Day 1: Rendezvous at the group hotel in Buenos Aires. KE group package services begin with a guided tour of the city in the afternoon. Overnight at the group hotel.
Day 2: We return to the airport and take the 4 hour flight to the lakeside town of El Calafate. After checking in at our hotel, the rest of the day is free to explore the town. Overnight in Calafate.
Day 3: We make an excursion to the impressive Perito Moreno Glacier and enjoy the spectacle of icebergs breaking away and floating off into Lake Argentina. In the afternoon, we transfer to the small village of El Chalten at the foot of Fitz Roy. Overnight in camp.
Day 4: Whilst our porters take our main baggage to Piedra del Fraile, we hike up to Camp Poincenot at the foot of Fitz Roy. We may also be able to make the return hike to Laguna de los Tres, before walking around to our camp at Piedra del Fraile. 6 hours walking, with 450 metres of ascent. The Laguna de los Tres walk is a further 2 hours.
Day 5: It is just a short trek along the Rio Electrico to our next camp at La Playita beside Lago Electrico. After setting up the camp, we will ferry some of our supplies up to the Marconi Glacier, then return to camp. 6 hours of walking with 550 metres of ascent.
Day 6: We return to the Marconi Glacier and climb to cross the Marconi Pass (1500m) with stunning views of the north face of Fitz Roy. We then continue on the relatively level glacier to the refuge at Gorra Blanca. Overnight in the refuge or in camp. 7 to 9 hours walking, with 1000 metres of ascent.
Day 7: Travelling lightweight today we make an early start for the ascent of Gorra Blanca (2907m). This is a long climb on ice and snow with a summit ridge at around 40 degrees. Given good weather, the views from the top extend over the peaks and glaciers of Patagonia. We return to the refuge. An 8 to 12-hour day, with 1250 metres of ascent and descent.
Day 8: The weather in Patagonia is notoriously fickle and we have allowed another day at this stage, in case we have been held up on the crossing of the Marconi Pass or to give us a second attempt at climbing the peak.
Day 9: Descending gradually we reach the vast 'Hielo Patagonico'. Depending on the conditions, we may use our snowshoes on the walk to our camp in the 'Circo de los Altares', a glacial cirque overshadowed by the icy walls of Cerro Torre and Cerro Rincon. 6 to 7 hours of fairly level walking.
Day 10: Continuing southwards, we pass a succession of granite towers that few people have ever seen. Reaching the Viedma Glacier, we make camp either on the ice or on the moraine, depending on the conditions. 7 hours walking wth little ascent.
Day 11: The longest leg of the crossing. We climb to Paso del Viento (1550m) and then descend steeply on grass and scree into the valley of the Rio Tunel. We then cross rocky ground to reach our camp beyond Lake Toro. 9 to 10 hours walking, with 400 metres of ascent and 900 metres of descent.
Day 12: Our climbing and camping equipment is transported by mule back to El Chalten. We continue with lighter sacks, over the viewpoint at Loma del Plieque Tumbado, and then descending through beech and oak forest to the camp at El Chalten. 7 hours of walking, with around 500 metres of ascent and descent.
Day 13: A contingency day in case of delays. If we have not needed to use this day in our programme it can either be used as a well-earned rest day at El Chalten, or there is the option to make a day-hike to Laguna Torre at the foot of Cerro Torre. Overnight at the El Chalten camp.
Day 14: Depending on the weather, in the morning we will climb to the Mirador Torre for classic views of Cerro Torre (6 hours round trip). In the afternoon we return by bus to El Calafate where we check into our hotel.
Day 15: Generally, the morning is free. In the afternoon we transfer to the airport for the internal flight to Buenos Aires, where we transfer to the hotel. The evening is free. Overnight at the hotel in Buenos Aires.
Day 16: KE group package services end after breakfast.
