RATES PER PERSON
- 2 passengers USD$ 2.195
- 3 passengers USD$ 1.995
- 4-6 passengers USD$ 1.695
- 7-8 passengers USD $ 1.595
- Single supplement USD$ 225
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| DEPARTURE DATES |
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| Set up a date and share the group |
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| TRIP LENGTH |
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| 5 Days / 4 Nights |
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| START / FINISH |
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Puerto Natales (PNT), Chile 
Punta Arenas (PUQ), Chile |
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Day 1 Transfer from Hotel Las Torres to Estancia Lazo
According to a meeting time, we pick you up at Hotel Las Torres and drive for around 1.5 hour all the way to Estancia/ Hostería Lazo, located just outside the park. The Hosteria is part of the Estancia Lazo, a large cattle ranch dating from the last century, which has magnificent views of the Paine Massive and Laguna Verde. The rooms are very comfortable; the estancia´s main house has been remodeled into a cozy, country-style dining room-bar.
(1.5 hours in private transfer) (D) (Night spent at Estancia Mirador Del Payne)
Day 2 One way ride to Serrano river & Toro Lake
We will begin our ride through native Nothofagus forests, going around small lagoons, with incredible views of the Paine Massif and surrounding areas. We reach the highest peak of our day with excellent picture taking opportunities of the Paine River emptying into Toro Lake (the largest in the region). From this view point we will begin our descent to the park’s visitor center, where we will spend the night camping at the shore of the Serrano River with amazing views of the “Cuernos” Del Paine.
(4-5 hours, slow riding, trotting and cantering) (B-BL-D) (Night at Camping Serrano)
Day 3 One way ride to Brush Lake
We take a short transfer, crossing the Serrano River and arriving to Aniceto Astorga’s farmhouse. There we’ll choose our horses to begin a ride to an unexplored valley at the border of Torres Del Paine national park. We cross several rivers and go through a landscape filled with lakes and wetlands, constantly being surprised by the changing views of the Paine massif and the last glaciers of the Southern Ice Field. We’ll spend the night here after setting up camp on the shores of Lake Brush.
(10 minutes transfer, 4 hours walking and trotting) (B-BL-BBQ) (Night at Lake Brush Campsite) (Basic camp, no facilities)
Day 4 One way ride to Serrano Glacier & Hosteria balmaceda
After a hearty breakfast we continue to Bernardo O´Higgins national park. This trail takes us through humid forests, similar to those of the austral canals, following the Serrano River until it empties into the Sound of Last Hope, where we spend the night in the Hostería Balmaceda with an amazing view of the Serrano glacier.
(5 hours, walking) (B-BL-D) (Night at Hostería Balmaceda)
Day 5 Boat ride to Puerto Natales – Transfer to Punta Arenas
We’ll begin the day by crossing the river into the Seno de Ultima Esperanza, facing the imposing Serrano glacier at the foot of the Balmaceda Mountain (2148m). Here we make a short easy walk up to the glacier. We’ll then take a boat, “the cutter, 21 de Mayo” navigating via glaciers and canals on our way down to Puerto Natales.
(45 min walk, 3 hours by boat, 3 hours by private transfer) (B-BBQ)
REGARDING THE SCHEDULE
The schedules indicated above are subject to change due to weather conditions or unexpected circumstances beyond our control, but we will try our best to keep them unaltered.
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| Hostería Mirador Del Payne |
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Located on the park border and part of the working estancia, Lazo, a huge cattle ranch dating from the last century, if offers magnificent views of Paine Massive and Laguna Verde. The rooms are comfortable and simple; the main Estancia's house has been remodeled as a dining room-bar, keeping it cozy and country-style.
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| Camping Chile Nativo |
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Our clients sleep in 4-season tents, North Face VE 25 (3 person capacity) or similar, based on twin-share occupancy. We use a Mountain Hardwear domo-dining tent when the group is over 6 passengers and only in certain areas.
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| Hostería Balmaceda |
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The perfect place for resting, adventure and observation. There are 16 rooms with private bath and a dining room with grill. This is all surrounded by a beautiful landscape and a magnificent view of the Serrano glacier and the Balmaceda Mountain.
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| INCLUDED |
-All private transport indicated in the itinerary
-All horses, saddles and packhorses
-Helmets, Leather chaps, leather gloves, saddle bags, dry bags
-All meals indicated in the schedule (B: breakfast, BL: picnic lunch, D: dinner , BBQ: barbecue)
-One night at Estancia Mirador Del Payne
(Twin/double standard rooms)
-Two nights Camping
(North Face VE 25 tents, double occupancy basis)
-One night at Hosteria Balmaceda
(Twin/double standard rooms)
-Entrance fee to Bernardo O´Higgins National Park
-Navigation from Balmaceda to Puerto Natales
-Guide (bilingual), plus a Baqueano (local cowboy)
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| NOT INCLUDED |
-Any additional nights
-Medical expenses
-Insurance of any kind
-Personal expenses
-Sleeping bag and mattress
-Alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks at the Hostería Balmaceda
-Gratuities for Guide & Baqueano
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| WEATHER |
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Weather and Temperature Chart
The weather in Patagonia in an important factor that must b e taken into account. The maximum temperature in summer is 20 C° and it drops to below 0° in winter. The windchill factor sometimes makes the ambient temperature drop 6 or 7 degrees. The temperature of the water is normally between 4 and 5 degrees Celsius.
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| Torres del Paine Glacier Riding Tour |
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If you are looking for adventure and wilderness then this is the trip for you. After completing the “W” circuit in Torres Del Paine, we met up with Gonzalo who organized the whole trip and took a small boat across the Serrano river to meet up with our horses and Gaucho. The plan was a three day trail initially along the Rio Serrano and then cutting across steep challenging escarpments up to the Glacier Geikie followed by a Zodiac boat ride on the fourth day back to Puerto Natales. We loaded our tent, sleeping bags and enough food and wine onto one of the horses keeping the load as narrow as possible since the trial would be passing through dense wooded areas and we set off with the most magnificent panoramic views of the towers.
The horses were well suited to our capabilities, all strong and forward and when given the chance, the Gaucho along with the pack horse took us on exhilarating canters weaving around bushes across the pampas and along the sandy banks of the river. We made detours up to magnificent viewing points and apart from meeting one other Gaucho with his four dogs we were alone in some of the most beautiful and remote valleys Torres del Paine can offer.
The first night we camped on the banks of the Serrano, the river here was wide and fast flowing, we washed in the cold invigorating waters while the Gaucho made a camp fire and prepared the leg of lamb for the spit. Pisco Sour, great food and wine and chatting and laughing around the camp fire, we ended our first day.
The terrain on the second day changed from the open pampas to steep escarpments as the valley narrowed and in places we had to dismount and lead the horses. The trial was not so well defined here and we had to push through bushes thankful for the full chaps that we had. Nothing quite prepared us for the sight of the lagoon at the base of the glacier field with tens of deep blue icebergs floating in an eerie silence. We sat there taking in the atmosphere of this untouched place. That night before sleeping we swam in the slightly warmer waters of a small lake near our campsite while Gonzalo prepared another feast.
The organization of the trip by Chile Nativo was second to none, the food both varied and excellent and how they manage to transport six eggs unbroken after two days riding to give is bacon and eggs for breakfast we will never know. But the highlight of the trip for us was being away from everything, close to nature and the privilege of being given an insight into the lifestyle of the Gaucho in some of the most beautiful scenery that must exist on this planet.
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| Maya & Luke |
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| February 2002 |
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Fast Track W (3D/2N)
