Day 1

5 hours by private transfer / night at estancia Tercera Barranca (D).

To travel without hassle, take the early flight from Santiago to Punta Arenas (4 hours). Relax and enjoy the journey over the Andes and views of the intricate patterns of the Patagonian Ice Fields. At Punta Arenas airport your private transfer will be waiting to take you to Torres del Paine via Puerto Natales. Leaving Punta Arenas we’ll see the Strait of Magellan and the island of Tierra del Fuego. Our 5-hour drive weaves through open pampas and huge estancias (ranches) with the chance of seeing the ñandus (similar to ostriches) that call these landscapes home. We’ll pass through the fishing town of Puerto Natales, located on the Sound of Last Hope and surrounded by mountains, then take an unsealed road to Estancia Tercera Barranca. This is a working ranch typical of the region, and blessed with fantastic views of the three Towers.

Day 2

6-7 hours slow riding, trotting and cantering / night at estancia Tercera Barranca (B-BL-BBQ).

Our destination today is Salto Las Chinas waterfall on the east side of Torres del Paine National Park, a route taken more than a century ago by Lady Florence Dixie whose 1880 account of traveling Patagonia has become iconic. As we ride across pampas and plateaus we may see condors matching our speed as they soar the skies above us. We’ll stop for lunch at the waterfall before making our way back to the ranch via the same trail. Our evening will be spent beside the fire, with Pisco sours and Patagonian lamb barbecue.

Day 3

6-7 hours slow riding, trotting and cantering / 30 minutes by private transfer / night at riverside camp (B-BL-D).

After breakfast we’ll mount our horses and set off for Torres del Paine National Park. At Sarmiento Lake, just bordering the park, there is a lookout point of the three Towers. We’ll stop here to enjoy the view, have lunch and observe this glacial lake’s distinctive white calcium deposits and rock formations hugging its shoreline. Our ride continues through forests and past small lakes, all the while accompanied by postcard views of the Paine Massif. On the shores of the Serrano River we’ll stop, settle in to our camp and enjoy dinner together.

Day 4

7 hours walking, trotting and cantering / night at riverside camp (B-BL-D).

A huge section of pampas begins our ride to Grey Glacier, giving us the chance to canter as much as we want! Once we reach Grey River we’ll start along a narrow path backdropped by incredible mountain views. We’ll stop at the Pehoe Lake lookout to pause for a moment above its famously turquoise waters. Continuing on, the trail to the Grey Lake lookout becomes more rugged. Lunch will be here looking over this icy lake and the massive face of Grey Glacier, whose waters feed the lake. We’ll ride return via the same trail and reenergize ourselves with an evening canter across the pampas before arriving home. Be sure to take a shower if you would like to, as tomorrow’s campsite does not have these facilities.

Day 5

10 minutes transfer / 4 hours walking and trotting / night at lake Brush campsite (no showers available) (B-BL-BBQ).

This morning we start by heading south across the Serrano River to a traditional Patagonian farmhouse where we’ll choose new horses to accompany us for the next three days. Our destination today is an secluded valley at the border of Torres del Paine National Park. To get there, we’ll ride across several rivers and trot through landscapes filled with wetlands and lakes, while views of the Paine Massif and its final glaciers alter alongside us. We’ll set up camp on the shores of Lake Brush and savor another Patagonian style lamb barbecue.

Day 6

5 hours walking / night at hostería Balmaceda (B-BL-D).

After a nourishing breakfast we’ll set off for Bernardo O’Higgins National Park. Today’s trail is a peaceful one, taking us through humid forests and following the Serrano River until its mouth at the Last Hope Sound. At Hostería Balmaceda, our destination for today, we’ll have wonderful views of Serrano Glacier as it seems to cascade into the lagoon beneath it.

Day 7

10 minutes by zodiac / 45 minutes walk / 3 hours by boat / night at hotel Vendaval or similar (B-BBQ).

Our day begins crossing the river into the Last Hope Sound by zodiac, face-to-face with the steeply-descending Serrano Glacier at the foot of Mount Balmaceda (2148 m). We’ll take a short walk up to the glacier where we’ll board a boat bound for Puerto Natales via the Last Hope Sound. We’ll make a stop at Estancia Perales for a Patagonian-style lamb barbecue lunch, and arrive at Puerto Natales around 6:00 pm.

Day 8

2.5 hours by transfer (B).

Your program ends with a private transfer to Punta Arenas airport. (To allow for travel time, guests should arrange their return flights for after 1 pm.) If you would like to stay the night in Punta Arenas, we’ll take you to your hotel).