7 Days in Patagonia with REI!
Overview
Iconic peaks, impressive glaciers and award-winning lodging; this 7-day REI adventure is ideal for the multisport adventurer.
Experience Patagonia’s impressive landscape from an adventurous, authentic perspective, staying in idyllic, sustainable domes at the end of each action-packed day. Often referred to as “the end of the world”, Chile’s Torres del Paine National Park is the perfect place for our hiking, kayaking and biking adventure. Each day brings a new activity in this 1,000 square mile national park. Hike to impressive viewpoints, kayak close to a stunning glacier and bike to an area where guanacos outnumber people.Enjoy an extraordinary stay at an award-winning ecolodge in the Torres del Paine National Park. The traditional domes provide comfort and warmth while utilizing the same engineering that allowed the first people of these lands to build homes that could withstand the tremendous winds of Patagonia. Gourmet meals, exhilarating adventure and a wonderful lodge stay complete this unforgettable experience in Patagonia’s Torres del Paine National Park.
Trip highlights
- Hike to the base of the towers of Torres del Paine and other amazing viewpoints
- Kayak Grey Lake and get an up close look of an impressive glacier
- Bike to a dazzlingly beautiful blue and postcard perfect lake
- Relax and dine in comfortable domes surrounded by breathtaking scenery
Activities
- Cycling
- Hiking
- Kayaking
Print ItineraryCollapse all daysDay 1: Arrive Torres del Paine Patagonia today.
Our Patagonia multisport trip begins at the Punta Arenas airport. We board our comfortable bus for the five-hour transfer to the world-famous Torres del Paine National Park. During our transfer, we stop in the small but lively town of Puerto Natales for lunch and a chance to stretch our legs. This is the last town before entering the park. We continue on our scenic drive and arrive in time to check into our domes and orient ourselves to our lodge, EcoCamp Patagonia. Before dinner, our guide will go over tomorrow’s scheduled activity and help prepare everyone for the day, covering topics such as what to wear and what to bring in your daypack. Afterward, we have our first taste of what our delicious meals will be like during our stay. Lunch and dinner included.
Driving time: 5 hours.Day 2: Kayak on Grey Lake and glide past icebergs.
Note: Effective October 2019, the kayaking route will take place in more sheltered areas of Grey Lake and, the Grey and Serrano Rivers. This itinerary will be updated in May 2019. Please call for more information.
This morning we make our way to Grey Lake in the western sector of the park, about a two hour drive away. We cross the lake by boat, where we will get a close look of the impressive glacier which forms part of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field. We disembark to find our kayaks and gear waiting for us. After the safety briefing, we paddle towards the eastern face of the glacier while navigating our way in between gigantic floating icebergs. From our kayaks, we admire the immensity of the icebergs and their myriad shades of blue. We board the boat back across the lake before our transfer returning us to the lodge where an appetizing meal awaits us. All meals included.
Kayaking: 3 hours; Boat trip: 3 hours.Day 3: Hike to Laguna Stokes and see wild horses of Patagonia roam.
We start today with a 40 minute transfer along the northern slope of the Cordillera Masle. We arrive at an old shelter, where once upon a time, gauchos took refuge. Here we marvel at a landscape where wild horses still roam. On today’s outing, we are accompanied by “guardians” of the wild horses who share the evolution and characteristics of these majestic animals as well as the history of the area. Our hike takes us through a valley dotted with forests of the Antarctic birch. Magnificent views are always in our sights. Our final destination is the beautiful Laguna Stokes. The deep blue lagoon and panorama is the perfect locale for our lunch stop. We continue hiking among beech trees and calafate bushes until we reach our van which will take us back to the lodge. All meals included.
Hiking: 4 to 5 miles; elevation gain/loss: 500′.Day 4: Explore Patagonia ranchland by bike.
We begin our day with a one hour drive to Estancia Lazo, a cattle ranch founded in 1894. We arrive at the Estancia main house and here we meet our cycling guides who will help fit the bikes, provide riding tips, route and safety information. The ride begins on a ranch road and progresses through the forest to a narrower path which open again onto old logging roads. The route undulates up and down as we ride the circuit to the top of 3 separate highpoints with spectacular views of Paine Grande and the Sierra del Toro. Along the route there are options to make short detours on slightly longer, more difficult terrain. From the final viewpoint we descend to the Quincho, where we will enjoy a traditional Patagonian barbeque lunch. We return to our eco camp in the late afternoon. All meals included.
Cycling: 4-6 miles on ranch road, logging road and some single track.Day 5: Hike to a viewpoint and feast your eyes on the beauty of Torres del Paine.
We start our day with our usual hearty breakfast before today’s hike. Our van driver drops us at the trailhead where we find a relatively flat and easy trail to warm up our legs. We pass a beautiful lake and find plentiful photo opportunities. We hike through a forest of native trees such as the Lenga and the Coihue. Our lunch stop will be one of many places that offer incredible views. The remainder of our hike brings us to a viewpoint that provides a 360-degree view of the Paine mountain range, the Patagonian Andes and Grey Lake. An hour’s descent towards Paine River will reunite us with our van. On the drive back, take a final moment to enjoy the scenery. All meals included.
Hiking: 7.5 miles, 5 hours; elevation gain/loss: 1,970′.Day 6: Hike to the base of the towers where Torres del Paine gets its name.
Our early departure this morning starts with hiking towards the bridge over the Ascensio River nearing the trailhead for the world famous Paine towers. The hike begins with a steep slope as we make our way to the narrow V-shaped valley. A gentle downhill leads us to Refugio Chileno, where we take a well-deserved break. We then hike along a gentle slope through a beech forest with views of the river. A final climb through a steep moraine with several well-placed boulders leads us to a magnificent viewpoint. This is our first glimpse of the three towers rising vertically over 3,000′ and the turquoise blue glacier lake at their base. We spend time in this special place before taking the same trail back to our lodge. All meals included.
Hiking: 14 miles, 7 to 8 hours; elevation gain/loss: 4,000′.Day 7: Depart for home today.
After breakfast we leave Torres del Paine for the 5.5 hour drive back to where we began, the Punta Arenas airport. Breakfast included.
