| country: | Argentina, Patagonia, Chile |
| location: | Patagonia |
| trip type: | A small group adventure |
| departures: | 2008: 16 Nov, 14 Dec 2009: 18 Jan, 22 Feb |
| price: | From £1388 - £1529 (19 days) excluding flights. Price includes accommodation (8 camping nights, 9 lodging nights, 1 night train) and admission to all National Parks and monuments as per the itinerary. Please allow US $9 daily camping food kitty |
the amazing things you'll be doing
The ultimate journey to the southern tip of South America. Argentina and Chile offer endless contrasts and natural delights.
Experience the peaceful and cultivated landscapes of the Wine District near Santiago, the shimmering rivers and towering snow-capped Andes in the Lake District, and the pristine and staggering beauty of Patagonia with its open pampas, remote beech forests and massive glaciers.
Come and experience this diverse landscape at the far-side of the world.
Leaving the lively capital of Santiago, we follow the wine tasting trail into Chile’s famous orchards for a sampling of the great wines produced here in the shadows of the towering Andes. Continuing into the beautiful Lake District, choose to climb the snow-capped Villarica Volcano and peer into its cone, which still has bubbling lava flows, and then enjoy a soothing soak in the nearby local hot springs.
Next, we venture south into Argentina over the Andes and along Lake Llanquihue to beautiful Bariloche, an outdoor lover’s paradise. Situated along lake Nahuel Huapi and inside of the National Park, choose to hike or bicycle into the nearby wilderness. Then it’s on to the fantastic Fitz Roy range of mountains, visiting Canyon of the Rio Pinturas and Cueva de las Manos- a UNESCO World Heritage Site with the most significant displays of rock art in Patagonia, some considered to be over 9500 years old.
Continuing on to the southern-most section of Los Glaciares National Park, we will spend the afternoon walking along the face of the massive Perito Moreno Glacier. This huge expanse of ice spills down from the southern Patagonian ice cap like a frozen waterfall, and we will get close enough to hear its constant creaking and cracking as chunks of ice break and fall into Lago Argentino below. Take a boat ride up to the face or don crampons and walk on the glacier itself.
Back into Chile we will explore another UNESCO World Heritage Site and national park, Torres del Paine. A wonderland for the outdoor enthusiast; we will spend three days here exploring the park and camping alongside shimmering lakes with thundering glaciers calving into them. We finish this tremendous journey at one of the world’s southernmost cities, Punta Arenas. You will return from this adventure rested, relaxed, and filled with memories of this otherworldly place - Patagonia.
Experience the peaceful and cultivated landscapes of the Wine District near Santiago, the shimmering rivers and towering snow-capped Andes in the Lake District, and the pristine and staggering beauty of Patagonia with its open pampas, remote beech forests and massive glaciers.
Come and experience this diverse landscape at the far-side of the world.
Leaving the lively capital of Santiago, we follow the wine tasting trail into Chile’s famous orchards for a sampling of the great wines produced here in the shadows of the towering Andes. Continuing into the beautiful Lake District, choose to climb the snow-capped Villarica Volcano and peer into its cone, which still has bubbling lava flows, and then enjoy a soothing soak in the nearby local hot springs.
Next, we venture south into Argentina over the Andes and along Lake Llanquihue to beautiful Bariloche, an outdoor lover’s paradise. Situated along lake Nahuel Huapi and inside of the National Park, choose to hike or bicycle into the nearby wilderness. Then it’s on to the fantastic Fitz Roy range of mountains, visiting Canyon of the Rio Pinturas and Cueva de las Manos- a UNESCO World Heritage Site with the most significant displays of rock art in Patagonia, some considered to be over 9500 years old.
Continuing on to the southern-most section of Los Glaciares National Park, we will spend the afternoon walking along the face of the massive Perito Moreno Glacier. This huge expanse of ice spills down from the southern Patagonian ice cap like a frozen waterfall, and we will get close enough to hear its constant creaking and cracking as chunks of ice break and fall into Lago Argentino below. Take a boat ride up to the face or don crampons and walk on the glacier itself.
Back into Chile we will explore another UNESCO World Heritage Site and national park, Torres del Paine. A wonderland for the outdoor enthusiast; we will spend three days here exploring the park and camping alongside shimmering lakes with thundering glaciers calving into them. We finish this tremendous journey at one of the world’s southernmost cities, Punta Arenas. You will return from this adventure rested, relaxed, and filled with memories of this otherworldly place - Patagonia.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Santiago and night train. |
| Day 2-3: | Pucón. |
| Day 4: | Ensenada. |
| Day 5-7: | Bariloche (overnight hotel). |
| Day 8-9: | Los Alerces National Park. |
| Day 10: | Perito Moreno (overnight hotel). |
| Day 11-13: | Chalten - Fitz Roy (overnight hotel). |
| Day 14-15: | Calafate (overnight hotel). |
| Day 16-18: | Torres del Paine National Park. |
| Day 19: | Punta Arenas. |
small group adventure holiday
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places.how this holiday makes a difference
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This trip is designed for those who enjoy walking/hiking, want to explore Patagonia’s natural beauty and discover why visitors are so passionate about this beautiful region.
We travel in small, intimate groups (maximum of 13 passengers) and have the benefit of a professionally trained local guide who knows the best places in the national parks, national monuments and wilderness areas to respectfully observe wildlife, to enjoy fun, adventurous activities and appreciate the flavours of the local culture. This tour is camping based and we will overnight in state/national/private owned campgrounds or occasionally in locally owned 3 star hotels and lodges. When camping, our group is self sufficient as we provide camping gear and portable kitchen. When lodging, we eat our meals in locally owned restaurants. Throughout the trip we utilize established local suppliers for activities en route that help support local business and keep money in the community. We have over 35 years of experience operating small-group adventure tours (13 client maximum) throughout North/Central/South America that foster understanding, appreciation and conservation of the cultures and environments we visit. We are committed to working with our clients and the peoples of our host destinations to ensure direct economic benefits at a community level. We aim to operate beyond best practice guidelines and to provide a tour programme that creates a positive impact on the lands that we visit and a lasting impression for those who travel with us. The tour is led by one of our fully trained local guides. Prior to leading our groups, guides must successfully complete our pre-season intensive training programme. During this time we support the guides with accommodation, activities and supplemental salary. We utilize private vehicle and local suppliers for accommodation and activities throughout to ensure the economic benefit stays in the local community. This includes working with local operators and lodging in locally owned hotels/lodges whenever possible. Also, we include guided hiking in the national parks and a visit to a local winery. When staying in hotels/lodges en route, we endeavour to eat our meals in locally owned, family run restaurants which supports local business, as well as allows passengers to experience local flavour and mix with local people when appropriate. When camping, our group is self sufficient as we provide camping gear and portable kitchen to our passengers. We shop locally and prepare nearly all of our meals (when camping) together, which supports local business, as well as allows passengers to experience local flavour and mix with local people when appropriate. On this tour, we include visits and entry admission to all national parks and monuments listed in the itinerary. Fees support park upkeep and conservation projects, and we encourage our clients to visit the visitor centres for additional information about the region. Our published traveller’s code of conduct is further promoted by our leaders throughout the tour, and particularly in the first night’s orientation talk. Our RT policy or traveller’s code of conduct is made available to all travellers prior to departure. This includes policies on the following: • Established policy to support recycling (and to educate our clients on recycling) on all of our tours in North/Central/South America. We aim to utilize properties that recycle glass and plastics. When this service is not available, we will pack and store recycling in our own containers and drive them to a suitable facility • Leave No Trace is a national and international campaign designed to assist outdoor enthusiasts about how to reduce their impacts when enjoying the outdoors. Because this trip spends much time exploring the National Parks and "wilderness" areas, familiarizing clients with the "Leave No Trace" ethic will help minimize the impact on the natural environment. 100% of our UK corporate headquarters’ power is green (renewable). We contribute to local charities and projects such as “Tourism Cares for America” (of which we are a founding member), “Friends of Big Bend” and the “Mojave Desert Land Trust”- organizations dedicated to improving and/or expanding national parks. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |











