Torres del Paine Circuit

The Torres del Paine area in Patagonia is without doubt a highlight for any traveller in the Americas - this spectacular trip undertakes the extended circuit, one of the world's classic treks. Rather than camp, we mainly overnight in well built refuges, offering food and comfort in this wild region.


BUENOS AIRES & PATAGONIA
We explore Argentina's cosmopolitan capital, Buenos Aires, for a day before flying into Patagonia and the small town of El Calafate, where we can relax before embarking on our hike. Travelling into Chile, we arrive at our first camp, where we are met by our trek crew and horsemen, home to a rich variety of birds. Our first distant views of the Torres Towers are an amazing sight.


LAKES, GLACIERS & ANCIENT FORESTS
Taking paths too narrow for horses, we journey through ancient beach forests, criss crossing streams until we reach our camp beside Laguna Los Perros, surrounded by the peaks of the Torres Massif, the summit of Paine Grande rising to 3050m. From our camp we can observe icebergs on the nearby lake - this is the wildest and least accessible part of the trek. Crossing the John Gardner pass (1241m) the enormous Patagonia Icefield is revealed to us, along with Glacier Grey, a huge mass of fractured ice which covers the valley.


THE MAJESTIC TORRES DEL PAINE
The next four days trekking leads us to the base of the granite Cuernos (horns) of these remarkable mountains. Passing through pastures where the Guanaco may be encountered, and along the shore of Lake Nordenskjold, our trail takes us into the very heart of the mountains. Rising above a tranquil green lagoon, the three giant monoliths of the Torres del Paine dwarf us, the rock walls rising sheerly to 2900m, a fitting highlight to an already remarkable trek. On our return to El Calafate we may get the chance to visit the famous Perito Moreno Glacier.

Patagonia Explorer

Discover the highlights of southern Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego in 11 days. From the black rock and snowcapped mountains of Ushuaia set around a placid bay, we cross the fabled Magellan straits, heading towards the wilderness at Torres del Paine, where we can hike and go in search of condors and pumas, foxes and nandus. A boat trip at Argentina’s Moreno Glacier reveals turquoise pillars and brilliant blue ice floes, then it’s on to the tiny Patagonian town of El Chalten, famed for its outdoor activities and great treks past frozen lakes and granite pillars of the southern Andes. Our trip ends at El Calafate, located deep in the great Patagonian outdoors.

Paine and Fitz Roy Trek

The Patagonian Andes form a wonderland of glacial lakes, towering granite peaks, impressive glaciers, secluded lakes, beech forests and rolling grasslands. A spectacular region ideally suited to the walker who does not want to commit to a strenuous trek. On our day walks in Los Glaciares National Park we stay in comfortable lodges and trek to the base of Cerro Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre – the granite peaks that have inspired mountaineers and trekkers throughout the world.

We transfer to Puerto Natales for a taste of Chile before cruising up the stunning fjords to the impressive Balmaceda Glacier. We continue with a series of fast Zodiacs and a catamaran through pristine waterways to our lodge in Torres del Paine National Park. Viewing the beautiful and awe inspiring scenery from the riverways is an unforgetable highlight of this trip. By contrast our fully supported classic ‘W’ trek leads into the heart of the Torres del Paine National Park. From our comfortable mountain refugios we trek beneath a panorama of impressive granite peaks rising above the tumbling glaciers and deep blue lakes and undertake exhilarating walks to clamber across the glacial moraine to the base of the peaks. Crossing the button grass we may also appreciate the guanacos and other wildlife, while we hope to spot a mighty condor soaring overhead.