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| Estancia Cristina, Estancia Helsingfors, Laguna de los Tres, Fitz Roy, Laguna Capri |
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The Glaciers Route 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.
In this traverse we will often walk
off trail. Clients are requested to carry
their own stuff and cooperate to carry general
equipment & food and fuel.
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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.
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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Lake Viedma, Estancia Helsingfors
After 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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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El Calafate airport
After breakfast we transfer to El Calafate airport where our services end.
Meals we provide: Breakfast.
Click here to see: Accommodations of the trekking
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Porters service
Argentinian Explorer 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 Argentinian Explorer 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.
Notes
Argentinian Explorer holds 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.
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.
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SERVICES 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.
SERVICES NOT INCLUDED. The expeditions tours don't include sleeping bag or Sleeping mattress
National Parks fees
Medical and life insurance
Drinks
Tips
Air tickets and airport taxes
Services not detailed in the program
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| List of suggested personal equipment |
Backpack of 80 to 90 lts
Mountain plastic double boots
Sleeping bag, down or synthetic, for -20ºC
Sleeping mattress
Thermal underwear
Cotton t-shirt
Trekking pants
Fleece
Goretex parkaGoretex 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
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