a Explorer - Patagonia Trek

Full Patagonia Adventure (15 days - 14 nights )

Description: A different way of travel, trekking round Southern Patagonia, Argentina and Chile. Outdoor travel adventure, walking and camping in beautiful scenarios but with the comfort of not carrying the campsite and the food, hiking with the expert guidance of our trekking/mountain guides and a cook that serve excellent meals. Trekking in El Chalten, the base of Mount Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre, Piedras Blancas Glacier, and visiting the Perito Moreno Glacier in Calafate, hike in Torres del Paine National Park (Chile), Lake Grey (Chile), Pehoe (Chile), and Ushuaia including adventure tour to trek in Tierra del Fuego National Park. More information

Included Services: Bilingual trekking/mountain guides and cook, bus, 7 nights in a hostel room double base, 2 nights in refuge, and 5 nights full camping (igloo tents double base with sleeping bags, interior sheets and insulating mattresses, dinner tents with table, benches and kitchenware, cooking tent), 14 breakfast (B), 9 dinners (D) and 8 box lunch (BL), all transfers in Patagonia and trekking activities. More information

Departures 2004/2005:

Every Saturday	Nov
	Dec
	Jan
	Feb
	Mar
	Apr

Price: from 1475 u$d

Not Included: international and domestic flights, transfers in Buenos Aires, nights in Buenos Aires, drinks, foods not detailed, entrance to National Parks (5/10 u$d ea.), medical covering, tips. More information

Fitz Roy Wild Trail ( 20 days intense)

Description: The Capital of Trekking in Patagonia: El Chalten, the gateway to the Continental Ice Field. We trek through Capri Lagoon, the base of Mount Fitz Roy, Cerro Torre, and Piedras Blancas Glacier. Los Glaciares National Park, El Chalten Area. Piedra del Fraile, Torre Mount and Glacier, De los Tres Lagoon, Fitz Roy Mount , Paso del Viento Perito Moreno Glacier, Torres del Paine National Park, Las Torres, Ascensio River Valley, Del Frances Valley, Grey Glacier Valley, Pehoe Lake Navigation. More information

Included Services: Bilingual trekking/mountain guides and cook, Accommodations:7 nights at Hostel Room 12 nights at Full Camp (igloo tents double base with sleeping bags, interior sheets and insulating mattresses, dinner tents with table, benches and kitchenware, cooking tent), 4 breakfast (B), 4 dinners (D) and 3 box lunch (BL), all transfers in Patagonia and trekking activities. More information

Departures 2004/2005:

Every Saturday	Oct
	Apr
	Jan
	Feb
	Mar
	Apr

Price: 1490 u$d

Continental Ice Field Expedition across Patagonia Ice Cap ( 12 days - 11 nights)

Description: The ultimate adventure travel experience, hiking across a magical land. An extremely intense and unforgettable expedition to trek over the Southern Patagonia Continental Ice Cap, passing the Western face of Mount Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre, and the Moreno range to the East, to enjoy the majestic Circo de los Altares. This great glacier trekking excursion includes 4 nights camping on the glacier; no prior technical experience with crampons or snowshoes is necessary. Nevertheless, good predisposition to physical effort is needed in order to fully enjoy this challenging adventure. More information
Included Services: Bilingual experienced guides qualified by the Mountain Guides Argentine Association, tents, campsite equipment, equipment provision (snowshoes, crampons, etc.), and the necessary security equipment, all foods and lodgings. More information
Departures 2004/2005: Nov. / Dec. / Jan. / Feb. / Mar.	Price: 1450 u$d Not Included: international and domestic flights, transfers in Buenos Aires, nights in Buenos Aires, drinks, foods not detailed, entrance to National Parks (5 u$d ea.), medical covering, tips. More information

The Glaciers Route Expedition( 11 days - 10 nights)

Description: This unique expedition, ideal for people that love trekking along wild areas, traverse North-South across the Glaciers National Park visiting the mountains and valleys that lay East of the Continental Ice Field. We trek Mount Fitz Roy & Cerro Torre area, sail across Lake Viedma, traverse “Cañadón Norte”, sail across lake Argentino and finally visit the wolrd famous Perito Moreno Glacier. The program combines overnight in hostels with nights in full camp. On the traverse between Lakes Viedma and Argentino we offer expedition style camp. In this traverse we will often walk off trail crosing this virgin inhabited paradise. Trekkers are requested to carry their own stuff and cooperate to carry general equipment, food and fuel. More information
Included Services: Bilingual experienced guides qualified by the Mountain Guides Argentine Association, tents, campsite equipment, all ground and lake transfers in Patagonia, all foods detailed and lodgings. More information
Departures 2004/2005: Nov / Jan / Feb
ampliar mapa	Price: 1585 u$d Not Included: international and domestic flights, transfers in Buenos Aires, nights in Buenos Aires, drinks, foods not detailed, entrance to National Parks (5 u$d ea.), medical covering, tips. More information

Patagonia Horse Riding ( 8 days - 7 nights)

Description: This program allow us to ride the Tunel River Valley, located on the north area of the Los Glaciares National Park. We take advantage of the horses to go from Blanco River and Capri Lagoon to Viedma Glacier and Toro Lagoon, remount the Tunel River until Bahia Tunel where the river goes into the Viedma Lake. It’s a really nice trip for those who enjoy riding in natural landscapes, taking advantage of horses to diminish distances and transit paths unable to be discovered in another way. More information
Included Services: Bilingual experienced guides qualified by the Mountain Guides Argentine Association, , tents, campsite equipment, equipment provision (snowshoes, crampons, etc.), and the necessary security equipment, all foods and lodgings. Starts at El Calafate, Ends at El Calafate / El Calafate, El Chalten, Fitz Roy Mount, Torre Mount, Loma del Pliegue Tumbado, Toro Lagoon, Tunnel River, Viedma Lake * Accommodations 4 nights at Hostel 3 nights at Full Camps. More information
Departures 2004/2005: Saturdays, October to April
Price: 1050 u$d Not Included: international and domestic flights, transfers in Buenos Aires, nights in Buenos Aires, drinks, foods not detailed, entrance to National Parks (5 u$d ea.), medical covering, tips. More information

Patagonia Winter Snow Shoes ( 4 days - 3 nights)

Description: Winter is a special season in Patagonia. We designed this program to allow passenger to hike the best Patagonia trails with snowshoes, to get the best viewpoints with lowest effort. This is an easy program, and fireplaces at our hostels will provide us a well deserved reward for challenge a low temperature with an average of -1 Celsius in winter. The snow, the frozen lagoons and waterfalls, provide a special framework to this adventure. We lodge at Hostels or Inns. This is a trip travel in a group. We hike daily at the Fitz Roy area, departing from El Chalten. Then we visit the Perito Moreno Glacier and navigate Lago Argentino, enjoying the amazing Spegazzini, Onelli and Upsala glaciers. Finally we visit Ushuaia, a city specially outfitted fro winter activities. We sail the Beagle Channel and enjoy the National Park. More information
Included Services: Starts at El Calafate, Ends at Ushuaia // El Calafate, El Chalten, Fitz Roy Mount, Torre Mount, Perito Moreno Glacier, Beagle Channel Navigation, Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego National Park Accommodations Hostel or Inns Regular Activity with minimum of 3 passengers, More information
Departures 2004/2005: Saturdays Jul Aug Sep Price: 1.000 u$d Not Included: international and domestic flights, transfers in Buenos Aires, nights in Buenos Aires, drinks, foods not detailed, entrance to National Parks (5/10 u$d ea.), medical covering, tips. More information

SERVICES

VERY IMPORTANT aExplorer.org offers adventure tours to people who want to travel trekking Patagonia in a personal way, close to nature and being part of a group where they surely will find new friends. The trips doesn't have big physical demands, neither risky steps and it can be carried out by practically everybody. It only requires the desire of coming closer to this type of tourism, enjoying the balance among the outdoor, the comfort, and the care of the natural areas.

LODGINGS The regular trip that we carry out in Southern Patagonia is based on these lodgings described here, but it is possible to change the nights of Hostels with Hotels of higher level. Hostel international: They are used in El Chaltén and El Calafate. They have rooms of 4 individual beds each one, with complete bathrooms with sanitariums to share (there are bathrooms for ladies and bathrooms for gentlemen). They provide sheets but not towels. They have facilities to heat water or to cook something if you want. The hostels meet the standards of all the Youth Hostel which assures a level of hygiene and appropriate comfort corresponding to your demands.Refuge-housing: it is used in Tierra del Fuego. It is very similar to a hostel, but the beds are "cuchetas" (two superimposed simple beds). They provide sheets but not towels. The refuge is a cabin immerse in the forest with the aspect of a children´ story house. Almost all travelers will love to stay to live there. The owner attends it in person with some help assistant. The refuge has two plants, the superior plant is the bedroom, where 20 beds are located in a single room. The lower plant is a warm and cozy dining room. The heating is obtained through a firewood kitchen which is lit almost the whole day and has always a recipient with hot water on it. Over the kitchen there is also a wooden grill that is used to dry the shoes after each walk. There are also two individual bathrooms with plenty of hot water. People can take a hot water shower once a day, and one person at a time. The electric light is provided by a generator, therefore lights at night are on until 12 PM. Camp Full (without bath services): we camp in suitable areas of great beauty, generally next to a lake, lagoon or course of water, and we will arrive there after a walk. We offer the camp already mounted with igloo type tents, double base, sleepingbags, individual sheets and insulating mattresses; dining room tents, table, benches and complete kitchen, but without sanitary services. Camp Full (with bath services): they are similar to the previous ones but with sanitary services, it generally includes hot water showers at certain schedules. Camp service: We offer the camp already mounted according to the previous description. We have a person in charge of the camp, who will be the one in charge of cooking and also washing the kitchenware. We will request you to wash the dishes you use, under the supervision of the one in charge of the camp that will provide you hot water in big recipients. After all, isn´t that what camp is all about? You will discover how doing dishes is good for your inner soul. During the walks a box lunch is provided and we will eat it in some panoramic point in a rest stop, generally around the 1 or 2 PM. When people return of the walks, the receive a snack, around 6 PM. The dinner is served around the 8.30 PM, so that people can share a pleasant after dinner and go to sleep early.

SECURITY The trip doesn't include medical assistance. The guides will carry a basic first-aid kit along the walks and VHF communication equipment for any emergency that could take place.

TRANSPORTATION The transportation will be in private services except the rare cases in which the groups are less than 8 people, where it is carried out in regular bus. The Extension Paine begins in El Calafate and it is always in private Bus. The Extension Usuahia begins and finishes in the airport of Usuahia.

GUIDES AND COORDINATION All groups have assistance, and guides where required. All groups have assistance from their arrival to El Calafate, El Chalten and Torres del Paine in Chile. In Usuahia the Guide receives the groups in the Airport and it accompanies them during the whole program and back to the Airport. All the groups will be guided by a professional Mountain Guide, who belongs to the Argentine Association of Mountain Guides and authorized by National Parks, in the journeys that requires it. Also, due to the variety of the destinations that embraces the trip, we have coordinators in different points like El Calafate, and our offices at El Chaltén and Usuahia.

FOOD This trip includes almost all the foods. The few meals that are not included are those that we know for experience that you prefer to choose freely. During the periods you stay in hostel or hotel, drinks are not included . During the periods you stay in camps, the four foods are full served, achieving a menu that not only contemplates your taste but also your energy necessities, and always based on fresh foods. Breakfasts: Thermos with hot water are provided with options like tea, coffee and milk; accompanied by cookies, jams, fruits and cereals. Lunches: They consist on a main course and dessert or a box lunch that is enjoyed in a panoramic point; always accompanied with juices. The box lunch contains an important salad or a good sandwich, accompanied by a fruit and a candy snack ("alfajor") or chocolate. Snacks:The mentioned infusions to select, with cakes, some sweet cookie or exceptionally fried cakes. They are served when people return from the walks. Dinners: It includes starter (salads or soups), main course (pasta, rice with squids, meats, stews, etc.), desserts as pears with chocolate, fruits, fondue, accompanied by juice, wine and later the coffee.

ACTIVITIES You will walk along a unique landscape, among lakes, mountains and glaciers, and the idea is to enjoy the journey, so there are no rush or hurries, no difficulties neither risky steps. Trekking: we call this way the walks that are good to move us from a camp to another. In these programs the only trekking is in the area of El Chaltén, where people spend two camp nights in Laguna Capri. In the trekking each person will carry his/her backpack but inside each one he/she will take only the personal items that he/she needs for that camp night and the rest will be left in individual bags in the hostel or hotel in El Chaltén where we will return after the journey. Walks (Hikes): we call this way the journeys in which we only carry the photo camera and maybe a coat. In these walks we return to the place were we leave. We always walk slowly with some rests, enjoying the landscape and the environment while walking, with time to discover the flora and the fauna of the area.

SUGGESTIONS OF EQUIPMENT AND CLOTHES TO TAKE The Southern Patagonia in spring-summer presents a great thermal width. Some days we will be able to take sun baths and other days the cold wind will force us to shelter us with pullover and jackets. So layering is the key to choose your clothes. Without the need of taking with you the whole closet, keep in mind some suggestions: • Backpack (between 50 and 70 liters of capacity), • Small Backpack (10-15 liters) optional for the hikes to carry camera/coat/personal objects, • 2 pairs of "used-not new" footwear: one of comfortable trekking boots (better if they are waterproof) and the other tennis/running shoes, • several stockings, 3 pairs minimum: 1 wool or polipropilene thick + 1 polipropilene thin + 1 cotton, better two or three of each, • 2 long pants, loose fitting, jogging type, it is usually more comfortable to walk than jeans that also do not dry easily, 1 light pant waterproof, • 2 short pants, • 2 long-sleeved shirts and 3 or 4 short-sleeved shirts, • 2 coats of polar fiber or pullovers (two layers of coats is better than one heavy coat), • wind and rainproof jacket, • coat cap & sun cap, • gloves, coat & waterproof, • UV sunglasses, • solar protector factor 30, lip balm, • hygiene elements (biodegradable soap, toilet paper), towel, personal medication, • residual bags (we will Leave No Trace) and zip lock bags for wet clothes, • torch/headlamp and batteries, • photo camera, film and batteries, • documents (passport).

MORE EXPLANATIONS • aExplorer.org will be in charge of the transfer of the whole camp material. • aExplorer.org retains the right to change the itinerary or to suspend some of the activities when some climatic cause or other cause of any other nature justifies it in favor of the security of each member of the group. • To participate in this trips you don't need previous experience in camp. • We welcome family groups but advise them not to participate with children smaller than 9 (nine) years

Services not included

When we mentioned "Not Included" we mean "Not included in the price". We give many of these travel services in order to make your trip comfortable and hassle-free. We will also help you in calculating the total cost of your chosen trip and stand by you giving a full service treatment while you travel in Argentina. That means no unwanted surprises and no hidden costs.

International Flights. We do not include them because we assume that you will find better prices shopping around on the Internet or with your local travel agent. We know that you´ll be able to find excellent deals. Just watch carefully for the arrival and departure airports and dates. Arrival of international flights in Argentina are done through the Ezeiza International Airport (code EZE). What we recommend is arriving at least one day in advance to Ezeiza Airport, spending that day and night visiting Buenos Aires and leaving to Patagonia (El Calafate, Lago Argentino Airport, code FTE) the next morning approximately since 6 AM from Aeroparque Jorge Newbery Airport (code AEP). For example, the Full Patagonia Adventure begins on a Saturday, so you we´ll be arriving to Buenos Aires at least on Friday morning, and you will have all day and night to be seduced by the charm of this cosmopolitan city. At the end when you come back from Ushuaia is Saturday, so you spend that night in Buenos Aires and go back home on Sunday.

Domestic Flights. Here you have 2 options. First check to buy in your country a "visit Argentina" type ticket. This ticket is provided for example by Aerolineas Argentinas and is sold when you buy the international ticket. This ticket is not being sold in Argentina. The cost of this ticket is approximately 110 u$d for each stop. Departures are from Aeroparque Jorge Newbery Airport (AEP) in Buenos Aires. You will need 2 stops for the Full Patagonia Adventure: El Calafate Airport (FTE) and Ushuaia Airport (USH). If you want to do the Overland Patagonia Adventure you will go first to Trelew Airport (REL) close to Puerto Madryn. For the other trips just look at the detail description and see which Airports are mentioned. The second option is to buy this ticket from us. We currently have an offer of 225 u$d for the ticket AEP-FTE-AEP (1 stop) and 350 u$d for AEP-FTE-USH-AEP (2 stops). Here are the links to websites of the companies that have domestic flights to Patagonia so you can check prices or make reservations:

When getting the "visit Argentina" ticket if you need we will help you in making the flight reservations that will depend on the schedule of the air company at that moment

Transfers Ezeiza - Buenos Aires - Aeroparque. We do not include it in the price but we will give you this service with different options and prices:
Private car, up to 3 pax (in-out)
30 u$d (Ezeiza-Hotel in Buenos Aires-Ezeiza)
15 u$d (Hotel in Buenos Aires-Aeroparque-Hotel in Buenos Aires)
15 u$d (Ezeiza-Aeroparque or Aeroparque-Ezeiza)
Private Van with guide, 4 to 10 pax (in-out)
60 u$d (Ezeiza-Hotel in Buenos Aires-Ezeiza)
35 u$d (Hotel in Buenos Aires-Aeroparque-Hotel in Buenos Aires)

Nights in Buenos Aires. We do not include them in the price because it depends on how many nights you want to stay in Buenos Aires, before and after the Adventure Trip of your choice. We do recommend staying at Buenos Aires for at least two nights: one before and one after the trip. We can offer you the following hotels:

4* Dazzler Hotel, 50 u$d the room w/ breakfast. (rack: 80 u$d) our rate: Very Good
3* Waldorf Hotel, 4