THE FAMOUS
Multiday trekking paso Beban – Deep into Tierra del Fuego
Cruce de Los Andes is a 5-day journey through some of the most spectacular scenery in Tierra del Fuego. The route covers 70 km with 2,500 metres of cumulative elevation change. This pristine, little-travelled trail crosses valleys, lagoons, glaciers, mountain passes, large lakes, peat bogs and high-altitude rivers.
Cruce de Los Andes
The rugged landscape and the energy of the group are part of this journey, one of the island’s most challenging circuits.
Cruce de Los Andes Tour Details
Day 1
- Hotel pickup is at 8:30, followed by the transfer to the Laguna Esmeralda trailhead. We start with light backpacks carrying crampons, a packed lunch, clothing, a sleeping pad and personal items for the day and the trek. The Patagon team carries sleeping bags, tents, food and cooking equipment to the first campsite.
- We walk through forest and peat bogs to Laguna Esmeralda, then ascend across scree to Ojo del Albino Glacier, where we have lunch.
- We cross the glacier with crampons and descend to the Beban Valley to find our campsite.
Duration: 8 hours
Distance: 17 km
Elevation gain: 800 metres
Day 2
- After breakfast, we set out with loaded backpacks: from this day onward, we carry our sleeping bags, sleeping pads and part of the tent.
- We climb to Paso Beban and descend northwest through the valley to Playa Sarita on Bahía de los Renos, on the shores of Lago Fagnano.
- There, we are picked up by the boat from the “Bahía de los Renos” cabin complex to take us to our destination, where we will spend 2 nights and a full day of rest.
Distance: 18 km (11 miles)
Duration: 10 hours
Elevation gain: 350 meters (1,148 feet)
Day 3
- After resting in the cabins and enjoying breakfast, we take a boat trip across Lago Fagnano to Bahía Grande in Tierra del Fuego National Park.
- We spot beaver dams, mountains, virgin valleys, and enjoy a great lunch on the shores of the largest lake in Tierra del Fuego.
- In the afternoon, we will replenish our energy for the next day.
- We end the day with dinner by the fire.
Duration: approximately 3 hours by boat. You may skip the excursion if you need to rest.
Day 4
- Mid-morning, we take our camping equipment and backpacks and board the boat to begin the crossing to Paso de los Renos.
- As we ascend, we cross incredible lagoons and waterfalls.
- From here we will be able to observe Lago Fagnano, the Andes Mountains, and the Carbajal Valley, which will be our next destination.
- We head south through the same valley descending to the bottom of Carbajal to find our last campsite sheltered by the subantarctic forest.
Duration: 8 hours
Distance: 14 km
Elevation gain: 600 metres
Day 5
- Our last day starts early in the morning.
- We head east through the long, boggy Carbajal Valley.
- The terrain will be mostly flat for most of the route.
- Our journey concludes on National Route 3 in the middle of the afternoon.
Duration: 8 hours
Distance: 16 km
Elevation gain: 50 metres
- Guide
- Tent, sleeping bag, and sleeping pad
- Transportation
- Personal medical insurance. Search and rescue insurance is not included and can be purchased separately.
- Crampons or microspikes
- Helmet
- Trekking poles
- Breakfasts, lunches and dinners
- 2 nights in cabins
For this tour, you will need the following equipment:
- Mid-cut trekking boots, not trainers.
- Sunglasses.
- Sunscreen.
- A medium backpack of 50 litres or more.
- Two pairs of gloves: thin and thick.
- Warm clothing for cold weather and a rain jacket.
- A screw-top water bottle.
This is the equipment list in the Cruce de Los Andes trip description.
Good physical fitness is required. No previous trekking or crampon experience is required. The trip description rates Cruce de Los Andes as physical difficulty P4–P5, high to very high. The route crosses peat bogs, wet meadows, muddy forest, rocky ground, scree, rock slabs and glacier.
Please note:
- Physical difficulty: P4–P5, high to very high.
- Total distance stated in the trip description: 70 km.
- Cumulative elevation change stated in the trip description: 2,500 metres.
- Requirements: Good physical fitness. No previous trekking or crampon experience is required.
A journey through the landscapes of Tierra del Fuego.
Comments from other participants:
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For more information and reservations, contact us by clicking on “Book your tour now,” sending an email to reservas@patagonmountainagency.com, or calling us at +5492901609991. We are sure it will be an unforgettable experience.