Patagonia Wildlife Tour

Hiking to Laguna Azul

• Date: Every Monday & Thursday
• Activity: Nature walk
• Walking distance: 5km / 3mi
• Max altitude point: 200m / 660ft
• Estimated walking time: 2h
• Start: 10am / finish: 5pm 

On our way to Laguna Azul we will have the chance to enjoy some marvellous views of the famous Torres, as well as passing through the Pampa Guanaco, where we will be lucky enough not only to spot many elegant guanacos, but also to hop out of the van and walk amongst them. After soaking up these beautiful surroundings, we will continue our drive to Laguna Azul, where a picnic lunch will have been prepared for us! We will enjoy our picnic lunch looking out over the lake, with a view of the three granite towers in the distance. After lunch, we will walk south to Macho Cañon, where we can observe the typical fauna of the Torres del Paine National Park, including more guanaco herds. From here we will jump into our van again, heading back to the EcoCamp in time for cocktail hour.

Biking to Laguna Azul

• Date: Every Monday & Thursday
• Activity: Biking
• Biking distance: 5km / 3mi
• Max altitude point: 200m / 660ft
• Estimated biking time: 2h
• Start: 10am / finish: 5pm 

After breakfast we drive to Estancia Laguna Amarga and we hop on our mountain bikes & pedal away towards Laguna Azul campsite approximately 20 km to the north east. We cycle past an array of fauna on the Patagonian plains including guanacos and ostrich-like ñandús (plus maybe the occasional puma print!), heading up north past the cascading Paine waterfall where we can stop for a break to admire the view. We continue our journey heading past a small canyon in the middle of the Patagonian flora and fauna before looping up towards Laguna Azul. Upon arrival at Laguna Azul we enjoy our picnic lunch. Once we’ve feasted and enjoyed some rest there’s time to explore the surroundings and climb to the nearby sightseeing point with a panoramic view of the lagoon and the Torres in the distance. The cycle ride back to Ecocamp is optional - anyone who is happily tired after the journey is welcome to travel back in the support van. Back at EcoCamp the cyclists reunite with their Safari hiking counterparts to enjoy the evening aperitif.

Trek Towers Base

• Date: Every Monday & Thursday
• Activity: Demanding Hiking
• Trek distance: 22km / 14mi
• Max altitude point: 914m / 3000ft
• Estimated walking time: 9h
• Start: 8am / finish: 5pm 

After a hearty breakfast we set off from Ecocamp towards Hostería Las Torres and join the uphill path to Ascencio Valley on the Tower's eastern face. Dry mountain spots, beech forests and small rivers line the scenic walk towards the valley. Our big challenge comes as we climb the steep moraine, a mass of boulders leading us towards one of the world's most famous views overlooking the Towers. The famous Torres del Paine (2,900 m/ 9,400 ft) consist of three gigantic granite monoliths, the remains of a great cirque sheared away by the forces of glacial ice. After an uphill slog, the Towers eventually come into full view, rising majestically before us, with the glacial lake visible below. Is there any better place in the world to have lunch? After feasting on the view and our picnic, we backtrack along the same trail through Ascencio Valley and return to EcoCamp. 

Drive & Walk Western Lakes, Navigation Glacier Grey

• Date: Every Tuesday & Friday
• Activity: Nature walks and boat trip
• Walking distance: 0.8km / 0.5mi
• Max altitude point: >200m / >660ft
• Estimated walking time: 0.45h
• Start: 10am / finish: 8pm 

We start off driving across the Park, admiring the view of Paine Grande and its snowy peaks, and Los Cuernos with its black, granite horn-like spires. We stop at various viewpoints on the way to enjoy observing and photographing herds of guanacos, Andean condors and interesting flora. We drive down past Pehoe lake and enjoy a short scenic walk along the tip of its southern shore, with views of the vast Toro lake. From here we drive up to Grey Lake and wander along the beach on the shores of the glacial water. Here we enjoy a tasty box-lunch by the lake before embarking on a boat ride across the icy waters to the towering blue walls of Glacier Grey. After this incredible sight of the glacier up close, we drive back to EcoCamp. (*During Shoulder Season (September, October, April and May) the boat trip to Glacier Grey may be cancelled as the boat requires a minimum of 8 passengers to sail, which might not be reached in some cases. If this is the case we will plan an alternative excursion in the Park.)

Drive & Walk Western Lakes, Hike to Cerro Ferrier

• Date: Every Tuesday & Friday
• Activity: Hiking
• Hiking distance: 6km / 4mi
• Max altitude point: >700m / >2300ft
• Estimated hiking time: 3h
• Start: 10am / finish: 8pm 

We will begin the day driving across the park, admiring the view of Paine Grande's snowy peaks and the black, granite, horn-like spires of Los Cuernos. As we walk along the shores of the stunning Lake Pehoe, we will see the furious Salto Grande waterfalls where the water from Lake Nordenskjold cascades down into Pehoe. The van will drive us south to a beach along the shores of glacial Lake Grey. It is here where we will begin our hike to Cerro Ferrier, a fairly steep route taking us through a fairytalesque Magellanic forest where we might spot the Huemul, the endangered South Andean deer. We will go uphill for about an hour and a half to reach a breathtaking lookout that will offer us a unique perspective on the Paine Massive, Grey Glacier and some of the most famous lakes of the National Park. We will then walk back to Grey Beach to meet our fellow travelers coming back from the boat ride. Together, we all head to Ecocamp to enjoy a relaxed evening.

Sarmiento Lake & Fauna Trail

• Date: Every Wednesday & Saturday
• Activity: Nature walks & boat navigation
• Walking distance: 6km / 4mi
• Max altitude point: >200m / 660ft
• Estimated walking time: 5h
• Start: 10am / finish: 6pm 

This predominantly flat trek boasts stunningly diverse natural scenery and offers the chance to feast your eyes upon a startlingly blue lake, which is secluded from all the other water systems of the area. There will be ample opportunity to spot many graceful guanacos and great grebes along the way. First we will examine the geology of the area’s turbidite rock folds, before descending the isthmus which separates Lake Sarmiento from Lake Sarmiento Chico (the two lakes were once a single mass of water), walking along a slight slope, and ambling beside the eastern edge of Lake Sarmiento Chico. We will eventually arrive at an impressive bay on the western side of Lake Sarmiento, admiring a breath-taking view which could easily be mistaken for a piece of art! Then begins our ascent back to the van, and along the way we will stumble across an awe-inspiring, panoramic vista of Lake Sarmiento from its western shore, looking towards its eastern coast glimmering on the horizon. From here we drive back eastwards along the northern shore of Sarmiento Lake until we reach the starting point of the Fauna Trail. As we walk northwards along the trail we see park fauna on the Patagonian plains including guanacos, ostrich-like ñandús and maybe the occasional puma print! We pass by Goic lagoon and after an approximate 5 km relaxed walk we reach the Laguna Amarga ranger station where we’re picked up and driven back to EcoCamp.

Navigation Pehoe Lake & hike French Valley

• Date: Every Wednesday & Saturday
• Activity: Nature Walk
• Hiking distance: 21km / 13mi
• Max altitude point: >200m / >660ft
• Estimated hiking time: 8h
• Start: 8am / finish: 8pm

After breakfast, we will be driven to Pudeto dock, located on the shores of Pehoe Lake. We will board the catamaran that will take us to the north-western sector of the Lake where we will begin the challenging trek to Valle Frances (French Valley) along a steep trail that leads to the very heart of the Paine Massif. How far in we go depends on our group's trekking rhythm. A swifter walk will lead us to the hanging bridge over the French River, located at the foot of the south east face of the Massif, where we will be treated to fantastic views of the valley.We will then continue to ascend towards the upper section of the valley where we will be able to marvel at the extensive mass of the valley's geological formations: Hoja (Blade), Máscara (Mask), Espada (Sword), Catedral (Cathedral), Aleta de Tiburón (Shark’s Fin) and the magnificent Fortaleza (Fortress). After our upward trek, we will pause for a picnic and relax a while. This day's adventure will end as we descend through an undulating terrain of mixed grassland and light forest which will take us to Refugio Paine Grande, located on the peaceful shores of Lake Pehoe. From here, we will board the catamaran which will take us back to Pudeto, where we will be collected and transported back to EcoCamp.
N.B. An optional trek to Mirador Britanico is also available. The excursion to French Valley varies throughout the season depending on the catamaran connecting Pudeto and Refugio Pehoe:

• During September, October, April and May (shoulder season) the catamaran service will be out of operation. Therefore, the excursion will be replaced by a journey from Estancia Lazo to Weber Bridge. Read more about Lazo Weber Excursion 

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  If you think those grey clouds have come out to spoil your fun, don’t panic – we’ve got you covered. Rest assured, dear trekker, that a cloudy day at EcoCamp never means a marathon celebrity heads or crochet session!

  We’ll start our day 8:30am with breakfast at EcoCamp and a moment to prepare our Box Lunch before boarding our bus at 10am. Our ride takes us past the Lazo Weber Estancia where we’ll enter the National Park via Laguna Verde and begin our 12km hike. The Lazo Weber Trail is packed with native flora and wildlife – so have your cameras ready to snap pics of the guanacos, owls, eagles, condors, and caranchos; another bird of prey – all with the mountainous Paine range on our right. The hike is rather easy and apart from a few hills, the trail remains rather flat. We’ll stop a moment to refuel by the magical Laguna Honda, and enjoy the sights and sensations of the gorgeous landscape and fresh breeze. On our way, we will hike through one of the quietest forests in the national park, a fantastic opportunity to observe native trees such as the Lenga and the Coihue. 

  The rest of our hike takes us to a lookout point (El Toro Lookout) where we’ll be wowed by a 360 view of the Paine mountain range, the Patagonian Andes, and a suite of rivers and lakes (including rivers Paine, Grey, Serrano and Lake Toro, the largest in the region). An hour’s descent towards Paine River will see us reunited with our van. But before we go back to EcoCamp, we’ll search for more animals to photograph and take a final moment to enjoy the scenery. At about 7pm, we’ll arrive back at our dome sweet dome, ready to share in a tasty dinner and talk about our day hiking the Lazo Weber Trail.

• From 1st to 15th of November: Hiking is limited and restricted past Camp Italiano.
• From 16th of November till 15th of March: excursion operates on a regular basis. From 16th of March till 31st of March: Hiking is limited and restricted past Camp Italiano.

Salto Grande & El Condor Lookout

• Date: Every Sunday
• Activity: Nature walk
• Walking distance: 6km / 4mi
• Max altitude point: >500m / >1640ft
• Estimated walking time: 4h
• Start: 10am / finish: 4pm 

After breakfast we head out in the van westwards, taking a route along the southern shore of Nordenskjold lake. Our first stop is the magnificent Salto Grande waterfall, with its impressive cascading waters falling from Nordenskjold lake into Pehoe lake. From here it's a short walk to Cuernos viewpoint, with a panoramic view of the mighty Horns. From here we drive to the Pehoe Lake and stop at the shore of the lake to start the 2-hour walk (round trip) to El Condor Lookout. We gently go uphill through the steppe vegetation; a great opportunity to learn about the local flora. Here we witness the piercing blueness of Pehoe Lake and and the Paine river. On a clear day, we can see the immensity of the Southern Patagonian ice fields in the distance. The lookout leaves us speechless as we overlook the whole Paine Mountain range and its stunning snowcapped peaks. After a hearty lunch in the perfect location, we backtrack along the same trail and drive back to EcoCamp.

Trek Cerro Paine

• Date: Every Sunday
• Activity: Demanding Hiking
• Hiking distance: 16km / 9mi
• Max altitude point: >1200m / >3937ft
• Estimated hiking time: 7h
• Start: 10am / finish: 4pm 

We leave after a tasty breakfast at EcoCamp to head to Cerro Paine, a nearby mountain characterized by its two imposing peaks. We hike along the mountain for half an hour, which allows us to warm up while admiring the view of the surrounding pampa. The challenge starts as we start climbing the eastern part of Cerro Paine. We cross the lenga forest with the sound of the local birds and enjoy a few stops to observe the immense Almirante Nieto Mountain and its glacier on our left side. With any luck we will follow the tracks of the puma as the towers come into full view. A nice place for Lunch, isn’t it? As we are ready to start the steepest part of the hike, we leave the forest and hike on the rock. As we go up, we admire the spectacular panoramic view of the immense pampa and the mountains in the distance, like the Balmaceda mountain. We go up for about an hour up to 1200m/3937ft to reach the eastern peak of Cerro Paine, which offers an unforgettable lookout of the towers and the ascencio valley. After chilling in one of the most striking views of the national park, we backtrack along the same trail and return to EcoCamp.