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Hiking Patagonia: The Aysen Glacier Trail This may be the best Patagonia trek ever (aside from our Paine Circuit trek, of course!). The Aysén region of Patagonia is still a wild frontier—an isolated wilderness with a captivating landscape of endless glaciers, old-growth beech forests, and glittering lakes. The lightly-traveled trail passes through privately owned property (where you’ll camp on ranch lands) and through San Rafael National Park, a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve, home to the most secluded, pristine forests and alpine habitats on the western border of the Northern Patagonia Ice Field. You’ll cross the 2½-mile-wide Neff Glacier (simple and straightforward, crampons provided), marvel at the dazzling ice walls of the Colonia Glacier, and have a chance to view Patagonian wildlife, including the shy huemul deer. Strategically located and well-equipped private permanent camps a day’s hike apart provide a comfortable, unique experience. You’ll need to carry a backpack with your sleeping bag and clothing for the week.
TRIP HIGHLIGHTS
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 Itinerary: The Aysén Glacier TrailDay 1 - Meet in Santiago, Chile. Afternoon city tour. Day 2 - Fly to Balmaceda and transfer to Puerto Bertrand (population 65!), located at the headwaters of Chile’s biggest volume river, the Río Baker. Day 3 - Boat across Lagos Bertrand and Plomo to meet up with our horse packing team. Begin hiking, traversing the flanks of the Cordon Soler (7,052'). Day 4 - Pass the convergence of three major glacial valleys and continue toward the back of the Soler Valley and up into the old growth beech forest to the Palomar Ranch. Days 5-6 - Cross the moraines of the Neff Glacier, then hike up to camp by some mirror-like lakes. Layover day to explore, including a hike to a viewpoint for panoramic vistas of the three glacier-filled valleys. Day 7 Hike down the Buena Cueva Valley to camp by Cachet Lake, which faces the constantly calving Colonia Glacier. Day 8 - Enjoy constant views of the iceberg-filled lake and the 160-foot ice wall of the Colonia Glacier as you ascend into a beech forest overlooking a deep canyon. Day 9 - Follow the tracks of huemul deer to the northern shore of Lago Colonia. Take a boat across the lake, passing below 150-foot waterfalls to the south shore, then walk to camp at the Sol de Mayo Ranch. Day 10 - Hike down the Colonia Valley to the Río Baker, meeting local farmers along the way. Cross the river by cableway raft and meet vehicles for the drive to Cochrane. Day 11 - Drive to Coyhaique, scenically surrounded by mountains and rivers. Day 12 - Transfer to Balmaceda, fly to Santiago, and depart. Detailed Itinerary - Hiking Patagonia: The Aysen Glacier Trail 1. Download detailed itinerary in a PDF format 2008 Detailed Itinerary 2009 Detailed Itinerary (PDF files require that you have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed. This program can be downloaded for free from the Adobe Website.) 2. Or email us your itinerary request at sales@mtsobek.com 3. Or call us at 1-888-831-7526 (USA and Canada) or (510) 594-6000 We’ll email you a copy (Word or Acrobat document), fax, or mail you the itinerary as you prefer. For more information and reservations, please contact: Mountain Travel Sobek 1266 66th Street, Suite 4 Emeryville, CA 94608 USA Toll Free (USA and Canada): 1-888-831-7526 Phone: +1-510-594-6000 Fax: + 1-510-594-6001 Email: info@mtsobek.com |