moreno Glacier, with its bluish ice and immense glacial tongue that flows into Lake Argentino (the glacier we've all seen in photos). We explore the network of walkways that offer incredible views of the glacier. In the afternoon, we return to El Calafate.
Second night in El Calafate.
FITZ ROY MASSIF, HIKING AND TREKKING (ARGENTINA)
Day 14 · Transfer to El Chaltén
In the morning we traveled to the small town founded in the 1980s at the foot of the magnificent Fitz Roy mountain range. We enjoyed our first views of the mythical peaks of Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre in the distance. A short hike followed in the afternoon.
Night in a hotel.
Day 15 · Desert Lake
Excursion in the wild region of Lago del Desierto. A trail takes us along the edge of the lake, often through the primary Patagonian forest towards the north.
5 hours of hiking. Elevation gain/loss: +/- 200 m. Overnight stay in a hotel in El Chaltén.
Day 16 · Fitz Roy Massif
First day of trekking in the Fitz Roy massif (only carry the day's equipment; porters transport tents, food, and other items). From the Electric River bridge, after a 15-minute car transfer, the trail ascends gently towards our campsite and further up towards the Pollone Glacier, near the north face of Fitz Roy.
4-hour hike. Elevation gain/loss: +280 m/-190 m. Overnight stay in a tent or shared dormitory at a private campsite in Piedra del Fraile.
Day 17 · Towards the stunning views of Laguna del Tres, at the foot of Fitz Roy.
We hike through the valley at the foot of the Piedras Blancas glacier and finally reach Laguna de los Tres with its breathtaking view of Fitz Roy and its satellite peaks. We descend to sleep at the Poincenot camp (in tents).
6 hours of hiking. Elevation gain/loss: +650 m/- 500 m. Overnight at Poincenot camp (in a tent)
Day 18 · Cerro Torre Valley
A beautiful trail leads us to the Cerro Torre valley, whose namesake mountain is considered one of the most challenging on the planet. Spectacular views of the mountains, the glacier, and Laguna Torre. In the afternoon, we descend to the valley and the town of El Chaltén.
6 hours of hiking, Elevation gain/loss: +200 m/- 500 m. Overnight stay in a hotel.
RETURN
Day 19 · Flight to Buenos Aires
Return to El Calafate, flight to Buenos Aires. Visit to Buenos Aires. Overnight stay in a hotel in Buenos Aires.
Day 20: Return flight
Return flight Buenos Aires–Paris.
Important information
Difficulty of excursions and treks: medium. Between 2 and 7 hours of walking on trails. Up to 750 m of positive elevation gain (900 m optional on day 5).
Altitude: No altitude problems. The vast majority of excursions and treks take place between 0 and 1000 m.
Equipment to carry: only the things for the day and, during treks, some personal items such as a small toiletry bag, some clothes and a sleeping bag.
Accommodation:
Ushuaia: 4 nights in a comfortable hotel or hostel
Puerto Natales: 1 night in a hotel
W Trek, Torres del Paine: 5 nights in mountain refuges or, if unavailable, in a fully equipped igloo-style tent. Meals at the refuge
El Calafate: 2 nights in a hotel
El Chaltén: 3 nights in a hotel
Fitz Roy Trek: 2 nights in tent
Buenos Aires: 2 nights in a 3-star hotel
Meals: restaurants, hotels, shelters… local food
Group size
Maximum 12 people.
What do we carry in our backpack during the day
During activities and hikes, we only carry a backpack with our gear for the day and our picnic lunch. The rest (our sleeping bag) is carried by the porters.
Insurance
Insurance is not included in the price but is mandatory for the trip. Exploramunt offers travel insurance tailored to mountain treks in remote countries (please inquire at the time of registration). Some credit cards, such as Visa Gold, include travel insurance if used to pay for the trip. In our case, you can pay for the trip by card through a secure bank link (you can request this payment method at the time of registration).
Tips
At the end of a trip, it's customary to show appreciation by tipping the team: guides, drivers, cooks, porters, or muleteers. The amount of the tip depends on your satisfaction, the size of your group, and the size of the local team. These guidelines are not mandatory and are not considered a salary, but they are important for the local teams. As a general rule, you can estimate an expense of €50 per week per participant for hostel-based excursions and €70-80 per week per participant for tented excursions. However, this can increase on some treks or expeditions where the local team is very large (a classic example is Kilimanjaro, where a tip of €150-200 per client is typical for a week-long climb).
Guides and support
Exploramunt Guide (David Casajuana), Local Trekking Guides.
Prices and conditions
Price: from €7,125 per person (domestic flights included, international flights not included)
Included in the price: Accommodation in hotels, hostels, or tents, in double rooms/tents or shared dormitories. All meals except dinners in Ushuaia, El Calafate, and Buenos Aires. Transfers within the country. VAT.
Not included in the price: Park entrance fees (approx. €50). Dinners in Ushuaia, El Calafate and Buenos Aires. Drinks, tips, insurance.
Terms of payment
A deposit of €2,000 is due upon registration, €1,500 at the end of December, and the remaining balance no later than one month before departure. Payment can be made by bank transfer or credit/debit card (please request this option upon registration). Some cards may incur a fee. Please note that in case of cancellation, a portion of the price is non-refundable (flights and some local services), so we recommend purchasing cancellation insurance at the time of registration (please inquire at the time of registration).
