Welcome to Southern Patagonia! Today, Southern Patagonia welcomes you with open arms. El Calafate is a starting point for adventure travelers who desire to unearth the most spellbinding natural wonders of Patagonia, like the Perito Moreno Glacier. The Perito Moreno glacier is one of the only glaciers in the world that’s still advancing. Though it’s not the only glacier in the area, it's the one that made the city of El Calafate famous worldwide. For many years now, El Calafate has been considered the capital of the glaciers. Located at the shore of Lago Argentino (the southernmost, largest Patagonian lake), it's also home of the Spegazzini glacier, which forms the natural border between Argentina and Chile, and the Upsala glacier, named Glaciar del Gigante (Giant’s glacier), the biggest glacier to sit at the mouth of Lake Argentino. Is El Calafate all about the glaciers? Well, yes and no…glaciers are main attractions that you can visit via hiking or a boat ride but you have a lot more to discover about Argentine rural culture. From Calafate, you can also visit a typical Patagonian finca (ranch) and learn all about the gaucho (cowboy) culture and enjoy a great asado (barbecue). You’ll soon realize that Calafate offers more than just being the gateway to the Perito Moreno glacier. Upon arrival, you will be taken to the hotel, where you will have the rest of the day to relax or explore the surroundings.

In the morning, we’ll drive you to Glaciers National Park (shared service) to take the 6-hour Perito Moreno Glacier tour. Get prepared to play with these icy giants! Glaciers National Park has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1981 with home to 200 approximately glaciers. Half of this park is occupied by the campo de Hielo patagónico (Patagonian ice field), the largest ice field after Antarctica. You will travel 40 km (about 25 miles) from El Calafate to the park, enjoying the views of the Patagonian steppe. Once inside the park, you will take the walkways to explore the different viewpoints, and you’ll feel really close to the Perito Moreno Glacier. If you’re lucky, you may get to see a piece of ice break off and fall from the glacier wall, sinking forever in the lake. For about one hour, a bilingual guide will provide you with all the information you want to know…you will discover things you might have never thought about. Duration: 6 hours Nautical Safari After this visit, you will take a boat ride that will take you close enough to fully appreciate the 80 meters (262 feet) high ice walls of Perito Moreno! You’ll never feel closer to this gigantic and impressive natural masterpiece. At the end of this exciting day, we'll take you back to your hotel in El Calafate (shared service). Duration: 6 hours Included: transportation mentioned above, boat ride, bilingual guide (English / Spanish) Not included: entrance fee to the Glaciers National Park

During the morning, we’ll pick you up at your hotel in a minivan to start your 3-hour trip to El Chalten (shared service). You’ll travel along the famous Route 40, surrounded by the Patagonian steppe, pass through La Leona River, which connects Lake Argentino and Lake Viedma and La Leona Road house, where famous thieves Butch Cassidy and Sundance Kid hid out for a month. After discovering other rough gems of this particular landscape, you’ll reach El Chalten. El Chaltén is the top rated hiking destination in Argentina. This charming little village sits at the foot of Fitz Roy Mountain, it’s surrounded by glaciers, lakes, rivers and forests. It’s also the starting point for most hiking trails. A paradise to take leisurely strolls amidst the sun. Enjoy your first afternoon of leisure in Patagonia by relaxing in the local brewery or explore the surrounding areas—Maybe take a stroll around a little waterfall… Duration: 3 hours Included: transportation mentioned above Note: bare in mind that the luggage should be equivalent to a bag up to 20kg, or a backpack 60/70 liters, plus the backpack hand. Excess baggage will pay an extra charge.

Prepare yourself for an exciting day into the wild. El Chaltén offers a wide range of hiking paths with varying difficulty. You can choose where and when to go, paths are self-guided and very well marked and maintained. From the main door of your hotel, you can go for a short 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) walk to Cerro Torre viewpoint—it will take you around 1 hour. Enjoy Rio de las Vueltas and lenga forest with its amazing views, be prepared to see all kind of birds—This is a great woodpecker spotting opportunity! For true hiking lovers, continue all the way to Base Torre or go for an 8 hour-long hike to see the most impressive view of the Fitz Roy Mountain and emerald waters of Laguna de Los Tres. Although this hike becomes difficult in the last bit, it’s totally worth it. Seize the day, wake up early and watch the sunrise at the Laguna de Los Tres (see Fitz Roy peaks turning red)—A true once in a lifetime opportunity.

If you liked Laguna Torre’s hiking trail, you will love another one of our favorites: Loma del Pliegue Tumbado. The trail starts at the National Park Ceferino Fonzo Visitors` Centre, where a small fence indicates two paths: to the left, the trail goes to Los Cóndores and Las Águilas viewpoints, and to the right towards Pliegue Tumbado and Laguna Toro / Paso del Viento. This trail maintains an ascending slope of approximately 1100 meters in total (3,610 miles), until reaching the viewpoint located at about 1500 meters (4,920 feet) above sea level. Due to its height, the absence of trees, and the total exposure to the wind, you should go prepared with a windproof jacket and warm clothes since a small snowfall is not uncommon even in the middle of summer. Having walked for about an hour, the trail crosses a plain called “Pampa De las Carretas”, from where you can appreciate the impressive Mount Huemul, the Viedma lake to the south, and the whole imposing Andes to the northwest where Mount Torre and Mount Chaltén stand out. The trail then enters a beautiful forest until reaching an altitude of approximately 1000 meters above sea level, where the landscape changes abruptly: the trees turn to bushes and scrubby vegetation, and among the many stones on the way it is possible to find the remains of marine fossils which are bout 100 million years old. The last part of the trail fades away but it is still marked with yellow sticks until you reach the top of the Pliegue Tumbado -which can be snowed and if this is the case it is not recommended to continue- with an extraordinary panoramic view of El Chalten, the valley of the Fitz Roy river and the Torre lagoon. The top of the Pliegue Tumbado demands one more hour of walking, ascending another 280 m from the viewpoint with a steep slope; the top offers an extraordinary 360-degree panoramic view. This last section may be snowy and in this case, it is not recommended to do it.

At the appropriate time, you will be picked up to board a bus to go from your hotel in El Chalten to El Calafate Airport. The 3 hour long drive will be a good opportunity to rest, relax and enjoy the passing landscapes at your window. Type of service: Shared Included: Transportation mentioned above Duration: 3 hours approximately