5 days, 7 nights

Day 1
We suggest you take the early flight Santiago Punta Arenas (4 hours), flying over Los Andes observing incredible views of the Patagonian Ice Fields. Upon your arrival to Punta Arenas, considered the most southern city in the continent, a private transfer will be waiting to drive you to Estancia Hostería Lazo. As we leave the airport we will be able to see the Straits of Magellan and the mystic Tierra del Fuego. During a 2hour trip we will drive through open pampas and huge ranches (estancias), and chances are we will be able to observe one of the most typical animals in this zone, the lesser rhea, (rare South American ostrich), to arrive at Puerto Natales, located on the Sound of Last Hope, a typical fishing town surrounded by mountains. We will follow an unpaved road heading to Estancia Lazo where we will stay overnight, after enjoy a welcome barbecue.
(5 hours by private transfer, 370 kms.) (LBBQ) (Night at Estancia Hostería Mirador Del Payne)

Day 2
We will start early in the morning, meeting our baqueano (local cowboy) and assigning the saddles and horses. We will begin our ride through native Nothofagus forests, going around small lagoons, with incredible views of the Paine Massif and surrounding areas. While crossing Laguna Verde (named for its green turquoise waters), we will enter Torres del Paine National Park, reaching 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 visitor s center, where we will spend the night in Posada Serrano.
(45 hours, slow riding, trotting and cantering) (BBLD) (Night at Posada Serrano)

Day 3
We will start our day by riding to Grey Lake, crossing huge pampas and a bridge over the Grey River, for splendid views of the lake full of icebergs, which have broken off from the Grey Glacier, part of the southern ice field which is the third largest reserve of fresh water in the world... Our lunch will be in front of this magnificent view and later we will take a boat through the glacier. In order to get to the boat we will walk through a mature beech forest where we might observe woodpeckers. We will navigate about one hour through icebergs of different tones of blue up to the Grey glacier, where we will stay for a while in front of the glacier in the hope of seeing icebergs calve. Our return journey offers views of Paine Grande with its impressive ice mushrooms. We will return in the transfer, to spend a second night at the Posada Serrano.
(45 hours slow riding, trotting and cantering, 45 minutes walk, 3 hours by boat and 30 minutes by transfer) (BBLD) (Night at Posada Serrano)

Day 4
After a good breakfast we walk to the administration area of the park, where our horses will be waiting for us to begin a journey crossing lakes and valleys on an old gaucho path with incredible views of the mountains. We will have lunch on the shores of Lake Sarmiento with it´s strange calcium formations and then continue on to the east entrance of the park, from where we start a photo safari in our private transfer all the way back to Posada Serrano.
(One hour photo safari by private transfer, 56 hours slow riding, trotting and galloping) (B BLD) (Night at Posada Serrano)

Day 5
We´ll take a private transfer to the Serrano River where we cross the river to arrive at 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) (BBLBBQ) (Night at Lake Brush Campsite)

Day 6
After a good 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) (BBLD) (Night at Hostería Balmaceda)

Day 7
We´ll begin the day with a boat trip along the river as far as its outlet 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 to spend the night in a hotel after a goodbye dinner.
(10 minutes by zodiac, 45 min walk, 3 hours by boat) (BBLD) (Night at Aqua Terra Lodge)

Day 8
A private transfer will take you to Punta Arenas to take the afternoon flight to Santiago.
(3 hours by transfer, 250 kms) (B).

INCLUDED
All the private transportation indicated in the schedule
All the horses, saddles and pack horses on the excursion
Helmets, leather chaps, leather gloves, saddle bags, dry bags
All meals indicated in the schedule (B: breakfast, BL: box lunch, Lunch, D: dinner, BBQ: barbecue)
Entrance fee to Torres de Paine National Park
One night at Estancia Hostería Mirador del Payne
Three nights at Posada Serrano
Navigation to Grey Glacier
One night at Chile Nativo Camp
One night at Hosteria Balmaceda
Navigation between Monte Balmaceda to Puerto Natales
Entrance fee to Bernardo O´Higgins National Park
One night at Aqua Terra Lodge in Puerto Natales
Guide (English Spanish languages), plus a baqueano (local cowboy)

NOT INCLUDED
Flight to Santiago, Chile
Internal Flight Santiago Punta Arenas
Any additional nights
Medical expenses
Insurance of any kind
Personal expenses
Sleeping bags and mattress
Alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks at hosteria.

Departure dates
October 29 th - November 05 th 2005
November 26 th/2005
December 3 rd 2005
December 17 th - 24 th 2005
January 14 th - 21 st 2006

Rates per person
2 passengers: us $ 2.695
3 a 4 passengers: us$ 2.595
5 a 6 passengers: us$ 2.495
7 a 8 passengers: us$ 2.395

Updating, May 2008