Category Archives: Argentina

The Patagonian region

Huemel Circuit – Santa Cruz Province – ARGENTINA

  2/12/2025 – 5/12/2025  Huemel Circuit

                                             Parque Nacional Los Glaciares (Los Glaciares National Park)

                                             Area Lago Viedma

                                             Santa Cruz Province, ARGENTINA

Distance: 75.8km                                                Time: 34 hours 

Total Ascent: 2695m                                          Total Descent: 2803m

Participants:  Stephen Davies (Photos), Sue Davies (Report), Pedro Navarro (Guide), Patrizia Schäffnerl, Valentina Sobol (Porter)

The Huemul Circuit is not a casual stroll but a full immersion into the raw weather, vast ice and big skies of southern Patagonia.  From the moment our small team left El Chaltén and Monte Fitz Roy faded behind us, daily life was replaced by a rhythm of boggy lenga forest, wind‑buffeted passes, creek crossings and evenings spent drying gear beside lakes. 

Guided by Pedro, with our porter, Valentina, carrying a very heavy pack and an endless supply of good humour, we circled Cerro Huemul above Lago Viedma, twice crossed the Río Túnel by Tyrolean traverses, and crunched over glacial ice while storms and sun took turns sweeping the Southern Patagonian Ice Field.  This report aims to capture an experience that tested creaky knees and comfort zones, but rewarded us with a guanaco on a perfect backdrop, rare orchids, and the quiet satisfaction of finishing one of South America’s toughest and most beautiful treks.

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Cerro Alarkén Nature Reserve

Tuesday 9/12/2025   Arakur Ushuaia Resort – Camino Arakur – Base Cascada de los Amigos – Cerro Cortez

                                       Cerro Alarkén Nature Reserve above Ushuaia

                                       Patagonia

                                       Tierra Del Fuego Province, ARGENTINA                              

Participants: Stephen Davies (Photos), Sue Davies (Report)

We were keen to get out for a walk before boarding the boat for the next ten days this afternoon. 

We walked down the road from our hilltop hotel along the Camino Arakur before following the trail through the forest. We enjoyed views of the stunning mountains under clear skies. There were still some wildflowers around, including some orchids. 

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Bariloche – Refugio Emilio Frey – Laguna Toncek – Laguna Jakob Rucaco – Refugio San Martin – Tambo Báez

27/11/2025 – 29/11/2025  Bariloche – Refugio Emilio Frey – Laguna Toncek – Laguna Jakob Rucaco – Refugio San Martin – Tambo Báez

                                               Parque Nacional Nahuel Huapi 

                                               (Nahuel Huapi National Park)

                                               Rio Negro Province

                                               Patagonia Lakes District

                                               ARGENTINA

Distance: 46.6km            Time:  21.5hours 

Total Ascent: 1692m       Total Descent: 1848m

Participants:  Stephen Davies (Photos), Sue Davies (Report)

A much-anticipated start after multiple delays.

Getting to the start of the walk was an adventure in itself. We were lined up to board our international flight from Sydney to Buenos Aires when the line came to a standstill. The staff were looking stony-faced as they were given the news. There was no announcement, but they came over to the line and started speaking to individuals. We soon learned that our plane had been “struck by lightning” and the flight was cancelled. Great start to our trip! We were offered overnight accommodation if we didn’t live in Sydney and a meal voucher. A few hours later, I received an email saying our flight had been rescheduled for the following day, 27 hours late. We were transferred by bus to the Holiday Inn Sydney Airport, where they were keen to give us free food. Dinner and breakfast were included as well as the shuttle back to the airport. We settled in for the afternoon. 

We did take off at the new time the following day, but I had to adjust our travel plans, accommodations and our flight into Bariloche for the following day. The new flight time, unfortunately, had us waiting for seven hours in Santiago for the connection. We arrived in Buenos Aires close to 10:00pm, and I had organised accommodation close to the airport. Our flight the following day was at 3:15pm, but we had to check out of our accommodation at 10:00am, so we just headed for the airport. We checked our bags in, and soon after, I received an email saying the flight was delayed another six hours! So we had an 11-hour wait at the airport!

We eventually arrived in Bariloche close to midnight and fell asleep as soon as we hit the pillow. 

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Cerro Martial and Glaciar Martial

Martial Glacier – Patagonia – ARGENTINA

23/03/2017    Martial Glacier

                         Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Patagonia, ARGENTINA                                                

Participants: Stephen Davies (Photos), Sue Davies (Report)

The Martial Glacier is only a few kilometres from the city centre of Ushuaia and offers a pleasant half day walk with good views back to the coast and Ushuaia. It is possible to walk from the town but we drove up to the chairlift at the base of the walk. Continue reading

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Lago Lapataia

Cerro Guanaco – Tierra del Fuego National Park – ARGENTINA

24/3/2017   Lake Lapataia – Lago Roca – Cerro Guanaco

                     Tierra del Fuego National Park, ARGENTINA                                   

Participants: Stephen Davies (Photos), Sue Davies (Report)

The Cerro Guanco trail is the longest of the day walks in the Tierra del Fuego National Park near Ushuaia, Argentina. The walk promises outstanding views of the Fuegian mountains and peat bogs and on this occasion it did not disappoint. The park is twelve kilometres outside of Ushuaia and we drove our hire car to the trailhead. Bus transport is available from Ushuaia. Continue reading

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Terminous of Glaciar Viedma

Viedma Glaciar – ARGENTINA

16/03/2017   Viedma Glaciar

                       Southern Patagonian Ice Field, ARGENTINA                                              

Participants: Stephen Davies (Photos), Sue Davies (Report)

The Viedma Glaciar is a large glacier in Argentina that is part of the Southern Patagonian ice field. The closest town is El Chalten. This day trip was an incredible adventure that was a highlight of our trip to Patagonia. Continue reading

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Sea Lions and Cormorants

Beagle Channel – Martillo Island – ARGENTINA   

25/3/2017   Beagle Channel – Martillo Island

                     Ushuaia, ARGENTINA             

Participants: Stephen Davies (Photos), Sue Davies (Report)

There is only one tour company, Piratour, that offers a tour of the Beagle Channel with a stop on Martillo Island to walk amongst the penguins. This day trip included many and varied wildlife sightings, an informative museum tour and especially close encounters with two species of penguins. Continue reading

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Laguna Esmeralda

Laguna Esmeralda – Ushuaia – ARGENTINA

26/03/2017    Laguna Esmeralda

                         Ushuaia, ARGENTINA                                        

Participants: Stephen Davies (Photos), Sue Davies (Report)

Laguna Esmeralda is an excellent half day walk easily accessible by car about half an hour east of Ushuaia. Bus transport and tours are available from Ushuaia. We were rewarded with stunning views, crystal clear skies and impressive mountain peaks. Definitely not one to miss!  Continue reading

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Cerro Poincenot and Monte Fitz Roy from track along Rio Chorrillo del Salto

El Chalten – Cerro Torre – Fitz Roy – Patagonia

17/03/2017 – 20/03/2017     El Chalten – Campamento Agnostini – Campamento Poincenot – Laguna de los Tres – Fitz Roy

                                                  Los Glaciares National Park, Patagonia, ARGENTINA

Distance: 62km   Total Ascent: 2600m   Total Descent: 2600m   Time:  30 hours

Participants: Stephen Davies (Photos), Sue Davies (Report)

The Fitz Roy area of Argentina’s Los Glaciares National Park, along with Chile’s Torres del Paine National Park, are the two most popular trekking areas in Patagonia. This relatively easy four day walk rewarded us with outstanding views, wonderful photos opportunities and the bonus of gorgeous autumn colours. The highlight was a pre-dawn walk up to Laguna de los Tres for sunrise over the incredibly scenic Cerro Fitz Roy and Laguna de los Tres. However, this walk continued to deliver right up to our walk out to El Chalten on day four.

The walk begins and finishes in the town of El Chalten which can be accessed by regular buses from El Calafate, Argentina .

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