Flight Inclusive travellers will take a morning flight from Buenos Aires to El Calafate, having spent the previous night in Bunos Aires. A single timed transfer to the Buenos Aires Airport and from El Calafate Airport to the group hotel is provided. Meet at the group hotel in El Calafate. Please arrive into El Calafate no later than 3pm.

El Calafate is located on the Patagonia Steppe, on the border of Lago Argentino (Argentina's largest lake) and it is considered the capital of the glaciers and the gateway to visit the world-renowned Perito Moreno Glacier. A good place to explore is the main street of Av del Libertador General San Martin, simply known as Libertador. This evening we will meet as a group over a welcome dinner (included) with our guide and have a briefing on the exciting holiday ahead.

Today we leave Argentina and make our way across the vast Patagonian Steppe to Torres del Paine. Crossing into Chile via the Cerro Castillo border, we will change vehicles (total 5hrs drive). As we leave the steppe and enter Chile, the views become more spectacular and we'll keep our eyes peeled for guanacos. With their cheeky expressions and giant leaps, these undomesticated members of the llama family are great for photo opportunities. Patagonia is approximately 1 million square kilometres (one and a half times the size of the UK) and includes the southern part of the magnificent Andes Mountains. The area got its name from the word patagon which was used to describe the local people of the region. Even today the region is sparsely populated and home to only 2 million inhabitants. In the afternoon, we'll arrive at our hotel and settle in for the evening, whilst taking in the spectacular views.

After breakfast we leave the camp and take a transfer to Salto Grande, a national park highlight. This giant cascading waterfall is deafening as the waters of Lake Nordenskjold torrent into Lake Pehoe. From Salto Grande we take a relaxed hike up to the 'Mirador Cuernos' viewpoint. It's from this point we'll have stunning views across the lake and over to the rugged granite peaks of Paine Grande and Los Cuernos.

In the afternoon we'll take to the water on a picturesque journey by catamaran across Lake Pehoe, arriving at 'Guarderia Paine Grande', the start point for our hike and our base for the next two nights. If time permits we may also be able to visit the viewpoint at 'Mirador Pehoe' and the beach of Lago Grey.

Today, we will get to enjoy some of the very best walking this region has to offer. Various options are available and the leader will decide on the best option depending on the weather and ability of the group but one thing is certain, Glacier Grey is much more spectacular than its bland sounding name! Our walk takes us to the Grey Glacier viewpoint where the outflow of the South Patagonia ice-sheet calves in great pieces into the lake. This amazing location presents a dramatic and surreal sight as giant icebergs drift slowly across the water. Here we'll have the opportunity to photograph the icebergs and the atmospheric lake which comes from Glacier Grey itself. Stretching for over 28 kilometres, this breath-taking glacier is 6 kilometres wide and 30m high. In the afternoon there may be the option of a further 4-hour walk to the foot of the glacier. If the weather is on our side, the group are happy and the leader feels there is time on our side then the walk may be extended. Whichever walk we do we'll have a fantastic day of walking in superb surroundings before returning back to Pehoe for our second night.

Over the next 3 days we'll walk through the heart of the Paine Massif and today we start by heading up to Italian Camp (Campamento Italiano) in the Valle del Frances or French Valley. The French Valley is a national park highlight and we'll initially head northwards over a variety of different terrain including grassland and woodland. Next we follow the upper section of the River Frances before reaching Italian Camp, a simple camp nestled alongside the trail. Our footpath ascends further to a highpoint where we'll be surrounded by excellent views of the icefalls on the Frances Glacier. There will be plenty of opportunities for photographs before we return back to Italian Camp and then join a different trail which takes us onto Lake Nordenskjold. This charming lake is named after Otto Nordenskjold, a Swedish and Finish geologist, geographer and polar explorer who discovered the lake in the beginning of the 20th century. The colourful waters plus rich flora and fauna is a major attraction of the lake. Tonight we spend the night at Refugio Los Cuernos and if the weather is on our side we'll have an excellent view on the famed Cuernos peaks.

A truly spectacular day of walking and a holiday highlight as we walk on the famed Paso Los Cuernos. This superb footpath takes its name from the Cuernos of the Paine Massif, two incredible peaks of slate grey which stand between 2600m and 2800m and are the symbols of the national park. According to local Patagonian legends an evil serpent called Cai Cai created a flood to kill a warrior tribe that lived in Torres del Paine. Apparently when the waters receded the serpent took the bodies of two of the warriors and turned them to stone, creating the twin horns that stand today! Alongside guanacos we may be lucky to see the pretty South American Grey fox or Darwin's flightless rhea, a large bird related to the ostrich and emu. It's not unusual to see the magnificent condor soaring overhead or a number of other birds of prey including buzzard-eagles, hawks, harriers and owls. During our journey we'll be rewarded with excellent views as we continue to our overnight accommodation at Chileno.

As an impressive farwell to the Paine Towers, we will walk to the famous viewpoint of the impressive granite massif of El Paine. These spectacular peaks soar above 2000m and dominate the surrounding landscape. Granted UNESCO status in 1978, they are a highlight of the national park and are all that is left of a rocky cirque that has gradually eroded due to glacial action. Fingers crossed for good weather as the sight of these rock towers and the stunning lake is quite breath-taking. There will be plenty of time for photos and enjoying this magnificent location before making our way back to Chileno and onwards to the Refugio Central, where we meet our vehicles and transfer to our comfortable estancia accommodation. This evening we can toast the end of a fantastic trek in the Torres del Paine and prepare ourselves for the exciting few days ahead which we'll spend in the magnificent region of Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre.

Today we bid goodbye to Torres del Paine National Park. After a relaxed breakfast, we travel by private transfer (4-5 hours) back to El Calafate, crossing the border back into Argentina, ahead of our visit to the Perito Moreno Glacier tomorrow. After 5 days on the trail, we have a free afternoon to rest, recouperate and explore this charming Argentinian town.

Today we visit a highlight of any Patagonia trip, with a full day excursion to Los Glaciares National Park, home to the impressive Perito Moreno Glacier. Located in the region of Austral Andes in Argentina this enormous spread of ice spans 320 square kilometres and is still growing. Spanning both Chile and Argentina the Perito Moreno Glacier belongs to the southern Patagonian Ice field, which is the third largest mass of ice after Antarctica and Greenland, and was added to the UNESCO World Heritage in 1981. The glacier is named after the explorer Francisco Moreno who was born in Buenos Aires and was one of the founders of the Argentine Scientific Society. There are various viewing points around this incredible piece of nature and you'll feel the drop in temperature as you get closer. There will plenty of photo opportunities during the visit and after enjoying this incredible landscape we'll return back to our hotel in El Calafate.

Today we leave El Calafate and head towards El Chalten, a colourful village which overlooks the stunning northern section of Parque National Los Glaciares. Our journey takes us past Lago Viedma named after the Spanish explorer Antonio de Viedma who was the first European to reach the lake shore in 1783. With a surface area of over 270,000 acres, Lago Viedma is one of the largest glacier formed lakes in the region. The lake has no towns on its shore and very little vegetation growing on the surrounding steep dry hills so it comes as no surprise that flamingos, eagles, foxes, deer, river otter and guanacos have all made this their home. Late morning we arrive in the village of El Chalten which is the local name for Fitz Roy and our base for the next three nights. In the afternoon there will be the opportunity to visit and walk in the Huemules Nature Reserve. Located a short transfer from El Chalten, this incredible wilderness estancia of 5500 hectares is surrounding by stunning mountains and glaciers. Here there are no tourist facilities and camping is prohibited as the reserve's main aim is protecting the local wildlife, which includes ducks, woodpeckers, Andean condors, deer, red foxes and pumas. After registering with the rangers we'll head out on one of the trails and enjoy the unspoilt scenery.

After breakfast we start with a short transfer of 40 minutes and the start of our walk to the Cerro Fitz Roy viewpoint at Laguna de Los Tres. Situated on the Chilean and Argentinian border Monte Fitz Roy (3375m) or Cerro Fitz Roy is stunningly beautiful. Even today it remains one of the most technically challenging mountains in the world of mountaineering and was the inspiration by Patagonia clothing founder Yvon Chouinard for his company logo. The peak was named by Francisco Moreno (of glacier fame) when he first saw the mountain in 1877 and named it Fitz Roy in honour of Robert Fitz Roy, the captain of Darwin's HMS Beagle. Fitz Roy is the highest peak in Parque National Los Glaciares and is breath-taking. Laguna de Los Tres is a beautiful high alpine tarn and once of the most photographed lakes in the park. From here we'll be treated to stunning views of the east face of Fitz Roy and after enjoying the views and taking plenty of photos we head back to El Chalten along a lovely forested trail via Camp Poincenot.

After breakfast, we start our walk in the valley of the Rio Fitz Roy, the trailhead of which is only a short walk from our hotel. Today is our last day in the area of Fitz Roy, and we start on the southern edge of the Los Glaciares National Park. Our first point is Laguna Torre a lake formed by a glacial melt where we are rewarded with beautiful views of the stunning peak of Cerro Torre (3127m). This incredible peak dominates its neighbours of Torre Egger, Punta Herron, and Cerro Standhart and is often described as un-climbable because of a mushroom rim of ice around the summit. The mountain is truly elegant with its long finger shape and the lake offers the best viewpoint for Cerro Torre. After a spectacular final day of walking we return to our accommodation for our last night in El Chalten.

After a spectacular time walking we'll have breakfast and transfer back to El Calafate for our afternoon flight.

Land Only services finish after breakfast with a single timed transfer to El Calafate Airport.

Flight Inclusive passengers will fly from El Calafate to Buenos Aires, arriving late afternoon and transfer to the group hotel for a final evening in Buenos Aires before their onward flight tomorrow.

To finish your incredible Patagonian adventure with a flourish, why not add one of our amazing extensions? How about an adventure to the tip of South America to discover Tierra del Fuego and the Beagle Channel or a visit to the incredible Iguazu Falls in the rainforest of Argentina and Brazil?

To help with onward travel logistics or simply for more time in these stunning locations additional nights after your tour in either El Calafate or Buenos Aires can also be arranged.