Argentina Packages

The Glaciers Route
12 Days / 11 Nights

This Expedition runs from North to South along the east border of the Icefiled, at the foot of the most important and impressive mountains range of the National Park: Fitz Roy, Torre, Moyano and Norte.
While classic treks just get in the border of the National Park, coming in and out in day hikes, this Expedition runs in the heart of the Park, combining hiking with lakes Viedma and Argentino crossing.
In the first part of the tour we visit Fitz Roy & Cerro Torre area, using our Full Camps. In the second part, we get to the opposite side of lake Viedma and hike Expedition style all the Cañadón Norte, at the foot of mounts Moyano and Norte, down to Estancia Cristina, in the shores of lake Argentino.

Day 1 - El Calafate airport / El Calafate
We welcome you at Calafate airport and transfer to town to check in at your hostel. You get the rest of the day to enjoy the town and later you have your welcome dinner.
Lodging in a Hostel double or triple room with private bathroom.
Meals we provide: Dinner.

Day 2 - El Calafate - El Chaltén
Alter breakfast we take our bus for the 220 km drive to El Chaltén, a small and picturesque village at the foot of Fitz Roy & Cerro Torre massif. We make a stop half way to enjoy local pastries and hot coffee. On approach, the views of both Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre massifs and of glacier Viedma and the mountains of the Ice field are spectacular.
During the afternoon we prepare our packs for the first part of our trek.
Lodging at a Hostel room with shared bathroom.
Meals we provide: Breakfast and dinner.

Day 3 - Laguna de los Tres, Fitz Roy, Laguna Capri
Alter breakfast we drive 15 km north to river Electrico bridge. There we start our walk towards Laguna Capri Full Camp, following upriver the Rio Blanco valley, visiting the Piedras Blancas glacier viewpoint and Laguna de los Tres. This is the viewpoint for Fitz Roy massif. We have spectacular views of all the spires and glaciers. 7 hs trekking.
Lodging at Laguna Capri Full Camp in double tent (rural area)
Meals we provide: Breakfast, box lunch, dinner.

Day 4 - Laguna Torre
We go around Laguna Capri to get to the lagoons Madre and Hija valley and then to the Cerro Torre valley. We reach our camp at Laguna Torre and visit in the afternoon the northern moraine with spectaculars vies of Cerro Torre, Solo and Adela Range, and the glacier and lagoon Torre. 5 hours trekking.
Lodging at Laguna Torre Full Camp in double tent (rural area)
Meals we provide: Breakfast, box lunch, dinner.

Day 5 - Cerro Torre - El Chaltén.
This day is a highlight of the trip. We provide crampons, harnesses, and we set out to hike in the cerro Torre glacier. We cross river Fitz Roy river through a tyrolean (horizontal fixed rope attached to both sides of the river). We walk on the moraine around the lagoon and then down to the glacier visiting crevices, ice caves and holes and all the interesting places that a glacier can offer. The bonus is the close up views of Cerro Torre group spires. We hike back to our camp and on to El Chaltén in the afternoon.
Lodging in a Hostel room with shared bathroom.
Meals we provide: Breakfast, box lunch and dinner.

Day 6 - Ea Helsingfors, Moyano Fjord
Alter breakfast we start the second part of our Expedition.
We drive around Lake Viedma, making our way to Estancia Helsingfors. The Estancia is in a superb location, in the junction of the Lake Viedma and the Moyano fjord. From the Estancia, a Zodiac take us sailing along the fiord, a narrow and sharp valley between ranges Mascarello and Huemules, to our first Expedition Camp, located at the end of the fjord. From here we can see the glaciers coming down from the Ice field. Is one of the wildest and less visited areas of the National Park.
Lodging in Expedition Camp
Meals we provide: Breakfast, box lunch and dinner.

Day 7 - Towards Paso Norte
We hike up the valley that leads to the Paso Norte (Northern Pass). The sides of the valley show the traces of old forest fires. During all day we will have spectacular views of this wild section of the Park. We camp in the upper part of the valley. 700 mts to climb, 6 hs trekking.
Lodging in Expedition Camp
Meals we provide: Breakfast, box lunch and dinner.

Day 8 - Cerros Norte & Moyano, Cañadón Norte
We go on up valley until we reach the pass that leads to the Cañadón Norte (Northern Canyon). The pass is at 1100 mts above sea level. Once in the Pass we are at the foot of the impressive Cerro Moyano and we can see the Mascarello Natural Reserve (habitat for the endangered local deer, called huemul). We can see the canyon winding down in its long way to Laguna Pearson. We start our descent along glacier polished rocks, we cross some boggy areas and low forest to reach 2 spectacular lagoons at the foot of Cerro Norte. The southern one has a beautiful glacier coming down from Cerro Norte and calving in its far end. 7 hs trekking.
Lodging in Expedition Camp
Meals we provide: Breakfast, box lunch and dinner.

Day 9 - Fossils Canyon
We walk our way down along the valley, following old cattle trails. Moving from the forest into the shrubland, we climb the ridge of the valley that is to our left and from there we have spectacular views of the Fossils Canyon in front of us, Upsala glacier and Cerro Murallón in the background and Estancia Cristina in the shores of lake Argentino far away in the distance. 400 hs mts of downhill, 6 hs trekking.
Lodging in Expedition Camp
Meals we provide: Breakfast, box lunch and dinner.

Day 10 - Estancia Cristina, lake Argentino & El Calafate
We start our way down to this big wide valley, dig by the glaciers many years ago. We cross several ridges before reaching its flat bottom. A final effort is to be made, we need to wade river Los Perros, and we get to Estancia Cristina.
In the afternoon we take the boat to Puerto Bandera and we drive to El Calafate.
Lodging in a Hostel double or triple room with private bathroom.
Meals we provide: Breakfast and box lunch.

Day 11 - Moreno glacier
We dedicate this day to one of the World’s Natural Wonder: the Moreno glacier. This ice field- type glacier flows down from the Patagonian Ice field. Because unusual favourable local conditions, this glacier is the only one in the world that shows a closure and rupture process. The road leads to the very front of the glacier, which will be only meters away from your eyes. A beautiful, short trail, will lead us from the shores of the lake to the upper viewpoints. The roar of the chunks of ice falling inside the glacier or from the glacier into the lake, the frequent collapse of the front 60 mts high seracs into the turquoise water, makes out of this day a very special and unique experience. We will drive 80 km (1 and a half hour) to get and come back from the glacier across the steppe.
Lodging in a Hostel double or triple room with private bathroom.
Meals we provide: Breakfast.

Day 12 - El Calafate airport
After breakfast we transfer to El Calafate airport where our services end.
Meals we provide: Breakfast.

*** End Of Our Services ***

CODE : CAABEX - RGL