Comfort Trekking in Patagonia with the Outdoor Adventure Club

March 7-13, 2011

Our 8 day Patagonia trip takes in all the highlights of the Torres del Paine National Park. We’ll see the Torres that give the park its name, the incomparable French Valley, the lakes with their varying shades of blue and green, and the awesome Grey Glacier. This is an amazing introduction to Patagonia in just over one week.

We’ll be sleeping indoors on all but one night, when we’ll be sleeping in tents at Camp Grey. All meals are provided, (excluding drinks) and all camping gear is provided with the exception of your backpack and sleeping bag.

Trip Itinerary:

Day One: Your Outdoor Adventure Club guide will meet you at the airport in Punta Arenas. The group will transfer to the town of Puerto Natales, a three hour drive through the Patagonian pampa. Lodging will be at the Hotel Indigo, a new hotel with private bathrooms, WiFi, a lounge and restaurant. We’ll sit down to a welcome dinner and a discussion of our upcoming adventure in Torres del Paine National Park.

Day Two: Transfer by van to the Torres del Paine National Park, about 2 hours from Puerto Natales. We’ll hike to the base of the famous torres, or towers today, and then spend the evening at the hostel Chileno, nestled in the Ascencio Valley. The towers are awesome to view, along the lines of El Capitan in Yosemite. They rise 3000 feet up and their sheer faces have challenged climbers for decades.

Day Three: Trek along Lago Nordenkjöld to the base of the Los Cuernos, or “the horns” It’s about a 5 hour walk along the pale green waters of the lake. Dinner and lodging at the Hostel Cuernos.

Day Four: Trek to the French Valley, one of the most beautiful places in the park. Glaciers, granite amphitheaters, and stunning views surround you as you hike farther and farther up this beautiful valley. We’ll hike to Camp Britanico and its views before retracing our path down valley. At the foot of the valley, we’ll continue on to Lago Pehoe (pronounced payway) This will be our longest day, about 14 miles, but it is beautiful. Lodging and dinner at the Paine Grande Lodge.

Day Five: Today we’ll make our way to Grey Lake, a 3-4 hour walk from Pehoe. If you came to Patagonia to see a glacier, this is the spot for you! The Grey Glacier, part of the Patagonian Ice Fields, is a 10 mile long river of ice. The glacier terminates at Lago Grey, where huge chunks of ice break free and float across the river, sometimes right to our camp! When was the last time you chilled your drink with an ice berg? This is the only night of the trip you’ll be sleeping in tents.

Day Six: Today you have a choice. The scheduled plan is a hike that will take you face to ice with the massive grey glacier. It’s an awesome experience to see and feel the very edge of a piece of ice that stretches all the way to the horizon. You can also arrange for a morning of ice hiking and climbing on the glacier. This optional ice hike is provided by a local guide service and is an additional $120, paid directly to them. You’ll wear crampons and use and ice axe to travel over the glacier, and get a chance to try a little ice climbing as well.

After the trips to the glacier, we’ll board a boat and work our way through the icebergs as we make the 2 hour crossing of Lago Grey. On the other side of the lake we’ll transfer to a real Patagonia estancia (ranch) for a traditional gaucho (cowboy) barbecue. The estancia has an expansive view and is a special place to spend our last night in the park.

Day Seven: We’ll wake up at the estancia, have breakfast, and punctuate our trip to Patagonia with a morning of horseback riding. It’s a fitting way to end a trip to this wild and rugged land. After our horseback ride, we’ll transfer back to Puerto Natales, where we’ll have a a celebratory dinner and another night in the Indigo Hotel

Day Eight: Unfortunately all trips have to end sometime. Escorted transfer to Punta Arenas for your ride home. On the way we’ll stop at a penguin reserve. That’s right, you’ll be face to face with penguins in Patagonia!

Enjoy your trip!

Please do not book airline tickets for this trip until you have been confirmed on the trip.

Pricing:
OAC Member: $2,500 (Your trip must be paid in full 60 days in advance to obtain the OAC member rate.)
Non-member: $2,650

Let us know if you have any questions about this trip. Please send inquiries to richard@OutdoorAdventureClub.com

Ready to sign up for the Comfort Trekking in Patagonia trip? Download our registration form and either scan and email it to us at richard@OutdoorAdventureClub.com, or fax it to 415-771-1891, ATTN: Richard.