TORRES DEL PAINE NAT.PARK & MILODON CAVE
We start our tour to Torres del Paine National Park. The first stop is the ancient cave Milodon, declared a historical monument in 1968 and a Natural Monument in 1993, it is located 25 km north of Puerto Natales. This natural monument consists of three caverns and a rocky conglomerate called "Silla del Diablo". The largest of these caves is 150 m.a.s.l. and its dimensions are 30 meters high, 50 meters wide and 200 meters deep. The scientific interest of the place is given by the discovery, in 1896, skin, bones and other remains of an extinct animal, the MILODÓN (Mylodon darwini) a large herbivore which became extinct probably late Pleistocene. After 30 minutes of tour and 36 Km. more, it will be the second stop in Cerro Castillo, where passengers can enjoy cafeteria service. All a preamble to get then to Torres del Paine National Park by Laguna Amarga sector or Porteria Sarmiento, which is even more amazing. Following in the path you can see the Nordenskjold and Pehoe lakes, accompanied by groups of guanacos and Lesser Rheas. The road continues with a walk of 10 minutes, where you can discover the beautiful Salto Grande fall, then headed to Camp Pehoe (Sodexo) where the passenger can go to lunch (not included) with view of the Cuernos del Paine. During the afternoon, the tour continues to the sector of Lake and Grey Glacier, where a stop of about 45 minutes and a beautiful hike from the Grey parking area, cross walking the Pingo River hanging bridge, walk through beech forest and then along the beach will take place Lago Grey peninsula and the shores of Lake is lining up a hill to reach the Mirador Grey that overlooks the lake, the icebergs area and part of the glacier, where the Paine Grande is appreciated. The return trip is exiting the Park by Laguna Amarga or River Serrano, a real show that copies of red foxes and condors usually accompany the fascinating panorama of the Paine Massif and finally concludes this trip coming to Puerto Natales around 19:00 hrs. Approx.
We depart from Salta toward San Antonio de los Cobres, Salinas Grandes, and Purmamarca, following a route parallel to the “Train to the Clouds” railway line, through the Quebrada del Toro. We begin the ascent until reaching 4,080 m (13,386 ft) above sea level and arrive at San Antonio de los Cobres. Here we take a break with time for lunch; then we cross Route 40 until we reach the Salinas Grandes, right at the border between Salta and Jujuy. Next, we start the descent via the Cuesta de Lipán—where condors are often spotted—until reaching the town of Purmamarca and its famous Hill of Seven Colors.
The Blue Safari is designed for those who, in addition to sailing in front of the Perito Moreno Glacier, dream of touching it and enjoying it up close. In this new excursion we will get to touch the glacier with our hands! The tour begins in El Calafate when the bus leaves for Los Glaciares National Park. Once in Puerto Bajo de las Sombras, just 7 km from the footbridges, we will take a boat to cross Lago Rico and, after sailing 20 minutes, we will disembark on the opposite coast. We will walk for 30 minutes always with a view of the southern wall of the Glacier, in case we are surprised by some thunderous landslide and once next to the ice it will be time for an unforgettable experience... touching the Perito Moreno Glacier itself! There we will fully enjoy its intense and varied blues, whites and its capricious shapes. We will have time to take many photos and then we will return to the embarkation point always accompanied by an experienced guide. The total walk is approximately 1.30 hours through a natural terrain of sand and stones with some slopes and stairs. The route, one and a half kilometers long, will be along the shore of the lake and through a lush forest with a view of the Glacier. Finally, we will take the boat to appreciate from the water, and a few meters away, the entire southern face of the glacier and be able to see every detail of the marbled icy wall. Once in the port, we will take the bus to the footbridges, where we will have 2 hours to enjoy the incredible panoramic view. In addition, we will be able to take advantage of this time and have a box-lunch (not included).