Torres del Paine and Ushuaia Adventure 9D/8N

We welcome you at El Calafate airport and transfer to town to check in at your accommodation. You get the rest of the day to enjoy the town and later you have your welcome dinner. 

Early start for a 6 hs drive to our camp in Paine. We drive across the patagonic steppe, still following by parts the legendary route 40, to get around Sierra de los Baguales, an impressive range in between Calafate and Paine. We cross the Argentinean Chilean border at Cancha Carrera/ Cerro Castillo. After the border crossing, we start our final sprint to Paine National Park, World Heritage by the UNESCO (United Nations Education, Science and Culture Organization).  Approaching the Park, we start to see the different mountains that feature the area: Paine Grande, the Horns, Admiral Nieto and the Towers. Once we entered the Park, we go for a short 1 to 2 hs walk to get familiar with the landscape, the wind and the rich wildlife: guanacos, lesser rheas, condors and all types of wetland and buzzard birds will be available for our eyes and cameras. Also lots of flowers. Back in the bus, we reach our camp at the foot of Paine massif. 

Full Camps are pitched up early in the season, so we find the camp ready upon arrival. It offers comfortable igloo type tents for 1 or 2 passengers, with insulation mat and sleeping bags. The camp also features a spacious dinning tent, a kitchen tent, tables, benches or chairs and a full set of table service and kitchenware (area with sanitary services).  

Early in the morning we start walking towards the bridge over the Ascensio river, head trail for the worldfamous Paine towers. We "warm up" hiking a steep one-hour slope, to get inside the valley itself, a narrow "V" shape alpine valley coming from inside the Paine massif.  A gentle downhill leads us to Refugio Chileno, a cozy and comfortable mountain lodge, which can be a good turnaround point for those not willing to make a full day hike. We then walk in a gentle slope along the river side and inside beech forest. A final climb on moraine take us to the Towers viewpoint: a glacier origin lagoon and the three towers rising vertically 1000 mts from the glacier. The lack of breath will be either because the climb and the sight!!!! We go back to our camp on the same way we came. Walking time: 7 to 8 hs. 

Early in the morning a 1 h drive takes us to Port Pudeto to board the catamarán that crosses lake Pehoe twice a day. Once at the far side of the lake, we leave unnecessary items in our tents and we set out to the French Valley trail. The trail skirts Paine Grande south slopes and lake Skottberg, to take us after 2 hs and a half of continuous ups and downs, to the hanging bridge upon the French River.  This breathtaking location is at the foot of both the 2700 mts south east face of Paine Grande (to the west) and the Horns, with its characteristic black sedimentary topping, to the east. We continue walking 1 h further by Italian camp to reach breathtaking viewpoints over the area. After lunch and photos we retrace our steps back to Paine Grande Full Camp. Walking time: 5 to 6 hs.

Lake Grey trail leads from Pehoe valley across ridges to reach Grey valley. This magnificent valley flows down 60 km from the Patagonian Icefield, featuring the huge glacier calving down in the grey colour lake. Our trail skirts the lake, going up and down the westerns slopes of Paine Grande, offering some of the most impressive sights of the Park.  From the trail we can see the south end of the lake where the blue icebergs gather, the mountains rising far in the distance above glaciers Grey and Tyndall. We come back along the same trail, crossing bogs, shrublands and forest. Once again at Paine Grande Refuge we take the boat to cross lake Pehoe back and then we go to our accommodation in Puerto Natales, a picturesque fishermen town located in the shores of the Ultima Esperanza (Last Hope) fiord. 

Long drive today, though quite worthwhile. After breakfast we continue south to reach the legendary Magellan Strait, which we will keep on sight up to Primera Angostura, where we board the Ferry in which we will cross the Strait.  This Pass, discovered by Hernando de Magallanes in 1520, was the natural and logical way to all vessels until de Panama Channel was open at the beginning of the XXth century. You will find yourselves wondering how those brave men dare to sail those waters in such fragile caravels!!! Once in Tierra del Fuego (literally, Land of Fire, due to the fires seen by the first white sailors in the coast, done by the local Indians to cook and heat) we enter back Argentina through Paso San Sebastián. Once we arrive in Ushuaia, a transfer will take us to our hotel. 

Note: Groups of 10 people or more will spend the night at Estancia Las Hijas (Rio Grande) where a lamb cooked in the classical Patagonian barbecue style will be waiting for us. Accommodation: Bed in refuge in a shared room. The ranch has a dining room, bathrooms and showers will be available on this day. Additional meal included: dinner.  

You will enjoy this entire day by your own, to choose the optional activity that better fit your desires. 

After breakfast we walk to the Ushuaia Tourist Pier for a full day of activities: we will navigate the Beagle Channel to the iconic Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse, we will see Los Lobos Island and Los Patos Island, we will visit the Acatushun Museum in the pioneering Estancia Harberton and we will have the unforgettable opportunity to walk among penguins on Isla Martillo. 

Morning at your own to visit the town, which is located in the north coast of the Beagle channel. The town features interesting museums and its typical architecture. In the afternoon we are transferred to Ushuaia airport to take our flight to Buenos Aires. Our services end at the airport.