Have you always wanted to explore Patagonia but didn’t feel like doing it with a 25 or 30 pound backpack?? Do you want to see some glaciers up close and personal? Do you want the opportunity to walk on a glacier?? Do you enjoy a hot shower and warm bed at night??
If you answered yes to these questions, then you should consider joining us on this memorable trip! We’ll be exploring two Patagonia National Parks by day and enjoying 2 to 3 star accommodations by night. We’ll travel with just day packs as we hike in both parks and take in all the gorgeous scenery.
The Torres del Paine National Park is located in Chile’s Region XII, between the massif of the Los
Andes Mountain Range and the Patagonian steppes, in Ultima Esperanza Province, community of Torres del Paine. It is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful national parks, famous all around the world for its spectacular scenery, fauna and adventure tourism activities. The Torres

del Paine National Park and environs has four types of vegetation - pre-Andean scrubland on the banks of rivers and lakes; Magallanes forest; Magallanes tundra, typified by the presence of bent-over bushes, cushions of plants and pasturelands; and high altitude vegetation above the forests, which disappears as the altitude increases. This diversity of environments leads to presence of a large number of mammals, including especially the Puma, Guemal, Guanaco,
Chilla Fox, Culpeo Fox and Skunk. The park has a wide variety of bird fauna, with about 100 visible species.
Los Glaciares National Park is located in the area known as Austral Andes in Argentina, in the south west of Santa Cruz on the border with Chile. By his magnificent natural beauty, it constitutes a wonder in the world, and was declared "World Heritage" by UNESCO in
1981. This park shows a scenario of mountains, lakes and woods, including a large portion of the Andes practically under ice and snow to the west, and the arid
Patagonian steppe to the east.
Its name refers to the glaciers that are born on the Ice Caps - the largest continental ice extension after Antarctica- which occupies almost half its area.
On the southern area of the Park, the most famous glacier can be seen: Perito Moreno. It is very famous because of its dynamic changes, which produces a cyclic phenomenon of forward and backward movement, with spectacular ice falls from its front walls.
On the northern extreme of the park, the granite peaks, lakes, woods and glaciers become all together one of the most extraordinary places of the world.
The highest mountains are Mt. Fitz Roy (3405m) and
Mt. Torre (3102 m).
ITINERARY: (Subject to change depending upon weather, trail condition and group abilities)
DAY 1-March 4, 2017

Depart from USA and fly to El Calafate, Argentina
DAY 2-March 5, 2017 (D)
Arrive in El Calafate, Argentina; afternoon/evening walk around town, dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight at Hosteria Hainen: http://hosteriahainen.com/
DAY 3-March 6, 2017 (B, L)
El Calafate, Argentina - Today we drive into Parque Nacional Los Glaciares for views of the stunning Perito Moreno Glacier. This huge advancing glacier is more than 3 miles wide at its front and over 20 stories high - a highlight of the Patagonia travels! We will take a boat across
Lago Argentino and pass the massive front wall of blue ice, all the while watching for icebergs.
After landing on a small beach we will start hiking through the beech forest to the icepack of the glacier and have the opportunity to walk on the glacier with crampons (This Glacier trek has a minimum age of 12 and a maximum age of 65 requirements. Alternate excursions are available for those over 65 years of age.). We will eat lunch sitting on the lateral moraine of the glacier, where we can absorb the magnificence of the glacier's anatomy and listen to its thunderous concerto of groaning and cracking ice dropping into the lake below. Overnight at
Hosteria Hainen
DAY 4-March 7, 2017 (B)
Transfer by bus from El Calafate to El Chalten, Argentina. El Chalten is on the northern extreme of the park, the granite peaks, lakes, woods and glaciers become all together one of the most extraordinary places of the world. The highest mountains are Mt. Fitz Roy (3405m) and Mt. Torre (3102 m). After breakfast at the hotel, we will transfer to the bus terminal to board our afternoon bus for four-hour drive across the rugged landscape to El Chalten. Along the way, we will enjoy the magnificent geography of the region as we drive through the mountains, passing stunning lakes and winding rivers. In the evening, we will settle in to our comfortable room in our hotel in El Chalten. Overnight at La Aldea Apart: http://www.hotellaaldea.com.ar/
DAY 5 March 8, 2017(B)
El Chalten - hike to Laguna de los Tres. We will awake early this morning to begin a full day hike to Laguna de los Tres. The first 10 km gradually ascend through open and forested areas, with stunning views of Mt. Fitz Roy. Our route crosses the Rio Blanco before we begin the toughest part of our trek - a fifty-minute climb that zigzags up a 45º slope. Our efforts will be rewarded when we arrive at the eerily still glacial Laguna de Los Tres, where one of Patagonia's (and, quite possibly, the world's) best panoramic vistas stretches out before us! We will enjoy lunch

and feast on the views of the colossus of granite, ice, and sky, before heading back down to El
Chalten for a free evening and a good night's sleep. 8 hours hiking covering 13 miles (21 km).
Overnight at La Aldea Apart
DAY 6-March 9, 2017(B)
El Chalten - Hike Laguna Torre.
Today is another full day of hiking up to Laguna Torre. We will ascend from the De las Vueltas River Valley through dense southern beech forests, and enjoy views of the jagged Mount Torre-Adela range in the distance. We will continue climbing gradually until we reach Laguna Torre, where again, we will be rewarded by a stunning vista: majestic Mount Torre, flanked by the Adela mountains, high peaks, and glaciers spilling bluewhite towards the lagoon. We will eat lunch by the shores of the lagoon before hiking back to El
Chalten for the evening. 6 hours hiking covering 11 miles (17 km). Overnight at La Aldea Apart
DAY 7-March 10, 2017(B)
El Chalten - Viedma Glacier Hiking. This morning, a vehicle will take us to Bahia Tunel, a small harbor on Lago Viedma at the mouth of the Tunel Rio, to embark for a quick boat trip across
Lago Viedma en route to Viedma Glacier, one of Argentina's largest glaciers. We will then put on crampons, and after some instruction, begin to trek on the Viedma Glacier (this is designed for people who have never tried ice hiking with crampons). We will carry lunch with us, so that we can enjoy the ethereal experience of picnicking on the glacier, with the jagged Adela mountain chain rising beyond. After our glacial adventure exploring some of the ice caves and crevasses, we will descend to the glacier's lateral moraine for the boat trip back across the lake and return to El Chalten. 6 hours hiking (2.5 hours on the glacier) covering 9 miles (14 km).
Overnight at La Aldea Apart
DAY 8-March 11, 2017(B)
In the morning we will transfer by bus from El Chalten back to El Calafate. In El Calafate we will enjoy an afternoon at leisure to explore this lively town! Overnight at Hosteria Hainen
DAY 9-March 12, 2017(B, L, D)
Transfer from El Calafate to Torres del Paine National Park – In the morning we will be picked up from our hotel in El Calafate and driven to EcoCamp Patagonia, located in the world-famous
Torres del Paine National Park. En-route we will make a couple of stops: first in Puerto Natales, a small, lively town on the shores of "Seno de Ultima Esperanza", where we will enjoy a hearty local lunch, and second at Cueva de Milodon, a massive prehistoric cave where the remains of a giant ground sloth were discovered in the 1890’s. The whole journey is very scenic, with plenty of wild birds and wonderful landscapes to be seen. The day ends with our arrival and overnight stay at EcoCamp Patagonia, nestled in the heart of the park with a view of the Torres. During

summer the sun sets around 11 PM, so upon arrival there's plenty of light to admire the
Patagonian steppe with its guanacos and snow-peaked mountain horizon. Overnight at
EcoCamp www.ecocamp.travel
DAY 10-March 13, 2017(B, L, D)
Torres del Paine National Park- We will 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 will stop at various viewpoints on the way to enjoy observing and photographing herds of guanacos, Andean condors and interesting flora. We will 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 will drive up to Grey Lake and wander along the beach on the shores of the glacial water, where we will embark on a boat ride across the icy waters to the towering blue walls of
Grey Glacier. We will disembark on the other side of the lake and hike to the base of Grey
Glacier. After a picnic lunch in front of the glacier, we will hike to Paine Grande Refugio along the shores of Lake Pehoe, covering 7 miles in approximately 4 hours of hiking. This trail winds along the lake shore in front of the Paine Grande Massif, one of the most beautiful peaks in the park. We will return to EcoCamp via catamaran across Lake Pehoe. Overnight at EcoCamp
DAY 11- March 14, 2017(B, L, D)
Torres del Paine National Park- After breakfast, we will be driven to Pudeto dock, located on the shores of Pehoe Lake. We will board the catamaran which 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 will go will depend 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. 13 miles in approximately 8 hours. Overnight at EcoCamp
DAY 12-March 15, 2017(B, L, D)
Torres del Paine National Park-After a hearty breakfast we will 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 will backtrack along the same trail through Ascencio Valley and return to EcoCamp. 14 miles - approximately 9 hours Overnight at
EcoCamp
DAY 13-March 16, 2017(B, L, D)
Torres del Paine National Park- After breakfast we will drive to Estancia Laguna Amarga, next to the ranger station where we entered the park, and we will hop on our mountain bikes & pedal away towards Laguna Azul campsite approximately 20 km to the north east. We will 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 will 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 will be treated to a classic Patagonian barbecue, prepared by a local Patagonian chef in EcoCamp’s cozy barbecue area on the lakeshore. Once we’ve feasted and enjoyed some rest there will be 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 and barbecue is welcome to travel back in the support van (accompanying the group at all times on the outward journey). Back at EcoCamp, enjoy a farewell dinner and toast your amazing travels! 6 miles of cycling in each direction - approximately 2.5 hours in each direction. Overnight at EcoCamp
DAY 14-March 17, 2017(B)
Early in the morning, we will board a vehicle which will take us to our final destination – Punta
Arenas. On the way there we will enjoy a scenery, relax and arrive on time to catch the evening flight to USA.
DAY 15-March 18, 2017
Arrive in USA

AMC Adventure Travel trips are led by volunteers on a non-profit basis. Any monies left over after trip expenses are covered will be refunded to the participants. As leaders our goals for the group are to have fun, stretch participants skills, and savor a foreign culture at reasonable cost and in the company of other adventurers with similar interests. We encourage your individual contributions, cooperation and good humor to enrich the group’s experience. We expect you to participate as part of a group and abide by the leaders’ decisions, and work towards the group having a good time. Be prepared to help your fellow hikers and spend time with other participants on the trip. In doing so, you will enjoy the trip to the maximum.
COSTS COVERED:
Group transfer from El Calafate to/from El Chalten
3 night’s accommodations (double occupancy) at in El Calafate
Glacier Minitrek (age restrictions) or Glacier Navigation Tour at El Calafate
4 night’s accommodations (double occupancy) in EL Chalten
Viedma Glacier Trek in El Chalten
Group Transfers from El Calafate to EcoCamp in Torres del Paine National Park
5 night’s accommodation (double occupancy) at EcoCamp in Torres del Paine National Park
All meals, WIFI, guide and group excursions at EcoCamp in Torres del Paine National Park
All breakfasts, some lunches
Welcome and Farewell Dinners
Visit to Patagonian estancia
Entry fee to Torres del Paine National Park
Medical evacuation and repatriation insurance
AMC-AT program Expense Fee

AMC luggage tag
Expenses for 2 AMC Volunteer Trip Leaders (if minimum of 14 participants)
COSTS NOT COVERED:
Airfare from USA to El Calafate, Argentina and from Punta Arenas, Chile back to USA
Alcoholic beverages, and dinner drinks other than tap water
Lunches (as noted in daily itinerary) & snacks
Dinners (except those at EcoCamp, welcome and farewell dinners)
Passport
Argentina Reciprocity Fee of $160 must be paid online prior to departure from USA, unless previously paid within the last 10 years. In either case, proof of payment must be brought on trip
Trip Cancellation Insurance
Items of personal nature/souvenirs
Tips for housekeeping staff and local guides/drivers
SAFETY, RISKS AND HAZARDS:
As participant safety is a high priority for all AMC-sponsored events, procedures and policies have been developed to attempt to limit participant risk. Participants are expected to work with the leaders to reduce risks and make the experience successful for all. Participants should be aware that there are risks associated with outdoor adventure activities, including but not limited to adverse weather and environmental conditions, remote locations of our trips, and transportation in vehicles, on foot, or by boat. Aside from any personal medical problems, participants should be aware of the possibilities of hypothermia, hyperthermia, insect bites, altitude sickness, dehydration, sun burn and other hot and cold related problems. You should regularly use sun screen and insect repellant, wear long sleeves and pants, take care to be adequately hydrated and bring water on all day trips as well as wind/rain gear, warm hat and gloves, sun protection, snacks and personal first aid kit. Please carefully read and sign the AMC
Participant Acknowledgement and Assumption of Risks and Release and Indemnity Agreement

and contact us if you have any questions. Participants’ understanding of these risks and adherence to our policies and procedures can contribute to making this experience rewarding.
RESERVING A PLACE AND PAYMENT SCHEDULE:
The land cost of the trip is $5,175.00, plus estimated airfare of $1,300-1,650. To reserve your place, please contact the trip leader or co leader for an application, the Confidential Medical
Form and the Acknowledgment & Assumption of Risks & Release and Indemnity Agreement, then send to the leader these forms along with deposit of $1,000.00 made out to: Appalachian
Mountain Club (AMC). $100.00 of this initial $1,000.00 deposit is a non-refundable administration fee. Once we receive your application and other forms and have approved you for the trip, we’ll send you additional information on the trip, including planned hikes, equipment lists, and travel tips. The maximum number of participants is 18, so apply early to reserve your place. Historically, all AMC trips to Patagonia fill up quickly each year.
PAYMENTS DUE:
2 nd Payment due by June 1, 2016 = $1000
Balance due by Oct 1, 2016 = $ 3175
CANCELLATION POLICY:
If you cancel after being accepted for the trip, $100 is non-refundable. But if you cancel after
Oct 1st, 2016, minimally $200 is nonrefundable; if (and only if) another person takes your place.
We will establish a waiting list. However, your cancellation shall not raise the cost of the trip to any of the participants or the leaders. Thus, if you cancel and are not replaced, you will forfeit the $200 plus the per capita expenses already incurred and any other unpaid expenses for which the trip cannot obtain a refund. You may forfeit the entire trip fee. Flight tickets once purchased become your property and are generally non-refundable. We strongly recommend that you purchase travel insurance. Information on a company recommended by the AMC will be sent to you.
PLEASE NOTE: The price of the AMC Adventure Travel trip is given in good faith based on current tariffs and rates and is subject to change. Any tariff, exchange rate increases will be passed on to participants.

Conversely if the minimum number of participants does not sign up, the leaders reserve the right to cancel the trip and refund the amounts paid. If the trip is full, we can put your name on a waiting list, or return your deposit.
AIR COSTS (ESTIMATED $1,300-1,650):
Leaders will explore the best possible options for air travel – most likely on American or
Delta, since they usually offer good connections. You will receive notification when we are aware of a good fare. For this trip we estimate a range of $1,300-1,650. We will assist you in any way to make your reservations, but you should not make any booking on your own without consulting the leaders. We will notify you with a list of acceptable flights once we know that we have a confirmed trip. Once you purchase tickets, they are wholly owned by you.
FLIGHTS:
Flights should leave the USA on March 4 th , 2017 for arrival in El Calafate, Argentina on March
5ht, 2017 no later than 7 PM. The return flights should leave Punta Arenas, Chile on March
18 th after 2PM
Trip insurance is highly recommended, since an illness, accident or death in the family can interfere with your plans. Trip insurance can be obtained through your travel agent or the leaders will provide you with information about an AMC recommended/approved trip insurance company.
TRIP LEADERS:
LEADER: GINETTE BEAUDOIN
Ginette has been a member of the AMC since 1988 and has led several day and weekend trips in the White Mountains of NH, as well as various parts of Maine. She has led adventure trip in
July 2014, July of 2011, August 2012 and July/August to Austrian Alps. She has also lead
Adventure travel trips to Yosemite National Park, Azores Archipelago, Tuscany and Superior
Hiking Trail in Minnesota for the AMC. She has participated in numerous AMC Major Excursions to Switzerland and Austria, involving hiking and cross country skiing. She has hiked in the Stubai valley as part of a 2006 Major Excursion and hiked to 26 of the high Alpine Huts throughout
Austria, Germany and Switzerland. She has hiked all of the NH 4000 footers. Her interests include hiking, photography, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, travel, information volunteer for AMC and introducing others to outdoor activities.
ADDRESS: 66 Graham Street, Biddeford, Maine 04005
PHONE: (207) 294-6302, (207) 590-4431

EMAIL ADDRESS: ginette4000@yahoo.com
CO-LEADER: ANNA PANSZCZYK
Anna is a Boston Chapter INTRO (AMC) Leader. Anna has co lead AMC Adventure Travel trips to
Austria, Azores, Yosemite National Park, Minnesota and Morocco. Anna leads trips in the White
Mountains and most recently led an excursion to Ghost Ranch in New Mexico and to Mt Rainier and Olympic National Parks in Washington. Anna spends part of each summer backpacking as a
Sierra Club participant. This is in addition to trips that she takes to all corners of the world! Anna has completed SOLO Advanced Wilderness First Aid course as well as CPR training.
ADDRESS: 22 Alfred Rd, Arlington, MA 02474
PHONE: (781)-648-2492; (617)-429-2175
EMAIL ADDRESS: annatp13@verizon.net