Winter discovery of Atacama, Quebrada & Patagonia (RWC)

We welcome you at the Calama Airport and transfer to San Pedro de Atacama. (It’s also possible to arrive by Bus from Salta, Argentina) In the afternoon there’s the option to take a trek to the Valle de la Luna; located at 17 km from San Pedro in the area of the Cordillera de la Sal, it has an especial appeal for its amazing resemblance to the lunar surface.

• Lodging at Hosteria double or single / Meals we provide: none

This day we will visit the Miscanti y Miñique lagoons; with its wonderful colors are located over 4000 meters over the level of the sea. On our way to them, we stop at a Toconao, an old town made complete of stone, where the art craft is also well known. Another highlight of this is the ‘ Salar de Atacama’ which is over 100 km of extension. . We will also appreciate some of the birds and fauna that has manage to survive in one the most desertic places of the earth. All this will require from us around 6 hours. Our lodging will be around 90 Km from San Pedro de Atacama.

• Lodging at Hosteria double or single / Meals we provide: Breakfast

This day starts quite early in the morning. We will depart before dawn (4 AM) in order to go to the TATIO volcano, located 4500 meters over the level of the sea. First thing we’ll do once we arrive is to go to the geothermal field located in the mountain range of Los Andes. Early in the morning this place has an amazing steamy activity because of the high temperatures that are coming up from the craters. The boiling water, the huge columns on steam and the water that runs underneath the surface makes of this, and unforgettable experience.
We will have breakfast here, and then we’ll take a walk and those who want to might take a bath in the warm water near the geysers. (That’s why we recommend you to bring along besides warm clothing, a swimming suit, towel, sun block)

• Lodging at Hosteria double or single / Meals we provide: Breakfast

Early in the morning we say goodbye to San Pedro de Atacama and by bus we go back to Argentina crossing the mountain range of Los Andes. Thru el Paso de Jama we will be able to appreciate the “Salinas Grandes”; then descending over the path of the Lipan, we’ll make a stop at the town of Pumamarca and its famous Mount of the ‘Los Siete Colores’. Later we arrive to our lodge at the painteresque town of Tilcara.

• Lodging at Hosteria double or single / Meals we provide: Breakfast

We’ll have the morning free to discover the town and its unique things such us: la plaza grande, la plaza chica, the town church - and the Pucará de Tilcara. In the afternoon we’ll do a small trek to the devil’s throat, walking along the old Kollas paths and watching the amazing view. After 3 or 4 hours we finally go back to Tilcara.

• Lodging at Hosteria double or single / Meals we provide: Breakfast

Early in the morning we take a local bus and go to a small town located right in between the mountains, Iruya. From it we can have a special view since its right on the end of the valley. After enjoying the town we spend the night at Humahuaca.

• Lodging at Hosteria double or single / Meals we provide: Breakfast & box lunch.

Alter breakfast by bus we leave Humahuaca and alter 10 km we arrive to the small town of Uquía. Once there we visit the church of “San Francisco de Paula” with its altar laminated in gold by the Jesuits in 1691 - year in which it was built - and adorned with the pictures of the brought arcabuceros angels brought from Cuzco. Then we do a small trek to the la Quebrada de las Señoritas o Yacoraite. The intense red color makes of it a shocking place; also because it’s known for its paleontological deposit where have been rest fossil of the last great mammals that inhabited the Earth, like milodontes and gigantic perezosos. Back in Uquía we visit a place where vicuñas are raised and an old hydraulic mill. At the end of the day we go back to Humahuaca.

• Lodging at Hosteria double or single / Meals we provide: Breakfast & box lunch.

We leave Humahuaca and we cross “Peña Blanca”, east border of the Quebrada of Humahuaca. Here we begin our adventure of “colorful towns and quebradas”. After a few kilometers we meet the first towns. The overwhelming plains of the Cocataca Valley reminds us of one of the main Inca agricultural sites. During the morning we walk this valley and take our lunch once in town. During the afternoon we go hiking for 2 and a half hours to watch the ancient paintings on rocks on Cerro Negro. From here we enjoy spectaculars view over the valley. After getting back in our vehicle we cross by sifferent towns such as Valiaso and Pucara to climb the Serrania of Santa Barbara (Santa Barbara Hills) reaching 4200 mts above sea level. We end up the day at the viewpoint in Cerro Horconal, with beautiful views over the Abra (huge prairie) de Zenta. We take a typical northwest tea time and get back to our hotel by 7 pm.

• Lodging at Hosteria double or single / Meals we provide: Breakfast & box lunch

We depart in our mini bus for Humahuaca to the Quebrada de Sapagua, where we’ll take a walk around the area. For there we continue to the small community of the Hornaditas, where we will be able to share the life experience of the natural inhabitant of the area, who open the door of their homes. Finally we go back to the city of Salta.

• Lodging at Hosteria double or single / Meals we provide: Breakfast & box lunch

We are transferred to the airport of Salta where we catch our flight to Buenos Aires in order to make the combination to el Calafate. Upon arrival we welcome you at El Calafate airport and transfer you to town. Check in at your lodge and spare time to visit this picturesque village.

• Lodging at Hosteria double or single / Meals we provide: Breakfast

After breakfast we drive 220 km across the steppe and around lakes Argentina and Viedma towards El Chaltén, at the foot of Fitz Roy. Stop over on route for coffee and home made cakes. Approaching town we will have spectacular views of the mountains and of Glacier Viedma. In the afternoon, we’ll have time to visit town and get used to winter conditions.

• Lodging in a Hostel room with shared bathroom / Meals we provide: Breakfast and dinner
• Alternative: Hosteria double or single room with private bathroom / Meals we provide: Breakfast and dinner

The trail starts in the north corner of the town. A gentle slope leads us to the first viewpoint over the River de las Vueltas valley, and we go on to Laguna Capri and the first sights of Fitz Roy. Laguna Capri should be frozen by this time of the year, giving us the chance to get a unique picture of the frozen lagoon with Fitz Roy spires and glaciers in the background. From Capri we already have full views over Fitz Roy. If conditions are OK, we go on towards Rio Blanco, Fitz Roy base camp for climbers. Once at the base camp and depending on weather and terrain conditions those who want can go on snowshoeing to Laguna de los Tres, spectacular viewpoint for Fitz Roy massif, spires and glaciers.
During this trek we climb 500 mts to get to the first viewpoints and 400 more meters if we climb to Laguna de los Tres. We carry snowshoes and we use them when necessary. Walking time depends on the conditions of terrain but please consider a full day hiking.

• Lodging in a Hostel room with shared bathroom / Meals we provide: Breakfast, box lunch and dinner.
• Alternative: Hosteria double or single room with private bathroom / Meals we provide: Breakfast, box lunch and dinner.

We visit today the Torre valley. This valley starts as a glacier valley in the Laguna Torre reaching town as a fluvial valley. Is shorter and with less gain of altitude than Fitz Roy trail.
We get to a first viewpoint of the glacier part of the valley after a first hour of walking. Depending on conditions, we will go on to reach the lagoon, natural viewpoint for the group of ice-mushroom-covered spires of Cerro Torre massif. The lagoon should be frozen and we can cross it up to the front of Glacier Grande. Its blue colour and dimensions are breathtaking.
Weather, conditions and time permitting we can try to make some basic ice climbing in the frozen waterfalls which hang in the sides of the lagoon.
We hike back to El Chaltén in late afternoon.

• Lodging in a Hostel room with shared bathroom / Meals we provide: Breakfast, box lunch and dinner.
• Alternative: Hosteria double or single room with private bathroom / Meals we provide: Breakfast, box lunch and dinner.

Morning at leisure to rest or to take different optional alternatives that the place offers: a walk to Cerro Pliegue Tumbado with beautiful sightseeing points over Fitz Roy, Torre and the glacier valley in between. Or the Chorrillo del Salto waterfall, that should be half frozen in this time of the year. In the afternoon we take our bus back to El Calafate where somebody will meet us and transfer to our lodge.

• Lodging in a Hostel room with shared bathroom / Meals we provide: Breakfast
• Alternative: Hosteria double or single room with private bathroom / Meals we provide: Breakfast

We dedicate this day to one of the World’s Natural Wonder: the Moreno glacier. This ice field- type glacier flows down from the Patagonian Icefield, a big sheet of ice that with its 22.000 square kilometres is the third largest glacier area in the world, after Antarctica (14 M sq km) and Greenland (1 M sq km). Because unusual favourable local conditions, this glacier is the only one in the world that shows a closure and rupture process. The road leads to the very front of the glacier, which will be only meters away from your eyes. A beautiful, short trail, will lead us from the shores of the lake to the upper viewpoints. The roar of the chunks of ice falling inside the glacier or from the glacier into the lake, the frequent collapse of the front seracs into the turquoise water, makes out of this day a very special and unique experience. We will drive 80 km (1 and a half hour) to get and come back from the glacier across the steppe, watching a wide variety of birds.

• Lodging in a Hostel room with shared bathroom / Meals we provide: Breakfast
• Alternative: Hosteria or Inn, double or single room with private bathroom / Meals we provide: Breakfast

This is a spare day and you can choose some of the options that El Calafate can offer.
The most advisable is to go sailing in the catamarans that make the trip to the glaciers which calve in the west arms of Lake Argentino. Among them are glaciers Upsala, Spegazzini and Onelli, Bolados and Agassiz glaciers in the area of Laguna Onelli.
Also 4 wheel drive excursions and horse riding is available at El Calafate.

• Lodging in a Hostel room with shared bathroom / Meals we provide: Breakfast
• Alternative: Hosteria or Inn, double or single room with private bathroom / Meals we provide: Breakfast

After breakfast we transfer to El Calafate airport where our services end.
Meals we provide: Breakfast.