Patagonia Trekking Adventure
December 13-21, 2008

Patagonia is a huge area of land that comprises the southern part of South America. Located in both Chile and Argentina and consisting of mountains, glaciers, lakes, and plains, it is the Andes mountain range cutting down between Chile and Argentina that has made Patagonia an explorer's dream for hundreds of years.

Our Patagonia tour takes place entirely in Chile, in the area in and around Torres del Paine National Park. The park's main feature and namesake are the three Torres (towers), huge granite peaks jutting straight up into the sky. The entire region is remote, sparsely populated, and beautifully situated among snow-capped mountains, alpine lakes, and windblown plateaus. Plus, the national park has well-marked paths with picturesque views from almost every turn.

This is a unique trekking adventure for us, because we actually spend nights in comfortable refugios, or mountain huts, that have more amenities than you would expect in a national park. We hike from one refugio to the next, taking in the incredible sights, as our gear is transported mostly by Zodiac boat along the fjords. Patagonia is a world-class hiking destination and our multi-day, refugio-based trek is a fantastic way to see the backcountry without forgoing the comforts of a soft bed.

Special Notes
1. We will purchase and bill you the cost of the Santiago-Punta Arenas flight (approximately $675). Because we might have to purchase this ticket many months in advance, it is possible this payment will be due prior to the tour balance, which is due 60 days prior to the trip.  2) Because we must provide a non-refundable deposit to our local operator, the $500 deposit for this trip is not refundable or transferrable to another trip, starting seven days after you receive your trip confirmation email and Pre-Departure Packet. Please strongly consider trip insurance!

Accommodations
We begin our Adventure at the Hotel Torremayor in Santiago, a modern hotel in the heart of the city. The next two nights we spend in the heart of Patagonia in a fantastic Eco Camp, semi-permanent luxury tents designed to have minimal impact on the environment and similar in amenities to the tented safaris in Africa. Then for four nights we are trekking.  For three of those nights we stay in a series of refugios such as the Hosteria Tyndall. The refugios provide us with meals, have communal baths with hot water (most of the time), and bedrooms sleeping from two to eight hikers in bunkbeds. These are basic but a step up from camping and can seem luxurious after a day of hiking in the backcountry! The fourth day of trekking we sleep in tents at the Pekin Guerrero campground on a local rancher's land.  Our final night of the tour we reward ourselves with a stay in the luxurious Weskar Lodge in Puerto Natales, with views overlooking Ultima Esperanza Fiord.

For More Information
See our Patagonia Frequently Asked Questions and Itinerary pages.