CHILE - ARGENTINA
7 Day tour of Patagonia
Day 1 Punta
Arenas
Upon arrival at Presidente
Ibáñez airport in Punta Arenas, assistance and transfer to downtown bus
terminal to board the regular bus to Puerto Natales (246 km. North from Punta Arenas) passing by the industrial
area of the city. Poceed through the endless Patagonian steppes, crossing
trout-filled rivers, beech tree forests, sheep ranches and saw mills. Arrive at
Puerto Natales. Met at the bus terminal and transfer to Hotel Saltos del Paine.
Accommodation in room with private bath and Continental breakfast included (3
nights). It is possible to walk downtown. Visit on your own, the Museo
Municipal that exhibits local archaeology and ethnology, historic photos of
early settlements and life on the estancias. (Internet connections
available near the plaza).
Day 2 Punta
Arenas / Torres del Paine National Park (SIB denotes Seat in Bus)
Morning departure (7:30 a.m.) for a full day tour of the "Torres del Paine" National Park, located 150 km. Northwest
of Puerto Natales. The road
borders Figueroa, Sarmiento, Toro and other lakes on the way. Have a glimpse at herds of guanacos,
foxes, swans, and a variety of small-sized birds. The imposing grandeur of this mountain range is
breathtaking. Afternoon return to
Puerto Natales, visiting the Mylodon's
Cave on the way, an impressive natural cave where a gigantic prehistoric
fossil was discovered, a replica of which can be seen at the entrance of the
cave. (Boxed-lunch included). Return by 7:30 pm. approximately.
Day 3 Balmaceda
& Serrano Glaciers (SIB)
Morning
pick-up (7:30 am) for the short walk to the pier where you board a schooner for
a cruise to the spectacular Serrano
and Balmaceda Glaciers. Sail around the Last Hope Fjord in
full view of the Cascades and Sea Lion Island. Departing at 8:00 am (box-lunch
included). Take heavy clothes if you want to spend time on deck. The boat has a
saloon with a panoramic view, for 36 persons, and a stateroom below deck, for
14 people. Cafeteria service is provided on board (Take enough spare film as
wonderful scenery awaits you, which - if the unpredictable Patagonian weather
permits - you will want to photograph). Return at 4:30 pm. approximately.
Day
4 Puerto
Natales / Calafate
Morning transfer from the hotel to Cerro Castillo
aerodrome, to board the Cessna (7-passengers capacity), for 30-min. flight (10
kilos permitted per person) towards Calafate. Upon arrival, assistance
and transfer (SIB) to Hotel Michelangelo (downtown). Accommodation in
room with private bathroom and buffet breakfast (3 nights).
El Calafate
is 316 km from Río Gallegos, over Lago Argentino, 185 m. above
sea level, and receives its name from the small bush calafate,
indigenous of Patagonia. Its fruit is a delicious berry, very good for the production
of jam.
It is an oasis of poplars, willows and pines at the
border of the steppe. El Calafate presents a dry climate, with an average
maximum temperature of 19ºC, and an average minimum in winter of ˇV2º. In summer
the sun rises at 5:30hs and sets at 11pm (in winter the day is shorter, there
are only eight hours of light).
Day 5 Perito
Moreno Glacier (SIB)
Morning pick-up
at the hotel (9:30 am) and drive skirting Bay Redonda of Lake Argentino,
as well as have the chance to see Isla Solitaire. Proceed through the
Patagonia valley with its natural environment of species such as guanacos,
ostriches, foxes, etc. Afterwards you will enjoy many interesting spots: Cerro
Comision o De Los Elefantes, river Centinela, Cerro Frias (guanacos site), many
Patagonian farmhouses and, across the Mitre river you will get into Parque
Nacional Los Glaciares. Then, you will go 35 km along the coast of Lake
Argentino's Rico Branch, among vegetation of incredible trees such as ñires,
lengas, notros and cherry trees. At Curva de Los Suspiros you will get the
first panoramic view of Glacier Perito Moreno, known worldwide because
of its process of fractures. The front of the glacier closes the running of the
waters of Brazo Rico when it approaches the coast. This produces a kind of pond
where the water goes up 20 meters over the level, creating the filtration that
ends up in the fracture; the last time was in February 1988.
But
the show is never-ending: it is possible to watch the detachment of ice blocks
of different sizes from a short distance, hear the roaring they produce, and
then watch them turn into wonderful floating icebergs. Another one-hours
navigation brings us to a position for a closer view of the glacier. Returning
in time to have lunch (included at a local restaurant) and a walk on the
ˇ§pasarelasˇ¨.
Day
6 Upsala
& Onelli Glaciers (SIB)
We
will go from El Calafate to Punta Bandera Port and will sail up to the northern
arm of Lake Argentino arriving at Upsala Glacier, the largest, which is
an impressive mass of ice that is some 50 km in length and many kilometers in
depth. In the front of this there are loose blocks of ice that then form into
icebergs navigating the lake like sailboats. Our boat will sail parallel to the
Glacier for several kilometers, arriving at Onelli Bay and from there we
will go through a passage for 1500 meters until we reach Onelli Lagoon where we
can observe the Agassiz, Bolado and Onelli Glaciers. We will have lunch at a
typical restaurant of the region, and then we will return to the point of
departure (lunch included).
Day
7 Calafate
At
leisure. Assistance and transfer to the airport (SIB).
COSTS Patagonia only,
US$828, per person, based on two sharing
US$916, per person based on single person (Minimum
2 persons traveling).
Airline ticket costs need to be added.
Prices are valid until 15th March 2004.
Price includes:
Ø
Transportation by
private vehicle including local English speaking guide; except where regular
services (SIB) are indicated and local Spanish speaking guide is included.
Regular buses do not include any guide service.
Ø
Guide assistance at
the airports (English speaking).
Ø
Air ticket Puerto
Natales ˇV El Calafate (one way only) with airport taxes included.
Ø
Meals as stated in
the programme.
Ø
Taxes where
applicable.
Price excludes:
Ø
Gratuities for
guides and drivers.
Ø
Extras at hotel
(laundry, telephone calls, etc).
Ø
Any items not
mentioned in the above programme.
Remarks:
Ø
Valid between
November 15th and March 15th when Aerovías DAP flies between Puerto Natales and
El Calafate.
Ø
Aerovías DAP
regular flights operate from Monday to Friday (departs at 9a.m.- arrives at
9:40 a.m.).
Ø
In case of weather
conditions precluding flights, the journey will be made by regular bus
(7-hours), without guide.
Ø
This programme may
be altered without previous notice, depending on airline schedules, weather
conditions or ground transportation availability.
Punta Arenas, Chile, Weather Information
|
Average
Temperature |
|||||||||||||
|
|
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
Year |
|
˘XC |
10.8 |
10.4 |
8.7 |
6.4 |
3.9 |
2.2 |
1.7 |
2.5 |
4.3 |
6.6 |
8.4 |
10.0 |
6.3 |
|
˘XF |
51.4 |
50.7 |
47.7 |
43.5 |
39.0 |
36.0 |
35.1 |
36.5 |
39.7 |
43.9 |
47.1 |
50.0 |
43.3 |
|
Average
Rainfall |
|||||||||||||
|
|
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
Year |
|
mm |
35.4 |
28.1 |
39.3 |
41.0 |
42.4 |
32.4 |
33.8 |
33.1 |
27.5 |
23.6 |
28.8 |
31.5 |
397.4 |
|
inches |
1.4 |
1.1 |
1.5 |
1.6 |
1.7 |
1.3 |
1.3 |
1.3 |
1.1 |
0.9 |
1.1 |
1.2 |
15.6 |
This is a suggested Itinerary
only, it can be lengthened or shortened to suit your travel dates. It can also
be made to include other destinations in South America or Antarctica.
Prices are subject to change, by the
Airline or Operator, without prior notice.