Footloose Travel Guides

    Chile Tours

Sample Itinerary

Day 1

We recommend you take the early flight from Santiago to Punta Arenas (4 hours), flying over the Andes and observing incredible views of the Patagonian Ice Fields. Upon your arrival at Punta Arenas, the most southern city on the continent, a private transfer will be waiting to take you to Torres del Paine National Park. (pickup  from the airport at 11.50 AM, flight from LAN airline, LAN 081, or at 11 AM from your hotel in town).
As we leave the airport we can see the Straits of Magellan and the mystical Tierra del Fuego. During the 2-hour trip we will drive across open pampas passing huge ranches (estancias) and with luck we will be able to see one of the most typical animals in this area, the ñandu, (a rare South American ostrich). We head north to Puerto Natales, located on the Sound of Last Hope, a small fishing town surrounded by mountains. From there we will follow an unpaved road to Las Chinas Valley for our overnight stay at Estancia Cerro Guido. This Estancia is one of the last remaining establishments still retaining many of the typical characteristics of the period when The Sociedad Explotadora of Tierra del Fuego was functioning. The Estancia has 60.000 hectares and about 50.000 sheep. The village has a beautiful view of the Paine Massif and has preserved all the typical buildings including the lodge, main house, administration office, workers' houses, kitchen, bakery, school, carpentry workshop, forge, dairy, stables and sheep-shearing shed. During the afternoon we can enjoy a horse-ride around the ranch to enjoy the amazing views of the Torres Del Paine.
(5 hours by private transfer) (D) (Night spent at Lodge Cerro Guido)

Day 2

From the stables of the estancia we will head south to the River Baguales. This river descends from the Sierra Baguales before winding through the Patagonian steppe and pre-Andean shrubland. We will then reach a vega (small wetland) where we may be able to observe a variety of resident birds nesting or occasional visitors such as the Upland Goose (Cloephaga picta), the Southern lapwing (Vanellus chilensis), and the Black-faced ibis (Theristicus melanopis) amongst others. The accompanying view is amazing and the prairies provide us with many opportunities for long canters on our criollo horses; a hardy breed of horse that is able to endure the hard winters in Patagonia.
After about three hours we will arrive at Estancia Las Flores, which is located on a hilly slope with a magnificent view of Sierra Baguales and the Patagonian pampas. Here we will find the only house in the region built with adobe, a typical mixture of grass and clay used mostly in the northern part of Chile. This is an excellent place to have our lunch and rest our horses. After lunch we will head in the direction of Estancia Las Chinas. The path passes between Sierra Contreras and Sierra Baguales to reach the Las Chinas Valley. Our final destination is Estancia Las Chinas (a fine example of the architecture of the former estancias) which has an amazing view of Torres Del Paine.
(6-7 hours slow riding, trotting and cantering) (B-BL-D) (Night spent at Estancia Las Chinas)

Day 3

Today we will ride south from Estancia Las Chinas crossing the valley. The first couple of hours will be across the Patagonian steppe, which is found on flatlands and plateaus with semi-arid, cold climates and an annual precipitation of up to 400 mm. After 5 hours riding we will reach Laguna Azul, which is located at the limit of Torres del Paine National park and with spectacular view of the Towers. From here we take a private transfer all the way to estancia-Hosteria Las Torres, located at the bottom of the path leading to the viewing point of Torres del Paine and Valle del Silencio. After an amazing day riding, you may want to visit the hotel spa for a massage, sauna or Jacuzzi.
(5 hours slow riding, trotting and cantering, 45 minutes by private transfer) (B-BL-D) (Night at Hosteria-Estancia Las Torres)

Day 4

After breakfast we begin a journey crossing lakes and valleys following an old gaucho path with incredible views of the mountains. We will have lunch on the shores of Lake Sarmiento whilst observing its strange calcium formations and then continue on to the administration area from where we can climb up to a lookout point with great views of the River Paine flowing into Lake Toro (the largest lake in the area). We will then carry on through forests and small lakes with wonderful views of the Paine Massif, to arrive at Hostería Lazo, located just outside the park. The hosteria is part of the Estancia Lazo, a large cattle ranch dating from the last century, which has magnificent views of the Paine Massive and Laguna Verde. The rooms are very comfortable; the estancia´s main house has been remodeled into a cozy, country-style dining room-bar.
(5 hours walking, trotting and galloping) (B-BL-BBQ) (Night spent at Estancia Mirador Del Payne)

Day 5

We will take a private transfer to Punta Arenas. (Clients should take the flight at 12.40 PM, from LAN airline, LA 080, arriving to Santiago at 04.55 PM, if they decide to stay the night in Punta Arenas; we drop them at the hotel)
(5 hours by transfer) (B)

REGARDING THE SCHEDULE The schedules indicated above are subject to change due to weather conditions or unexpected circumstances beyond our control, but we will try our best to keep them unaltered.