INTRODUCTION

Patagonia Explorer | 8 days, 7 nights | Trip Code PAT01

Trip Highlights

• A comprehensive 4-day visit to the Torres del Paine National Park.

• Visits to Magdalena Island and Mylodon Cave.

• Views of Andean condors and guanacos, Chilean flamingoes, penguins and sea lions.

• A study of the rich cultural history and the history of exploration.

• Day boat trips in the Straits of Magellan, Ultima Esperanza Fjord and Grey Lake.

• Remarkable forest-dwelling birds such as the Magellanic woodpecker, Austral parakeet and Chilean hawk.

• Flora that will includes three species of Nothofagus beech, the southernmost forests of the world.


This program is operated as a scheduled departure, leaving on a set date.

A custom trip (flexible option which runs on a date you choose giving you more privacy) is available upon request for individuals or small private groups.


The Difference of Traveling with Fantastico Sur Expeditions:

• Great accommodation, superb dinning cuisine and memorable picnic lunches.

• Spacious vehicles that ensure a window seat to each trip participant.

• Each of our trips have a maximum of 6 participants.

• Each vehicle and driver we use has been authorized by the Chilean Transportation Authority.

• The service and expertise of a professional local naturalist leader, who will look after every logistical aspect of “your” holiday.

• You will receive a free, signed copy of one of our great natural history books for Patagonia.

• …plus an useful pre-departure information package.

Patagonia Explorer can be combined with one of the following optional extensions:

• Tierra del Fuego & Cape Horn Expedition Cruise (4 days / 3 nights ; 5 days / 4 nights);

• The Falkland Islands (8 days / 7 nights), penguin encounters in the "Galapagos" of the South Atlantic.

ITINERARY

Patagonia Explorer | 8 days, 7 nights | Trip Code PAT01

Day 1 • Saturday | Reception at Punta Arenas airport (before 10am) - Morning trip to Port Famine (c. 1 hour drive) – Afternoon boat trip to Magdalena Island penguin colony (c. 5 hours round trip, weather permitting)

We shall begin our trip with a visit to Port Famine. Founded in 1580, this was the first settlement founded by Europeans on the Straits of Magellan. Unhappily, the extreme nature of the climate proved incompatible with human habitation, and the entire population had perished in a short period of time. 250 years later, a British scientific expedition, aboard the HMS Beagle and the Adventure, spent several months undertaking extensive exploratory journeys in the Chilean Fjords. It was here that Charles Darwin conducted several field trips. During the afternoon we shall sail the Straits of Magellan for a couple of hours to visit Magdalena Island. Here we will visit a Magellanic penguin rookery and enjoy an opportunity to witness one of nature's truly great spectacles as thousands of birds hasten to complete their breeding cycle during the brief months of summer. If the weather conditions do not allow this activity, we will visit the penguin colony located at Otway Sound.

Scheduled departures will stay at Hotel Rey Don Felipe (4*) or similar, Punta Arenas. (L)(G)

Custom departures will stay at Hotel Rey Don Felipe (4*) or similar (classic option) or Hotel Carpa Manzano (2*) or similar (budget option), Punta Arenas (4*). (L)(G)

Day 2 • Sunday | Punta Arenas city tour – Transfer to Puerto Natales (c. 3-4 hour drive) – Visit to Mylodon Cave Natural Monument

After a brief city tour in Punta Arenas, we will head towards the picturesque coastal town of Puerto Natales. There are gorgeous vistas of the fjord with tens of stunning Black-necked Swans feeding along the shore. During the afternoon we will visit Mylodon Cave Nature Reserve, an outstanding natural formation that sheltered a large number of Pleistocene mammal species, including the Giant Ground-Sloth or Mylodon, about 12,000 years ago when most of the surrounding area was covered by the glaciers.

Scheduled departures will stay at Weskar Lodge (3*) or similiar, Puerto Natales. (B,L)(G)

Custom departures will stay at Weskar Lodge (3*) or similar (classic option) or Hostel Natales (2*) or similar (budget option), Puerto Natales. (B,L)(G)

Day 3 • Monday | Boat trip Last Hope Fjords and Balmaceda Glacier (c. 8-9 hours round trip)

Today we will enjoy of a scenic journey (c. 3 hours one way) through the waters of Ultima Esperanza (Last Hope) Fjord. We will have a good chance of seeing Chilean Dolphin, South American Sea Lion and King Cormorants. After landing, we will have a picnic lunch and a further easy hike through temperate rainforests to eventually see the glacier front. The vegetation and mountain landscapes are simply breathtaking.

Scheduled departures will stay at Weskar Lodge (3*) or similiar, Puerto Natales. (B,L)(G)

Custom departures will stay at Weskar Lodge (3*) or similar (classic option) or Hostel Natales (2*) or similar (budget option), Puerto Natales. (B,L)(G)

Day 4 • Tuesday | Torres del Paine National Park (c. 1-2 hour drive)

Today we will travel north towards Torres del Paine, Patagonia’s premier wildlife destination. At the eastern corner of Sarmiento Lake, we will reach a location that commands the most incredible views of the towering peaks of Las Torres, the pinnacles from which the park takes its name. As we move around the park, you shall observe confiding herds of Guanaco, most southerly camelid, the curious-looking Lesser Rhea and our first Andean Condors along the road.

Scheduled and Custom departures will stay at Hotel Las Torres (4*) or similar, Torres del Paine. (B,L)(G)

Day 5 • Wednesday | Torres del Paine National Park (western side) – Boat trip to Grey Glacier (c. 3 hours)

Lago Grey is certainly one of its highlight features of this trip. Along the road we will view towering mountains, glaciers, wetlands, steppes and forests. The main activity of the day will be a boat trip through the icy waters, which will take us to the active calving front of Grey Glacier, one of the most beautiful and colorful of the entire set of glaciers of the Southern Patagonian Icefield.

Scheduled and Custom departures will stay at Hotel Las Torres (4*) or similar, Torres del Paine. (B,L)(G)

Day 6 • Thursday | Torres del Paine National Park (eastern side) – Laguna Amarga and Laguna Azul
Before dawn, we will be heading towards the eatern part of the park, in order to see a glorious Patagonian sunrise and hopefully to take good shots of the granite peaks with the first light. Today, we will time to photograph the wildlife as well as to bird and botanize in the rich wetlands, steppes and hillsides of the part of the park. The fast-flowing Paine river may produce Torrent Duck.

Scheduled and Custom departures will stay at Hotel Las Torres (4*) or similar, Torres del Paine. (B,L)(G)

Day 7 • Friday | Drive to Puerto Natales (c. 2-3 hours) – Lunch at a sheep farm (shearing show and barbecue) – Drive back to Punta Arenas (c. 3 hours)

Early in the morning we will visit the eastern side of the park to enjoy the views of one of the impressive waterfalls of Paine river and if is clear, of the fabulous granite columns of the Paine massif from Laguna Amarga. From here, we will head back to Punta Arenas, visiting first Estancia Cerro Negro, a typical working sheep-farming station, where we will enjoy of a shearing and sheep dog show and a delicious Patagonian-style barbecue.

Scheduled departures will stay at Hotel Rey Don Felipe (4*) or similar, Punta Arenas. (L)(G)

Custom departures will stay at Hotel Rey Don Felipe (4*) or similar (classic option) or Hotel Carpa Manzano (2*) or similar (budget option), Punta Arenas (4*). (L)(G)

Day 8 • Saturday | Arenas airport

Private transfer to the airport after breakfast. End of the trip. (B)

Codes: B=Breakfast; L=Lunch/Box-lunch; D=Dinner; G=Guide; *=Hotel Category

MAP

Patagonia Explorer | 8 days, 7 nights | Trip Code PAT01

DATES & RATES

Patagonia Explorer | 8 days, 7 nights | Trip Code PAT01

 
Rates for Custom departures (you choose the date):

NOTE: The above price is per person in US$, based on double occupancy. Rates in GBP (£) and Euros (€) are only for reference.

Do you want us to arrange your flights from Santiago to Punta Arenas?

Domestic flights Santiago – Punta Arenas – Santiago (from $250-300 per person).

Duration of the flight: 3 hours (direct) / 4 hours (with a stop-over in Puerto Montt).


What the trip includes/excludes

The above price is per person in US$, based on double occupancy.

Single supplement will be added if single accommodations are requested.

The trip price includes: All accommodations, meals and guide services as stated in the itinerary, private ground transportation during the tour, boat trips to Magdalena Island, Balmaceda Glacier and Grey Lake, and park entrance fees.

The trip price excludes: Domestic flights (Santiago – Punta Arenas – Santiago), tipping, travel insurance, entrance tax to Chile, excess baggage charges, private excursions, à la carte dishes, snacks, drinks, laundry, telephone calls and anything else of a purely personal nature.

Tour Registration: To register for this tour, complete the Fantástico Sur Expeditions registration form and return it (by fax or email) with a deposit of $350 per person. Full payment of the tour fee is due 90 days prior to tour departure.

Cancellation Policy: Notice of cancellation can only be accepted IN WRITING from the person who signed the booking form and takes effect on the day such noticed is received by us.

Refunds are made according to the following schedule:

If cancellation is made 120 days or more before departure date, the deposit less US$ 200 is refundable.

If cancellation is made between 120 and 60 days before departure, the deposit is not refundable, but any payments covering the balance of the fee will be refunded.

If cancellation is made fewer than 60 days before departure date, no refund is available.

This policy and fee schedule also applies to pre-trip and post trip extensions, as well as any transfers from one tour to another. We strongly recommend the purchase of trip cancellation insurance to protect yourself.

LODGES

Patagonia Explorer | 8 days, 7 nights | Trip Code PAT01

This charmingly rustic hotel provides a comfortable base from which to explore the park’s towering mountains, turquoise lakes, glaciers, ice fields and steppes. Las Torres is located 75 miles (120 kilometers) from the town of Puerto Natales and 230 miles (375 kilometers) from the larger city of Punta Arenas.

Each of the hotel’s many windows look out over the expansive steppe or snow-capped mountains surrounding it, including the trio of towers that gave the park its name. The hotel features 57 rooms, several sitting areas, two restaurants and a bar. The interpretive center located by the hotel’s reception desk lays out information about the rock formations and wildlife you may encounter on your excursions. In addition, the spa next door offers you the chance to unwind and rejuvenate after you return from your adventures.

The rooms of the hotel provide a cozy atmosphere, being the perfect setting to relax and enjoy after a long days excursion. Central heating, box spring beds, telephones and private bathrooms in a rustic yet elegant decoration provide the ideal ambience in our superior rooms for resting and preparing the next days activities. Several services are available in the relaxing environment of your room, with a simple call you have the possibility of enjoying massages, food, wine and drinks.

The breath-taking mountain surroundings of Las Torres The breath-taking mountain surroundings of Las Torres

Surrounded by towering peaks, rolling hills and forests Surrounded by towering peaks, rolling hills and forests

Fantastic views from spacious and comfortable lounges Fantastic views from spacious and comfortable lounges

The cozy and nicely decorated rooms The cozy and nicely decorated rooms

The cozy and nicely decorated rooms The cozy and nicely decorated rooms

Local, healthy and organic food Local, healthy and organic food

View from the restaurant View from the restaurant

The main restaurant The main restaurant

The lounges are great places to read, planning or just relax The lounges are great places to read, planning or just relax

Main access to the hotel Main access to the hotel

A bar with a very special view A bar with a very special view

The cozy and nicely decorated roomsThe cozy and nicely decorated rooms

GUIDES

Patagonia Explorer | 8 days, 7 nights | Trip Code PAT01

Claudio F. Vidal has been bird-watching since the age of 12 and he leads bird-watching and natural history tours throughout Chile. He is very keen on pelagic birdlife and marine mammals occurring in the Humboldt Current, Patagonia, and Antarctica as well as in photography, being particularly interested in photographying the wild flowers of desert and mediterranean regions of the world. Claudio is currently working on a field guide to the birds of Chile with other Chilean birders, and is co-author of the photographic guide "Birds of Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego & Antarctic Peninsula". He is involved in several nature-based tourism projects in Chile, and he is also partner and director of Fantastico Sur Expeditions. He lives in Punta Arenas, the most southerly city in Chile, with his wife Soledad.

Enrique Couve has been birdwatching for over 40 years in his native country of Chile and is the author of the photographic guide "Birds of Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego and Antarctic Peninsula", among several other bird and nature photography field guides and books. He is extremely skilled in finding and identifying birds and is an excellent nature photographer, having one of the most complete portfolios of Chile’s birds and wildlife. Enrique has travelled extensivley throughout Chile, its oceanic islands and the Antarctic Peninsula, as well as in other countries of South America. He is partner and director of Fantastico Sur Expeditions and lives in Punta Arenas with his wife and their four children.

PHOTOS

Patagonia Explorer | 8 days, 7 nights | Trip Code PAT01

Check out our set of images from recent trips to Chilean Patagonia.

The actively-calving front of Grey Glacier The actively-calving front of Grey Glacier

The impressive Paine Massif at dawn The impressive Paine Massif at dawn

Dedicated photo sessions in the field, Torres del Paine Dedicated photo sessions in the field, Torres del Paine

The Paine Powers at dawn The Paine Powers at dawn

Guanaco, southernmost member of the camel family Guanaco, southernmost member of the camel family

Sailing a fjord towards Balmaceda Glacier Sailing a fjord towards Balmaceda Glacier

Sheep-shearing show at a typical Patagonian gaucho farm Sheep-shearing show at a typical Patagonian gaucho farm

We will visit a Magellanic Penguin breeding colony We will visit a Magellanic Penguin breeding colony

Laguna Amarga, Torres del Paine National Park Laguna Amarga, Torres del Paine National Park

Our rooms at Hotel Rio Serrano have a marvellous view to Paine Massif Our rooms at Hotel Rio Serrano have a marvellous view to Paine Massif

The ostrich-like Lesser or Darwin's Rhea The ostrich-like Lesser or Darwin's Rhea

We will see Chilean Flamingos at the alkaline pools We will see Chilean Flamingos at the alkaline pools

Condor, Chile's national bird and true icon of the AndesCondor, Chile's national bird and true icon of the Andes

CHECKLISTS

Patagonia Explorer | 8 days, 7 nights | Trip Code PAT01

Compiled by Claudio F. Vidal, Fantástico Sur Expeditions (2009)

When you book a trip with us, you can feel confident that you will travel with the local nature specialists. Each of our guests will receive a copy of our field guides and nature books for the area, all written by our naturalist guides and associated scientists.

The following species lists have been based on these field guides. Chances of seeing particular species may vary according to the season and location.