EXPLORATIONS PATAGONIA
- 1.LAGO GREY PENÍNSULA WALK Length: Half-day. Itinerary: Depart
hotel. By vehicle: Río Paine, Guardería Lago Grey. By foot:
Río Pingo hanging bridge. Lago Grey peninsula. Return. Attractions:
Mature lenga forest. View of Glaciar Grey. Icebergs along the beach. Level:
Easy.
- 2. GLACIER GREY WALK Length: Full day. Picnic. Itinerary: Depart
hotel. By boat: Lago Pehoé, Refugio Pehoé. By foot: Refugio
Pehoé, lookout point over Glacier Grey and Southern Ice Field. Return.
Attractions: Views of Glacier Grey and the Macizo Paine. Icebergs. Rivers,
gorges and forests, with lookout points. NOTE: The boat crossing is dependent
on weather conditions. Level: Difficult.
- 3. ALTURAS DEL TORO WALK Length: Full day. Picnic. Itinerary: Depart
hotel. By vehicle: Quebrada La Feria, Alturas del Lago del Toro, Puente
Weber. Return. Attractions: Mature beech, forests, lakes, views of the
enormous, deep blue Lago Toro, the emerald waters of Río Paine and
the golden prairie of the Valle Río Serrano. Condors. Level: Medium.
- 4. JOURNEY NORTH OF THE PARK; LAGUNA AZUL AND A TRADITIONAL QUINCHO
BARBECUE Length: Full day. Lunch: Traditional lamb and vegetable barbecue.
Itinerary: Depart hotel. By vehicle: Cascada Río Paine. Guardería
Laguna Amarga ranger station, Laguna Azul, Río de Las Chinas, Quincho
explora. Short walks around the area. Attractions: Easy exploration, followed
by a festive barbecue. View wildlife such as guanacos, Darwin's rhea, condors,
foxes, ducks, geese, and more. Río Paine Cascades. Level: Easy.
- 5. MIRADOR NORDENSKJÖLD WALK Length: Half-day. Trail snacks.
Itinerary: Depart hotel. By vehicle: Refugio Pudeto. By foot: Shore of
Lago Pehoé, Salto Grande, Lago Nordenskjöld, Mirador Nordenskjöld.
Return. Attractions: The cascade and roar of Salto Grande waterfall. Views
of Valle Francés, Macizo Paine Grande, Cuernos del Paine. NOTE:
Strong wind. Level: Easy.
- 6. MIRADOR DEL TORO WALK Length: Half-day. Trail snacks. Itinerary:
Depart hotel. By vehicle: Río Paine Shore. By foot: Climb to Mirador
del Toro, descending to the Posada Río Serrano and Park Administration.
Scientific presentation by Conaf park rangers on the area's geography,
geology, fauna and flora. Observe birds, local fauna and learn characteristics
of regional flora. Views of Lago Toro and Río Serrano, flanked by
large mountains such as Cerro Ferrier, Cerro Donoso and more. Level: Easy.
- 7. LAS CORNISAS WALK Length: Half-day. Trail snacks. Itinerary:
Depart hotel by foot: Cerros del Sureste, Mirador de los Cóndores,
Cornisas, Mirador Alto Conaf, Quebrada La Feria. Return. Attractions: Winter
-- groups of guanacos are usually seen along the trail. Views of the park's
southeast side, including Lago Pehoé, Lago Nordenskjöld, Cuernos
del Paine, Valle del Francés and several other lakes. Pass through
condor habitat and walk along a cornice to the Mirador Alto, descending
the Quebrada La Feria, where there are small lakes and forest. Level: Medium.
- 8. GLACIER DEL VALLE DEL FRANCÉS WALK Length: Full day. Picnic.
Itinerary: Depart hotel. By boat: Lago Pehoé, Refugio Pehoé.
By foot: Lago Skottsberg, Valle del Francés, Campamento Italiano,
Mirador del Glaciar. Return. Attractions: Valle del Francés -- one
of the park's most exceptional sectors, and the Cordillera del Paine. View
of the Cuernos del Paine, the Macizo Paine Grande (3,050m/ 10,000ft), the
Cerro Paine Grande, the Glaciar del Francés, the Lago Nordenskjöld
and numerous other lakes and lagoons. NOTE: The boat crossing always depends
on weather conditions. Level: Medium.
- 9. BASE OF THE TORRES DEL PAINE WALK Length: Full day. Picnic. Itinerary:
Depart hotel. By vehicle: Río Paine, Guardería Laguna Amarga,
Estancia Cerro Paine, Cerro Almirante Nieto. By foot: Valle del Río
Ascencio, Campamento Chileno, lenga forests, Campamento Torres, lookout
point with views of the Torres del Paine and the lake below them. Return.
Attractions: This is one of the most challenging explorations in the park.
Habitat for numerous birds. Multiple-colored lakes. View of the imposing
Almirante Nieto (2,640m/ 8,661ft). View of Lago Nordenskjöld, Laguna
Amarga and Río Paine. Forests of century-old beech and impressive
views of the Torres del Paine. NOTE: This exploration requires that guests
be in good physical shape. Level: Difficult.
- 10. ARCHEOLOGICAL WALK FROM GUARDERIA SARMIENTO TO GUARDERIA LAGUNA
AMARGA Length: Half-day. Itinerary: Depart hotel. By vehicle: Guardería
Lago Sarmiento. By foot: Head north along the park's perimeter. Petroglyphs.
Guardería Laguna Amarga. Return. Attractions: W alk through open
land with panoramic views. Rock outcroppings with ancient paintings by
Tehuelche Indians, the first inhabitants of the region. Abundant guanacos
and possibility of viewing a puma. NOTE: This walk is generally taken before
the barbecue at the Quincho. Level: Easy.
- 11. LAGO SARMIENTO WALK Length: Half-day. Trail snacks. Itinerary:
Depart hotel. By vehicle: Lago Pehoé, Lago Nordenskjöld. By
foot: Shore of Lago Sarmiento. Return. Attractions: Calcium carbonate formations
along the lake shore and, during the winter, groups of guanacos along the
trail. Level: Easy.
- 12. REFUGIO PEHOÉ HORSEBACK RIDE Length: Full day. Picnic.
Itinerary: Depart hotel. By vehicle: Corral (near Park Administration).
By horse: Campamento Las Carretas, Río Grey, Refugio Pehoé.
Return. By boat: Cross Lago Pehoé. Attractions: View of the Macizo
del Paine and Lago Grey with its icebergs. NOTE: This exploration requires
previous horseback riding experience. The boat crossing depends on weather
conditions. Level: Medium.
- 13. THE QUINCHO HORSEBACK RIDE Length: Half-day. Itinerary: Depart
hotel. By vehicle: Guardería Laguna Amarga, Cascada Paine, Laguna
Azul, Quincho explora. By horse: Río de las Chinas, Antarctic and
deciduous beech forests. Return to Quincho. Attractions: View of the Sierra
Baguales, Torres del Paine, Río de las Chinas. NOTE: Ride takes
place before or after the barbecue at the Quincho. Level: Easy.
- 14. LAGUNA AZUL WALK Length: Half-day. Trail snacks. Itinerary:
Depart hotel. By vehicle: Guardería Laguna Amarga, Cascada Paine,
Laguna Azul. By foot: Shore of Laguna Azul, Mirador Torres del Paine. Attractions:
Antarctic and deciduous beech forests, views of the Torres del Paine and
Laguna Azul. NOTE: Can be taken before or after the barbecue at the Quincho.
Level: Easy.
- 15. MIRADOR DONOSO HORSEBACK RIDE Length: Full day. Picnic. Itinerary:
Depart hotel. By vehicle: Corral (near Park Administration). By horse:
Puente Río Grey, pampa Esmeralda, Laguna los Choros, Cerro Donoso.
Attractions: Pass through flower-filled meadows. Narrow trails through
forest, lakes and pampa. View of Cerro Donoso, one of the most unexplored
sections of the park. Level: Medium.
- 16. RÍO SERRANO HORSEBACK RIDE Length: Half-day. Trail snacks.
Itinerary: Depart hotel. By vehicle: Corral (near Park Administration).
By horse: Río Serrano, the Patagonian steppe of the Pampa Serrano.
Attractions: Ride along the deep blue water of Río Serrano, with
views of snowcapped Monte Balmaceda. Return along the golden prairie of
the Pampa Serrano, with views of the Cuernos del Paine. Level: Easy.
- 17. LAGUNA LINDA HORSEBACK RIDE Length: Half-day. Trail snacks.
Itinerary: Depart hotel. By vehicle: Corral (near Park Administration).
By horse: Laguna Negra, Laguna Linda, pampa surrounding Park Administration.
Attractions: Stark hills with burnt trees. Views of Río Paine, Lago
Toro, Cordillera Paine and the Andean mountain chain. Level: Easy.
- 18. 2 DE ENERO ESTANCIA HORSEBACK RIDE Length: Half-day. Trail snacks.
Itinerary: Depart hotel. By vehicle: Guardería Laguna Amarga, Cascada
Paine, Laguna Azul, Quincho explora. By horse: Río Zamora, sections
of pampa, Laguna Jara, Estancia 2 de Enero at the base of the Cerro Obelisco,
Río Zamora. Attractions: Possibility of viewing condors and eagles.
View of the Sierra Baguales and the Torres del Paine. NOTE: Requires previous
horseback riding experience. Ride may be taken before or after the Quincho
barbecue. Level: Easy.
- 19. LAGUNA LA CAL / SARMIENTO WALK Length: Full day. Picnic. Itinerary:
Depart hotel by foot: Laguna La Cal, Paso Las Buitreras (condor nesting
site), Lago Sarmiento and Sarmiento Chico. Attractions: The first portion
of the trail passes through forests of native beech. Laguna La Cal is in
a unique windy area. During the spring, the area is home to abundant fauna.
Impressive view of the Cuernos del Paine en route to Lago Sarmiento, with
its formations of calcium carbonate. Level: Medium.
- 20. RIO PINGO WALK Length: Half-day or full day. Trail snacks or
picnic. Itinerary: Depart hotel. By vehicle: Río Paine, Guardería
Lago Grey. By foot: Río Pingo, Refugio Pingo, Chorrillo de los Salmones.
Attractions: Follow a rushing river of glacier water, across open prairies
and through stunning vegetation that is home to a large variety of birds.
Cascada del Río de los Salmones. The full-day walk arrives at Cascada
del Río Pingo, passing through a forest of mature beech, with views
of Cerro Paine Grande. Level: Easy.
- 21. MIRADOR CONDOR WALK Length: Half-day. Trail snacks. Itinerary:
Depart hotel by foot, climbing to the Mirador de los Cóndores, descending
toward Lago Pehoé. Return. Attractions: Introduction to the park,
observe different species of plants and birds. This walk is generally taken
on the afternoon of guests' arrival. Level: Medium.
- 22. MIRADOR FERRIER WALK Length: Half day. Itinerary: Depart hotel.
By vehicle: Río Paine, Guardería Lago Grey. By foot: Guardería
Grey, Mirador Ferrier. Return to hotel. Attractions: Beautiful vegetation
and possible huemul sighting. An ancient lenga forest, and a spectacular
panoramic view of the macizo from the eastern side, as well as Valle del
Pingo. Views of the Grey, Pehoé, Nordenskjold and Sarmiento Lakes.
NOTE: The ascent to Mirador is along a winding and steep pathway. Level:
Difficult.
- 23. LAGUNA VERDE HORSEBACK RIDE Length: Full day. Picnic. Itinerary:
Depart hotel. By vehicle: explora studs. By horse: Weber Bridge, Lago Toro
Heights, Laguna Verde. Return to hotel. Attractions: View of the immense
Lago Toro, Río Paine and Serrano pampas. Lenga forests, lagoons,
and finally Laguna Verde and an outstanding view of the macizo. Level:
Medium.
|
