Tour open to all GLBT travelers, whether single, committed or traveling as a group of friends. With a group of just 6, we can close the tour just for you.
Your Itinerary:
Day 1: Puerto Varas, Chile. Arrive in the port city of Puerto Montt where we will be waiting for you for the short transfer to the starting point of our adventure, the quaint lakeside town of Puerto Varas, with its amazing view of the “Mount Fuji of South America” (the Osorno Volcano) across Llanquihue lake. We’ll take an afternoon trip along the lake to visit an open-air colonial museum in Frutillar, then have an all-you-can-eat lunch over which we will discuss the trip. In the evening, you can test your luck at the beautiful casino by the shore.
Day 2: San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina. Today we head north to Lake Puyehue turning east to drive between the Puyehue and Casa Blanca Volcanoes then up and over the pass into Argentina. We border the Nahuel Huapi Lake, pass through the town of Villa La Angostura before continuing around the eastern shores of the lake arrive at our first day’s destination of San Carlos de Bariloche. This afternoon you can shop for chocolates and take a chairlift up Campanario Hill with its unbeatable view of the entire area.
Day 3: Futaleufú, Chile. This morning we leave Bariloche and make a stop in the "hippy town" of El Bolsón, where we will visit the unique handcraft market before continuing south until we reach the end of the paved road in Trevelín, where we’ll have lunch at a typical Welsh restaurant. Then we reenter Chile and head down to the world renowned whitewater rafting village of Futaleufú. We will check into our hotel right off the town square, after which you will have the remainder of the afternoon free.
Day 4: Chaitén, Chile. We drive along the Futaleufú River, around Lake Yelcho until we reach the “Carretera Austral”, or Southern Highway, which is the extension of the Pan-American Highway connecting Alaska with Southern Chile. Here we turn north for the scenic drive up to the port town of Chaitén. This afternoon you can relax in the city and enjoy the view of the pointed Corcovado Volcano, take a walk into Parque Palena and visit a museum dedicated to the planning and construction of the Carretera Austral, or join us on a day trip into Parque Pumalín, a natural reserve created by Douglas Tompkins (founder of The North Face Company and Esprit), modeled after Yosemite National Park in California. Here we will take an easy hike to see the Alerce trees, some of the oldest in the world.
Day 5: Lake Risopatrón (near Puyuhuapi), Chile. This morning we head back down the Carretera Austral where hopefully we will get to see the Nevado Volcano and the hanging Yelcho Glacier. We continue south through a wide open valley, and as the scenery begins to get more close and personal, we arrive at our cabins in the middle of the forest, on the northern shores of the Risopatrón Lake. Today will be a fairly short day, giving you time to relax in a beautiful environment, hiking along some of the spectacular trails close by. Whatever you decide to do today, you should definitely take advantage of the unique heated swimming pool!
Day 6: Lake Risopatrón (near Puyuhuapi), Chile. Today we will take a break from driving and enjoy the breathtaking environment around us by the lake. There are numerous activities for you to choose from today, including horseback riding, trekking, fly fishing, boating, or just hanging out by the pool listening to the hundreds of birds who make this their home. Tonight we (really “Chef Felipe”) will prepare a home-cooked meal in one of the cabins.
Day 7: Coyhaique, Chile. Today we continue south, returning to the sea in the sleepy port town of Puyuhuapi, first made famous by its high quality, handmade rugs, then by the discovery of hot springs in the area. Then we pass through what many consider the most beautiful park in Chile, Queulat National Park. In this the only national park in which you can drive completely through, we can take a hike to see the Hanging Glacier. The road on this section of the trip is packed with scenic beauty so varied and breathtaking, your cameras will get a workout! After passing through the Simpson Valley with numerous waterfalls, we arrive in Coyhaique, the largest city we’ll see until the end of our trip.
Day 8: Pto. Guadal (Lake General Carrera), Chile. Leaving Coyhaique, we head south again around Cerro Castillo (Castle Mountain). Then we enter a valley that became a river of flowing lava after the 1991 eruption of the Hudson Volcano, leaving behind a “Rio de la Muerte” (River of the Dead), a riverbed of scorched tree trunks as a reminder of nature’s power. The entire area was covered in up to a meter of ashes. The road turns south again and heads towards the western shores of General Carrera Lake, the largest in Chile. We will make a stop and take a boat ride to see some amazing Marble Caves, then cross a beautiful bridge to spend the night at a cozy, well-equipped complex on the south shore of the lake.
Day 9: Pto. Guadal (Lake General Carrera), Chile. Today is another day to relax in the middle of a majestic environment: on the shores of Chile’s largest, bluest lake, with a view of Patagonia’s highest peak, San Valentín, on the other side. A multitude of optional activities (some at extra charge) include day hikes and climbs, boat excursions, rafting, kayaking, horseback riding, even float-plane flights over the world famous Laguna San Rafael with its unique glacier. Then, put the perfect touch on the end of your day with an optional long soak at sunset in the wood-heated hot tub with a spectacular view of the lake.
Day 10: Lago Posada, Argentina. After breakfast in the lodge, we head south and drive along the incredible glacier-blue waters of the Baker River. Then we make a turn east into the Chacabuco Valley and follow the river of the same name. Douglas Tompkins recently purchased this entire valley and is converting it into a nature preserve. Today’s drive will be a Patagonian safari, where you will most likely get to see more wildlife than on any other part of the trip, including guanacos, rheas, foxes, and hopefully some condors. We cross into Argentina again and the scenery changes as we enter the pampa, or steppes. Then we make our way into the small dusty town of Lago Posada for our comfortable accommodations for the night at our most remote destination during the trip.
Day 11: El Chaltén, Argentina. Today’s trip will be our longest, so we’ll need to get an early start. We enter Argentina’s famous Route 40 at the crossroads town of Bajo Caracoles and head south through wide open landscapes. Just before getting to Lake Viedma we turn back west and drive along the northern shores of the lake. The unparalleled beauty in front of us grabs our attention and pulls us in to our destination for the day of El Chaltén, where trekkers and climbers from around the world come to tackle the immense Mount Fitz Roy, Las Torres and numerous other mountains, and enjoy the vast glaciers in Glacier National Park. After a long drive, it’s good to stroll through this unique town, 100% built around backpackers and other travelers who love the outdoors.
Day 12: El Chaltén, Argentina. Today you can either relax around El Chaltén or choose between various activities, such as:
- Mountain and Ice Trekking for those prepared for a full day hike to and from Tower Lagoon, including ice-trekking on the Tower Glacier
- Day cruise and Ice Trekking on Lake Viedma and the Viedma Glacier
- Day trip to the Laguna del Desierto for a hike to visit a glacier followed by a typical Argentinean lunch.
Whatever you decide, we’re sure the combination of tired muscles, clean mountain air, and a good hot meal will help us all sleep like babies!
Day 13: El Calafate, Argentina. Our drive will be relatively short today, with most of the road paved. We return along Lake Viedma, down to the south shore of Lake Argentino and into the tourist town of El Calafate for an early lunch. Then you will take an afternoon tour for a close-up view of the Perito Moreno Glacier, one of the most active glaciers on the planet, often with sections of ice calving off every few minutes. The almost constant sound of ice cracking and shifting inside the glacier is something you will never forget. You’ll have the remainder of the afternoon and evening free to enjoy the inviting shops and bookstores.
Day 14: Torres del Paine, Chile. This morning you will be able to visit a nature sanctuary, and take a couple of hours to stroll around the lagoons, the home of hundreds of birds and ducks. Then we will leave El Calafate heading south to cross the border into Chile for the last time. After lunch we will make our way to just outside of Torres del Paine National Park to stay at a working Estancia. Hopefully we will get the chance to see some sheep shearing before having dinner with an amazing view of the Park.
Day 15: Puerto Natales, Chile. Today we enter Chile’s most visited park, Torres del Paine National Park. The park was designated a Unesco World Biosphere Reserve in 1978, being the home to at least 25 species of mammals, including guanacos, pumas and foxes, as well as more than 115 species of birds. We will see various lakes (Sarmiento, del Toro, Nordenskjold, Pehoé, Grey), the famous North and South Towers and the more photographed Paine “Cuernos”, or Horns. We will take an easy 1-hour hike to have our box lunch right in front of the Horns. Then we will continue driving through the park, seeing innumerable guanacos, before going down to Puerto Natales, a small town in an unbelievable setting on the Last Hope Sound. Here we will have our farewell dinner.
Day 16: Punta Arenas, Chile. This morning you will be transferred to Punta Arenas either for your flight back to Santiago or to continue your vacation. We hope you had a great vacation.
Notes:
Airfare is included in the tour price.
$3,400 per person based on double occupancy. $500 Single Supplement.
Price Includes:
- Internal airfare
- All transfers and transportation
- All lodging in at least 3-star category
- All meals and snacks
- Park entrance fees
- Daily soft-adventure activities such as hiking, horseback riding, kayaking, ice-trekking, boating, etc., and hosted from start to finish by the owners of the business.
Price Excludes:
- International airfare to Santiago
- Alcoholic drinks
- Additional activities
- Travel insurance
- Discretionary tips for tour hosts
- Anything else not mentioned in the program.
Also see tour packages in:
South America
Chile
Argentina
Gay Tours
Ecotourism
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