Day 1: The trip will start at your hotel where you will meet your tour leader and driver, load the minibus and drive for three hours crossing the Valdivian forest along the Reloncaví estuary. Arrive to the Tagua - Tagua lake and a ferry crossing will take us to the other side where will drive for another hour or so. Time for great Pic-nic lunch before crossing the lake. After a short drive we will meet the baqueanos and the Creole pack horses before reaching our first lodging place, Bandurrias Island.  (BL, D)

Timing: 1 hour walking

Day 2: We leave the Island by boat to reach the other side of the Las Rocas Lake. A local guide and pack horses will be waiting for us to begin our walk in direction to Las Horquetas Farm. After our first hour we will reach the source of the Puelo River. A manual ferry will help us to cross the River. Once, in the other side another hour to reach Segundo Corral, small hamlet situated at the extremely side of the international border. After crossing a group of few houses, we will have 2 more hours walking to reach the place of our first night. Arrival at the farm ‘Las Horquetas’ where a warm welcome awaits at the Escobar family house.

Day 3: Passing through the farm fields we begin the ascent. Bordering the stream ‘Barrancas’, the forest becomes predominantly old growth coihue and then turns into mostly lenga trees. These forests don’t show any signs of human intervention, which together with the forest’s age-old natural humidity have allowed the proliferation of a wide variety of musk and mushrooms of great size. From here we begin a new and steep climb that takes us out of the lenga forest and into a high land plateau where we make our base camp for the next two days and share our experiences, emotions and reflections of the day around the campfire.

Timing: approximately 5 hours long, including a half-hour picnic.

Day 4: From base camp to the Glacier Logrado. The third day is a demanding hike to the glacier. First we overcome the ‘escorial’, which is that part of the mountains that is above the tree line, passing through some patches of left over seasonal snows to arrive at the view point ‘Miradador de los Condores’ (viewpoint of the Condors). Here we are rewarded with a spectacular view of the valley Correntoso. This forested valley below is complemented by a glacial wall with lakes at the bottom and the Puelo valley. From here we can already make out our final goal of the day, the lake and glacier Logrado. This fabulous view stays with us for the rest of the hike. We walk perpendicularly to the slope of the mountain, following the side of the valley through the ‘escorial’. Depending on the time of the year of your visit you will see different types of mountain flowers.

After 3 or 4 hours of hiking over rocky trails we arrive at the lagoon where we cross over a black sandy beach that takes us to the glacier. Here we take our well-deserved snack while we enjoy the incredible ambience of this place. Return down the same trail to our base camp, where we share our impressions of the day around the campfire.

Day 5: The next morning we return to the Escobar family home where they will be waiting for us with a delicious and typically Chilean ‘asado al palo or grilled meat on a stick, accommodation at the Escobar family house.

Day 6: After our breakfast at the Escobar family home, we begin our return to reach Bariloche. We first walk for 3 hours aprox. Down to the village of Segundo Corral we finally reach Rio Puelo. Passports will do at the Police station close to the Puelo Lower Lake. After that a jet boat will take us across the lake and up the river through small rapids that form a natural border between both countries. After crossing the Argentinean border we arrive at Lago Puelo National Park (Arg) from where we take a minibus via El Bolson to Bariloche.  Night at Hotel.

Timing: 3,30 hours walking, 1,30hs by boat and 3,30hs by bus.

Note: We can organize an exclusive extended stay at Bandurrias Island. Please ask for more information

OTHER OPTIONS: Puerto Montt back to Puerto Montt and also from Bariloche to Puerto Montt.

How many days: The trip last 6 days 6 nights.

Route: This is a round trip. Leaving from Puerto Varas, and crossing to Argentina to the town of Bariloche.

Capacity: Min 2 / Max 8Persons.

Accommodation (This change depending the route you’ll choose)

Night 1: at Bandurrias Island, (D, B)

Dbl room with facilities in our Cottage. Night 2 and 5: Las Horquetas,(D,B)

2 DBL room and tent for the others. Shared facilities. Hot shower outside.

We stay in a comfortable rustic and clean farm house typical of the Puelo Valley. Food will be organically and locally grown from the garden and the meat will be cooked in its most delicious Chilean asado.

Night 3 and 4 Camp site in the wild, with no facilities. Night 6 Hotel 3* at Bariloche.

Walking difficulty: Visitors should be in good physical condition. This trip is not recommended for people who suffer from vertigo.

Hours Walking: The daily walks are not more than 5 to 6 hours except the 4th day where we will have a demanding day of around 7 hours.

What’s included: Private minibus transfers in/out. Motor boats from Bandurrias Island, and international crossing across the lakes to Lago Puelo (Argentina),full board meals and drinks; pack horses with full equipment; 6 nights accommodation, including one night at fabulous retreat in Bandurrias Island, two nights at cabin in Las Horquetas farm, two nights in base camp, and one night at Hotel in Bariloche. Local guide and trilingual tour lider; Vhf radio communication equipment, International company insurance.

Packing and Clothing: We suggest bringing a day-pack, where you will put a few personal belongings plus a lunch box and water bottle to access throughout the day. Please bear in mind that we do not accept any type of rigid cases; a good quality duffel bag with strong zips will do. We provide strong quality bags just to protect your own and to make things easier. Comfortable trousers, waterproof pants, fleece, jacket, hat, some warm pairs of socks, sun block, insect repellent, personal medicines, personal knife, flash lamp and good trekking shoes. Using plastic bags as a waterproof for your clothes is the cheapest way of keeping things dry in case of rain! Camera depending on your photographic stamina.

Flight Connections: Daily flights depart either from Santiago international airport to Puerto Montt (Chile) and from Buenos Aires Jorge Newbery local airport into San Carlos de Bariloche (Argentina).

Important Notes: During January horse flies proliferate in the whole southern part of Chile and Argentina! They do not harm but are a nuisance and are attracted to dark clothing. Take this into account when selecting your clothing.

You can review with us any points that will affect your travel plans – for example where the trip starts or whether it includes a Pre-Trip Option or Post-Trip Extension.

Delicatessen: The cuisine on the trip will be a mix of a special blend of flavours and ingredients. It consists of an ethnic variety of gastronomic Creole-Chilean style. A traditional wood stove gives its special flavour to the dishes. Depending on the season, it is possible to taste the delicious rainbow trout, fontinalis, or salmon trout. The Creole barbecue “Asado al palo” or “Asado al Asador” is served during several meals. It consists of delicious lamb cooked with plenty of embers and fire wood. As the main local dish, people cook it in different ways usually accompanied with salad, potatoes and, of course, Chilean red wine.The vegetables and fruits are superb and the variety of the region's berries is impressive.>Vegetarian dishes are also a great delicious option but we do need to know it if you prefer is vegetarian options at the time of making a booking. The drinking water is crystal clear, safe to drink and tastes delicious. The island also has a personal collection of a good variety of wines.

Typical Lunch Box: 2 sandwiches, small juice, fruit, chocolate-bar, yoghurt, and cereal bar.

Rates per Person in american dollars.

TREKKING TOUR, Forest and Glaciar 2010-2011

Opentravel motto is to love what we do and improve our trips and products and at the same time face the financial worldwide crisis. For this we have decided not to change any prices as long as the price of the dollar /Chilean peso remains within a 10 % fluctuation of the actual price.

http://www.economiaynegocios.cl/calculadora_vf/index.asp

In case this occurs  we will be forced to update the prices accordingly and you will be notified  as soon as we can.

6 Days 6 Nights

SERVICES:  bilingual tour leader, local guide, private transfers in /out, full board meals and drinks, pack horses, 6 days lodging, one of the nights in our exclusive isla Las Bandurrias, full camp site equipment for the two nights camping, navigation in three lakes, Hotel at Bariloche, border crossing in motorjet boat.

All prices correct as of March 2011 but may vary with exchange rate fluctuations, fuel surcharges, or changes in the general economic situation. A 20% deposit will secure reservation at current quoted price.

BOOKING CONDITIONS

Send us a money deposit to our US$ account.

For making a bank deposit please provide your bank with the following instructions:

Banco Corpbanca,

Oficina Puerto Montt,

Calle Urmeneta 541 Puerto Montt

Name: Marie Françoise Dutheil Bérard

Cuenta Corriente en dólares Nº 36-028551-0

SWIFT: CONBCLRM

A copy of the deposit slip should be e-mailed or faxed to: (56-65) 260524

Please contact us if you have any questions or doubts, to confirm the payment process.

Reservation: Prepayment upon confirmation 20%.

Terms and conditions: We stipulate that the 80% balance must be sent at least 21 days before trip starts.

Cancellation Conditions: 60 days: prepayment will be refunded. 59 - 21 days: 80 % of total will be refunded.

20 - 14 days: 50 % of total will be refunded. 13 - 0 days 0% of total will be refunded
In case of "last minute" cancellation due to weather circumstances the payment is not refundable but may apply to another departure during the same or the next season.

OPENTRAVEL cannot be held responsible for extra costs in the event the trip is prolonged by weather circumstances.