The Lake District and Paine National Park
Chile Private Journey
Overview
This Private Journey features Chile's volcano-dotted Lake District and the sublime world of Patagonia's Torres del Paine National Park, one of the scenic masterpieces of the planet. In the Lake District, enjoy day hikes on immense Volcán Osorno, the snow-crested icon of the Lake District, and in the mist-shrouded mountains of Alerce Andino National Park. In Paine National Park, hike fantastic trails amid Paine's famed peaks, known as The Towers for their vertical spires. Paine Grande, the highest tower, tops 10,000 feet, its dazzling rock pinnacles rising from snow and ice. Accommodations in Torres del Paine National Park are lodges in majestic settings with hiking trails right at the door step. Extend your journey to the world-famous wine country of Chile's Colchagua Valley, or to mysterious Easter Island, an open-air archaeological museum of a fascinating but vanished Polynesian culture.
Arrive: Santiago, Chile
Depart: Punta Arenas, Chile
Highlights
- Explore the dramatic volcano-dotted Lake District, with its cathedral-like forests and emerald lakes
- Hike fantastic trails below the world-famous rock pinnacles of Torres del Paine National Park
- Enjoy a spectacular landscape of tumbling glaciers, sparkling lakes, and magnificent snowy peaks
Itinerary
Please note: You must depart the US a day early to reach Chile on Day 1 of the program. Most airlines arrive in Santiago in the very early morning. We recommend an overnight in Santiago to rest up from the flight. We are happy to book a hotel and city tour for you (an 'on your own' expense).
The volcano-dotted Lake District is a dramatic world, with its Fuji-like peaks, lava fields, emerald lakes, and enchanted forests filled with rare native flora, including the exotic araucaria, a species unchanged since the time of the dinosaurs. Head out for a hike on immense Volcan Osorno, the snow-crested icon of the Lake District, or enjoy a walk through the extraordinary forests of Alerce Andino National Park, the largest surviving Valdivian rainforest in the world. The cathedral-like forests of this park have magnificent stands of the giant alerce, the Southern Hemisphere's equivalent of the redwood, which can live up to 4,000 years. Your lodge is set on the edge of Lago Llanquihue in charming Puerto Varas in the heart of the Lake District.
Hike in the sublime world of Torres del Paine National Park, one of the scenic masterpieces of the planet, declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO. The park's centerpiece is the Cordillera Paine Massif, a wonderland of eye-popping scenery that emerges in a breathtakingly sheer rise from the plains of the Patagonian steppes. Paine's famed peaks are known as The Towers for their vertical spires. Paine Grande, the highest tower, tops 10,000 feet, its dazzling rock pinnacles rising from snow and ice. The east face of the Central Tower ends in a sheer 4,000-foot-high rock wall that challenges the world's mountaineers. There is an abundance of wonderful wildlife in Paine National Park, from soaring Andean condors to ostrich-like rheas, Patagonian foxes, and guanacos (a cousin of the alpaca). The park's vegetation varies widely, from deep Magellanic beech forests to tundra, open pampas grasslands, and the thorny scrub called the calafate, with its yellow flowers and purple fruits. Incredible day hikes with your guide bring you through beautiful old-growth beech forests to the ultimate views of the Paine Towers. Accommodation is at Hotel Las Torres, situated on a private 4,000-acre ranch just below the towers.
At the southern end of the Paine Massif rise the famous cuernos (horns)—incredible twisting monoliths of granite with knife-edged ridges, wildly photogenic when they are mirrored in the intensely turquoise waters of Lake Nordenskjold. Crushed rock and glacial sediment are among the reasons that Paine's lakes and lagoons display such brilliant colors, from vivid cobalt to emerald green. Explore by boat on turquoise lakes, hike up the slopes of Mt. Ferrier for panoramic views of the cuernos, or walk through lush forests to the stunning waterfall of Cascado Rio Pingo. Your accommodation, Hosteria Lago Grey, has a superb setting on iceberg-filled Lago Grey.
Transfer to the airport for homeward-bound flights.
Accommodations
Scroll through our signature accommodations for this trip below. Although it is highly unlikely, we may make substitutions when necessary.
What the Trip is Like
This trip is rated Level 3, Moderate, according to our trip grading system. It features vehicle-based sightseeing and day hikes, with hotel accommodations. Although the pace of this trip is relaxed, this is an active vacation. The shape you're in is an important factor in your enjoyment of your trip. We recommend you make a special effort to get in good condition by walking, bicycling, swimming, or other forms of exercise.
This journey can be enjoyed from November through March, which is “summer” in the Southern Hemisphere. The region is characterized by a cool climate with plenty of rain year-round. Southern Chile's weather can provide spectacular clear days but can also be very changeable, and we want you to be well prepared for all that you may encounter. The average annual rainfall is approximately 23 inches in higher elevations, while it may rain as much as 100 inches per year closer to the sea. The average temperature is 50ºF, and from December to March, the average often reaches 70ºF or more. Come prepared for some rain and bring appropriate rain gear so you can remain comfortable no matter what weather blows in.
Client Testimonials
"It was great!"
Eugene S.
Washington, DC
"Outstanding trip and almost every detail was handled flawlessly from start to finish. It would have been impossible for us to duplicate without the assistance of your company."
John R.
Wildwood, MO
"A great and very memorable trip!"
Nancy K.
Richmond, VA
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Book your trip today
Our Area Specialists know every detail about our tours. They will be happy to answer any questions and help you choose the journey that’s right for you. Contact us to learn more or book your trip today!
Itinerary
Submit the form below to download itinerary
Trip Levels
With more than 200 different adventures to choose from, we want to help you find the trip that’s right for you. Our Trip Level system ranks each trip in two ways: a number rating from 1 to 6 according to the activity, and general travel rigors. 1 is the easiest and 6+ the most difficult—see descriptions below for explanations of each number. A plus (+) sign means the trip is a bit more strenuous than other trips of that level. The detailed explanation of each trip—below the bar with the number rating—is perhaps more important, specifying activities, altitudes, hiking, and travel conditions. The Detailed Itinerary, available by download or mail, gives further information. Our Area Managers can also answer questions and guide you to the trip that best suits your interests.
Level 1 – Easiest
Non-camping journeys, optional walks, little elevation gain or loss.
Level 2 – Easy to Moderate
Hotel nights and/or safari-style camping, hikes of two to four hours on some days. Other physical activities are sometimes included, such as optional sea kayaking.
Level 3 – Moderate
Half- to full-day hikes (3-6 hours) over rolling countryside on most days, occasional steep trails. Many of our hotel-based walking tours are in this category, as are our snorkeling adventures.
- Tuscany & the Cinque Terre
- Argentina: Hikes and Estancias of Patagonia
- Palau Snorkeling & Sea Kayaking
- Some trips with minimal hiking but rugged travel conditions or long drives, such as Tribal Ghana, Togo & Benin, are Trip Level 3.
Level 4 – Moderate to Strenuous
Full-day hikes (4-6 hours), mountainous terrain, significant elevation gains and losses (hiking up or down as much as 3,000 feet) on many days. Altitudes no greater than about 10,000 feet.
Level 5 – Strenuous
Full-day hikes (4-8 hours), mountainous, steep terrain (hiking up or down as much as 3,500 feet) on many days. Trips with hiking at average altitudes of 10,000 to 12,000 feet are in this category.
Level 6 – Very Strenuous
Full-day hikes (5-8 hours), mountainous, steep terrain (hiking up or down as much as 3,500 feet) on many days. Most hikes take place at altitudes above 10,000 feet, with some days ascending as high as 18,000 feet.