Guides and group sizes
Ratio is 1 mountain guide/assistance per 3 guests. Maximum group size is 9 guests.
Difficulty and prerequisites
These are all physically demanding days and participants must be in good hiking shape.
Guests are required to carry a backpack with their personal gear (clothes, sleeping bag, pad, etc), group (tents, pot, stoves, etc) and food. About 20 kg +/-. Personal porters could be arranged in advance, if needed.
No mountaineering experience is required, however if you had some it helps a lot.
Transportation
Participants are responsible for their own transportation to El Chaltén, Argentina. Your travel agent should be able to arrange this for you. You can get there by flying to Buenos Aires, and then fly to El Calafate. From there, you can get on a 4-hour bus journey or you we can arrange a private transfer.
Accommodation & meals
All food during the trekking is included.
Please let us know of any special dietary requirements you have when booking.
If you need any help with your lodging, do not hesitate to ask us. We can find the best for your taste and budget.
Weather consideration
The fame of the area regarding wind and fast changeable conditions are not a legend. Be ready to experience nature and all its beauties and power. We have two back up days and one rest day, which we use flexibly to make best use of weather conditions.
PASO DEL VIENTO 3 DAYS
ITINERARY
Day 0
Welcome by the mountain guide who will join you on the expedition. Equipment check and a brief informational talk about the region’s characteristics and the itinerary for the upcoming days.
Day 1
After breakfast and packing our stuff. We hike along the Río Túnel and over the Loma del Pliegue Tumbado. For only 6 hours with a 500-meter elevation gain. One of the less hiked trails in the park, however one of the most spectacular ones.
We will be able to see both mountain ranges, Cerro Torre Range and Fitz Roy Range! Also, if mother nature allows, we will see the famous Paso del Viento with Mariano Moreno Range in its background (mountains in the Southern Continental Ice Cap). We will rest and have dinner in Laguna Toro Campsite.
Day 2
This trek brings all the terrains together: grass, scree and glacier. This is the highlight of the expedition. With impressive views of the Continental Southern Ice Cap, third largest ice mass of freshwater in the world. We will need to cross the river by a Tyrolean traverse or by wading it according to conditions. After capturing these astonishing images with our cameras and eyes, we head back to our camp in Laguna Toro.
Day 3
Return to El Chaltén, following the Río Túnel until we begin our 500-meter ascent to the Pampa de las Carretas. We pass through a large area of burned forest, rich with many stories and legends. Once we complete our ascent, we will have lunch while enjoying the view of the beautiful granite spires.
Finally, we continue our descent toward El Chaltén, which we can appreciate from above during the last stretch of the hike. We make a brief stop at the visitor centre of Los Glaciares National Park, and then head to our lodge/hotel/hostel to enjoy a well-deserved shower. We will meet again for dinner.