Patagonian Glaciers - Soft Adventure

Overview

This 5-day program is similar to our Classic Patagonia soft adventure tour, but adds the visit to Argentina's celebrated Perito Moreno Glacier - hopefully just in time to watch a giant block of ice fall noisily into Lago Argentino.

For the 7th year in a row, this tour is by far our client's #1 soft adventure choice.

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Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Punta Arenas - Puerto Natales

Pick-up from the airport and transfer to our travel agency in Punta Arenas for a brief meeting and final arrangements. In the afternoon, take the public bus from Punta Arenas to Puerto Natales (3 hours).

Day 2: Torres del Paine National Park

Join a full-day tour to the world famous Torres del Paine National Park. Half an hour drive from Puerto Natales, start off with visiting the Mylodon Cave, where in 1896 the remains of a prehistoric giant ground sloth, the Mylodon, were found. Later, continue the tour to Torres del Paine. Numerous stops and some easy walks allow you to get to know the diverse landscapes that make this UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve such a unique place. Some of the highlights of this tour include: hundreds of guanacos (wild llama-like animals) near Laguna Amarga, great vistas of the granite Paine Towers (Las Torres), the bizarre-looking, two-colored Cuernos del Paine and the majestic Cerro Paine Grande that abruptly rise above the immense, windswept Patagonian Pampa, a walk to the turquoise colored Salto Grande waterfall and the lakes Nordenskjöld, Pehoé and Grey. At the latter one, walk along its southern pebble stone beach, take a closer look at the mansion-sized icebergs that float in the lake and get a distant view of Grey Glacier, one of the 48 main glaciers of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field. After a day full of new impressions, return to Puerto Natales.
[B, L]

Day 3: Perito Moreno Glacier, Los Glaciares National Park

Overland road trip from Puerto Natales to El Calafate, Argentina (4½ hours). We continue towards one of Patagonia's most spectacular glaciers, Perito Moreno, in Los Glaciares National Park. This 30km (19 miles) long glacier impresses with a 60m (200ft) tall wall of ice that stands above the surface of Argentino Lake (and about twice as much underneath the water) and moves an average of one to two meters (three to six feet) per day! With that in mind, Perito Moreno Glacier is known for its huge masses of ice that break off and fall noisily into Lago Argentino. With a bit of luck, you will experience this dramatic natural phenomenon from up close. Return to Puerto Natales in the late evening.
[B]

Day 4: Última Esperanza Sound

Today, enjoy a full-day boat trip through the scenic Última Esperanza Sound. In 1558, this Chilean fjord was the "last hope" for Juan Ladrillero's expedition to find the entrance of the Strait of Magellan ("última esperanza" means "last hope"). As the boat sails through the fjord towards Bernardo O'Higgins National Park, visit a cormorant colony, potentially observe some sea lions and spot majestic condors flying high in the sky. At the far end of Última Esperanza Sound, the landscape becomes even more dramatic: the snow-capped Monte Balmaceda stands 2,035 m/ 6,677 ft tall above the fjord and sends down the glaciers Balmaceda and Serrano. Balmaceda Glacier is best seen from the boat, as it almost touches sea level. "Around the corner", disembark in Bernardo O'Higgins National Park and go for an easy walk of about 20 minutes one way, along a glacial lake to the front of Serrano Glacier. On the way back to Puerto Natales, stop for lunch at Estancia Perales and enjoy a typical Patagonian-style barbecue at a typical Patagonian ranch (Vegetarian option available). In the evening, take the public bus back to Punta Arenas.
[B, L]

Day 5: Punta Arenas

Morning at your leisure. Transfer from the hotel to the airport according to your flight schedule or to the bus station to continue your adventure to Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego.
[B]

Included Meals

B = breakfast, L = lunch

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Tour Map

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What's included?

Tour Includes

• Transfers according to the program
• Excursions with bilingual tour guides (Spanish and English speaking)
• Entrance fee to Bernardo O'Higgins National Park
  
• 3 nights accommodation in Puerto Natales according to chosen hotel category
• 1 night accommodation in Punta Arenas according to chosen hotel category
• All meals specified in the program (see itinerary: B = breakfast, L = lunch)

Additional Costs

• Transportation/ airfare to/ from Punta Arenas, Patagonia, Chile
• Entrance fee to Cueva del Milodón Natural Monument (Mylodon Cave; CLP 4,000 per person, about USD 9.- pp*)
• Entrance fee to Torres del Paine National Park (CLP 15,000 per person, about USD 32.- pp*)
• Entrance fee to Los Glaciares National Park, Argentina (ARS 100.- per person, about USD 25.- pp*)
  
• Additional alcoholic and/ or non-alcoholic beverages
• Optional tips to your tour guides and/ or other people working for you (e.g. hotel staff etc.)

* USD values of the entrance fees are merely references that are based on the exchange rate on April 26, 2011, USD 1.00 = CLP 467.45, USD 1.00 = ARS 4.0815.

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Departure Dates & Prices

This soft adventure tour departs every day from September 1, 2011 through April 30, 2012.

If you are traveling outside this time frame, please write us an e-mail to ask about availability and prices.

Prices

These prices are per person.

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