Experience Paine's Nature and Wildlife

Exclusive to Swoop, for all stays of four nights or more at Patagonia Camp, we’ll include a direct transfer between the camp and El Calafate. Alternatively, if you’re coming from Argentina, your transfer will be from El Calafate to the camp.

This itinerary is an example of how you could spend your time on this all-inclusive experience. Please see the full list of day excursions on the excursions page.

Day 1: Transfer from Punta Arenas, Puerto Natales or El Calafate; Patagonia Camp

Transfer from Punta Arenas, Puerto Natales or El Calafate to Patagonia Camp. After a long day of travel, take the evening to relax in the bar and lounge, enjoy the restaurant, or stretch your legs along the trails of the surrounding private reserve.

The feel at Patagonia Camp is sophisticated without foregoing its local, warm charm. Your hosts will go out of their way to make your stay outstanding and with only 20 yurts at the property, your experience will be both intimate and friendly. You might have time to enjoy one of the self-guided trails nearby or choose to relax in your private jacuzzi (available with some yurts) and take in the wonderful surroundings before convening in the communal bar and dining areas to interact with other guests and meet the local team at Patagonia Camp.

The in-house local guides will brief you on the options for tomorrow's small-group outings and will organise each day according to the desires of each traveller.

Meals: Dinner

Accommodation: Luxury yurt, Patagonia Camp

Day 2: Trek to the base of the Towers; Patagonia Camp

Today's trek is one of the most iconic routes in the national park and also physically highly demanding.

After crossing the Ascensio River we'll walk uphill for around 2.5km until reaching the Paso del Viento (480m), for a beautiful view of the pampa, the lakes to the south and the Ascensio Valley itself.

From there we'll descend to the Refugio Chileno shelter. Up to that point, vegetation is that of the pre-Andean scrubland bioclimate; from then on the vegetation changes completely, and as we climb we'll find ourselves amongst the ancient lenga tree forests until you reach the Glacier Torres moraine at 600m above sea level.

Once out of the forest, a final push of around 45mins of continuous uphill climbing will take us to the base of the Towers (870m), where we'll be directly in front of the three massive granite giants – the best reward for your efforts.

We'll return on the same path back down the valley and finish for the day at Patagonia Camp. Throughout the trek, you may get the chance to spot birds such as condors, mora eagles, caranchos and other birds of prey.

Length of hike: 8hrs, 22km

Difficulty level: High

Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch, dinner 

Accommodation: Luxury yurt, Patagonia Camp

Day 3: Trek to the French Valley; Patagonia Camp

Today's experience starts at the Pudeto Dock where we'll take a 30min catamaran ride, crossing the icy cold turquoise waters of Lake Pehoe to the slopes of Cerro Paine Grande. Here we'll begin a trek full of scenic contrasts on our way into the French Valley.

After hiking up to Italian Camp, we'll continue ascending over an ancient glacial moraine and through a wooded valley to reach the French viewpoint. Soak up the stunning views from this amazing amphitheatre in Torres del Paine surrounded by glaciers and impressive walls of granite.

We'll return on the same trail and take the catamaran back across the lake before meeting our driver for a transfer back to Patagonia Camp.

Note: The catamaran ride has an additional cost of roughly USD $70 per person

Length of hike: 7hrs, 19km

Difficulty level: Moderate/high

Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch, dinner

Accommodation: Luxury yurt, Patagonia Camp

Day 4: Trek to Los Cuernos and Condor viewpoints; Patagonia Camp

Today's excursion provides the ideal opportunity to see two of the most iconic sections of the Paine Massif.

During our first hike, we'll trek to the Salto Grande Waterfall, in the face of the Patagonian winds, to see its impressive cascade connecting two turquoise lakes. We'll then hike through a forest of silver, scorched trees to reach a viewpoint that will give us close-up views of the mighty Los Cuernos (The Horns). These igneous grainte spires are crowned with dark sedimentary rock and soar out of the verdant Lake Nordenskjöld and surrounding rolling hills giving them a mystical feel. Their uniqueness is one of the reasons why Torres del Paine such a fascinating place.

After a short transfer to the Pudeto Sector – well-known for its panoramic viewpoint over the lake – we'll start our second trek of the day to the Mirador Condor, or Condor Viewpoint, by ascending straight to a rocky peak viewpointwhich is home to the Andean condor and offers superb views of Lake Pehoe, the mountains surrounding the South Patagonian Icefield and Sierra Baguales. Quite possibly one of the best views in the world.

We'll finish the day back at Patagonia Camp, relaxing with some drinks and aperitifs before enjoying another outstanding meal.

Length of hike: 2.5hrs + 2hrs, 6km + 3.5km

Difficulty level: Low/moderate

Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch, dinner 

Accommodation: Luxury yurt, Patagonia Camp

Day 5: Trek to Glacier Grey viewpoint; Patagonia Camp 

This morning we will drive west, through Torres del Paine National Park once more and take a catamaran across the turquoise Lake Pehoe for 30mins. After disembarking we'll hike the well-marked path along the western side of the famous W Trek, following the slopes of Mount Paine, via an undulating trail, as the immense Glacier Grey comes into view. One of Patagonia's most impressive views, this huge tongue of ice seeps down from the Southern Patagonian Icefield, the world's third largest body of ice.

We reach Glacier Grey's viewpoint where we'll have stunning panoramic views of icebergs floating on Lake Grey and the imposing Glacier Grey in the distance. We might enjoy our picnic lunch here, depending on the wind.

The viewpoint gives us a taste of how wild the forces of nature are in this region in the form of the strong, freezing Patagonian gusts that make this region famed as one of the windiest places on earth.

We'll return on the same path and take the catamaran across Lake Pehoe, returning in our vehicle to Patagonia Camp.

Note: The catamaran ride has an additional cost of roughly USD $70 per person

Length of hike: 6hrs, 15km

Difficulty level: Moderate

Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch, dinner

Accommodation: Luxury yurt, Patagonia Camp

Day 6: Transfer to Punta Arenas, Puerto Natales or El Calafate

Say farewell to your luxury yurt and enjoy a scenic transfer to Punta Arenas, Puerto Natales or El Calafate. Whether you plan to continue your Patagonian adventure, or take a flight back to the capital before returning home, you will leave this stunning place of peace and beauty with life-long memories.

Meals: Breakfast