Singular Patagonia

AM: After a 3-1/2 hour flight from Santiago (Chile) or Buenos Aires (Argentina), followed by a 2-1/2 hour drive, you will arrive at the Singular Patagonia Lodge, situated five minutes outside of the scenic bayside town of Puerto Natales. After a chance to enjoy lunch, you can prepare for the afternoon activity or simply relax.

PM: This afternoon, we will head out from the lodge and 20 minutes later reach the Estancia Puerto Consuelo, which was the regions first ranch and was owned by German colonist and pioneer Hermann Eberhard, who created a livestock business on the estate. You will have time to explore the grounds and see that the original facilities are still standing and the ranch still in operation. After gearing up and mounting your horse, we will begin a horseback riding tour of the area’s varying landscapes and enjoy an unforgettable experience in one of the most beautiful places in Patagonia.

AM: Today’s full-day excursion is ideal for anyone who wants to see Torres del Paine National Park from a different perspective. This excursion along the “Water Track” starts at the Lazo Ranch, situated on the bank of the Verde Lagoon. We will enter the park from there, proceeding along a path that offers unique views of serene lakes, lagoons and local plant- and wildlife.

PM: At mid-day, we will have lunch in a lenga forest and rest up a bit. The destinations for this afternoon are the lookout point over Toro Lake, the mouth of the Paine River, and the Paine Massif. From this last point, we will start our descent and later arrive at Weber Bridge before heading back to the lodge.

AM: This morning, after leaving the Lodge we will return to the Estancia Puerto Consuelo, where the Last Hope Province colonization began back in 1893. Using this as our base for this excursion, we will begin kayaking on the Eberhard Fjord to a number of historic locations; these include the century-old village of Puerto Prat, as well as Krugger Island, which is known as the “Island of the Dead” since it was used as a cemetery to bury the first settlers. During this excursion, you will see a variety of birds, possibly even Andean condors and Chilean flamingos.

PM: After lunch back at the lodge, this afternoon’s excursion will take us along the bank of the Señoret Canal, where you can enjoy the beautiful landscape visited by area birds such as the Black-necked swan. From there, we will go on a city tour of Puerto Natales, visiting the fishermen’s wharf and the town’s main square, city hall and the Municipal Museum of History. The excursion ends at the Etherh Aike Arts & Crafts Village, where you can mingle with the local townspeople.

AM: This all-day adventure will take us to the Torres (“Towers”) of Torres del Paine National Park, which are granite monoliths created by the outcropping of igneous rock that has been eroded by glaciers, rivers and wind over time. This 8-hour round-trip trek begins at the base of Admiral Nieto Mountain, winding up the Ascencio Valley to reach the Chileno base camp. The trek then continues through a beech forest and ends with a climb up a moraine of large rocks that will bring us to the base of the Torres. Weather permitting, you will be able to see the North, Central and South Tower in all their splendor.

AM: On your final day adventure based at the Singular Patagonia Lodge, we will leave the hotel for a bicycling tour, pedaling along the Pedro Montt Coastal Road, passing farmlands on the outskirts of the city, and riding around the edge of the Señoret Canal, which offers a spectacular view.

PM: After returning to the lodge for lunch, you will be driven back to the appropriate airport. As you head to the airport for your departing flight home or onward, enjoy your last look back at spectacular Patagonia, a unique region of inspiring natural wonders.

AM: After a 3-1/2 hour flight from Santiago (Chile) or Buenos Aires (Argentina), followed by a 2-1/2 hour drive, you will arrive at the Singular Patagonia Lodge, situated five minutes outside of the scenic bayside town of Puerto Natales. After a chance to enjoy lunch, you can prepare for the afternoon activity or simply relax.

PM: This afternoon, we will leave the hotel by bicycling, pedaling along the Pedro Montt Coastal Road, passing farmlands on the outskirts of the city, and riding around the edge of the Señoret Canal, which offers a spectacular view. From there we go to the heart of the city to see Arturo Prat Plaza (the city’s main square), the Municipal Museum of History and the Etherh Aike Arts & Crafts Village, which defines this picturesque city. We will return to the hotel by bicycle.

AM: After breakfast, we will leave the lodge and head 18 kilometers north of Puerto Natales to the small rural village of Puerto Prat, which dates back to 1899 as the first town founded in Last Hope Province. Once we reach the settlement, we will start our “Pioneers’ Hike” to Puerto Consuelo. Trekking along the shore of the Eberhard Fjord, you can admire the unique Chilean Patagonia landscape that harbors such a great history of sovereignty and social development. Here, you will experience the sheep farming traditions of this area that is surrounded by large mountain ranges, while on the horizon you will have a striking view of Torres del Paine National Park. Note: this is also an excellent area for birdwatching.

PM: Following lunch, we will travel about 20 minutes from the hotel to the expansive fields of the Puerto Consuelo Estancia (ranch), which belong to the Eberhard family, who are local pioneers of the province. This is where we will begin this afternoon’s bicycling excursion, riding for 12 kilometers through the Patagonian steppe while surrounded by beautiful mountain formations such as Mount Benítez (where Milodon Cave is located), the Paine Massif, and the Patagonian Andes. As we approach the Eberhard Fjord, it will be possible to see a variety of birds. We will finally arrive at the estancia’s main house to load the bikes back on the trailer and return to the hotel.

AM: This morning, we will sail through the Patagonian Fjords to the Balmaceda and Serrano Glaciers. The voyage affords views of colonies of cormorants and sea lions. The trip inside Bernardo O’Higgins National Park to Port Toro takes 1-1/2 hours. Once we arrive at the port, we will disembark and go on a 45-minute walk to the lookout point for viewing the Serrano Glacier. Upon returning to the pier, the trip will continue to the Balmaceda Glacier, which flows from Mount Balmaceda. From there we will return to the lodge for a hearty Patagonia lunch.

PM: After lunch at the lodge, this afternoon’s excursion will take us along the banks of the Señoret Canal, where you can enjoy the beautiful landscape visited by area birds such as the Black-necked swan. From there, we will go on a city tour of Puerto Natales, visiting the fishermen’s wharf and the town’s main square, city hall and the Municipal Museum of History. The excursion ends at the Etherh Aike Arts & Crafts Village, where you can mingle with the local townspeople.

AM: This all-day adventure will take us to the Torres (“Towers”) of Torres del Paine National Park, which are granite monoliths created by the outcropping of igneous rock that has been eroded by glaciers, rivers, and wind over time. This 8-hour round-trip trek begins at the base of Admiral Nieto Mountain, winding up the Ascencio Valley to reach the Chileno base camp. The trek then continues through a beech forest and ends with a climb up a moraine of large rocks that will bring us to the base of the Torres. Weather permitting, you will be able to see the North, Central and South Tower in all their splendor.

AM: This full-day excursion departs from the hotel in the morning and heads to the Laguna Sofa. From there, we will ride by horseback for about five hours through Lenga forests, around the lagoon and across terraces formed by glacial waters. Along the way, you can enjoy panoramic landscapes such as the Sierra Prat and Mount Benitez, which has vertical walls on which condors build their nests. During this horseback ride, you can also enjoy the vastness of the Patagonian countryside, as well as views of the plants and wildlife of the area, and the region’s pure air.

AM: Today’s destination is Torres del Paine National Park, which in 1978 was declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO, and was also voted the “Eighth Wonder of the World.” We will head northward to the park, stopping at several lookouts with breathtaking views of the Paine Massif along the way. You will see fascinating plant life typical of this area, in addition to wildlife such as ñandus (ostrich-like rheas), foxes and guanacos. We will also visit the colorful Nordenskjold, Sarmiento, Pehoé and Grey lakes. During this trip, we will take a short walk to the Salto Grande (“Big Falls”), where you can see the Los Cuernos (“The Horns”). On the shore of Lake Grey, you will have the chance to witness icebergs calving from the glacier.

AM: This morning, leaving the hotel we will return to the Estancia Puerto Consuelo, where the Last Hope Province colonization began back in 1893. Using this as our base for this excursion, we will begin kayaking on the Eberhard Fjord to a number of historic locations; these include the century-old village of Puerto Prat, as well as Krugger Island, known as the “Island of the Dead” since it was used as a cemetery to bury the first settlers. During this excursion, you will see a variety of birds, possibly even Andean condors and Chilean flamingos.

PM: This afternoon, we will explore the Milodon Cave National Monument, located 25 kilometers to the northwest of Port Natales. This is one of the oldest and most important archeological and paleontological sites in Southern Patagonia. In these caves, evidence of a human presence dating back to 12,000 years B.C. has been found. A path loops through the interior of the cavern, which measures 100-foot-high, 260-foot-wide, 650-foot-deep cavern.

AM: On the final day of your stay in Patagonia at the Singular Lodge (and depending on the time of your flight home or onward), we will leave the hotel to go on the Puerto Bories Historical Museum and Industrial Tour to learn in depth about the vestiges of the area’s 1915 industrial revolution. You can view several machines that gave life to this industrial center managed by the Sociedad Explotadora Tierra del Fuego. We will visit a boiler room, an engine room and the workshop. On the outside, we will see the old pier that received hundreds of vessels for the export of products. This visit will revive the history and life of the pioneering sheep farming environment, a place that became the most important meat processing plant of Chilean and Argentinean Patagonia.

PM: After returning to the lodge for lunch, you will be driven back to the appropriate airport. As you head there for your departing flight home or onward, enjoy your last look back at spectacular Patagonia, a unique region of inspiring natural wonders.