South America Tours - Chile

Horse Ride (or Trek) - Giants of Patagonia

12 Days / 11 Nights (Easy/Moderate)

Season: September - May

South of Coihaique is Lake General Carrera, one of the most beautiful places of Chilean Patagonia. Two extraordinary places lay not far away. Westbound, only a few miles from Laguna San Rafael, is the closest icefield to the Equator: the famous Northern Icecap and its tallest summit, Mount San Valentin (4058m). Southbound, lie the Baker river, a fisherman’s paradise, and Lake Cochrane from where you can see Mount San Lorenzo and its 3706m. Here you will discover a land of pioneers, only recently opened to tourists. By plane, boat, car, horses or on foot, this program will take you through splendid sceneries with abundant wildlife, suspended glaciers which fall into wide valleys, fiords, lakes or rivers coming from high snowy mountains. This is an adventure you cannot miss!

DAY 1:       (SANTIAGO)-BALMACEDA-TERRA LUNA

Reception in Balmaceda  airport. Long drive down the Austral Road to Puerto Guadal. The landscape slowly changes. If possible, we do an excursion to La Capilla de Marmol (the marble chapel), a natural marvel, a cave carved by quiet water. We finally reach Puerto Guadal. Overnight in TERRA LUNA lodge with a spectacular view on the lake. (L,D)

DAY 2:       TERRA LUNA

Full day horse ride up to Veranada area, where we can find thousands of fossiles. The view is  absolutely breathtaking. Return to TERRA LUNA lodge. (B,L,D)

DAY 3:     TERRA LUNA-LAGO MELIQUINA- LEONES VALLEY

Transfer to El cañal. Nice 7 hours horseride (or trekking) to Meliquina lake. Panoramic views on lake General Carrera,            Meliquina glacier and Mount San Valentin, Patagonia’s highest peak. Camp in Leones valley. (B,L,D)

DAY 4:     LEONES VALLEY-LAKE LEONES

Short horse ride to  lake Leones, a fantastic lake with 3 glaciers dropping in it. We set our camp by the lake.  Mules carry the common equipment. (B,L,D)

DAY 5:     LAKE LEONES-TERRA LUNA

Horse ride back to to Leones valley and transfer back to Terra Luna. Lodge. (B,L,D)

DAY 6 :       TERRA LUNA-LAKE COCHRANE

Transfer to  lake Cochrane. We follow the Baker river to Cochrane city where we take a boat that takes us  to the south shore of the lake where we set our camp. (B,L,D)

DAY 7:      LAGO COCHRANE-LAGO BROWN

Horse ride to Lake Brown. Mules are carrying equipments. Camp. (B,L,D)

DAY 8:      LAGO BROWN-FUNDO SAN LORENZO

Full day horse ride into the mountains to Fundo San Lorenzo, in the Rio Tranquilo Valley. Mules are carrying equipments. Camp. (B,L,D)

DAY 9:       FUNDO SAN LORENZO-BASE SAN LORENZO

Horse ride to San Lorenzo base camp. The scenery is alpine but much wilder. As we  reach our camp, the Mount San Lorenzo appears with its snow and granit  towers.  Camp. (B,L,D)

DAY 10:      BASE SAN LORENZO- FUNDO SAN LORENZO

Horseride (o trekking) to the base of Mount San Lorenzo. We horseride back to Fundo San Lorenzo. Camp. (B,L,D)

DAY 11:     FUNDO SAN LORENZO - TERRA LUNA

Horse ride back to Rio Tranquilo to pick up the car. We return to Terra Luna. Lodge. (B,L,D)

DAY 12:     TERRA LUNA-CHILE CHICO-BALMACEDA - (SANTIAGO)

Transfer to Chile Chico. We follow an extraordinary road which hangs on the mountains. Arrival to Chile Chico to take a regular flight to Coihaique (or Balmaceda) airport. Connection with the flight back to Santiago. (B)

SERVICE DETAILS

Included Services

11 nights in Hotel, Pousada (Inn), camping. Standard Room, including room and government taxes 
11 breakfasts

11 Lunches

11 Dinners

Land transfers as detailed in the itinerary
Guided Tours as detailed, including National park taxes. Tours can change due to operational, safety or weather condition.

Not Included  

Flights 

Optional Tours  

Travel Insurance

Meals not included in the itinerary. 

Drinks, Laundry, Tips, Telephone calls, and any other personal expenses etc…. 

Meals
Meals included in the program are detailed in the following chart.

Accommodation:

Double rooms can have separate beds or not. A third person depending on the hotel has the possibility of using a sofa bed. Consult for children policy.  

Payment:

Deposit of 30% to guarantee your reservation. The remaining amount must be paid a minimum 30 days before start of the tour. If reservation is made within 30 days of the tour full payment required to make a reservation.   

Cancellation:

Up to 30 days before full refund is given unless the flight tickets have been emitted. In this case there will be a penalty due to the cancellation of the tickets. This depends on the rules of the airline used.  No refund is given when a cancellation is made within 30 days of departure.  

Operation of tour:

Minimum of 1 pax to operate. 

Responsability:

Brasil Travel / Melchior & Hodson Ltda and/or agencies involved with the packages, flights and tours shall act only as agents of the tour members in making arrangements for hotels and any other services and do not assume any liability what so ever for any injury, damage, death, loss, accident or delay to persons or property due to an act of God, default by any hotel, company or person rendering any of services included on the tours or flights. Furthermore, no responsability is accepted for quarentine, government restrains, weather or other causes beyond control. No responsability is accepted for any additional expenses, omissions, delays, re-routing or acts of government authority.

Insurance:

Not included (optional)