ABOUT THIS PACKAGE
Itinerary at a Glance
- Day 1 – Welcome to El Calafate! Transfer from El Calafate airport to El Chalten (3 hours)
- Day 2 – Hike to Fitz Roy Base (Self guided) or chose a different trail acoording to your preferences
- Day 3 – Transfer from your hotel in El Chalten to your hotel in El Calafate (3 hours)
- Day 4 – Visit the breathtaking Perito Moreno Glacier and other glacier in Los Glaciares National Park
- Day 5 – Travel from El Calafate to Puerto Natales (around 5 hours)
- Day 6 – Travel from Puerto Natales to Torres del Paine Central Sector
- Day 7 – W Circuit: Hike from Central Sector to Las Torres Base
- Day 8 – W Circuit: Hike from Central Sector to Frances Sector
- Day 9 – W Circuit: Hike French Valley and then to Paine Grande
- Day 10 – W Circuit: Hike to Grey Glacier Lookout, catamaran via Pehoé Lake, return to Puerto Natales
- Day 11 – Bus from Puerto Natales to El Calafate
Best time to go: October to April
- Accomodation: 10 Nights
- Meals: 10 Breakfasts, 4 Lunch Boxes, 4 Dinners
- Tours and Transportation: All excursions are privately operated or in small exclusive groups and include local and professional bilingual guides.
- Personalized Concierge Service: By our local experience manager before and during the trip.
- Assistance during your trip: 24/7 emergency phone and Whatsapp for urgent assistance from our staff.
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1 – Travel from El Calafate airport to El Chalten
Upon your arrival to El Calafate airport be ready to take a 3 hour shared transfer to El Chalten, Argentina’s hiking main spot and home of Fitz Roy mountain.
What’s Included: Shared airport transfer, accommodation in El Chalten.
Day 2 – Hike to Fitz Roy Base (Laguna de los Tres)
One of the most famous hiking trails in El Chalten is Laguna de los Tres. This natural viewpoint is the closest site to the mythical walls of the Mount Fitz Roy and its surrounding granite peaks.
Diffilculty: Medium
Roundtrip Hiking Time: 8 – 9 hours
Total Distance: 25 km
Total Elevaton: 700 metres
It is advisable to start the trek as early as possible between 7 and 8 in the morning and make to pack: lunch box, bottle, sun hat, sunglasses, sunscreen lotion, gloves and a warm waterproof jacket.
Hiking trails are well marked, and many travelers do it self-guided, your travel advisor will be happy to provide more information. If you feel like needing a guide to go with you, ask your travel advisor to include it.
What’s Included: Breakfast, accommodation in El Chalten.
Day 3 – Travel from El Chalten to El Calafate
In the morning or in the afternoon (you choose the time), a shared transfer will pick you up at your hotel in El Chalten to take you to your hotel in El Calafate.
What’s Included: Breakfast, accommodation in El Calafate.
Day 4 – Perito Moreno Glacier Tour at Los Glaciares National Park
After breakfast be ready to enjoy an easy hike in the mountain with a boat ride through the southern arm of Lake Argentino visiting the Cerro Mayo and Cerro Negro glaciers. In the tour you will disembark at Toro Bay where you will take a walk through the forest while you enjoy panoramic views of a wonderful landscape that will leave you amazed. The only way to access this area is by boat because these glaciers are located within Seno Mayo of Lake Argentino. You will also visit the runways of the Perito Moreno Glacier.
Dreaming about walking on a glacier or enjoying a kayak to see it from the sea level? Make it true by replacing this tour at an aditional cost.
What’s Included: Breakfast, Los Glaciares National Park Tour, accommodation in El Calafate.
Day 5 – Travel from El Calafate to Puerto Natales
At the appropiate time, you will have a private transfer from your hotel in El Calafate to the bus terminal in order to board a public bus to Puerto Natales.
Upon your arrival in Puerto Natales, you will have a transfer from the bus terminal to your hotel.
What’s Included: Breakfast, Bus ticket from El Calafate to Puerto Natales, bus terminal transfers, accommodation in Puerto Natales.
Day 6 – Transportation to Torres del Paine, lodging at Central Sector
Today you will start one of the best hiking experiences in Patagonia, the W Circuit. First, go get your vouchers and map to the indicated office in Puerto Natales. After the introduction talk, make sure to be on time to take the 2:30 pm bus to Torres del Paine National Park. The trip takes about 2.5 hours (112 km).
You will arrive in the afternoon, have dinner, and overnight in the Central Sector.
What’s Included: Breakfast, transportaton from Puerto Natales to Torres del Paine Park, dinner, accommodation in Central Sector.
Day 7 – Hike to Las Torres Base Lookout Point, lodging at Central Sector
Start hiking early in the morning to one of the landmarks of the park, the Las Torres Base Lookout Point. During the first stretch, you will walk through the pampa, cross the Ascencio River, and then climb 3 km up to Los Vientos Mountain Pass, where you will enjoy amazing views of the valley and lakes. You will continue your journey to the Chileno Mountain Refuge, and then go deep into a lenga beech forest up to La Morrena, where the hardest part of the hike begins. You will follow a rock trail to the spectacular Las Torres Base Lookout Point. Later, you will begin the descent to the Central Sector to have dinner and sleep.
Hiking Time: 8 to 10 hours (19.5 km)
Difficulty: High
Highest Altitude: 870 meters
What’s Included: Breakfast, lunch box, dinner, accommodation in Central Sector.
Day 8 – Hike to the Francés Sector, lodging at Francés Sector
You will walk about 13.5 km along the shore of Nordenskjöld Lake, Almirante Nieto Hill, and the striking Cuernos del Paine. During the hike, you will enjoy magnificent views of Los Cuernos, hanging glaciers, lakes, and the abundant local vegetation and wildlife. You will have dinner and sleep in the Francés Sector. What’s Included: Breakfast, lunch box, dinner, accommodation in Frances Sector.
Hiking Time: 4.5 to 6.5 hours (13.5 km)
Difficulty: Medium
Elevation gain: 200 meters
What’s Included: Breakfast, lunch box, dinner, accommodation in Frances Sector.
Day 9 – Hike to the Francés Valley, lodging at Paine Grande Sector
The day begins with one of the icons of the circuit, the Francés Valley. You will start early with a light hike to the Italiano Campsite. From there, you will begin the climb through the woods (about 2 km) up the Francés River Valley. We will continue to the Francés Lookout Point, where you will enjoy one of the most breathtaking views of the circuit, the view to the valley framed by the Hills Paine Grande, Catedral, Hoja, Máscara, Espada, Aleta de Tiburón, and Cuerno del Norte. It will leave you speechless. After this spectacle, you will begin the descent to the Paine Grande Sector.
Hiking Time: 8 to 10 hours (13.5 km)
Difficulty: High
Highest Altitude: 709 meters
What’s Included: Breakfast, lunch box, dinner, accommodation in Paine Grande Sector.
Day 10 – Hike to Grey Glacier Lookout Point, Catamaran via Pehoé Lake and return to Puerto Natales
On this day, you will reach the third milestone of the circuit, a place that oers one of the most unforgettable sceneries of the park, the magnificent Grey Glacier. The trail goes around the Paine Grande Hill, the highest peak in the mountain range (3,050 m), with incredible views of its hanging glaciers. Walking amidst Antarctic Beech (ñirre), Dombey’s beech (coigüe), and Chilean firebush (notro), you will reach the first lookout point of Grey Lake, where we will see floating pieces of glacier. We will continue to walk towards the imposing view of Grey Glacier to reach the Grey Mountain Refuge.
Then, you will return to the Paine Grande Sector and take the 6:30 pm catamaran that will take you to Pudeto. There you will meet the bus that will take you back to Puerto Natales.
Hiking Time: 8 to 10 hours (22 km)
Difficulty: High
Highest Altitude: 313 meters
What’s Included: Breakfast, lunch box, Pehoé Lake Cataraman, transportation to Puerto Natales, accommodation in Puerto Natales.
Day 11 – Bus from Puerto Natales to El Calafate
In the morning you will take the bus back to El Calafate (5 hours).
You can continue your adventure in Patagonia by traveling to Ushuaia, Bariloche or returning to Buenos Aires.
What’s Included: Breakfast, bus from Puerto Natales to El Calafate, accommodation in El Calafate.
STARTING PRICE USD 2170
This trip is customizable according to your preferences.
The starting price is based on travel for a minimum of two travelers staying in comfort accommodations. Please inquire for a custom trip quote based on your travel preferences and travel dates.
WHAT’S INCLUDED
- 2 Nights of Accommodation in El Chalten
- 3 Nights of Accommodation in El Calafate
- 2 Nights of Accommodation in Puerto Natales
- 4 Nights of Accommodation in refuges (shared dorms) with Full Board – W Hiking Circuit in Torres del Paine (Self Guided)
- Breakfast
- Shared Transportation between El Chalten and El Calafate
- Mayo Trek Spirit Tour
- Torres del Paine Panoramic Tour from El Calafate ending in Puerto Natales
- Public Bus from Puerto Natales Bus Terminal to El Calafate Bus Terminal
- El Calafate Airport transfer from El Calafate city center.
- Expert trip planning
- 24×7 support during your trip.
WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED
- International and Domestic Flights
- Travel Insurance
- Optional activities suggested on the itinerary
- Meals unless specified
- Entry tickets to National Parks
- Local Taxes
- Early check in or Late check out
