Each
night is spent at a different campsite in our adventure tour from
Argentina through Chile, South America. Each day in Patagonia has
travel options including white
water rafting, horseback
riding and/or hiking en route to the next camp (10 -
15 kms in distance). Fly-fishing
is an option in the evenings and mornings at every camp.
Arrival:
Arrive at the high mountain ski town of Bariloche, Argentina via Buenos
Aires, Argentina or Santiago, Chile. An Adventure Tours Argentina
Chile (ATAC) representative will meet you at the airport
and take you to the Hotel
Edelweiss. In the evening, dine at Alberto's
in Bariloche with the entire group and leaders.
Itinerary
Map, First Part.
White water rafting and Inflatable Kayak Class II-III:
In the morning, meet Adventure Tour's
trip leader and the expedition group for breakfast at the hotel and
drive from Bariloche along the coast of the scenic Lago Nahuel Huapi
and into the Nahuel Huapi National Park.
After an extensive water safety orientation, practice paddling techniques
on a tranquil Manso tributary before entering the turquoise waters
of the main Rio Manso. Descend class
II-III rapids in rafts and/or inflatable kayaks
with views of waterfalls and snow-capped rugged peaks to a remote
Argentine customs outpost.
Enjoy a classic local morel mushroom pasta dish for lunch. Continue
through class
III rapids in a narrow basalt
gorge and camp on the shore of the Rio El Leon. Pass through the Chile
customs outpost in the evening. Feast on pollo
al disco.
Itinerary map, Part 1.
Option 1 (of 2): Horseback Riding or Hiking
Travel alongside the huasos
and pilcheros, horseback riding or hiking along
the river to the pueblo of El Leon. Continuing West, the dirt road
becomes a well-traveled horseback riding and hiking trail that follows
the river through thick diverse rainforest with views of the river's
gorge and mountain peaks. Encounter scenic aspects of the trail including
wooden bridges over small tributaries and rock outcroppings.
Option 2:
White water rafting Class III-IV
Travel downriver through a basalt gorge, white water rafting through
class
III-IV rapids with 1-2 mandatory portages.
Both
white water rafting and hiking / horseback riding groups camp on an
open field with sweeping 360° views overlooking the valleys and
confluence of the Rio Torrentoso and Rio Manso. Feast on bife
de chorizo - tender filets of
internationally acclaimed Argentina pampa-raised beef.
Horseback Riding or Hiking:
Journey by hiking and / or horseback riding up the Rio Torrentoso
Valley on an ancient trail once ridden by Butch
Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Travel up the winding
narrow valley passing pictographs on the canyon walls.
Lunch at the confluence of the Rio de Los Morros and the Torrentoso
and continue up the valley into virgin temperate rainforest. Camp
on the shore of the high mountain lake, Lago Vidal. Feast on Cazuela.
Layover Day / Personal Day:
Though some may choose to spend a personal day relaxing and swimming,
it is possible to do more than one of the following activities as
well:
Day hike/ forest walk: Hike to Paso Cochamo. Walk
through groves of ancient alerce,
coigüe,
lenga,
ñire,
mañiu
and other native Chilean trees.
Fly
fishing: Experience fly fishing from inflatable kayaks or
along the shore of Lago Vidal. Click to see the Fly Fishing
Page.
Peak Climb: Attempt an ascent of Mount Bodega (at
the discretion of the guides).
Regroup in the evening and spend a second night in the camp alongside
Lago Chico. Feast on the day's catch (angler permitting). Enjoy a
riverside
sauna.
Horseback Riding or Hiking:
Travel by horseback and / or hiking through Torrentoso Valley back
to the Manso drainage and downstream to a farm overlooking the river.
Camp on a small plateau, surrounded by breathtaking bluffs, 300 feet
above the river in view of some of the Manso's
class
V rapids to be descended by the
white water rafting group the following day. Feast on pastel
de papas. Itinerary
map, Second Part.
The Big Day
Option 1 (of 2): White water rafting Class V
(water level permitting) Raft a class
V section of white water including
the rapids, Super Pollo and Mellisa's Meltdown to the confluence of
the Rio Manso with the Rio Steffen. Those who do not wish to paddle
class V or who do not qualify, travel with the horseback riding and
/or hiking groups. After lunch at Rio Steffen, paddle a class
IV stretch including the rapids Cachai and Curva
Peligrosa. The rapids become class I as the valley widens and views
expad into the valley of the Rio Puelo.
Option 2: Horseback Riding or Hiking
Experience
horseback riding and hiking with the huasos
through the most technical portion of the trail. Dismount
and lead your horse over the most difficult sections as the trail
rises hundreds of feet over the canyon before dropping down to the
river.
Horseback riding, hiking and white water rafting groups camp on a
large sandy riverside beach near the confluence of the Rio Puelo.
Celebrate our last night on the river in traditional Chilean style
with pisco sour and an asado.
In the morning, a launch ferries us across Lake Tagua-Tagua. Travel
North on the Carretera Austral through the coastal fjords along the
Pacific Ocean, Chile. The tall coigues
and lengas
alongside the road grant intermittent views of Volcano Osorno which
towers over Todos Los Santos Lake and the small town of Puerto Varas.
Fly out of Puerto Montt, Chile via Santiago of Chile. Return to the
U.S.
Note:
We do our best to adhere to the schedule listed above, however this
itinerary is subject to change.
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