New Patagonia Trekking Route Links Argentina and Chile

Clients of Say Hueque | Argentina Adventures can savor Patagonia's glaciers and ice fields from both Argentina and Chile in just two days thanks to a new international crossing linking Argentina's trekking capital, El Chalten, to Villa O'Higgins in Chile's trekking capital of Torres del Paine.

Visitors can make a multi-sport adventure of the two-day journey that eliminates backtracking through El Calafate when traveling between these two trekking capitals, explained Rafael Mayer, owner of the company that creates authentic adventures for independent travelers in Argentina and Chile (http://sayhueque.com/).

But don't expect to walk the entire way because in at least one lap of this journey a boat journey is required. Also think biking and horseback riding along the way.

This route that opened this year combines the glaciers in the extreme south of Chile's Carretera Austral in Villa O'Higgins' and El Chalten's trekking by integrating a road known as Route 40. The adventure is self-guided over two days, covering 133 km in five stages including travel through the heart of the Southern Patagonia Ice Field, the world's second largest contiguous non-polar ice field.

Uniquely, the five stages of this trip can be hiked, biked, enjoyed on horseback or completed by bus (on Route 40). The trip's difficulty level can vary. The first segment from El Chalten to Laguna del Desierto (Lake of the Desert) can be by bus or bike. The second leg is across the Laguna del Desierto by boat. The third segment, near the Chilean border, is one of the most difficult sections to O'Higgins Lake. This segment must be traveled by trekking, biking or on horseback. The fourth leg is across O'Higgins Lake by boat where adventurers pass in front of Glacier O'Higgins, one of the principal glaciers of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field. The fifth leg and final segment is seven kilometers from the port of the lake to Villa O'Higgins.

For details on the route please see: http://argentina-travel-blog.sayhueque.com/el-chalten-villa-ohiggins-route/.

As Say Hueque owner Rafael Mayer explains, "We are a group of Argentine travel professionals who are passionate about our country. We have hiked in Patagonia, felt the mist of Iguassu Falls on our smiling faces, walked along glaciers and cruised the deep blue lakes of South America. We have visited hundreds of hotels, sampled hundreds of restaurants and discovered the best wineries around, so we know exactly where to get a delicious steak, a sublime Malbec and a comfy bed along the way."

Established in 1999, the company creates customized tours for independent travelers throughout Argentina's and Chile´s national parks and cities. Popular destinations and experiences include Buenos Aires, Iguassu Falls, Perito Moreno Glacier, hiking in Patagonia, wine tasting in Mendoza, horseback riding at traditional estancias and glacier cruises.

Say Hueque adopted its name from the last tribal chief that surrendered to the Europeans in their conquest of the American lands, in 1885. The Great Cacique Say Hueque was the leader of a powerful tribe that occupied the region of central Patagonia. Their cultural influence is still very strong at some locations close to the Andes Range.

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