Compare Southern Patagonia, Torres del Paine & Tierra del Fuego by Birdwatching Chile vs Torres del Paine - Full Circuit Trek by G Adventures
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| Trip |
0 | Poor
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5 | Excellent
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| Duration | 6 days | 11 days |
| Price From | Check price | $ 3,999 |
| Price Per Day | Check price | $ 364 |
| Highlights |
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| Trip Style | Private guided tour | Small group tour |
| Lodging Level | Standard | Camping |
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| Flights & Transport | Ground transport included | Ground transport included |
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| Meals Included |
54 Breakfasts, 6 Lunches and 5 Dinners |
10 breakfasts, 9 lunches, 8 dinners |
| Description |
Southern Patagonia is a windswept land with a wealth of stunning environments, jagged peaks, glaciers, vast plains and old-growth forests, sprinkled with lakes and ever-changing landscapes. You will be surprised by the variety of views that never repeat themselves as you travel across this wild realm. Some of the bird specialties found here are Darwin´s Rhea, Magellanic Penguin, Chilean Skua, Magellanic Plover, Austral Canastero, Spectacled Duck, Flying Steamer Duck, Dolphin Gull, White-throated Caracara, Kelp Goose, Magellanic Oystercatcher, Austral Parakeet and White-throated Treerunner, among others. Other wildlife includes Grey Fox, Guanaco, a wild relative to Llamas, Patagonian Skunk and Hairy Armadillo. |
Gazing upon the towering, steeple-like peaks of Patagonia’s Cordillera del Paine for the first time, you’d swear they were lifted straight from The Lord of the Rings movie. But these massive rock formations are very real. Built for physically-active travellers, not hardcore mountaineers, this trip brings you to remote, lesser-visited sections of the Torres del Paine National Park and the truly unimaginable scenery to be found here. With top-notch mountain guides at your side, you’ll be able to concentrate on spotting condors in flight instead of staring blankly at a map. |
Day 1
Meals: Lunch and Dinner
Meet at Punta Arenas Airport, then we´ll drive to Tierra del Fuego, including a ferry trip, afterwards we´ll visit the shrubby slopes and moorland of the Baquedano Hills. Birds: Black-browed Albatross, Southern/Northern Giant-Petrel, Southern Fulmar, Cape Petrel, White-chinned Petrel, Magellanic Diving-Petrel, Magellanic Horned Owl, Austral Canastero, the spectacular Black-throated Finch and our target species in Tierra del Fuego, the Magellanic Plover, and other interesting shorebirds including Two-banded and Rufous-chested Dotterel. Lodging at Porvenir.
Day 2
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Tierra del Fuego and the huge embayment of Bahia Inutil. Birds: Flightless and Flying Steamer-Ducks, Kelp Goose, Imperial and Rock Cormorants, Kelp, Brown-hooded, and Dolphin Gulls and South America Tern. Along the bay we will have a slight chance of finding King Penguin as well. Lodging at Porvenir.
Day 3
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Tierra del Fuego and mainland Patagonia in search of its specialities and a short ferry ride where we´ll have a chanse to see the striking Commerson´s Dolphin. Birds: Ruddy-headed Goose, Upland Goose, Coscoroba Swan, Silver Teal, Black-headed Duck, Rosy-billed Pochard, Chilean Flamingos, Least Seedsnipe, Tawny-throated Dotterel, Short-billed Miner, Band-tailed Earthcreeper and Chocolate-vented Tyrant. Waders such as Wilson´s Phalarope, Baird´s and White-rumped Sandpipers will be common. Lodging at Punta Arenas.
Day 4
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Torres del Paine National Park. Birds: Great Grebe, Spectacled Duck, Chiloe Wigeon, Speckled Teal, Yellow-billed Pintail, Cinereous Harrier, Black-chested Buzzard Eagle, Chilean Flicker, Striped Woodpeckar and Austral Pygmy-Owl. We will scan the fast-flowing rivers hoping to find the remarkable Torrent Duck, Andean Duck, Silvery and White-tufted Grebes and with luck the elusive and recently re-discovered Austral Rail. In the surrounding sub-Antartic forest we will have good chance to see Thorn-tailed Rayadito, White-throated Treerunner, Austral Parakeet, Austral Blackbird and the striking Magellanic Woodpecker. Lodging at Torres del Paine.
Day 5
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Sierra Baguales and Punta Arenas. Birds: Patagonian Mockingbird, Gray-bellied Shrike-Tyrant, White-throated Caracara, Gray-breasted Seedsnipe, Cinnamon-bellied and Ochre-naped Ground-Tyrants, Patagonian and Greater Yellow-Finches and the stunning Yellow-bridled Finch. Lodging at Punta Arenas.
Day 6
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch
Birding around Punta Arenas and drive to the Airport. End of the Tour.
Day 1 Puerto Natales
Arrive at any time. If arriving into Punta Arenas in Chile, it is recommended to arrive prior to 14:00 to allow enough time to transfer to Puerto Natales for the welcome meeting. If arriving to El Calafate in Argentina, you will need to get there a day before and then take the bus to Puerto Natales today.
Please note the airport in Puerto Natales is small with limited flight connections. Most flights will be through Punta Arenas in Chile or El Calafate in Argentina, both of which would involve taking a public bus or transfer. Your welcome meeting normally starts sometime between 5 and 6pm (please see welcome note on arrival at the hotel) and then you will be able to rent equipment if you want to after. Please note rental shops normally close by 8 or 9pm, so you would need to be there by that time to guarantee being able to rent what you need.
Day 2 Puerto Natales/Laguna Azul Camp
Embark on a 9-day excursion within Torres del Paine NP, hiking the full Torres del Paine circuit known as the O circuit. Start the 130km (80.7 mi) route by trekking to the base of Las Torres to see the dramatic three towers and turquoise lagoon below.
The group will enter the park through the main entrance of Amarga Lagoon. The trail begins with a slope and a side view of the imposing Ascencio Valley and the river with the same name, passing through the famous “Windy Pass” to get to the first official stop at Refugio El Chileno. From there the group will continue towards a forest of native Lenga trees before arriving to the glacial moraine. Here the last, and hardest, part of the trail starts as we will be gaining 300m of altitude in the last kilometer. Please note this last kilometer is steep and rocky, carrying hiking poles (available for rent in Puerto Natales) will really help make this section of trail more manageable. The last km takes around 1 hour, but it is SO worth it! The spectacular view of the three granite towers will be waiting at the top, where we will have lunch with a view! Return along the same trail and meet our driver who is going to take everyone to the first campsite, Laguna Azul.
Day 3 Torres del Paine/Camp Serón
Transfer by van to the Las Torres area. Today we start our trek around the Paine Massif. Head out across ancient glacial moraines on the way to camp Serón. The trail goes through Lenga forests where we can spot some wildlife. The hike today will be around 5 hours. Arrive to Camping Serón where the group will have dinner and rest up for tomorrow.
Day 4 Camp Serón/Lake Dickson Camp
Eat an early breakfast before the hike to Lago Dickson, a glacial lake on the edge of the Southern Patagonia Ice Cap. Hike past bright blooming Notro bushes and cross a stream along the lake. A beautiful, leisurely hike that will take around 6 hours today. Arrive at Camping Dickson and opt for a hot shower and a beer as a reward.
Day 5 Lake Dickson Camp/Los Perros Camp
Continue along the north side of the park to an incredible lookout point of Lake Dickson and the surrounding valley. Follow the trail through the tall forest to reach another lookout for Perros Glacier, well worth the climb.
Pack up and head out through pristine, old growth beech forest. Look and listen for the red-headed Magellanic woodpecker. Just before we arrive to camp, trek past the Perros glacier and enjoy fantastic close-up views of the ice and the lake. Spend the night camping at the base of Paso John Garner at Los Perros.
Day 6 Los Perros Camp/Grey Glacier Camp
Today is the toughest day of the O trek, start with an uphill climb for 2-3 hours, passing over the highest point. The beginning of the trail is through forest, but once you reach 800m of altitude, the path starts to get rocky and may become a little slippery. Take in the first view of Grey Glacier and gaze into the distance to take in its 270km² (104 mi²) spread. Climb vertical ladders and pass a suspension bridge en route to Grey Camp.
This is the biggest day yet as we climb over Paso John Garner and hike down through thick forest directly above the massive Grey Glacier. Once on the pass, look out over rugged, glaciated peaks, and the Southern Patagonia Ice Cap – a view not to be missed! The glacier stretches out below like a giant white highway. To get to the Grey Glacier Camp, there is a big descent of approximately 1700m through the forest.
Day 7 Grey Glacier Camp
Enjoy the day exploring Grey Lake and Grey Glacier. The spectacular scenery is a highlight of the trek with the back drop of snow-capped mountains and floating pieces of piercing blue glacier. The afternoon is free for resting and exploring the area. Opt for a short trek along the west side of the Grey Glacier.
Day 8 Grey Glacier Camp/Paine Grande Camp
Head out on an optional morning kayak on the coast of Lake Grey with amazing views of Grey Glacier and its icebergs. Later, hike along Lake Grey to appreciate different viewpoints of the glacier. Hike to join the famous W Trek and end at Lake Pehoé. Relax at Paine Grande Camp and share trekking stories with the other hikers.
Cross a high plateau overlooking Grey Lake and see icebergs and views across Grey Glacier on the way to Lake Pehoé. Pehoé means "hidden lake" in the Tehuelche language. The afternoon is free to relax at Lodge Paine Grande and enjoy the area. At night, enjoy a pisco sour cocktail in the bar overlooking Paine Grande & Los Cuernos mountains.
Day 9 Paine Grande Camp/Cuernos Camp
Hike to the French Valley lookout to see the mountain range spread across the national park, take in the contrasting greens and greys of the landscape.
Continue the trek to the French Valley. Surrounded by hanging glaciers and an amphitheater of granite walls and spires, this is the most beautiful valley in the park and one of the most unique in the world. After, trek out of the valley to the extraordinary turquoise Lake Nordenskjold. After six to eight hours, end the day at Cuernos Camp for dinner and sleep.
Day 10 Lake Nordenskjöld/Puerto Natales
The concluding day of the O circuit continues along Lake Nordenskjöld. Take in the final views of Torres del Paine, reflect on the last nine days and relish in the sense of accomplishment before heading back to Puerto Natales.
Trek along Lake Nordenskjöld and below the hanging glaciers of Mount Almirante Nieto, to the reach Hosteria Las Torres, where our van awaits us. Transfer to Puerto Natales.
Day 11 Puerto Natales
Depart at any time.
The airport in Puerto Natales is small with limited flight connections. Many onward flight connections will be through Punta Arenas in Chile or El Calafate in Argentina which would involve taking a public bus or transfer of 3-4 hours, if you are flying out of one of these airports we recommend flying out in the afternoon to allow for travel time.
