Patagonia hiking holiday, glacier tour










Description of Patagonia hiking holiday, glacier tour
This six day Patagonia hiking holiday explores the best of this dramatic region, including an unforgettable glacier tour. You’ll be based in the town of El Calafate, the gateway to the region, where you’ll spend five nights in a boutique hotel.
The first few days are all about glaciers. You’ll spend the bulk of your time at the Perito Moreno glacier, which sits in Los Glaciares National Park, some 90km from El Calafate. There will be plenty of time to appreciate its heft (its front wall is 5km long and some of its peaks at reach 80m in height) from nearby walking trails and viewing platforms, and you’ll also get the chance to grab the crampons and go ice hiking at its base. More glacial action comes in the form of a boat trip to Upsala Glacier, where you’ll sail past icebergs and snow covered peaks, as well as go off roading or hiking to take in more of the stunning landscape.
Your last day is spent taking in the mountains, pampas and forests of Torres del Paine National Park, on both the Argentinean and Chilean sides, as well as spotting the magnificent wildlife that inhabits these parts, including wild guanacos rheas, condors and Patagonian hare.
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Responsible Travel
Planet
We use only certified local nature guides that are trained in ecology, conservation and animal protection. The guides and clients have to adhere to a zero footprint policy when entering national parks and protected areas.We support and have contributed to the Glacier Protection campaign against global warming which threatens the very existence of the earths last advancing glacier. Our guides are trained on Glacier Protection and ensure all clients comply with its requisites when visiting the Glaciers. Clients will be informed on the glaciology of the region and the effects of global warming on the glaciers.
During this tour we visit a number of national parks. We ask our clients to keep all waste with them until back in the nearest town, to walk only on designated paths, and not to pick flowers or disturb the natural resources.
We also encourage clients to drink the high quality tap water rather than buy bottled water, to avoid excess waste of plastic.
National Park entrance fees are paid directly to the national parks by the clients to ensure that they directly support the parks´ maintenance and preservation.
All transport required use low carbon fuel.
In the office we have a minimum use paper policy whereby all travel itineraries, reservations and confirmations are sent to customers and maintained by us in PDF format. Any paper used is used double sided and any waste paper and cardboard in recycled. All ink and toner cartridges are refilled and reused.
All our furniture has previously been owned and was purchased at auctions.
We check the environmental credentials of all our suppliers and service providers before doing business with them.
All our staff in Buenos Aires walk, cycle or take the bus or tube to work instead of driving.
People
We employ and contract the services of local people throughout Argentina. We have a “study-time” holiday for employees who are undertaking any further education courses.We have a “national first” policy whereby we give preference to local products. We use accommodation of small local suppliers and not multinational chains. We also encourage our clients to consume local handicrafts at local markets.
A percentage of all profits is donated to a charity that provides a “reinsertion program” for vulnerable adolescents that have dropped out of the formal education system.
We only use accommodation providers that comply with the law and have an active policy & procedure to eliminate child abuse, prostitution and people trafficking.
All our tours contribute to the local community by providing our clients access to their customs, products, music and language in each destination. We encourage our clients to visit small local restaurantes that comply with organic & healthy living best practice.
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