Transfer and Other Options:

Brief day-by-day itinerary:

Day 1 - Arrive Puerto Natales. Dinner with guide for trip briefing. Night at Hotel If or similar. Dinner not included.
Day 2 - Transfer to Consuelo. Ride close to Estancia Perales. Night in Estancia. All meals included. Hours in the saddle: 7.
Day 3 - Take cutter across fjords to Balmaceda. Meet horses for ride to Serrano. Night Hotel Rio Serrano. All meals included. Hours in the saddle: 7-8.
Day 4 - Ride to Glacier Grey viewpoint. Optional boat trip. Ride back to Serrano. Night Hotel Rio Serrano. All meals included. Hours in the saddle: 6-7.
Day 5 - Ride the Up and Over across the heart of the park to Laguna Amarga. Ride to Estancia Tercera Barranca. Night Estancia Tercera Barranca. All meals included. Hours in the saddle: 7-8.
Day 6 - Ride out to Laguna Azul around the lake and back to Tercera Barranca. Night Estancia Tercera Barrance. All meals included. Hours in the saddle: 5-6.
Day 7 - Transfer to Estancia 3R. Ride to remote Tetas de las China. Night Estancia Tercera Barranca. All meals included. Hours in the saddle: 6-7.
Day 8 - Ride to Cerro Castillo. Transfer to Laguna Sophia. Night at Country House. All meals included. Hours in the saddle: 8-9.
Day 9 - Full day ride in Laguna Sophia. Night at Country House Laguna Sophia. All meals included. Hours in the saddle: 6-7.
Day 10 - Transfer to Puerto Natales for onward travel. Breakfast only included.

Detailed day-by-day itinerary:

Day 1 / Arrive Puerto Natales. Dinner and briefing. Night in Hotel If.
Arrive into Puerto Natales. Clients will arrive today and in the evening will be escorted to dinner by their
guide (dinner not included) for the trip briefing. Night in Hotel If.

Day 2 / Transfer to Consuelo. Ride from Estancia Consuelo to Estancia Perales. Night Estancia Perales.
In the morning clients will leave their luggage, taking only enough for one night’s stay, and take a transfer of
approximately 20 minutes to Puerto Consuelo where they will have their first encounter with Criollo horses.
This Estancia is still the home of the Eberhard family who have much history in Magallanes. From this lovely
Estancia clients will ride along the fjord until they reach Estancia Perales, the neighbouring estancia. Guests
will enjoy a welcoming meal and be able to relax next to the waters of Last Hope Sound. Night in Estancia.
All meals included. (Wine/drinks not included).

Torres del Paine has a milder and drier microclimate than the surrounding areas of Patagonia because of some unique geological features. The weather however is famously unpredictable and it is possible to experience four seasons in the course of a few hours! Average daily temperatures vary but in summer one can expect 10 - 20 degrees Celsius with the occasional hot day of 25 degrees. Temperatures can drop to zero at night and high winds are common in this area. Although you can never be sure of how Paine will treat its guests, we ask that clients are prepared (both mentally and physically) for unpredictable and sometimes challenging weather conditions and that you pack accordingly. Good waterproofs (top to toe) are essential.

On these trips guests are required to bring a sleeping bag. The sleeping bag should be 3 or 4 season and should be carried in an effective stuff sack. We can rent sleeping bags to guests and you should indicate this at the time of booking. Waterproof stuff sacks are supplied to each client for the duration of the trip. This enables their belongings to be packed comfortable, safely and dryly onto the pack horses. The capacity of these bags is 3,200 cubic inches and is sufficient for the demands of the trip. Excess luggage not required for the trip can be stored either at the hotel in Punta Arenas or with us in Puerto Natales.

Water:  During the trip we use local water supplies from rivers, streams and lakes. You should bring a water bottle to fill for your personal daily drinking supply. Two 'half litre' bottles seem to work better than one 'one litr' bottle as these fit more easily into pockets (saddle bags are provided but one needs to dismount to access these). Water is always available at camp and there are further rivers and streams to replenish supplies en route. This water is clean and pure and is about as close to the source as is possible. We have never had any problems with any client drinking this water (there are no communities in the park to contaminate the water and there are no tropical water borne diseases such as guiardia). If however a client does not feel confident in drinking this water, we would recommend they bring iodine drops (and the taste inhibitors that are sold with them) for their personal supplies as it is impossible to carry any alternative source of water on the pack horses.

*Please note it is a condition of travel that you provide Hidden Trails with proof of insurance coverage in advance of your trip. This insurance must adequately cover your intended activity, i.e. riding, kayaking or hiking. It is also essential that you have cover for emergency evacuation and medical treatment. Unfortunately we will not be able to accept uninsured clients on this trip*

Accommodation

The accommodation is a mix of authentic estancias and where this is not possible, comfortable hotels.

We use both working and converted estancias that offer a family stay environment with clean and comfortable facilities. All accommodations are beautifully located and most have amazing views.  Cattle and sheep are farmed and horses will be seen in a working environment.  Facilities may be shared.  

Meals
Will be eaten in the restaurant or with the family.  Food will consist of lamb, beef, chicken or salmon with fresh vegetables or salad accompanied by rice or potatoes.  Wine and beer is available at a reasonable cost throughout the trip.  Lunches will be prepared by clients at breakfast and packed in our saddle bags and will consist of sandwiches (tuna, cheese, salami, ham, peanut butter etc), fresh fruit, nuts and snacks and biscuits/chocolate.  Clients are required to look after their own lunch boxes. The restaurants in the Refugios offer a lively atmosphere and wholesome food. Vegetarian options are also available.  Breakfast will include toast, coffee, cereal, ham/cheese, bread rolls and juice and occasionally eggs. 

This trip includes and can accommodate special dietary requests.

Tack:		Chillean metal framed saddles onto which is layered felt, sheepskin and leather.
Horses:		Criollo-cross 14.0 and 15.2 hands.
Pace:		This is a faster paced ride with some very long riding days. Fitness and experience are essential. | Walk | Trot | Canter | Gallop |
Level:		(3 to 4 out of 5)    Good Intermediate
Age:		Min 12	Max 70
Weight:		Max 210 lbs
Riders:		Min 4 riders	Max 12 riders

This trip is for riders wishing to combine some local flavour and comfortable accommodations with their outdoor riding adventure. It is designed for those who prefer not to camp and who enjoy fairly fast paced riding with long days in the saddle. Riders will experience a first hand view of Patagonia estancia life and the joys, threats and difficulties posed by farming cattle and sheep in this area. The majority of the ride takes place within the park itself and offers plenty of diversity with rides across open pampas, rides to wild glaciers and iceberg-filled lakes and peaceful rides through valleys and ancient southern beech forests. Throughout these long, exciting days in the saddle, the snow capped mountains are never far away!

Horses: On sturdy and agile Criollo-cross horses, we cover between 25 and 40 kilometres each day.  The riding days are generally full with between 5 and 7 hours spent in comfortable ‘western style’ saddles.  The horses are bred locally and respond to ‘neck reining’.  The horses vary in size with the majority being between 14.0 and 15.2 hands. They are willing, sure-footed, fit and safe and cope admirably with both the terrain and the demands of our rides.   We are able to provide good horses for both experienced riders and for riders who are more novice or a bit 'rusty'. The pace of the ride will be adjusted to suit the majority of riders but as we always travel with more than one riding guide, there is great deal of flexibility and riders soon find their own pace for the trip. Riders are not responsible for grooming or tack.

Pace of Ride: Moderate - Fast. The pace is largely dictated by the terrain and the distance we need to travel on a certain day but where possible there is a lot of trotting and cantering. Distances vary between 20 and 40 kilometers in a day. 

Riding Experience: We prefer riders to be confident at walk, trot and canter. We can provide willing, free going horses to experienced riders who like to go at a faster pace and in addition the horses are extremely kind to the lower level riders. All riders (but especially the novices) would benefit from getting ‘riding fit’ before coming here and investing in instruction. A few tough one hour lessons with lots of trotting immediately before traveling would be a good idea.

Tack: The tack is Chilean and comprises of metal-framed saddles onto which is layered felt, sheepskin and leather.  Rope, rawhide and leather form the bridles, girths, straps etc.  The saddles provide adequate comfort for the long days riding and the stirrups consist of a leather cup through which the foot cannot pass.  Most of the horses are ridden in simple snaffles.  Halters are worn throughout the ride with rope tied around the horse's neck to tie up at lunch stops/rest stops etc.
The trips are guided from start to finish. The guides will be joined on trips by baquianos (Chilean horsemen) and an assistant who helps with preparing meals and other camp chores. The leader has many years experience of leading groups in this area and is bilingual.

Age Limit: 12 - 70 years unless by prior arrangement. We will accept children over 10 as long as they have the stamina and attitude to complete a trip of this nature. We would prefer them to be a confident rider. We will request riders over 70 to complete a medical/suitability questionnaire before their booking is confirmed.

Insurance Coverage:
For these trips it is mandatory that you have proof of travel insurance that covers you for all activities during the tour and also covers emergency evacuation and medical treatment.

Non-Riders: For non-riding partners, we can arrange a hiking trip which follows a similar route taken by the riders. This will be guided where necessary (with occasional vehicle assistance to enable him/her to make up the distance) and the hiker will meet the riding group at the end of each day (with one or two slight deviations). 

Passports
Passport valid for at least six months required by nationals referred to in the chart.
Passport Note
Passports issued to children must contain a photo and state the nationality.

Visas
Not required by all nationals referred to in the chart above for stays of up to 90 days except the following:
(a) 1. nationals of Greece for up to 60 days and nationals of Romania for up to 30 days.
(b) transit passengers continuing their journey on the same or first connecting aircraft provided holding required travel documents for onward destination and not leaving the airport transit lounge.

Note: Nationals not referred to in the chart above are advised to contact the embassy to check visa requirements (see Contact Addresses).
Visa Note
2. Nationals of Australia, Canada and the USA entering Chile for touristic purposes will be charged a processing fee payable on arrival and in cash only. For nationals of  Australia, the fee is US$56; for nationals of Canada, the fee is US$132; and for nationals of the USA, the fee is US$100 .