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Patagonian Lakes & Glaciers, don't forget about the snowcapped mountains and the famous hospitality

In a region renowned for beauty, the Lake District is considered by many traveling to Argentina to be the most picturesque area in all of Patagonia

Duration: 15 days
4+ Travelers: $4,535 per person
2-3 Travelers: $4,825 per person
The Lake District is considered by most travelers to be the most picturesque area in all of vast Patagonia, a region known for its beauty. You'll spend several glorious days here, hiking and kayaking in both Argentina Patagonia and Chile Patagonia surrounded by towering evergreens and pristine lakes before heading south to tour some of Southern Patagonia's most popular attractions. You'll experience Patagonia in all its glory, staying in estancias, taking some of the most famous hikes of Argentina Patagonia. One highlight of this Patagonia adventure vacation is the opportunity to gaze at one the most famous sights in all of South America, the colossal, intensely blue Perito Moreno Glacier.
The Patagonian Lakes & Glaciers tour can also be arranged on a private departure basis. Please so we may explain details and costs.

Patagonian Lakes & Glaciers Tour Itinerary

• Day 1 (Wed): ARRIVE BUENOS AIRES View Buenos Aires accommodations picture gallery You'll be met by a Southern Explorations representative at the international airport upon arrival. After being transferred to your hotel, you'll have the rest of the day to explore Buenos Aires at your leisure. This thriving capital is filled with interesting markets, a vibrant street life, an eclectic mix of museums and divine cuisine. To get your geographic bearings, you may wish to consider adding our popular Four Balconies Tour of the city, acquainting you with Argentina's rich history. Overnight at your conveniently-located hotel.
  View Optional Pre-Itinerary Tour Extensions
• Day 2 (Thu): BUENOS AIRES - BARILOCHE View Bariloche accommodations picture gallery After breakfast, you'll be taken to the domestic airport for your flight to Bariloche, Argentina, a scenic resort town on the shores of picturesque Lake Nahuel Huapi. You'll have the rest of the day to relax and explore this pleasant mountain town. Overnight at your comfortable Bariloche lodgings. (B)
• Day 3 (Fri): HIKING NEAR BARILOCHE View Bariloche accommodations picture gallery After breakfast, you'll be transferred from your hotel to the trailhead of today's hike. Paced according to your liking, the two to three hour first leg of today's Patagonia hiking takes you into the alpine zone, where you'll stop for a gourmet picnic lunch amidst stunning lakes, glaciated summits, forests and the towering Andes. You'll complete the remaining three to four hours of the hike after lunch and be delivered back to your hotel in time to choose one of the city's fine restaurants for a delectable dinner. Another peaceful night at your accommodations. (B,L)
• Day 4 (Sat): NAHUEL HUAPI LAKE - KAYAKING View Bariloche accommodations picture gallery Today's activity is a tranquil day of guided kayaking that may be enjoyed by all, regardless of fitness level. In the morning, you'll be taken from the hotel to a unique launching beach to start your six hours of paddling. You'll enjoy a tasty lakeside picnic in an idyllic setting. The trip ends at the landmark Llao-Llao Hotel where you will be transferred back to your hotel for an evening on your own to enjoy a final delicious dinner. (B,L)
  Patagonia Hike & Kayak Option Depending on your group, we can instead arrange for a day of soft trekking with kayaking. After breakfast, we will drive to Lopez Bay to begin the hike to Tristeza lookout point. The granite base offers breathtaking views that we enjoy during our lunch. After returning to the trailhead and receiving a safety briefing, we will paddle the Moreno Lake for the remainder of the afternoon. Returning to your Bariloche hotel in the late afternoon. (B,L)
• Day 5 (Sun): BARILOCHE - LAKES CROSSING - PUERTO VARAS View Puerto Varas accommodations picture gallery After breakfast, you’ll enjoy the ultimate Lakes District tour. You'll travel to nearby Puerto Panuelo pier for the serene catamaran ride across Lake Nahuel Huapi to Puerto Blest. A bus will take you a short distance through an Andean larch forest to reach Puerto Alegre. You'll enjoy superb wilderness views along Lake Frias before arriving at Puerto Frias and the Chile Patagonia border in a lush cloud forest. From there, it's a short bus ride to the village of Peulla for a delicious lunch. Next you'll cruise along the emerald waters of Todos los Santos Lake to the Petrohue River. The memorable trip offers stunning views of three volcanoes: to the south, 11,453-ft Tronador, famous for the sounds of ice falling from its summit; 7,185-ft Puntiagudo to the north and 8,530-ft Osorno between the two lakes. After reaching the pier, you will travel to the quaint town of Puerto Varas where your comfortable hotel is located and spend a relaxing evening on your own. (B)
• Day 6 (Mon): OSORNO VOLCANO - PETROHUE - PUERTO VARAS View Puerto Varas accommodations picture gallery
  
  

  In the morning you'll set out on a full-day excursion to the Osorno Volcano

  In the morning you'll set out on a full-day excursion to the Osorno Volcano starting with a drive along the shore of Lago Llanquihue with breathtaking views of the Osorno and Calbuco volcanoes. You'll stop at the Saltos de Petrohue (Petrohue rapids), a series of rapids and waterfalls formed long ago by cooling lava from the volcano towering behind them. The extruded volcanic rock is a unique formation, shaped by thousands of years of thundering water flow. Next you'll arrive at the lower reaches of the now immense Osorno Volcano. Here a gravel road leads to a small mountain hut (elevation 4,265 ft), and the volcano looms large with the backdrop of volcanoes Calbuco, Antillanca and Tronador and the Andes. In the afternoon, you'll be returned to your hotel in Puerto Varas. (B)
  Patagonia Hiking Details: 6.1 mi; 2000 ft elevation gain; 5-7 hrs
• Day 7 (Tue): PUERTO VARAS - PUERTO MONTT - PUNTA ARENAS – LAS TORRES View Hosteria Las Torres picture gallery Today, travel south for the next leg of your Patagonia tour. In the morning you'll be transferred to the Puerto Montt Airport for a flight to Punta Arenas in Chile Patagonia, where a Southern Explorations guide will pick you up to begin your trip across the Patagonian steppe towards Torres del Paine National Park. Along the way you can observe the unusual plant and animal life of the area. Upon arrival at the Las Torres lodge you will have the evening to get settled in your room and learn more about the myriad of activities available to explore this breathtaking area of Southern Patagonia. (B, L, D)
   
  Hosteria Las Torres is a rustic hotel extremely well-situated at a hub of Torres del Paine National Park near the trailheads for several well-known hikes: ... read more »
• Day 8-9 (Wed-Thu): TORRES DEL PAINE NATIONAL PARK View Hosteria Las Torres picture gallery Spend these next two days touring Torres del Paine National Park and nearby areas of interest. Select from a number of Patagonia adventures, each lead by a knowledgeable bilingual guide. Hike up to the base of the giant Towers of Paine, horseback ride through the Enchanted and Ascencio Valleys, trek around the brilliant blue Lake Nordenskjold, visit the archeological sites of Lake Sofia, cruise to Balmaceda and Serrano Glaciers, kayak Grey Lake, or enjoy any number of other activities for any activity level and interest. After full days exploring the area, return each evening to your comfortable accommodations. (B, L, D)
• Day 10 (Fri): LAS TORRES LODGE - EL CALAFATE View El Calafate accommodations picture gallery Enjoy one last breakfast at Las Torres before traveling over the border to El Calafate, Argentina, for the next leg of your Patagonia tour. Your afternoon is free to enjoy this charming city on your own. Overnight at an El Calafate hotel. (B)
• Day 11 (Sat): PERITO MORENO GLACIER - EL CALAFATE View El Calafate accommodations picture gallery Today's Patagonia tour takes you by boat across Lake Argentino among icebergs to reach stunningly blue, massive Perito Moreno Glacier. You'll go ashore and walk along an ancient beech forest that meets the glacier, offering a unique location for photographing this magnificent natural wonder. After an hour's hike, you'll embark on a short glacier hike (equipment provided), and perhaps witness an ice wall calving into the lake. In the afternoon, enjoy a picnic lunch within earshot of melting and popping glacial ice. In the evening, you'll return to your hotel for another comfortable night's rest. (B,L)
  Blue Ice Upgrade - $100 Per Person: For those wishing to explore the Perito Moreno Glacier in greater depth, we offer a longer day of ice-hiking with an experienced glacier guide. You'll start by practicing safety techniques and spend the rest of the day exploring deep into the glacier and its ice caves, with plenty of time for photos. (This is a very strenuous ice hike and advisable only for eighteen to forty-five year old participants who are in good physical condition. The hike takes about seven hours on ice and includes uneven terrain.)
  Click here to see the Blue Ice Glacier Hike picture gallery
• Day 12 (Sun): EL CALAFATE - EL CHALTEN View El Chalten accommodations picture gallery In the morning, you'll head to El Chalten at the north end of the park, the gateway town of Fitz Roy. In clear weather, this three to four hour drive will be one of the most beautiful segments of your Patagonia tours, filled with panoramic views of the Fitz Roy mountain range. Upon arrival in Chalten, you'll be transferred to your hotel to get settled before spending the rest of the day hiking on your own to prepare for the Patagonia trekking ahead. You may want to make the hour-long hike to Piedras Blancas Glacier. The hike takes you through a beech forest where you may see the amazing Magellanic woodpecker and view the Marconi Glacier, the gateway to the Continental Icecap. Instead, you may choose a five-hour roundtrip hike to Cerro Polo which offers a panoramic view of Poincenot, Fitz Roy, Cerro Torre and the Continental Icecap. Overnight at your charming hotel. (B)
• Day 13 (Mon): FULL DAY HIKE FITZ ROY & LAGUNA DE LOS TRES View El Chalten accommodations picture gallery
  
  

  Today's Patagonia trekking consists of a full-day hike to the Laguna Capri base camp (Fitz Roy base camp)

  Today's Patagonia trekking consists of a full-day hike to the Laguna Capri base camp (Fitz Roy base camp). The hike north towards Fitz Roy begins with spectacular views of the massif ahead. The peak was considered sacred by the indigenous Tehuelche who believed the mists enshrouding it were volcanic ash, calling it Chalten (God of Smoke). Reaching Laguna Capri, you'll see the image of Mt. Fitz Roy reflected. After stopping for lunch, you'll resume the hike to the emerald Laguna de los Tres, at the base of Mt. Fitz Roy. Three glaciers drain into the lagoon with majestic Mt. Fitz Roy towering above. Here you'll have spectacular views of Lake Viedma, the sweeping Patagonian steppe and the unrivaled Fitz Roy, a highlight of all Patagonia tours. If you choose to continue down the steep trail to the natural balcony above Laguna Sucia, you'll also gaze on the Saint Exupery and Poincenot spires. Return to your hotel for a great night's sleep. (B,L)
  Patagonia Hiking Details: Start to Laguna Capri - 2.6 Miles, Altitude gain: 1200 ft / Laguna Capri to Laguna de los Tres - 2.7 miles, Altitude gain: 1800 ft
• Day 14 (Tue): FULL DAY CERRO TORRE HIKE View El Chalten accommodations picture gallery Today's full-day hike is a classic Patagonia trekking adventure that takes you up Mt. Torre, famous for its beauty but also for its climbing difficulty. Every year, countless expeditions attempt to reach the summit, but only a few succeed. Your hike begins with a forty-five minute climb to an old lagoon where the trail enters a forest at a slight descent leading to a lookout facing Cerro Torre and the Adelas Range. Reaching the shores of Laguna Torre, today's destination, you'll have a stunning view of Mt. Torre surrounded by the Egger and Standhard spires and the Adelas Range as a backdrop together with the Torre Glacier before returning to the trailhead. (B, L)
  Patagonia Hiking Details: Cerro Torre - 11 miles round trip, Altitude gain: 1,000 ft
• Day 15 (Wed): EL CHALTEN - EL CALAFATE - BUENOS AIRES - HOME Your Patagonia tours end with a morning departure for El Calafate to connect with your flight to Buenos Aires. Upon arrival, you'll be transferred to the international airport for your flight home. If you have extra time, we'd be pleased to arrange any of our tour extensions in the capital or more Patagonia tours. (B)
  View Optional Pre-Itinerary Tour Extensions
• Key: (B)reakfast (L)unch (D)inner
• More information about Traveling in Patagonia

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2010-2011 SCHEDULED TRIP DATES

Thursday Departures
2 person minimum / 8 maximum

Oct 07-21
10/21-11/04
Nov 11-25
11/18-12/02
Dec 09-23
16-30 6 spaces left
Jan 06-20
13-27
Feb 01/27-02/10 6 spaces left
03-18
Mar 02/24-03/10
10-24

Private Departures can be arranged. Please regarding private departure costs.

INCLUSIONS / EXCLUSIONS

Included in tour cost

Professional, English-speaking local guides

All hotel accommodations (twin shared basis including continental breakfast)

Meals as indicated

All transfers in private van

Entrance fees for all scheduled tours, national parks, archaeological sites and boats

Southern Explorations pre departure services

Excluded in tour cost

International round-trip airfare to Buenos aires

$280 Airfare (Buenos Aires / Bariloche - El Calafate / Buenos Aires), subject to change

$250 Airfare (Puerto Montt / Punta Arenas), subject to change

Lunches and dinners in the cities (unless otherwise noted)

Hiking boots and other personal gear

Personal expenses (tips and gratuities, alcoholic beverages, medical or travel insurance, laundry, airport taxes, etc.).

PHYSICAL RATING

Moderate - Difficult

CHILE / ARG ACCOMMODATION

Patagonian Lakes & Glaciers:

11 nights hotel
3 nights estancia

SINGLE SUPPLEMENT

Additional $975

Single Supplement is the additional cost of a single traveler not sharing a room in double occupancy. We will match you with another same gender traveler unless you request single accommodations.

Prices based on 3% cash discount