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Overview

Trekking trip in Chile

A timeless trekking route around the breathtaking Towers of Paine. This adventurous trip is considered by many to be one of the world's classic trekking routes, and with good reason. In the heart of Chilean Patagonia we find ourselves in Torres del Paine National Park. The incomparable Towers of Paine are undoubtedly one of the park's main highlights, yet we marvel at much more during the trip - beautiful forests, immense glaciers, azure lakes and the wild desolation of Patagonia. We follow a new route with superb views of the north side of the Paine Massif. On this trip we stay in Las Torres Ecocamp, a unique outdoor experience that allows you to feel close to nature in comfort.

Don't hesitate to contact our Uniktour expert to get more information about this trekking trip in Chile!

Itinerary

Day 1| Arrival in Santiago
Start Santiago. The city fronts the usually snowcapped Andes, which provides us with a great vista to explore the blend of colonial and modern Santiago. In the afternoon, we take a city tour (approx. 3 hours), visiting the squares and streets of the colonial centre, and the Presidential palace. CH

Day 2| Punta Arenas - Torres del Paine national park
Early flight to Punta Arenas. Transfer to Puerto Natales where we will have lunch and some time to explore the town. Continue onto Torres del Paine N.P., where we transfer to the eco-camp. In the Chilean summer, the sun sets around 11pm, which gives us plenty of light to admire the landscape en route. CC (B,L,D)

Day 3| Torres del Paine
We start our trekking journey with the celebrated hike to the foot of the impressive granite massif of El Paine. From here we can admire the fantastic sight of the Towers of Paine (weather permitting) rising above a green lagoon. The famous Torres del Paine consist of three gigantic granite monoliths, the remains of a great cirque that has been sheared
away by the forces of glacial ice. (Approx 13 miles round-trip, 9-10 hours walking) CC (B,L,D)

Day 4| Laguna Azul
Early transfer to Laguna Azul. We begin trekking through the lenga forest on the northern side of Laguna Azul lake which was affected by the February 2005 fire. In this area we may see black woodpeckers, which are prevalent in Patagonia. We continue onto Lake Dickinson and upon arrival, we have a spectacular view over the Dickson Glacier and part of the Hielo Patagonico Sur (South Patagonia Ice Field). Continuing along the eastern bank of the Rio Paine, we stop at a lookout point for a wonderful panoramic view of Lago Paine below. We descend to the lake level and continue across open grasslands along the Rio Paine to Refugio Dickson. Our stunning campsite will be in the Dickson Valley surrounded by towering snow capped peaks and the pretty waters of Dickson Lake with Mt. Cubo in the distance. (Approx 18 miles, 9 hours walking) FC (B,L,D)

Day 5| Lago Quemando
An easy hike to recover after the two previous demanding days. Today we head north to Lago Quemado and get close to the spectacular Dickson Glacier and its iceberg-filled lake. (Approx 9 miles, 6 hours walking) FC (B,L,D)

Day 6| Los Perros river
The trail follows Los Perros River and we encounter the wildest part of our trek. Virgin beech forests criss-crossed by many water courses lead the way towards the lovely Laguna Los Perros where we set up camp. (Approx 6 miles, 5 hours walking). PC (B,L,D)

Day 7| Grey Glacier - Lago Pehoe
The morning is free to explore, or take an optional half-day hike on the Grey Glacier (no previous glacier hiking experience is needed and all the technical gear is provided.) This is a fantastic experience and a great way to see the glacier up close. After lunch we continue our trek and we reach the highest point of the circuit at 1300m, providing an awe-inspiring view of the Grey glacier, an enormous fractured mass of ice obstructing the valley. Our route continues roughly south along forested slopes overlooking the enormous Grey glacier - more than five miles across and ten miles in length. Finally, the track climbs onto a flat ridge and passes a small lake before descending through a dry, shallow valley to arrive at the azure Lago Pehoe where we camp. (Approx 9 miles, 10-11 hours walking) FC (B,L,D)

Day 8| Valles Frances
After breakfast we start the challenging trek to Valles Frances. This is a steep trail that takes us into the heart of the Paine Massif. We follow the trail until we reach the hanging bridge over the French River. Here we are rewarded with magnificent views of the high valley. After a picnic lunch we descend to our campsite for the night. Cuernos (Approx 15 miles, 8 hours walking) FC (B,L,D)

Day 9| Cuernos Trail
Today we start our trek along the Cuernos trail to the EcoCamp. We trek along the beautiful Lake Nordenskold and we enjoy the stunning views of the park lakes and the famous Paine Horns. (Approx 13 miles, 8 to 10 hours walking) CC (B,L,D)

Day 10| Punta Arenas - Santiago
Early morning transfer back to Punta Arenas for the flight back to Santiago. CH (B,L)

Day 11| Departure
The trip ends in Santiago after breakfast this morning. Those on group flights will transfer to the airport for the flight back to Montréal. (B)

Budget

**Rates published on this website are for information purposes only and are not legally binding (since departure dates are not given). Prices on this website are known to fluctuate frequently in relation to changes in currencies and hotel pricing. In order to obtain a definite quote, please click here.

Other fees

Trip Profile
5 days point-to-point walking, 2 daywalks. Full porterage. Maximum altitude 1300m.

Accommodation
2 nights hotels, 3 nights eco-camp, 5 nights camping.

Food
All breakfasts, 9 lunches and 8 dinners included.

Group size and age
Min. 6, max. 16, plus leader. Minimum age 18.

Misc
EcoCamp - Patagonia

The Torres EcoCamp consists of permanent geodesic structures forming individual bedrooms built around a 9m central dome. The facility's hot showers, modern toilets and heating allows you to enjoy the surroundings in an ecologically sustainable manner, no matter what the weather is doing outside!