Granite Towers, Huge Glaciers, Iceberg-Dotted Lakes
Paine National Park Extension
Overview
The mighty spires of the Torres del Paine are among the most spectacular mountains in the world, a magnet for hikers and climbers from all around the world. Enjoy incredible day hikes to the base of these magnificent granite towers and accommodations in beautifully located lodges.
Arrive: Calafate, Argentina
Depart: Punta Arenas, Chile
Highlights
- Enjoy fantastic day hikes to incredible viewpoints of Chile's iconic Paine Towers
Itinerary
Transfer by private vehicle from Calafate, Argentina, or Punta Arenas, Chile, to the sublime world of Paine National Park, one of the scenic masterpieces of the planet, declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO. The park's centerpiece is the Cordillera Paine Massif, a wonderland of eye-popping scenery that emerges in a breathtakingly sheer rise from the plains of the Patagonian steppes. Overnight at Hotel Las Torres, situated on a private 4,000-acre ranch just below the magnificent Paine Towers...D
Paine's famed peaks are known for their vertical spires. Paine Grande, the highest, tops 10,000 feet. The east face of the Central Tower ends in a sheer 4,000-foot-high rock wall that challenges the world's mountaineers. One of the best hiking options today is to set out with your guide through beautiful old-growth beech forests to a classic viewpoint of the Paine Towers. Other hiking options are available, as are horseback rides (at extra cost). Overnight at Hotel Las Torres...BLD
A beautiful drive by private vehicle brings you to your accommodation at the southern end of the Paine Massif, where you are close to the Massif's famous cuernos (horns)—incredible twisting monoliths of granite with knife-edged ridges, famously photogenic when they are mirrored in the emerald waters of Lake Nordenskjold. This afternoon, enjoy a boat excursion across iceberg-dotted Lago Grey to the edge of the huge Grey Glacier. Your accommodation, Hosteria Lago Grey, is in a majestic setting with walking trails and a breathtaking location on Lago Grey, with its active calving glaciers, or upgrade to the luxurious Explora Lodge, set on the edge of Lake Pehoé...BLD
Options today include a half-day hike up the slopes of Mt. Ferrier for panoramic views of the cuernos, or a full-day hike in the dramatic French Valley, with majestic vistas of the French Glacier, Lake Nordenjkold, and Cuernos del Paine. Overnight at Hosteria Lago Grey or Explora Lodge...BLD
Transfer to Punta Arenas and depart on homeward-bound flights via Santiago...B
A visa is not required for U.S. citizens visiting Chile.
Accommodations
Scroll through our signature accommodations for this trip below. Although it is highly unlikely, we may make substitutions when necessary.
Book your trip today
Our Area Specialists know every detail about our tours. They will be happy to answer any questions and help you choose the journey that’s right for you. Contact us to learn more or book your trip today!
Itinerary
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Trip Levels
With more than 200 different adventures to choose from, we want to help you find the trip that’s right for you. Our Trip Level system ranks each trip in two ways: a number rating from 1 to 6 according to the activity, and general travel rigors. 1 is the easiest and 6+ the most difficult—see descriptions below for explanations of each number. A plus (+) sign means the trip is a bit more strenuous than other trips of that level. The detailed explanation of each trip—below the bar with the number rating—is perhaps more important, specifying activities, altitudes, hiking, and travel conditions. The Detailed Itinerary, available by download or mail, gives further information. Our Area Managers can also answer questions and guide you to the trip that best suits your interests.
Level 1 – Easiest
Non-camping journeys, optional walks, little elevation gain or loss.
Level 2 – Easy to Moderate
Hotel nights and/or safari-style camping, hikes of two to four hours on some days. Other physical activities are sometimes included, such as optional sea kayaking.
Level 3 – Moderate
Half- to full-day hikes (3-6 hours) over rolling countryside on most days, occasional steep trails. Many of our hotel-based walking tours are in this category, as are our snorkeling adventures.
- Tuscany & the Cinque Terre
- Argentina: Hikes and Estancias of Patagonia
- Palau Snorkeling & Sea Kayaking
- Some trips with minimal hiking but rugged travel conditions or long drives, such as Tribal Ghana, Togo & Benin, are Trip Level 3.
Level 4 – Moderate to Strenuous
Full-day hikes (4-6 hours), mountainous terrain, significant elevation gains and losses (hiking up or down as much as 3,000 feet) on many days. Altitudes no greater than about 10,000 feet.
Level 5 – Strenuous
Full-day hikes (4-8 hours), mountainous, steep terrain (hiking up or down as much as 3,500 feet) on many days. Trips with hiking at average altitudes of 10,000 to 12,000 feet are in this category.
Level 6 – Very Strenuous
Full-day hikes (5-8 hours), mountainous, steep terrain (hiking up or down as much as 3,500 feet) on many days. Most hikes take place at altitudes above 10,000 feet, with some days ascending as high as 18,000 feet.