Patagonia: Bottom of the World – Gay Chile Adventure

Day 1: Welcome to Punta Arenas, Chile!

We will be greeted warmly at the airport by our local guide and transported to our hotel. After checking into our lovely and comfortable hotel in the heart of the city you will have the rest of the day to recover from your long flights. No activities scheduled for today, enjoy our centrally located hotel.

Day 2: Punta Arenas City Tour 

Sleep in today and enjoy breakfast. Mid-morning our well-informed local guide will bring us to our first stop,  the “Cerro de la Cruz” viewpoint. From here we will have a wonderful overlook of the city with its colonial buildings. The colorful rooftops are set against a backdrop of the big island of Tierra del Fuego and the Strait of Magellan. You will learn lots of interesting facts about this vibrant city, as your tour continues with stops in the main town square and the monument to Hernando de Magallanes. Also to the Museo Nao Victoria (Nao Victoria Museum), Antoine de Saint Exupery Square, and all the highlights, including the many neighborhoods of Puntas Arenas. We will return to our hotel to freshen up for the evening. Then we will come together for a welcome dinner and orientation at one of Punta Arenas’ most delicious downtown restaurants.

Day 3: Navigation to Magdalena Island

Rise and shine, and grab some breakfast! We will need our energy for our exciting trip to Magdalena Island!

We’ll head north from Punta Arenas, through the waters of the Magellan Strait, following in the path of the great explorer.  After a relaxing 2-hour journey we will arrive on the island and be greeted by the largest colony of Magellanic penguins in Chile. There is an abundance of more than 60,000 pairs of these charming birds. After we conclude our walk with our newest penguin friends, we will return to our boat and Punta Arenas for the afternoon.  How will we use our free time?  Some more city exploration?  Shopping anyone?  There are some amazing local handicrafts just begging to be discovered.

Tonight we dine together at a nearby locally recommended restaurant.

Day 4: Journey to Torres Del Paine National Park

Today after breakfast we will get an early start on the trip to our magnificent lodge in Torres Del Paine National Park, home to Chile’s iconic snow-capped peaks. These jagged mountaintops with sheer cliff faces are one of Patagonia’s most photographed landmarks. So make sure your batteries are charged!

This scenic journey will take us north along the Argentinean border and we will the National Park near the middle. Hungry?  We will stop mid-day for lunch before we finish the trek to our remote mountain lodge. After checking in, it’s time for relaxation!  Grab a drink at the open bar or hit the spa for a massage, and then join us for a delicious dinner together.

Day 5: To the Towers!

It will be a gorgeous day with amazing views as we head out on horseback into the mountains to visit las Torres (the Towers). About a third of the way there, we’ll stop and enjoy a steaming cup of hot cocoa at a warm and cozy relief station.

The station caters to the backpackers who come from all over the world to hike these awe-inspiring mountains. We will then continue to the base of Las Torres on foot and take a well-deserved rest. This is a long day of trekking over a variety of terrain. As we unpack our box lunch and eat together, we will marvel at the spectacular 360-degree mountain views.

Day 6: French Valley Trekking

Grab some breakfast, and off we go!  Today we will travel to Pudeto and board the “Hielos Patagonicos” Ferry to navigate across Pehoe Lake. This is one of the most dramatically beautiful bodies of water on this planet. Once we have successfully crossed, we will start our trek up toward the majestic French Valley. During our hike, we will be surrounded by lakes, rivers and streams, and a wonderful view of the Paine Massif, part of the Eastern spur of the Andes.

Once we arrive at the foot of Mount Paine Grande, the biggest and baddest of all the spires, we will be able to rest in front of the French Glacier. Here we will eat our delicious picnic lunch, and witness the place where the most spectacular and impressive avalanches often occur.

After our arrival and check-in at our new lodge, we will regroup in the evening and enjoy dinner and a good night’s sleep, we’ve earned it!

Day 7: Trekking in Lago Grey

Enjoy a hearty breakfast at the hotel this morning because we will be trekking out little hearts out today!

Our adventure begins by boarding our sturdy vessel for a magical one hour journey on Grey Lake, surrounded by icebergs! Upon our arrival at our base camp, our experienced guides will give us the orientation we will need for our glacier approach. After a short ride in our zodiac boats, we will arrive at the west side of the awe-inspiring Grey Glacier. After our boxed lunch together, we will hike for an hour. Then we will begin our full exploration of this marvel of rock and ice. During the next three hours of trekking, we’ll observe cracks, rivers, lagoons, and tunnels in the glacier, with a myriad of shades of blue. Who knew there were so many colors and diversity in ice?

After we have conquered Grey Glacier, our ship will bring us back through the Southern Patagonia Ice Fields to our lodge. Tonight we will enjoy a homemade dinner and some well-deserved relaxation!

Day 8: Kayaking in the pristine water of Grey Lake

We’ll depart bright and early after breakfast today in order to gear up for kayaking. Safety first, and our options for the day are weather dependent: if good, we will kayak among and up to the turquoise icebergs. If the weather does not permit us to cross the open water, we’ll kayak downriver stopping for a snack along the way. Spectacular views await along either route! Our kayak journey will finish where the Grey River meets with the Serrano River, as we have passed the impressive granite walls of the Paine Mountains in all their majesty. (Please note, kayaking has an age limit of 65 unless the guide feels you are capable)

Once warm and dry, we’ll load up for our drive to Puerto Natales to check into our hotel, enjoy the sea views, and share stories with our friends over dinner.

Day 9: Puerto Natales

Weather permitting, we have yet another great excursion together! Our journey starts at the hotel pier where the boats from the hotel will be ready to take us sailing. We will glide through the Patagonia Fjords, and visit both Balmaceda and Serrano Glaciers. Observe colonies of blue-eyed cormorants and sea lions frolicking in their natural habitat, maybe even posing for a photo or two. When we disembark in Puerto Toro and Bernardo O´Higgins National Park, a short hike will take us to the viewpoint overlooking Glacier Serrano. It borders a lagoon with icebergs that are coming out right from its base! We will return to our sailing boat and continue our journey to the Balmaceda Glacier with impressive views all around. Lunch will be served during this excursion, and then we are heading back to town.

This afternoon, we will take advantage of some free time for last-minute photos, shopping, or just strolling along the beautiful waterfront. Feel like some more exercise? How about a leisurely bike ride? We will have one for you if you so desire.

Tonight, we will put the “Happy” in “Happy Hour,” as we join with our newfound friends to smile and laugh, finally dining together at our Farewell Dinner.

Day 10: Departure

After breakfast at our hotel, we will transfer to the PUQ airport for homeward-bound flights with memories to last a lifetime. You should schedule a flight out of Punta Arenas no earlier than 3 PM, as it’s a 4-hour drive to the airport.