Tierra del Fuego Trekking

Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Fitz Roy, Cerro Torre, Perito Moreno glacier, towers of Paine: dreamy, myth-like places. These mountains with their flames of stone and granite fortresses are among the nicest in the world, and you really get the feeling of being at the end of the world.... an extraordinary trip.

• Day 1/ Arrival in Buenos Aires
• Day 2/ Ushuaïa flight, sight seeing on Beagle Canal (private boat)  
• Day 3/ Lapataïa National Park
• Day 4/ Cerro del Medio
• Day 5/ flight to El Calafate, visit
• Day 6/ El Chalten, trail to Pliegue de Tumbado  
• Day 7/ Trail to lago Torre (view on Cerro Torre)
• Day 8/ Trail to Fitz Roy mirador
• Day 9/ Trails to Paseo del Cuadrado and Glacier Pollone 
• Day 10/ El Chalten - El Calafate via petrified forest
• Day 11/ Excursion to Perito Moreno
• Day 12/ Paine National Park  
• Day 13/ Trail to Glaciar Grey  
• Day 14/ Trail to French valley
• Day 15/ Trail to Cuernos, sight seeing, hosteria Las Torres 
• Day 16/ Paine, trail to towers
• Day 17/ Paine - El Calafate
• Day 18/ Flight to Buenos Aires, tango show dinner
• Day 19/ Depart from Buenos Aires.

In the south of the south, the magic is in the moment, unique when the glare of the sun ignites the extraordinary purged rock launched towards the still black sky: Cerro Torre.
In the south of the south, the magic is in the wind that gathers speed all around the world, to come and hit the impregnable towers of the granite fortress.  
In the southern South, the magic is in the water and the islets, which we know to be the last. This feeling of being at the edge of earth, at the end of the world: Tierra del Fuego.
In the south of the south, the magic is in all things ("its cosas patagónicas"), which makes it impossible for the one who comes to ever escape from its destiny:  it will be necessary for him to return.

Day 1/  Arrival Buenos Aires
Arrival in Buenos Aires, transfer downtown, settle in at the (4/5 star) hotel. It is summer; the weather is hot... and wet. According to our arrival time, the possibility of heading out to discover the city. Buenos Aires is a swarming megalopolis, extremely interesting to visit: commercial streets around the "Florida axis", May square, the "Beaux Arts" museum, the San Telmo district, Boca and Caminito and the Recoleta cemetery

Argentina: Tierra del Fuego
Day 2/  Buenos Aires-  Ushuaia
4 hours of flight to Ushuaia. We drop off our luggage at the hotel, and then a private boat excursion on the Beagle channel to a small island covered with marine birds. At the end of the afternoon, we discover the most southern city of the world. Settle in at the hotel (4/5 stars) for two nights.

Day 3/  Ushuaia- Lapataia Park - Ushuaia
Transfer (45 mn) to Lapataia park. Discovering the path of the Beavers (and their impressive constructions) and Lapataia bay, peat bogs, Beagle channel, uncivilized forest. Beautiful views on the Eastern summits of the Darwin cordillera.- there in vain, they hardly exceed 6,562 feet high, they are really impressive! A dip, reserved for the brave ones.  Return at the end of the day to the same hotel in Ushuaia.
5 H walk approximately.

Day 4/  Cerro del Medio
Very nice hike departing from Ushuaia: we climb over the city in a rainforest on ancient paths used by the foresters. The forest gives way quickly to mountain pastures, and we reach the Cerro del Medio, where the view is magnificent: Ushuaia, the Beagle Channel and the mountainous Chilean islands, true alpine summits rising from the water.  Return to Ushuaia or, if the group is up for it, a "wild" traverse on the Cerro Roy and down on the Martial valley, which shelters a small glacier.
4 or 8 H walk depending on the selected option.

Day 5/  Ushuaia-El Calafate
Flight to El Calafate. Settle in at the hotel (4 / 5 stars) and explore the city.

Argentina: Los Glaciares National Park
Day 6/  El Calafate-El Chaltén
Four hours of tracks between El Calafate and El Chaltén, village-point departure for the Los Glaciares National Park, the mountains of Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre. Settle in at the hotel (4 stars) for two nights. If time permits, walk in the afternoon up to Pliegue Tumbado with a wonderful view of the south side of Cerro Torre and Fitz Roy.
3 H walk- Ascent/Descent = 984 feet

Day 7/  El Chaltén - laguna Torre
Very early on, we depart from the village of El Chaltén to climb toward the laguna Torre and the Torre watchtower, where we have a very good perspective on Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre. Continue until the mirador Maestri, which approaches us to the Cerro Torre, certainly the most famous granite needle in the world.
5 to 6 H walk- Ascent/Descent = 1,476 feet.

Day 8/  El Chaltén - Fitz Roy mirador - Piedra del Fraile
Mirador Fitz Roy: as its name indicates, what a view from Poincenot camp! at the foot of the mountain. Install camp at Piedra del Fraile for two nights.
8 H walk- Ascent = 1,476 feet - Descent = 656 feet

Day 9/  Paseo del Cuadrado and Glacier Pollone
In the morning, small hike on the valley floor to lago Eléctrico, then on to the foot of the northern glacier of Fitz Roy and then to the Fitz Roy north glacier  and the Pollone needle; on our way, beautiful outlook on the Marconi Paso, entrance door of the Hielo Continental ice fields (3 h 30 walk).
In the afternoon, strong vigorous climb above camp to get an up close view of the western face of the Mermoz and Guillaumet needles, as well as the northwest face of Fitz Roy (3 plus hours of walking depending on our chosen goal).
Ascent /Descent = 984 to 1312 feet).

Day 10/  Piedra del Fraile- río Eléctrico bridge -El Calafate
2 hour walk along the Eléctrico river to reach our vehicle. Collect our luggage, final perspective on the great mass of Fitz Roy ... and "en route" for 3 h 30 of driving in direction of El Calafate. Settle in at the hotel (4 / 5 stars) for two nights.

Argentina: National Park Perito Moreno
Day 11/  Perito Moreno
Excursion to the Perito Moreno Glacier, one of the wonders of the world. All of the drainage channels of the vast Patagonian icecap are massive; between 9-31 miles in length, 2-5 miles wide and their faces 130-260 feet  above water level.  They either dump themselves into the channels of the Chilean Patagonian archipelago or into the vast lakes of Argentine Patagonia. Their faces move from between several tens to several hundreds of feet per year, permanently breaking into blocks of ice that are slowly evacuated by the current. The Perito Moreno glacier is distinguished from its neighbors by an extraordinary phenomenon: its advance through lake Argentina which eventually cuts the lake in two; isolating a branch in the upstream, raising the water level several tens of feet until erosion and the water pressure on the ice break the front of the glacier; emptying the dam in a prodigious stream. The balance is restored, the glacier resumes its advance, and the cycle continues over the next two to four years or so, until the next break. The final rupture occurred in March 2006. Possibility of a boat trip (not included in the price, about 30 pesos, payable locally) to the foot of the ice towers.

Chile: National Park Torres del Paine
Day 12/  El Calafate- Park door - camp Pehoe
Transfer to the park's gate.  First look at this magnificent park and its deep blue lakes. In the afternoon, transfer to Pudeto and crossing (30 mn) by catamaran to the Pehoe refuge, in the heart of the park. Settle in for three nights at the refuge (bedroom-dormitories 4 to 8 people, cafeteria restaurant).

Day 13/  Glacier Grey
Roundtrip  up  to Grey glacier, enormous envoy of Hielo continental flowing into the huge Grey Lake. It is sumptuous, as is the Moreno glacier, but much wilder, far from motorized tourism.
7 to 8 H walk.

Day 14/  Valley del Francés
Long and physical roundtrip to the "vallee du Francais".  A huge amphitheater of granite walls (one of the biggest verticals in the world, 3,280 feet and more!) . The road is long, but at the end ... the reward is equal with the effort: unforgettable!
8 H walk.

Day 15/  Mirador de los Cuernos del Paine, hosteria-Las Torres
Roundtrip stroll on the shores of Lake Pehoe to discover the magnificent views of the "valley of the French" and the lake's turquoise waters. At noon, we take the same boat as on day 12 to return to Pudeto. A walk to the spectacular collapse of Salto Grande, and along the way, the mirador of Los Cuernos del Paine, certainly one of the most beautiful views of the park. Late afternoon, transfer to the laguna Azul (Blue Lake), which undoubtedly offers the best view on the three towers of Paine. Settle in for two nights at Las Torres estancia (hosteria).

Day 16/  Lago de las Torres del Paine
Roundtrip hike to the Lake of the Paine towers. Long ... but such a wonderful stage! It takes seven hours if you go to the lake, one of the famous sites that this trip offers. Back to the Hosteria.
7 H walK

Day 17/ Paine-El Calafate
After the hotel by mid-afternoon (4 / 5 stars), settle in and free time for some final shopping.
 
Day 18/  El Calafate - Buenos Aires
Spare time until our airport transfer. Take-off for Buenos Aires. Settle in at the hotel (4/5 stars) in the downtown area. Tango dinner show.

Day 19/  Depart from Buenos Aires
Transfer to the airport from flight home.

- The walking time schedules are given only as an estimate.
- For different reasons involving trip organization, daily schedules and planned altitude gains (ascent or descent) may be modified without any prior notice. 

During trekking each participant walks with a light back pack, carrying only the personal items necessary for the day (water bottle, camera, protective clothing, etc).
The remainder of the equipment is transported by horses, mules or vehicles to the camping site.

The guide
- an English speaking Argentinean professional Mountain World Travel guide/ or an American resident of Chile. In Chile, this guide is also assisted by a Chilean guide
The local team
- one or more drivers
- Mules keepers will transfer the luggage to Fraile camp.

- Domestic Flights on Aerolineas or Lan Argentina.
- Ground Transportation by private mini buses in Argentina and Chile.

- Buenos Aires, El Calafate, Ushuaïa: 4/5 star (local standard) hotels, based on double occupancy
- Paine: charming Hosteria Las Torres, Explora
- 2 nights at the Pehoe refuge (dormitories 4 to 8 persons), 2 nights in camp. Night under 3 place dome tent, very good quality, adapted to the harsh climate (two people per tent). A spacious "mess" tent for meals and for passing the evenings.

The names of accommodations (hotels, lodges, etc...) when they are indicated, are only indicative.
Depending on availability, accommodations (hotels/Lodges, etc...) may be replaced by another equivalent type.
It is possible that accommodations may change without prior notice due to a number of factors.

- In cities, meals at restaurants
- At the camping site: breakfast and diners prepared by the guide or their assistant; cold picnic for lunch.
Even if the voyages do not cross the production zones, you will have the opportunity to taste very good Chilean and Argentinean wines.
To note: in Argentina and in Chile, food is comparable with the United States. The meat is excellent in Patagonia. Ah, grills!

Although we are an experienced adventure travel company doing our best to respect the itinerary schedule as presented on this detailed itinerary, there is always the possibility that we may need to modify it for different reasons beyond our control. Please read the Registrations Conditions: Terms and Booking conditions - Limitations of Liability.

• International flights in/out  Buenos Aires
• All services mentioned in Services +/extensions /options
• Personal medical & Travel Insurance
• All items not expressively mentioned in "What's included".

• Drinks (except mineral water)
• Personal expenses.
• Tips for guides and drivers
• Airport tax for international flight $30/personn
• Airport tax for domestic flights $5/personn/flight
• All items not expressively mentioned in "What's included".

As airfare is NOT included in our adventures, please check if your trip is "a guaranteed departure" before confirming your own airline travel arrangements. You can check your trip status at the website of Mountain World Travel or contact the Mountain World Travel office at 1 888-MWT-TREK (698-8735).

Our preferred airlines to fly to Buenos Aires:

• American in cooperation with Lan operates daily flights to Buenos from anywhere in the States through Dallas, Miami, New York.
• Continental operates daily flights to Buenos from anywhere in the States through Houston.
• Delta operates daily flights to Buenos from anywhere in the States through Atlanta.
• United operates daily flights to Buenos from anywhere in the States through New York, Washington.

Formalities for US, Canada, Australia, NZ passport travelers:
- for Argentina, a valid passport, no visa needed for up to 90 days
- for Chile, a valid passport and a visa; US citizens are admitted to Chile for up to 90 days.
For US citizens, please check with
US Government Travel Entry Exit Requirements (Argentina)
US Government Travel Entry Exit Requirements (Chile).
For other nationalities, please contact the Argentina and Chile embassy of your country.

Vaccines: No vaccine is obligatory. We however advise you, to be up date with traditional vaccinations: diphtheria, tetanus, polio, typhoid fever. Vaccination against hepatitis A and B recommended.

Visit:
For Argentina:   http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/destinationArgentina.aspx
For Chile:   http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/destinationChile.aspx

Physical Examination prior to your departure is recommended.

LEVEL 3
2 months prior:  Hike 9 to 10 miles every weekend or on two consecutive days OR if you are regularly committed, on an annual basis, to another sports activity for a cumulative duration of 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes per week, you should be up to speed.  

Basic equipment
- A warm fleece hat
- A cap or a hat to protect from the sun
- Sun glasses (minimum index 3 or 4 for high mountain)
- Thermal top and bottom, short and long) underwear (fast drying).
- Fleece turtle neck top
- A warm fleece jacket (light weight/well insulated).
- A waterproof/breathable shell jacket (Gore-Tex).
- A pair of gloves
- A rain poncho
- Hiking shorts
- Lightweight hiking long pants
- A Camelback or a water bottle.

Shoes and technical material
- Hiking socks
- Waterproof ankle hiking boots and a sole offering good traction.
- Head lamp
- A pair of telescopic walking poles

Sleeping
- Sleeping bag (that will keep you warm from a temperature of 23° F to 32° F).

Luggage
- A back pack equipped with broad straps, with an adjustable anatomical back reinforcement, and a capacity of 7 to 9 gallons, for your daily belongings
- A soft travel bag, which can hold between 18 to 23 gallons that will be transported by the porter team or by vehicle during the day.

Miscellaneous
- A change of clothes.
- A pair of replacement shoe laces
- A dop-kit and a bath towel.
- Toilet paper.
- A pocket knife (not in carry on luggage).
- Some plastic bags to protect your belongings.
- Duct tape.
- A bathing suit.
- A small pocket anti-theft protection device, to always keep on yourself, along with your identity papers, money, certificate of insurance.

Some advice
During your flight your back pack should contain fragile and useful items that you might need while on the plane (camera, memory cards, jacket, books, magazines, medication, dop-kit etc).