Patagonian Andean fjords & Lake District

Day by day itinerary: 8 d/ 7n

Price per person based on double :

US$1650.- min.6 to 10 participants.

Departure dates 2010-2011:

December 27 to Jan 3 (New Year's trip)
January 12 to 19 & 26 to Feb 2.

February 7 to 14 & 19 to 26

 

INCLUDES: Transfer in from Puerto Montt airport to the hotel in Puerto Varas / 2 nights in The Guest House 3* Hotel (Casa Wetzel) with breakfast, based on double (with Wi Fi) / Full day excursion to Andean Volcanoes and lakes with pic-nic lunch / 6 days to the Andean fjords of Pumalin park sea kayaking trip / Motorized support vessel with crew / All transportation according to the itinerary, for round trip Puerto Varas / All meals from welcome dinner on day 1 to lunch on day 8 (except dinner on day 2) / Services of expert guides, cook and crew/Fully equipped fiberglass sea kayaks with spray skirts, paddles and accessories / Full camping gear, except for personal sleeping bag and pad / Hot spring and park fees.

DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY AND PHYSICAL CONDITIONING: The trip is not especially rigorous  and requires no prior experience with kayaks. You must know how to swim and be in reasonably  good physical condition. A positive attitude towards open-air activities is very important. This is a  trip for the person who enjoys participative tourism in a natural setting, and who understands that during our trip we may encounter variable weather and tidal conditions that will require modifications in the itinerary.

Transfer in from Puerto Montt airport to the German style hotel “The Guest House” in Puerto Varas. Free time to relax in this picturesque city of the Lake Region with its century-old mansions, cozy restaurants and natural attractions along the shores of Llanquihue Lake. Welcome dinner and overnight in Puerto Varas.
 

DAY 2        FULL DAY EXCURSION & HIKING TO ANDEAN VOLCANOES & LAKES

We leave from Puerto Varas driving through the beautiful countryside with views of the Llanquihue Lake and the first glimpses of the volcanoes, we reach the Petrohue river falls and then continue on to the source of such beautiful water: the Todos Los Santos Lake also called the Emerald Llake. After lunch we will start driving up the Osorno Volcano witnessing the southern changes in the landscape as we go up. At 3000 feet, we reach la Burbuja Crater, where an amazing view of the whole valley is available; the Calbuco Volcano, the Tronador Mountain, the winding path of the rivers, etc. Overnight in our hotel in Puerto Varas.
 

After breakfast in the hotel we drive down the Southern Highway, and cross the Reloncavi Estuary to Hornopiren. There we board our support vessel and head for Los Ciervos Island. After stopping for lunch in a nice cove, we sail on to Llancahue Island, where we climb into our sea kayaks for instruction and practice. Afterwards, we camp for the night on this island.
 

DAY 4        LLANCAHUE ISLAND - QUINTUPEU FJORD

Now we begin the wild part of our sea kayak adventure. We put in near the entrance to Quintupeu Fjord, where the German battleship Dresden hid out during World War I. The sheer slopes, cut by countless waterfalls tumbling off the heights, are covered with lush vegetation that hangs over our heads. As we glide along under this lush canopy, we try to catch a glimpse of dolphins jumping near our kayaks. At nightfall, we camp at the end of the fjord.
 

DAY 5        QUINTUPEU FJORD - CAHUELMO FJORD

We navigate down to Cahuelmo Fjord, stopping at the entrance to see if there are any sea lions at play. We don't stop for long though, because we want to paddle the far end of Cahuelmo in time to get up the river, or hike through the wild tidal flats. Finally, we take a relaxing dip in Cahuelmo Hot Springs before turning in for the night

DAY 6        CAHUELMO FJORD - PORCELANA BAY

Our goal for today's journey is Porcelana Hot Springs. On the way, we stop at the settlement of Huinay and hike up a glacial valley sourrounded by snow capped mountains. From this village we cut straight across Comau Fjord to Porcelana, where we pitch camp in a lush green pasture

We paddle down to the end of Comau Fjord to Leptepu, passing by stunning snow-capped peaks on our way to a secluded corner in a setting of plunging waterfalls and virgin forests. We also see a lagoon, teeming with wildlife, which we can reach by kayak at high tide. In the afternoon we return to Porcelana and head for the tidal pools of hot water surrounded by magnificent scenery

Early this morning we board our support vessel to navigate up Comau Fjord to Hornopiren, where we take the road back to Puerto Varas (or Puerto Montt) in time to catch the evening flight or bus to Santiago