Hiking Tour: EXPLORE PUMALIN
Did you know that with a scenic 40-minute flight from Puerto Montt you can enter the beautiful Pumalin Douglas Tompkins National Park, a mosaic of beauty made up of old-growth forests with a high level of endemism that drop abruptly towards fjords, rivers, granite walls, snowdrifts , volcanoes, waterfalls and lakes suspended in mountain heights. These unique, remote and lively landscapes were what prompted Doug Tompkins to unfold his conservation vision for Chilean Patagonia, which materialized in 2018 in an unprecedented public-private agreement with the largest donation of land from a private to a State worldwide (1,063,000 acres).
On this journey of discovery and adventure in Pumalin, led by our experienced and knowledgeable guides, you will be able to take several daily walks through some of the most important trails in Pumalin Park and, when you are not exploring the park, you will be able to rest and relax each afternoon and evening. in the cabins of our comfortable and cozy Lodge, enjoy delicious meals in our restaurant and meet and share with other conscious travelers who, like you, enjoy immersing themselves in nature, being surprised by all the life that emanates from the temperate rain forest… and helping to its preservation for future generations.
Highlights
Itinerary
Departures every day.
Know the Pumalin Douglas Tompkins Park, one of the most beautiful and best preserved parks in Chile..
- Access and departure from Pumalin in a scenic flight of only 40 minutes from Puerto Montt; It is no longer necessary to travel 8 or 9 hours by land and ferry to see the incredible place that inspired Doug Tompkins in his conservation vision.
- Programs of 3, 4 or 5 days leaving and returning from Puerto Montt allow you to easily complement this trip with other adventures in Patagonia such as Torres del Paine or the Lake District.
- Many alternatives for daily hikes of varying duration and difficulty.
- It is not necessary to rent a car or venture without an expert company through the trails of Pumalin or the Carretera Austral: our programs include all air and ground transfers and experienced guides that will help you discover the best of Pumalin.
- Optionally, you can hire a private flight (for going or returning to/from the park) with a pilot specialized in photography flights, who worked for many years with Doug Tompkins and who can take you on an extended and unique route flying over the most important landmarks of the Pumalin Park.
Day 1
AM: We will pick you up at your hotel in Puerto Montt, Puerto Varas or El Tepual Puerto Montt International Airport – PMC- to take you to the Marcel Marchant -aka La Paloma- aerodrome (SCPF) located in the center of the city of Puerto Montt. From here you will take a 40-minute scenic flight to the Chaitén aerodrome (SCTN). You -and other guests who may have traveled on the same flight with you- will be received by our driver who will transfer you to Lodge Caleta Gonzalo, on a journey of 60 km (app. 90 minutes) on the Carretera Austral Norte with various opportunities for photography.
At Lodge Caleta Gonzalo, after settling in your cabin, we will wait for you with a replenishing lunch to go out in the afternoon to walk one of the trails near the Lodge (such as the Cascadas Trail or walk the eastern side of the Lodge, knowing the organic garden , the beach and the hidden pools of the Gonzalo River). In the afternoon, after a briefing that our guide will give to the guests regarding the next day’s activities, you will be able to enjoy a delicious dinner and a well-deserved rest in your cabin.
Days 2, 3, 4 (depending on the program you have selected).
Our day of hiking starts early in the morning (07:30 hrs) with an exquisite breakfast in the restaurant and the delivery of a box-lunch for the excursion that you will carry in your backpack. Our van will leave at 9:00 a.m. from the Lodge to take you to the starting point of each trail that we will hike. The selection of trails for the day will depend on factors such as the weather, the interests and abilities of the guests and it will be your guide who will finally define the destination. The preferred trails are usually Cascadas – next to the Lodge-, Cascadas Escondidas, Alerces, Tronador, Interpretativo Volcán, Michinmahuida and, of course, Volcán Chaitén.
Last day
The day of your departure we will leave at 09:00 a.m. -after breakfast- to the Chaitén aerodrome in order to connect with the flight that leaves in the morning to Puerto Montt. You will arrive in Puerto Montt in the middle of the afternoon and we will transfer you to the place you request in Puerto Montt, Puerto Varas or El Tepual airport if you continue with a flight that same afternoon.
Included:
- Transfer from your hotel in Puerto Montt or Puerto Varas to the La Paloma aerodrome and also the way back.
- Plane ticket (round trip) Puerto Montt-Chaitén- Puerto Montt. We interchangeably use two professional commercial airlines with many years of experience in the area. You can see which are these companies and the type of aircraft they use to fly the section Puerto Montt – Chaitén – Puerto Montt HERE.
- All ground transfers in Pumalin Park (together with other guests of the Lodge).
- Lodging in the cabins of the Lodge; if you are traveling with more people, select the cabin of the size that best suits the group. If it happens that the only cabin available is larger than the size of your group: there is no problem in reserving it for your trip! we will not charge you more for occupying a larger cabin. The value per person is the same!
- Food at Lodge Caleta Gonzalo includes breakfasts, box lunches and dinners (drinks are not included in the latter except the complimentary house´s wine). We can meet any food requirement or restriction.
- Guides specialized in hiking, with WFR certification and knowledge of all the trails in Pumalin Park (you will hike with other guests of the Lodge in similar programs).
Not included:
- Personal accident insurance: mandatory for this type of travel.
- Tips -totally voluntary- for whoever(s) you consider appropriate.
- Drinks (in addition to the complimentary “house wine” offered at dinner) and snacks, sandwiches or other additional food to what is stipulated in the itinerary.
- Souvenir purchases or additional expenses at the restaurant.
- Items for personal use.
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