This ride continues to be one of the most spectacular wilderness rides available. The combination of fast, exciting riding and the scenery of Torres del Paine make it one of the world’s ultimate riding destinations.
Riders will witness two of the most beautiful and immense glaciers in the Park: Dickson and Grey in addition to an optional boat trip to the face of the Glacier at Grey. They will camp in some beautiful wilderness areas and ride among the magnificent granite peaks of the Paine mountain range.
For those riders who want to enjoy the camping experience, this is the trip. Fully catered and serviced, the camping is in roomy dome style tents. Riders can relax at the end of their riding day while the guide and cook prepare their pre-dinner snacks and the evening meal. This all comes washed down with ample supplies of Chilean wine.
As with the Estancia Ride, the riding is incredible consisting mainly of trails through Torres del Paine’s dramatic scenery: huge granite peaks, soft grassy valleys and flower-filled meadows, exciting river crossings, ancient southern beech forests, jewel coloured lakes with bobbing icebergs, and towering valley glaciers.
No supplement if willing to share. Otherwise:
2012: £205/€249/$299
SAMPLE ITINERARY - GLACIER RIDE PATAGONIA
Day 1
Arrive in Punta Arenas, Patagonia. Taxi from airport (not included) to Hotel Rey Don Felipe.
Meet leader in hotel lobby at 7.30 p.m. to be escorted to restaurant for dinner. Trip briefing and welcome dinner.
Day 2
Morning collection from the Hotel Don Rey Felipe to start the day's drive towards the penguin colony to see and photograph the Magellanic penguins. After plenty of time photographing the antics of these cute animals we will continue in our comfortable transfer vehicle across the Patagonia Steppe where you will have your first opportunity to see some of the unusual plant and animal life that exists in this area.
After a short lunch stop in Puerto Natales we will continue on to our campsite situated close to a working estancia on the edges of the beautiful Laguna Verde. Chance to stroll down to the lakeside and enjoy the variety of bird life that exists in this area. Relax and enjoy the spectacular views of the horns across the lake whilst dinner is prepared. No showers. Drive approx. 6.5 hours including penguins. Breakfast and dinner included.
Day 3
Today we will be meeting our horses and the dedicated baqueanos who care for them. After assigning horses to riders, we will have a safety check and short familiarization with western riding before packing our saddle bags with cameras, waterproofs, and our picnic lunch and setting off around the shores of this pretty lake through ancient southern beech forests towards the Sierra del Toro.
After a couple of hours riding, we will make a steep descent of the Sierra del Toro to the pampas below. Lunch will be taken in the valley and we will have a chance to visit the Park Headquarters to look at their relief map of the park. Now used to our horses, we will continue with some faster riding across the pampas to the Serrano River where we will camp beside the emerald green waters of this beautiful river with its dramatic mountain views. Showers available. Inside dining in case of inclement weather. Hours in the saddle: 4 - 4.5. All meals included
Day 4 Today we saddle up for the fast ride to Mirador de los Hielos (iceberg lookout). Our view will be dominated by the huge granite peaks of the massif as we ride out along the Grey River towards the largest Glacier in the park, Glacier Grey. We will eventually arrive at a lookout with dramatic views of the iceberg choked waters of Grey Lake with the immense Grey Glacier in the distance (the largest glacier in the Park). After plenty of time to rest, take photos and enjoy our incredible lunch perch we will rejoin our rested horses and head back to our pretty campsite at the Serrano River.
*For clients who are interested, there is an optional excursion available which includes round trip transfers back to Grey Lake and a boat trip out across this iceberg-choked lake towards the face of this spectacular Glacier. Note the boat trip is weather reliant and the excursion with transfer costs US$180 (potential volume discounts on the transfer element of this excursion depending on final number of clients wishing to join).
Showers available. Inside dining in case of inclement weather. Hours in the saddle: approx 5 -6. All meals included.
Day 5
Today we will be enjoying some beautiful trails which cross the heart of the Park . Known as the 'up and over' our trail cuts through some incredibly diverse scenery from verdant green valleys and beech forests to azure lakes and wide open plains. We will see magnificent condors hovering high above mountain peaks while down on the plains herds of guanaco scatter as we approach. We will be surprised at every turn of our path as we cross over 30 kilometres of this amazing Patagonia riding country dominated by the Paine Horns and Towers after which the park is named. Finally, after a truly memorable ride we take a short vehicle transfer to our beautiful campsite beside the startlingly azure waters of Laguna Azul. This is one of the prettiest campsites in the park with camping lakeside on the sandy beach or among the beech tress on the soft grassy ground. Fire pits and indoor dining in case of inclement weather. Hot showers, bathrooms, small shop. Hours in the saddle approx 7-8. All meals included.
Day 6
After packing up camp and loading up the pack horses we will set off on our exciting ride towards the Torres and Lago Paine. After skirting the lake, we will be heading north towards Laguna Stokes where a large natural vega or pasture exists and which attracts wild criollos from the surrounding hills to graze in the summer. With luck we may get to see these horses but please note the viewing is not guaranteed! There will be many excellent photo opportunities on this route as we pass through forests, pastures and the lake where Lady Florence Dixie first camped having sighted the Towers. Eventually we arrive at our remote campsite with beautiful mountain views. We will be camping riverside at Lago Paine. No showers. Hours in the saddle: 4-5 - 5. All meals included.
Day 7 After breakfast, we will be riding out to Lake and Glacier Dickson. Dickson is one of the more remote and rarely visited glaciers in the Park due to its inaccessibility - in our opinion it is also one of the prettiest. Our rides takes us past the northerly peaks of the Paine chain where one of the peaks is topped by a black, craggy rock in the shape of a Tuhuelche Indian Face where the 'headband' is decorated with snowdrifts even in summer. The trail then heads north passing ancient southern beech forests and scattered lakes before reaching our solitary perch and viewpoint above this beautiful lake and glacier. This will be our picnic spot for lunch - a truly memorable destination. In the afternoon we ride back to Lago Paine. No showers. Hours in the saddle: 6-7. All meals included.
Day 8
Today we will be riding eastwards towards the La Cumbre mountain range and the land belonging to Estancia Tercera by a different route. This is a beautiful ride through forests, flower filled meadows and southern beech forests. Lots of opportunities for long canters before once again riding onto the wide open pampas that surround the estancia. Our destination is the wooden refugio nestled in a small valley with beautiful views of the Towers and a very remote and charming Patagonian feel. Hot showers, accommodation in bunk beds in refugio. Hours in the saddle: 7-8. All meals included.
Day 9
After enjoying breakfast in our stunning location we will set off on an exciting and unique adventure into the hills and forests of the Sierra Contreras. Our destination is the pretty waterfall known as Cascada Zamora. After lunch we will ride out to a remote puesto mercardo riding up high over the pampas with views off to the Las Chinas Valley with the Sierra Baguales in the distance. Return to our camp at puesto Tercera for night. Hot showers. Bunk bed accommodation. Hours in the saddle: 4-5. All meals included.
Day 10
Pack up camp for our transfer back to Punta Arenas to arrive late afternoon. We will once again make a lunch stop in Puerto Natales and this will give clients an opportunity to purchase any souvenirs/books/postcards etc. Clients will be dropped off at the Hotel Rey Don Felipe in Punta Arenas at around 6p.m. Transfer time: 5 hours. Breakfast included.
Day 11 Taxi to airport for onward travel. Breakfast included.
Please note: This itinerary is given for your guidance only and it may be altered in accordance with the prevailing conditions by the organising team.
NOTES - GLACIER RIDE PATAGONIA
In addition to this itinerary we can arrange a number of four day trip extensions which can be easily tagged on. They include hiking, kayaking, yoga/ multisport, whale watching and more... Please contact us for details.
The weight limit for this ride is 15st /210 lb/95 kg, please enquire if you are an experienced rider exceeding this weight.
FURTHER DETAILS
As we are specialists in our field we have extensive knowledge of all our products from details of accommodation and meals to number/size/type of horses to pace of riding ... and much more.
Should you wish to receive further details of this ride please click here.
WHAT IS INCLUDED
All accommodation; based on twin share throughout; all riding; transfers to and from Punta Arenas and whilst in Park; meals whilst camping (including wine with dinner); all equipment (except sleeping bags and mats which can be rented locally on request); English speaking and local guides; Baqueanos who care for the horses; pack horses for luggage; waterproof stuff sacks for trip; use of saddle bags; entrance fees to park and penguin colony.
WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED
Flights, airport taxes, airport transfers and meals in Punta Arenas as stated in itinerary, local gratuities ($60 recommended).
Riders who booked this ride also considered:
Cappadocia Trail - Turkey
A trail ride to explore and discover the natural, historical and cultural wealth of Cappadocia's unique landscape, a listed UNESCO World Heritage site. Suitable for fit, confident riders.
Reading List We're avid readers here at Unicorn Trails and have selected several books connected to this ride. If you're interested in reading more about the area before you travel, or want to get into the cultural background, here are some suggestions that may inspire you. Click on the links for more information.
What you see on our web site is exactly how much your invoice will come to and this will not change once booked. Unlike some other companies the prices on our web site are fully inclusive of often hidden extras such as: VAT, Sales Tax, state taxes, city taxes, service charges, non-optional tips, fuel surcharges which can add 20% or more to the advertised cost. Prices are available in £ sterling, Euros and US$. Once invoiced, prices are guaranteed against adverse currency fluctuations. Contact us for package prices which include flights from the UK and see each ride for exact details of all items in individual itineraries.
21, The Acorn Centre, Chestnut Avenue, Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, SG18 ORA, England
Tel: +44 (0)1767 600606 Fax: +44 (0)1767 312555
Office hours 9am - 5.30pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 1pm Saturday
Email: enquiries@unicorntrails.com http://www.unicorntrails.com
This Website and all of its contents are copyright of Unicorn Trails.
Under no circumstances is any part of this site to be copied or used without written permission.
– Neruda, 
– Isabel Allende (the late President’s niece), 
– Edy Kaufman, 
– Bruce Chatwin
