Depart UK, bound for either Punta Arenas or El Calafate (Argentina)

Arrive Punta Arenas or El Calafate. You are met on arrival and taken to your hotel, where you can relax after your journey and make any final preparations.

From Punta Arenas or El Calafate you drive to the Eco Camp, a journey of about 5 to 6 hours. The day ends with an overnight at the camping area of the Eco Camp.

The day will start from Eco Camp with a long trek headed to Dickson Lake. When you get there, you enjoy a spectacular view over the Dickson Glacier and part of the South Patagonia Ice Field. You continue your trek along the eastern bank of the Rio Paine. We’ll stop at a lookout point with a wonderful panoramic view of Lago Paine below and then you descend to the lake level and continue across open grasslands along the Rio Paine to Refugio Dickson. Your stunning campsite will be in the Dickson Valley surrounded by towering snow capped peaks and the clear waters of Dickson Lake with Mt. Cubo in the distance.

Today you see spectacular views of the Dickson Glacier, iceberg filled lakes and the great mountain scenery beyond as you head for your campsite near Glacier Los Perros. The walking takes you through dense beech forest where you should hear (but may not see) the Magellanic woodpecker and the friendlier parakeets

The John Gardner pass (1300m) is one of the most famous points of Torres del Paine. If the weather conditions have been bad, the trail in this part could be closed, so the guide might have to assist you downa short and non-technical rappel. Once over the pass, the route continues roughly south along forested slopes with occasional landslides and a beautiful view of the enormous Grey Glacier.

Today you will have the morning to rest and enjoy Grey Glacier surroundings. After lunch the trek continues going by the eastern side of Grey Lake through clearings of Calafate bushes. The view over the lake, with numerous giant icebergs drifting across the waters is very impressive at this point. Finally, the track climbs onto flat ridges and passes a small lake one hour before descending through a shallow dry valley to arrive at Lago Pehoe.

After breakfast you begin a challenging trek to Valle Frances (French Valley)into the very heart of the Paine Massif. The entire group of spires can be seen from here: Hoja (Blade), Máscara (Mask), Espada (Sword), Catedral (Cathedral), Aleta de Tiburón (Shark’s Fin) and the magnificent Fortaleza! (Fortress). You return down the same route and then continue east to Camp Cuernos.

After breakfast you start your final day of trekking back to Eco Camp following the curly Cuernos trail beside beautiful Lake Nordenskjold. During the day you take in the park’s charming flora and fauna, strong wind and the curious 4-season weather that has accompanied us these past few days. As you advance along the trail you enjoy magnificent views of the park’s central lakes and admire other perspective of the Paine’s Horns. The evening is left free to enjoy dinner and share experiences.

With the help of a short bus transfer you make an optional early ascent of the Rio Ascensio to the base of the Paine Towers to hopefully view the towers as the sun hits them, changing them from grey to a vibrant red! The summits of these spectacular peaks are close to 3000 metres, eroded by glacial action over millions of years to leave a breath-taking spectacle.  The path is quite demanding and requires the ability to ascend steep rocky terrain.  Return is via the same route.

A scenic drive of 4-5 hrs gets us back to Punta Arenas / El Calafate in time to explore the city and the welcome comforts of a hotel.

Depart Punta Arenas / El Calafate

Arrive UK.