Upsala Glacier and the South Patagonian icefield Photo: Adam Parsons 66 Download detailed itineraries from www.himalayankingdoms.com e: info@himalayankingdoms.com Chile PATAGONIA Patagonia is a distinct geographical region that lies at the southernmost tip of the South American continent. The Patagonian Andes are mainly granite, and over twelve million years of glacial action has sculpted them into fjords, islands and U-shaped valleys. Most dramatic of all, though, are the megalithic, vertical rock towers, such as the world-famous Torres del Paine, Peak Cerro Torre, and Mount Fitz Roy. On the Chilean side of the range the Torres de Paine National Park is a World Biosphere Reserve, and in Argentina the Los Glaciares National Park was declared a World Heritage Site in 1981. The animal stars of these peaks include guanacos, ñandus, condors and even flamingos. Interesting Facts The Andes & Patagonia The Andes is the longest mountain chain in the world. There are 102 peaks in the Andes that exceed 6,000m/19,686ft. Highest Andean peak: Aconcagua, Argentina 6,959m/22,831ft First ascent: 1897 by M. Zurbriggen. Highest Patagonian peak: Mount San Valentín, 4,058m/13,313ft (first ascent 1952). The Central Tower of Paine, approx. 2,460m/8,070ft, was first climbed by Chris Bonington and Don Whillans in 1963. Mount Fitz Roy, 3,405m/11,171ft, first ascent 1952 by Lionel Terray and Guido Magnone. Cerro Torre, 3,128m/10,262ft first ascent controversially claimed by Cesare Maestri in 1959. Eric Shipton made two explorations in Patagonia 1958/59 and 1959/60. £3,195 £2,490 Sat 16 Feb – Sun 02 Mar Sat 01 Mar – Sun 16 Mar £3,295 £2,490 Sat 11 Oct – Sun 26 Oct Sat 15 Nov – Sun 30 Nov Price TBC: 2009 dates: Sat 14 Feb – Sun 01 Mar ’09 Sat 28 Feb – Sun 15 Mar ’09 land only land only Grade: Moderate Day Walks: 6 days In-country Leader Nights’ Accommodation: Hotels: 11 Camping: 2 Optional: Single Room and Tent £tbc Insurance: £145 (Insurance Plus) Days Itinerary Duration: 16 days 1–3 Fly to Santiago, at leisure –4 Fly Punta Arenas, drive to Puerto Natales –5 Boat trip to Torres del Paine National Park 6–12 Day treks including look out points for Torres del Paine and Cuernos of Paine –13 Transfer to Puerto Natales 14–16 Transfer to Punta Arenas, fly to Santiago, fly to London Guaranteed to run for a minimum of5clients Highlights of the Torres del Paine We have designed this itinerary to treat you to all the park’s gems, including a day walk to view the spectacular Towers of Paine, the Cuernos of Paine, the huge expanse of Glacier Grey, and a couple of nights beside the turquoise waters of Lake Pehoe. We begin the trip by flying into the vibrant capital of Santiago before flying south, and taking the awe-inspiring boat trip from Puerto Natales to enter the Torres del Paine National Park. The trip is a visual feast of mountains, fjords, ice caps, glaciers, stunning rock towers, and an abundance of wildlife. The trekking is moderate and involves day walks to the park’s highlights, returning in the evening to good food, comfortable hotel accommodation or fixed camping with good facilities. £2,995 £2,200 Sat 09 Feb – Mon 25 Feb £2,995 £2,275 Sat 15 Mar – Mon 31 Mar £3,095 £2,235 Sat 29 Nov – Mon 15 Dec Price TBC: 2009 dates: Sat 07 Feb – Mon 23 Feb ’09 Sat 14 Mar – Mon 30 Mar ’09 land only land only land only Grade: Vigorous On Trek: 8 days In-country Leader Nights’ Accommodation: Hotels: 5 Camping: 9 Optional: Single Room and Tent £tbc Insurance: £145 (Insurance Plus) Days Itinerary Duration: 17 days 1–3 Fly to Santiago, at leisure –4 Fly Punta Arenas, drive to Puerto Natales –5 Boat trip to Torres del Paine National Park 6–13 Trekking the Torres del Paine circuit –14 Catamaran to Lago Pehoe, drive to Puerto Natales 15–17 Drive to Punta Arenas, fly to Santiago, fly to London Guaranteed to run for a minimum of4clients Torres del Paine Circuit This truly is one of the greatest, most spectacular treks in the world. It combines dramatic, beautiful scenery and abundant, exotic wildlife (such as condors and penguins) with a challenging, classic trekking circuit. The trek begins with a day trip to a lookout point where we can gaze at the stunning Towers of Paine across the Ventisquero Torres. The circuit then begins in earnest, where we will be treated to daily sights of glaciers, rushing rios, granite towers, snow-clad summits and turquoise lakes as we walk through a mixture of daisy meadows, lenga forest and moraine. One of the many advantages of this trek is its low altitude (max height, John Garner Paso, at 1,180m/3,871ft) which helps those energy levels! The trek is fully guided and supported, although we will need to carry our own clothing, sleeping bag and toiletries.

Estancia La Maipu Photo: Kirsty Parsons 67 tel: 0845 330 8579 (local call rate, UK only) international tel: +44 1453 844 400 www.himalayankingdoms.com PATAGONIA Argentina £2,895 £2,195 Dates: Sat 01 Mar – Tue 18 Mar, Sat 08 Nov – Tue 25 Nov land only Grade: Vigorous On Trek: 9 days In-country Leader Nights’ Accommodation: Hotels: 4 Camping: 7 Lodges/Estancias: 4 Optional: Single Room £225 Single Tent £95 Insurance: £149 (Insurance Plus) Days Itinerary Duration: 18 days 1–4 Fly to Buenos Aires, rest, fly to Calafate, transfer to estancia 5–9 Trek through Patagonian mountains 10–13 Trek to Cerro Torre and Fitz Roy base camps. Possibly climb Loma del Diablo –14 Drive to El Calafate, visit Perito Moreno Glacier 15–18 Fly to Buenos Aires, at leisure, fly to London Guaranteed to run for a minimum of clients Full reconnaissance completed – Major Improvements 5 The Best Trek to Cerro Torre & Fitz Roy This fabulous trip offers a true wilderness trekking experience in a vast landscape populated only by condors, guanacos and the occasional gaucho, and provides a breathtaking panoramic view of the Fitz Roy massif that few others will have seen. In fact, our head guide in Argentina, Luciano Bernacci, believes the remote trek from Estancia La Maipu to the small town of El Chalten, to be the best in the Patagonian mountains of Argentina. We combine this superb trek with beautiful day walks to the base camps of the iconic Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre mountains, a mini-trekking peak and an exciting hike on the Viedma Glacier. Accommodation consists of a combination of top-quality camping, comfortable hotels and lodges and a working estancia where we sample the traditions, history and cuisine of Patagonia. The trip begins and ends with time to relax and enjoy the vibrant capital, Buenos Aires. Gentle Trekking – Luxury Lodges & Estancias, Patagonia A combination of the finest accommodation and a varied programme of good-length day walks in the pristine landscape of the Los Glaciares National Park, make this a very special holiday. We base ourselves at top quality lodges offering the highest standard of comfort, service and cuisine: El Puma located in the small trekking town of El Chalten, Los Notros overlooking the Perito Moreno Glacier and Estancia Cristina set amongst the Patagonian wilderness surrounded by turquoise lakes, towering mountains and dazzling glaciers. There will be plenty of time for trekking in the Patagonian mountains with electric views of the Upsala Glacier and the famous peaks of Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre. There is also the opportunity to enjoy some horse-riding and fossil-hunting. Our thrilling last day in Patagonia is spent hiking on the extraordinary Perito Moreno Glacier; one of the natural wonders of the world. Leaving Patagonia behind, there is time to tango in the exciting Latin city of Buenos Aires. Himalayan Kingdoms is the only British company to offer these two treks. Greatly improved since a full reconnaissance was completed in 2007 Grade: Gentle On Trek: 7 days In-country Leader Nights’ Accommodation: Hotels: 5 Estancias: 6 Optional: Single Room £tbc Insurance: £145 (Insurance Plus) Days Itinerary Duration: 14 days 1–3 Fly to Buenos Aires & Calafate, transfer to El Chalten 4–5 Day walks to Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre Base Camps, transfer to Calafate 6–9 Boat to Estancia Cristina via the Upsala Glacier. Day walks around Cristina. Transfer to Los Notros –10 Ice trek on the Perito Moreno Glacier 11–14 Fly to Buenos Aires, at leisure. Fly to London Guaranteed to run for a minimum of clients Other Christmas treks – see pages 21, 23, 28, 29, 32, 34, 53, 55, 56 & £2,995 £2,230 Sat 12 Jan – Fri 25 Jan Sat 09 Feb – Fri 22 Feb £2,995 £2,300 Sat 15 Mar – Fri 28 Mar Sat 05 Apr – Fri 18 Apr £3,195 £2,430 Sat 11 Oct – Fri 24 Oct Sat 08 Nov – Fri 21 Nov £3,295 £2,475 Mon 22 Dec ’08 – Sun 04 Jan Price TBC: 2009 dates: Sat 10 Jan – Fri 23 Jan ’09 Sat 07 Feb – Fri 20 Feb ’09 Sat 14 Mar – Fri 27 Mar ’09 Sat 04 Apr – Fri 17 Apr ’09 land only land only land only land only 5