Visit the glacial ice spilling off of the Northern Patagonia Icefield. Trek along beautiful valleys, lush forests, craggy mountain trails and sandy beaches, all with the peaks rising 10,000 feet above you.
The Patagonia Frontiers wilderness ranch combines extensive private terrain with a unique location that offers you access to unlimited trekking opportunities. Our trekking excursions range from day hikes that allow you the comfort of returning to your same bed each night or to multi-day journeys that include packhorses that carry our food and equipment.
We want to share with you a remarkable, safe and educational experience that also supports our mission’s conservation, education and community goals. We invite you to take a look at our sample 7 or 9-day supported trekking itineraries.
Already in the area and looking for an adventure? Join us on our NEW 3 Day Guided Backpacking Glacier Hike.
Please contact us for more details.
Our signature route, “The Gaucho Way”, follows traditional horse trails used by the gauchos. Families living in the valley follow the trail with herds of cattle on their way to market or in years past, before more frequent boat travel, for purchasing supplies of flour, sugar, mate, and other sundries.
Choose from one of our confirmed 7-day trips, starting and ending in Balmaceda Airport (BBA) or request specific dates:
November 24-November 30, 2024
December 7-December 14, 2024
January 11-January 18, 2025
February 1-February 8, 2025
March 1-March 8, 2025 *waitlisted
March 16-March 22, 2025
The beginning of our trek follows a trail up and down the shore of Lago Bertrand and along a narrow peninsula, an ancient moraine, that eventually sinks beneath the surface of the lake. The hike continues on following a high, broad and broken bench along Lago Plomo with glaciated peaks at our shoulder and the lake’s jade colored waters below our feet. On the horizon lie the expansive Northern Icefield, and its seemingly endless peaks. Near the lake’s end, we view far up the wide Solér Valley.
As we travel up the Solér Valley, we see the glaciers of the Northern Patagonia Icefield towards which we will be trekking. Our route passes between rocky outcroppings, across high alpine valleys, and through enchanted forests of native beach dripping with moss. We trek and explore whole and mostly unknown parts of wild Patagonia. If the days are clear, we have views not only of the immediately surrounding peaks and glaciers, five and six thousand feet in elevation but also of the Northern Patagonia Icefield and of Cerro Hyades standing firm at the head of the Cacho Valley. The difference in elevation between the valley floor and the summit of Cerro Hyades is over 10,000 feet!
As we get closer to the glacier and if conditions permit river crossings, we may get closer to the glacier’s edge. We always sense energy here, be it from the massive peaks, the open space, the flowing water, or the pristine landscape. On our way back down the valley to the ranch, we may stop to visit some of our neighbors in their homestead across the valley. We return down the valley to Lago Plomo and hike across a forested pasture to the dock, boats, houses, and barns we’ve been spying from a distance.
For our treks we carry daypacks loaded only with essential items. The rest of our equipment and food comes by packhorse or by boat under the care of our horse packers and staff. Along our route we stop for snacks and a picnic lunch and have plenty of opportunities to take in the fantastic views. As the morning sun rises, we enjoy hearty breakfasts and we sip yerba mate around the morning fire and marvel as the light plays over the peaks of snow, ice, and rock. Mate is a traditional start to any Patagonian day and social custom. At night we camp enjoying dinner over a campfire, and if the night sky is clear, picking out a few Austral constellations from the expansive night sky.
We can combine any trip with a selection of additional activities such as fishing, horse-riding, whitewater rafting, wildlife viewing, agritourism, nearby sights and frontier towns.
We end all our trips with a celebratory dinner. Don't be surprised to find yourself staying up late listening to the strumming of a guitar and a soft Spanish melody as the horses' nicker in their home pasture.
We invite you to take a look at our sample 7or 9-day supported trekking itineraries.
Please contact us for more details
