KE Adventure

The Fitz Roy Icefield Trek

Hiking trip to Fitz Roy Icefields, Patagonia

With an ascent of Gorra Blanca
Spectacular views of Fitz Roy from all sides
Sightseeing and overnight in Buenos Aires
See the Perito Moreno Glacier
'Explore More' - the finest adventure holidays on the planet

Towering above the rugged landscape of the Los Glaciares National Park, the granite spires of Fitz Roy (3405m) and Cerro Torre rank amongst the worlds' most dramatic summits. The circuit of these peaks, crossing from Argentina into Chile and back again, includes several days on the Southern Patagonia Icefield and provides one of the wildest trekking experiences imaginable. Very few audacious adventurers have made the journey to the 'other side' of this iconic range. Crossing the Marconi Pass to reach the world of ice and snow beyond, we make the long, straightforward ascent of Gorra Blanca (2907m), for breathtaking views that extend across the Fitz Roy Massif and westwards over a veritable sea of ice. Three further days of glacier hiking (with porter support, but carrying all of our personal equipment) take us back to the east side of the range via the Paso de Viento. A trip for experienced trekkers who love beautiful mountains and wide open spaces !

This trip is one of our ‘Explore More' range of outstanding adventure holidays which we are running in conjunction with our friends at Allibert and Hauser (France and Germany's leading adventure travel operators). The trips we have chosen for this range are undoubtedly some of the finest adventures on the planet. They are also ‘specialist' and will appeal to those who have ‘been there, done that' in many parts of the world and are now looking for something new. The cosmopolitan nature of the groups will be an important part of the Explore More experience!

Trip Guide

This is a real mountaineering adventure, taking place on the potentially harsh glaciated terrain of the Southern Patagonian Icefield. The variable weather of this part of the world contributes to the seriousness of the trip. This is not, generally, a high altitude expedition and there are only 2 days which have a considerable amount of ascent. However, from Piedra del Fraile (on Day 5) to Lake Toro (on Day 11) you will be carrying all of your personal equipment. In fact, during this week of trekking, there will be 1 day (the ascent of Gorra Blanca) when you can leave some of your equipment at camp. We estimate that your packed rucksack will weigh as much as 15kg at times, because of the mountaineering gear (including the provided snowshoes) that you will need. This trip would not be practicable at all, without the porter support that we recruit - the porters carry most of the group's communal equipment, tents, food, cooking equipment etc.. Of the 10 potential trekking days, 2 are contingency days. Of the other 8 days, you can expect to be walking 6 to 7 hours on 5 days and 8 to 10 hours (or even more) on 3 days. When on the glacier, the group will be roped together most of the time. This will be a tough trip.