In a joint effort with the AAC, MSR, OR & LNT, erratic rock has started the first Patagonian Travelers Recycle Center at the new Puerto Natales Base Camp...
Patagonia Challenge
Patagonia Challenge
Torres del Paine & Isla Navarino -15 days
2850 USD 1-3 people / 2500 USD 4-6 people
This program starts when your flight lands in Punta Arenas, Chile. Day one begins by visiting the Otway penguin colony before transferring to Puerto Natales, the gateway town to Torres del Paine National Park. Ten days are spent in Torres del Paine trekking the entire Torres circuit, completing almost 120 kilometers. We visit the famous granite needles, of which the Torres del Paine National Park recieved its name. We are frequently in the company of condors, falcon and more than 100 different birds species, as well as guanacos, foxes, Patagonian deer and if you’re lucky, pumas. All are observed in their natural habitat.
After a rest day in Puerto Natales, we catch a flight to Puerto Williams, located on Isla Navarino (the Southern most city in the world). Located on a small sister island under Tierra del Fuego, it’s a wild and relatively unknown land that’s virtually untouched by man. With only 2,000 inhabitants, this is our starting point for our five day trek. The Dientes de Navarino mountain range is composed of craggy granite walls and rock formations, and is the subject of our 55 kilometer circuit of the island. This program is for the serious trekker who wants to see all that Patagonia has to offer. This program will push your limits and test your endurance.
This program is not for everyone. This program was designed to keep you on the move and see if you have what it takes to handle 15 days at the bottom of the world!
After a rest day in Puerto Natales, we catch a flight to Puerto Williams, located on Isla Navarino (the Southern most city in the world). Located on a small sister island under Tierra del Fuego, it’s a wild and relatively unknown land that’s virtually untouched by man. With only 2,000 inhabitants, this is our starting point for our five day trek. The Dientes de Navarino mountain range is composed of craggy granite walls and rock formations, and is the subject of our 55 kilometer circuit of the island. This program is for the serious trekker who wants to see all that Patagonia has to offer. This program will push your limits and test your endurance.
This program is not for everyone. This program was designed to keep you on the move and see if you have what it takes to handle 15 days at the bottom of the world!
Difficulty:
Many of our programs are physically demanding. You should be in very good physical condition for these programs. We recommend folks be able to hike long distances, uphill and downhill, up to 10 hours a day and with a 15 kilogram pack. We typically cover elevations from 200m to 1200m per day. You should also have keen mental strength and sense of determination to resist tough elements like strong winds and frozen rain or snowfall--even in the summer. Be well-accustomed to sleeping in two-person tents, and willing to support the group with all camp activities. The weather in Patagonia is as unpredictable as the landscape, and dealing with different levels of discomfort is one of the biggest challenges of Patagonian trekking.
Itinerary:
Day 1: After you arrive in Punta Arenas, your private airport pick up will start by taking you exploring at the penguin colony at Seno Otway. From there we transfer to Puerto Natales were we make preparations and do a gear check for Torres Del Paine. On the trip to Natales we have the chance of seeing out first rheas and guanacos. Travel time including penguin colony - 6 hours.
Day 2: After a good breakfast we transfer to Torres del Paine National Park. We begin at the south end of the Park, near the Administration Center. This is where your adventure begins. The park stretches in front of you like a dream. This part of the trek is not quite as impressive if you do it on the way out, because the views lay behind you. We enjoy every step of this hike. We camp this first night at camping Pehoe, on the edge of Lago Pehoe.
Day 3: Today we push on another two hours to Campamento Italiano. Italiano is a magnificent camp area and sits at the mouth of spectacular Valle Frances. We camp next to a beautiful river, protected nicely by a forest of old Lenga trees. We have some free time on this day, so weather permitting, we head up into the valley for a sneek-peek.
Day 4: This morning, we leave everything behind and we only pack up our backpacks with some food, rain gear, camera, and just a few basics, and head up into Valle Frances light. It’s a steep hike, so going light is nice. The valley offers natural lookouts; ice falls, avalanches, condors... impressive. A true highlight of Torres del Paine national Park. And after a day exploring Valle Frances, we head down again and pack up our camp and progress another two hours to Refugio Los Cuernos. A great camp site, located directly under the Cuernos and a stones throw from the beach. We retire to our tents that night for a well deserved night's sleep.
Day 5: Today, after a big breakfast we take on our longest day yet. Our trek takes us around the base of Mount Almirante Nieto (2500m), up into Valle Asencio, to our camp at Campamento Las Torres. This is a long day and we take many breaks for view points and photo stops. Here again we make camp in a thick Lenga forest which protects us from harsh winds.
Day 6: On this morning we get up and ready before dawn. This is our big chance to see the three famous Towers of Paine (2800m) get hit by the first morning rays of sun, which can turn the towers bright red. We again leave our camp behind and only bring our packs loaded with our warm layers. We head up the steep trail for 1 hour to the Towers view point, and some of the most amazing photos ever. We get warm, have some hot drinks at the base of the Towers and do this morning right! We pack up and head downhill to our next campsite next to Refugio Las Torres. It's been a long day. We close the book on the first half of our trek, and take a long afternoon to repack, reassess and we call it a day.
Day 7: Today, we start the back side of the circuit, early and refreshed. And it’s a good thing because we have an 8-10 hour trek to Refugio Dickson. It seems like a real distance, but the terrain is milder then the ‘W’ and you cover a lot of ground fast. This is a much different experience than the ‘W.’ We canp this night at camping Dickson, next to Lago Dickson.
Day 8: Today, we progress to Campamento Perros, only 4 hours. We are not in an hurry today, so we can enjoy a late sleep or an early morning hike. But our next camp, Los Perros, is a remote campsite, and although it seems like a short day, we only have enough time to make it to this next camp by dark. At Perros we call it camp for the day.
Day 9: This is the day of the famous John Garner Pass. The hardest thing about the Paso John Gardner is the wind. The terrain is manageable, and the view from the top of the pass is breathtaking. The view below of Glacier Grey (and the Patagonian Ice Field on a clear day) is one of the most amazing moments you’ll experience in Patagonia, hands down. We push on and make camp at the Glacier Grey camp site.
Day 10: After a good breakfast we trek 4 hours to camping Pehoe, where we spent out first night. We cross Lago Pehoe via catamaran and head back to Puerto Natales.
Day 11: Today we transfer to Punta Arenas. In the afternoon you have time to explore Punta Arenas, the capital city of Patagonia.
Day 12: In the morning we catch a flight to Puerto Williams on Isla Navarino. We begin the Circuit Dientes and trek to our first camp at Laguna del Salto.
Duration: 5 hours, 12 km, Elevation: 500 m.
Day 13: Today we trek from Laguna del Salto to Laguna Escondida, where we make our second camp. Duration: 5 hours, 9,5 km, Elevation: 320 m.
Day 14: We continue our circuit from Laguna Escondida to Laguna Martillo. Duration: 5 hours, 8 km, Elevation: 160 m.
Day 15: Today we will hike to Laguna los Guanacos. Duration: 5 hours, 9 km, Elevation: 400m.
Day 16: We complete our circuit, that evening, when we trek back into Puerto Williams for a victory dinner at our favorite secret restaurant. Duration: 5 hours, 14 km, Elevation: 500 m descent.
Day 17: In the afternoon flight back to Punta Arenas.
Included services:
• Accommodation: All the days in Torre Del Paine National Park and on the Dientes circuit in 2-person tents. Punta Arenas and Puerto Natales - choice of 2 or 3 star hotels. In Puerto Williams’s hostel with shared bedrooms and shared bathroom.
• Meals: All breakfasts and dinners in the field.
• Guide: English / Spanish speaking local guides.
• Camping gear: 2-person tents, sleeping pads, all kitchen needs
• Transfers: All private and regular transfers and the catamaran trip on day 7.
• Flights: Flight from Punta Arenas to Puerto Williams and back.
• Entrance fee: In the national parks as well as the penguin colony.
Not included services:
• Travel cancellation insurance or any other kind travel insurance package, meals and beverages in town (Punta Arenas, Puerto Natales, Puerto Williams), single room supplement, tips, personal payments, either transatlantic flights nor domestic flights – (except the flight from Punta Arenas to Puerto Williams and back), optional ice-hiking on grey glacier on day 6.
| 2010 | |
| October 20, 2010 | confirmed |
| November 2, 2010 | pending |
| November 21, 2010 | confirmed |
| December 6, 2010 | pending |
| December 19, 2010 | confirmed |
| 2011 | |
| January 4, 2011 | confirmed |
| January 20, 2011 | |
| February 4, 2011 | pending |
| February 17, 2011 | |
| March 3, 2011 | |
| March 20, 2011 | confirmed |
| March 30, 2011 | |
| April 10, 2011 | pending |
| April 23, 2011 | confirmed |
| May 12, 2011 | |
