Footprint

Adventures

     the way to go ....

Glacier's Route

Travel Trust
Association
Member R704x

Home
Online Reservations   Secure Payments   Booking Conditions   Download Booking Form  Worldwide Flights

      Brochure Request   More Information  Travel Insurance   Airport Parking Hotel Reservations Hostel Reservations  Video Clips Online Services

African Safaris and Treks Asia Trekking & Wildlife South America Overland Truck Adventure Safaris and Polar Cruises
Botswana
Kenya
Namibia
Rwanda
South Africa
Tanzania
Uganda
Bhutan
Cambodia
India
Indonesia
Laos
Malaysia
Nepal
Thailand
Tibet
Vietnam
Argentina
Brazil
Chile
Ecuador
Peru
African Accommodated Wildlife Adventures
African Safaris and Overland Adventures
African Wildlife Adventure Safaris
African Budget Truck Adventures
Trans Africa Expeditions
South America Overland
Middle East Overland
Arctic Regions
Antarctica

We have a new website please follow this link to our new website
 

 Prices for - Argentina Trekking and Adventures

Glacier's Route

12 days – 11 nights (Demanding expedition)

Departures: Saturdays, each 14 days

Season: November thru March

Trip starts at: El Calafate airport

Trip ends at: El Calafate airport

Group departures with a minimum of 3 pax

Code

Start

End

RGL

1

24 Oct 09

04 Nov 09

RGL

2

07 Nov 09

18 Nov 09

RGL

3

21 Nov 09

02 Dec 09

RGL

4

05 Dec 09

16 Dec 09

RGL

5

19 Dec 09

30 Dec 09

RGL

6

02 Jan 10

13 Jan 10

RGL

7

16 Jan 10

27 Jan 10

RGL

8

30 Jan 10

10 Feb 10

RGL

9

13 Feb 10

24 Feb 10

RGL

10

27 Feb 10

10 Mar 10

RGL

11

13 Mar 10

24 Mar 10

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.

Itinerary

Day

1

 

El Calafate airport

2

Bus to El Chaltén

3

Río Eléctrico – Laguna de los Tres - Laguna Capri

4

Madre and Hija valley – Laguna Torre

5

Torre glacier – El Chaltén

6

Lake Viedma crossing

7

Towards Paso Norte

8

Cerros Norte and Moyano

9

Fossils Canyon

10

Estancia La Cristina – El Calafate

11

Perito Moreno glacier

12

El Calafate

Lodging

Full Camp
Expedition Camp
Hostel Room

 


Itinerary

Day 1      El Calafate

We welcome you at Calafate airport and transfer to town to check in at your hostel. By 7 pm the group meets in the lobby of the Hostel del Glaciar Pioneros, street Pioneros 251, El Calafate, to meet your guide, discuss details of your program and enjoy your welcome dinner together with your fellow trekkers.

Lodging in a Hostel 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      Lake Viedma, Estancia Helsingfors

Alter breakfast we start the second part of our Expedition.

We drive to Bahía Tunel on lake Viedma, where we get the boat to visit the Viedma glacier and we sail on to reach the opposite coast of the lake, close to Estancia Helsingfors.

From there we walk up to our first Expedition Camp, along the Moyano fiord, a narrow and sharp valley between ranges Mascarello and Huemules. At the end of the fiord we can see the glaciers coming down from the Icefield. 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 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 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.

 

Included

Bilingual Tour Leader (Spanish – English)

Mountain guide

3 nights lodging in Hostel room with private bathroom

2 nights lodging in Hostel room with shared bathroom

2 nights lodging at Full Camp

4 nights lodging at Expedition Camp

Tents and general camping equipment

12 breakfast, 8 box lunch and 9 dinners

All transfers El Calafate airport – El Calafate – El Chaltén – Bahía Túnel – Pto Bandera El Calafate – El Calafate airport

Boat trip from Bahia Tunel to Helsingfors

We combine private and regular buses for our transfers.

Perito Moreno glacier excursion.

 

Lodging

The RGL – The Glaciers Route is offered in the following type of accommodation.

Nights

01

02

03

04

05

06

07

08

09

10

11

Hostel room with private bathroom

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hostel room with shared bathroom

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Full Camp

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Expedition Camp

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We pitch up the Expedition Camp upon arrival to our camping site. Includes tents and all the necessary equipment to cook and serve meals but no dinning nor kitchen tent is provided. Meals are served outside or in your tents, according to weather conditions.

In this style of Camps the passenger uses its own sleeping bag which he carry as part of his personal equipment.

Full Camps are pitched up early in the season, so we find the camp ready upon arrival. It offers comfortable 3 people igloo type tents for each 2 passengers, with mattresses and sleeping bags. An inside cotton sheet is provided as inner clothing for the sleeping bag. The camp also features a spacious dinning tent, a kitchen tent, tables, benches or chairs and a full set of table service and kitchenware.

Full Camps inside Los Glaciares National Park are in the wilderness, so toilettes and showers are not available. We provide hot water for personal cleaning and bathrooms are latrine type.

In El Calafate we lodge in hostel rooms with private bathrooms. This means that you take a bed and you share the room with fellow travellers of your same gender and your same group.

In El Chaltén we take a bed in hostel rooms, but with shared bathrooms. This mean the bathroom is outside your bed room, being available different bathrooms for both men and women. You share the room with other guests of the Hostel of your same gender.

 

Meals

Days

01

02

03

04

05

06

07

08

09

10

11

12

Breakfast

 

Box Lunch

 

 

 

 

Dinner

 

 

 

 

Porters service

 

We will carry all the general equipment for the Expedition, (tents, food, gas, first aid kit).

In our Expeditions the passenger carries its own personal equipment (backpack, spare cloth, sleeping bag and mattress, personal items) and also carries the personal equipment provided by Camino Abierto to go on trek and the box lunch for that day. This is necessary not only to spread the weight but also to have it handy when you need it.

The luggage that you will not take with you in the first section of the trek stays at El Chaltén in our office. The luggage that you do not carry with you in the second section of the Expedition, will be taken to El Calafate and you will meet it upon arrival in your hostel.

When this Expedition is hired as a private group under your own brand name, out of our regular departures, we offer you the possibility of hiring porters to carry up to a maximum of 8 kg per pax.

 

Not included

National Parks fees

Medical and life insurance

Drinks

Tips

Air tickets and airport taxes

Services not detailed in the program

 

Notes

We hold the right of changing the itinerary or to cancel any of the activities when any natural cause (or any other cause of any type) justifies it in order to look after the group safety.

The lake Viedma crossing depends on the company that runs the trip and in weather conditions. Should the boat trip not be available, we will replace the boat trip by a land transfer to the same location, that is Estancia Helsingfors area.

 

Meeting Point

The Meeting Point for the Group on Day 1 is at 7 pm at the lobby of the Hostel del Glaciar Pioneros, street Pioneros 251, El Calafate. This Meeting Point can be modified and will be confirmed upon booking confirmation of the passenger.

 

¿Is this Tour for me?

To take the best out of this tour you should be in good physical condition. We grade this trek as demanding. It is not necessary to have former experience. The group walks an average of 6 to 7 hs a day, some days may be more, at a moderate and steady pace with the necessary stops. The trek includes some long and steady climbs, up to 800 mts in key days, some of them steep enough to be demanding. It also includes a lot of off trail walking. Outdoors and camping experience in the wilderness is also advisable.

 

List of suggested personal equipment:

Backpack of 75 to 85 lts

Good pair of trekking shoes

Sleeping bag, down or synthetic, for -20ºC

Sleeping mattress

Thermal underwear

Cotton t-shirt

Trekking pants

Fleece

Goretex parka

Goretex overpants.

Gaiters

Gloves

An extra pair of thin thermal gloves

Thermal socks, a couple of pairs, thin and thick

Trekking poles

Balaclava

Sun glasses with UV protection

Sun screen (UV radiation is very strong)

Flask or plastic water bottle

Tape

Hygiene items

Lamp

Personal medication

 

 Prices for - Chile Trekking and Adventures


21
Years of  Adventure Travel

Mount Kenya Fundraising Trek for St. Barnabas Hospice Lincoln

 

Footprint Adventures Ltd.

Registered Office 5 Malham Drive, Lincoln, LN6 0XD, UK.  Tel + 44 (0) 1522 804929 Fax + 44 (0) 1522 306156

Out of hours emergency contact +44 (0) 1522306148. Preferred method of contact is by email. 
 Footprint Adventures Ltd is a limited liability Company Registered in England registration no 2363685, VAT number 619307049
© 1988 - 2009 Footprint Adventures and/or its suppliers. All rights reserved.
Travel Trust Association Member R704x

Last Updated 22/12/2009

the way to go......  
for Birding, Trekking, Wildlife, Cultural, Camping & Overland Adventure Tours

http://www.footprint-adventures.com    http://www.footprint-adventures.co.uk

Powered by Green Energy!         The Biggest Online Birding Community!