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Cañadón de los Fósiles Expedition

4.811 reviewsEstancia Cristina

  • 11 hours
  • 2 languages
  • Instant confirmation
  • Mobile ticket

Highlights

In a small group, we will head off in a 4×4 vehicle for 9.5 kms, climbing through the Feruglio mountain range to a panoramic viewpoint overlooking Lago Guillermo, where our 4 ½ hour hike begins. We will visit Glaciar Upsala’s privileged lookout point and walk down over the eroded trails with exposed fascinating marine fossils. CONSIDERATIONS • Minimum age: 12 years old. • This trekking is only suitable for individuals with a good physical condition. • This is not recommended for people with vertebral column, hips, ankles and knees problems. • It is essential to have trekking shoes, preferably boots with ankle protection.

Inclusions

What's included

  • Professional guide
  • Round-trip shared transfer
  • Lunch box
  • Snack on board

What's not

  • Gratuities

Itinerary

  1. Having set sail from Punta Bandera harbor at 9AM, we will glide over the waters of Lake Argentino’s Northern Arm to reach the furthest possible point of navigation in the Upsala Channel, where we can enjoy a panoramic view of the Upsala Glacier’s immense front. Then, having disembarked at the shores close to Estancia Cristina, the group is welcomed by our specialized driver-guides who will help them into their 4x4 vehicles, ready to head off into the wilderness. Our sturdy 4WDs will then venture up into the Feruglio Mountains, a 9.5km ride which offers great views of our surroundings and takes us ultimately to an elevated area where the cars will be parked. Once there, we’ll begin a 20-minute trek over terrain characterized by glacial erosion, until reaching the Upsala Glacier Lookout; an exclusive point for visitors to appreciate this glacier that can only be accessed from Estancia Cristina. There will be plenty of time here to enjoy views of Lake Guillermo and the eastern side of the Upsala Glacier, as well as the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, before beginning the 14km trek through Fossil Canyon. The fascinating Cañadón de los Fósiles, which is around 170 million years old, has been named so for its immense concentration of marine fossils. We can observe a kaleidoscope of colors across this terrain, the canyon’s walls rising beside us as we make a gradual descent until reaching a ravine at the edge of the valley. Along the way, we’ll stop and tuck into our box lunches, before leaving the canyon behind having explored it fully, then arriving back at the estancia and later onward to the port. Estancia Cristina offers an optional box lunch, please request it in advance. Please also let us know of any dietary requirements in advance.

    6 hAdmission included

Cancellation

All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.

Reviews

4.8

  • 510
  • 40
  • 31
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  • 10

Ratings come from 11 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.

Know before you go

Pickup
Pickup is included for everyone.
Ticket type
Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Group size
Up to 12 travellers
Operated by
Estancia Cristina
  • Not recommended for pregnant travelers
  • Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
  • Children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult
  • Minimum age is 12 years
  • May be operated by a bilingual guide

How it compares in El Calafate

  • Its from-price is 75% above the median of the 302 experiences we list in El Calafate.
  • It is longer than most of them.
  • By number of reviews it ranks 88 of 302.

About El Calafate

El Calafate is a small Patagonian town on the shore of Lago Argentino, the base for the Perito Moreno Glacier and Los Glaciares National Park.

El Calafate lies on the south shore of Lago Argentino, a milky turquoise lake fed by glacial meltwater, with the Andes on the western horizon. The town is named after the calafate, a thorny shrub with dark berries, and a local saying promises that anyone who eats them will return to Patagonia. It was founded in the 1920s to serve the surrounding sheep estancias and now exists chiefly as the gateway to Los Glaciares National Park.

Top-ranked sights in El Calafate: Los Glaciares National Park (Parque Nacional Los Glaciares), Perito Moreno Glacier, Argentino Lake (Lago Argentino).

See all 302 experiences in El Calafate

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