Southern Patagonia tour
| country: | Argentina, Patagonia, Chile |
| departures: | 2008: 17 Nov, 25 Nov, 26 Dec 2009: 3 Jan, 2 Feb, 10 Feb, 13 Mar |
| price: | From £550 (12 days) excluding flights, plus local payment US $550. Optional single supplement available for solo travelers. Price includes 8 nights in hotels/banins/hostels, 3 nights camping in Torres del Paine National Park (all equipment supplied except sleeping bag). |
the amazing things you'll be doing
This overland expedition into remote southern Patagonia will captivate you with stunning glaciers, emerald green lakes, vast snow-capped mountains, and a cruise on the Beagle Channel from the most southerly town in the world. You'll have plenty of wildlife viewing opportunities with visits to several national parks and conservation areas, as well as the chance to climb a glacier with crampons.
Highlights: Excursions to Moreno Glacier, Torres del Paine National Park, a penguin colony, a Beagle Channel cruise and Tierra del Fuego National Park.
Best time to go: November - March.
Highlights: Excursions to Moreno Glacier, Torres del Paine National Park, a penguin colony, a Beagle Channel cruise and Tierra del Fuego National Park.
Best time to go: November - March.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1-2: | El Calafaté - Moreno Glacier. This tour starts in El Calafaté where no visit to this region would be complete without seeing the impressive Moreno Glacier, thought to be the world’s largest glacier, which is still advancing. We include a boat trip near to the ice wall, an awe inspiring experience, and there is an optional trek on the glacier with crampons. |
| Day 3-6: | Puerto Natales - Torres del Paine National Park - Trekking. Onto the beautifully situated town of Puerto Natales and then the truly stunning Torres del Paine National Park. The next three nights are spent camping and the spectacularly diverse scenery can be seen on walks and treks from camp. |
| Day 7-8: | Punta Arenas - Penguin Colony - Magellan Strait - Tierra del Fuego - Río Grande. South to Punta Arenas, the regions major city and a duty free port. Nearby we visit a large penguin colony. Across the Magellan Strait by ferry to Tierra del Fuego before entering Argentina again and staying overnight in the oil mining town of Río Grande. |
| Day 9-12: | Ushuaia - Tierra del Fuego National Park - Beagle Channel cruise. Wander the rugged streets of this pretty town that has views of snow-capped mountains. We visit nearby Tierra del Fuego National Park and also take a cruise on the Beagle Channel seeing many birds and seals. Day 12, Depart Ushuaia |
small group cultural tours
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends it's good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as experiencing new cultures.how this holiday makes a difference
|
Patagonia is a remote, expansive region with many stunning National Parks to visit and trek through. This tour uses small, locally-operated minivans into these national parks to conserve the roads and to minimise pollution. Using local vehicles also supports the local businesses and communities.
Our tour leaders encourage passengers to behave in an eco-friendly manner at all times by briefing them on responsible travel practices and ensuring that waste is kept on the vehicle. Passengers will camp in Torres del Paine National Park, rather than stay in Refugios, which keeps waste levels to a minimum as bio-degradable products are used wherever possible. In other areas we stay at locally-operated hotels rather than international chains to ensure that local businesses profit. There are many educational excursions and activities offered on this tour that promote environmental awareness and also give passengers the opportunity to learn more about the surrounding environment. For example, there is the chance to visit a penguin colony and to cruise the Beagle Channel from Ushuaia and observe the abundant wildlife. The tour employs educated local guides for many excursions in order to support the local community. The guides are chosen for their detailed knowledge about the history of the region, as well as their dedication to promoting environmental, cultural and historical awareness in this area through their spiels and passion for their homelands. They encourage passengers to behave in an eco-friendly manner at all times. We offer an extensive range of pre-departure documentation which includes responsible travel tips, maps, regional advice and detailed itineraries, and we send this out to our passengers well before their departure to ensure that when they travel they are socially conscious and respectful of their surrounding environments - both during our tours and before/after. We also offer clients the chance to offset the carbon emissions of their flights with an international conservation charity. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |