Hut to Hut trekking Bariloche, Patagonia

Dates: December – April; pick your date

Impressive 4-day trekking traverse trough Bariloche’s nicest mountain ridges and mountain valleys, in the heart of Nahuel Huapi National park, in North Patagonia.
On the shore of lake Nahuel Huapi, the city of Bariloche is the entrance door to the Patagonian Lake District. While crossing forests and valleys, we will appreciate beautiful views of the different lakes and volcanoes in the area.

For this trip, we’ll stay at the mountain huts Frey, San Martin and Italia. Although there are no showers, there are a lot of beautiful Lagunas to take a swim each day. As for each day meals, we will carry our lunches in our backpacks but enjoy dinner and breakfast from the huts.

view over the lakes in Bariloche

Highlights:
  • The fantastic atmosphere in the Argentinean refuges. People are very welcoming, friendly, relaxed and open minded. Sometimes they even play music.
  • The chance to admire some breathtaking views along the way. One of the most beautiful is the one of the Nahuel Huapi from Mount Lopez and Cerro Tronador, an old sleeping volcano.
  • Our last stop in Colonia Suiza. This beautiful village is preserved like it was 150 years ago in Switzerland.

Hiking Itinerary trekking Bariloche:

Arrival Day:
Meet your UIMLA hiking guide in  Bariloche and enjoy a dinner together.
Night at a hotel in Bariloche (D)

Day 1 – Cerro Catedral – Refugio Frey (1700m)
Our trekking starts at the feet of the ski area Cerro Catedral, one of the most known ski areas in South America. We’ll follow the “picada del Frey” up to Refugio Frey (1700 m) next to the Toncek Laguna.
It’s surrounded by nice granite towers which are famous for rock climbing.
Night at Refugio Frey (B,L,D)

  • Total ascent: 750 m / Distance: 12km

Day 2 – Refugio Frey – Refugio San Martin (1650 m)
We walk up to la arrest del Cerro in-between the granite towers (los Catedrales) and down to Rucaco valley. After reaching Brecha Negra pass it’s only an hour down to Refugio and Laguna San Martin.
Night at the beautiful and new Refugio San Martin (B/L/D)

  • Total ascent: 743 m / Total descent: 917 m /  Distance: 9.5 km

Day 3 – Refugio San Martin – Refugio Italia (1650 m)
A technical trail brings us up to Cerro Navidad. From here we descent the Goyes valley for a bit an take a short ascend up on the Laguna Negra trail to the Refugio Italia.
Night at Refugio Italia (B/L/D)

  • Total ascent: 850 m /  Total descent: 840 m / Distance: 10 km

Day 4 – Refugio Italia – Refugio Cerro Lopez – Bariloche
Last trekking day with great views over the Nahuel Huapi Lake. We leave the Laguna Negra behind us and climb up to Cerro Baileys on an easy trail.
On our way down to Bariloche we will stop at Refugio Lopez (1670 m) for a drink. After a refreshing beer in Colonia Suiza we take the bus back to the Hotel in Bariloche.
Night at Hotel in Bariloche (B,L,D)

  • Total ascent: 750m / Total descent: 1100m / Distance: 16km

Prices:

2-3 guests: 1700.- USD / guest
4 guests: 1500.- USD / guest

Included in the price: Organisation, local UIMLA-mountain leader guiding for 4 days, 3 nights in mountain huts with half board, pick nick lunches, transportation from Bariloche airport to Bariloche airport or town

Not included in the price: First and last night at Hotel in Bariloche, Drinks, personal insurances, equipment 


Personal requirements

You need to be in good physical shape for this trip. You should be able to walk around 6hrs each day with your backpack with a sleeping bag, some extra cloth and your lunch/drink.


Area map with the 4 mountain huts and Bariloche:

Map with the 4 mountain huts in Bariloche that we use for our trekking bariloche tour, Patagonia

1. Hiking start at Cerro Catedral

2. Refugio Frey

3. Refugio San Martin/Jacob

4. Refugio Italia / Laguna Negra

5. Refugio Lopez

6. Bariloche with the Bus terminal and the airport


Your perfect private house in Bariloche – Casa Verde Paraiso

If you’re looking for a house before and after the tour to relax in Bariloche and explore the area, here is a wonderful option. You can book it directly trough Airbnb or book with us.


Make a booking with Patagoniatiptop

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Ski touring Haute Route Chamonix – Zermatt

Dates:
March – April, please choose your date for privat tours

From the French to the Swiss historical alpine capital

This seven day Ski tour on glaciers for the most part, offers exceptional beauty of the landscapes. It traverses the crest of the Western Alps and passes through some of the most stunning mountain scenery in Europe. We start in Chamonix, at the foot of Mont Blanc and ski across the Wallis glaciers of Switzerland. The tour ends with a unique ski descent on the foot of the Matterhorn down to Zermatt.

  • 7 skitouring days
  • 6 nights in typical mountain huts


Daily itinerary

Day 1: Chamonix – Refuge d’Argentière
Chamonix – Refuge d’Argentière
Elevation gain: 700m
Vertical loss: 700m

Day 2: Refuge de Trient
Ref Argentière  – Refuge Trient
Elevation gain: 1100m
Vertical loss: 300m

Day 3: Refuge Prafleuri
Refuge Trient – Refuge Prafleuri
Elevation gain: 900m
Vertical loss: 2700m

Day 4: Cabane de Dix
Refuge Prafleuri  – Cabane de Dix
Elevation gain: 800m
Vertical loss: 660m

Day 5: Cabane des Vignettes
Cabane de Dix – Pigne d’Arolla – Cabane des Vignettes
Elevation gain: 894m
Vertical loss: 728m

Day 6: Cabane Bertol
Cabane des Vignettes – Cabane Bertol
Elevation gain: 1098m
Vertical loss: 853m

Day 7: Cabane Bertol – Zermatt
Cabane Bertol – Zermatt
Elevation gain: 610m
Vertical loss: 2270m

Options:

This spectacular tour can be done in many different ways. Adding more peaks or changing tour route with other huts. Please contact us for more informations.


Map:

map of the haute route Skitour from chamonix to zermatt


Price:
  • 2 Skiers: 3’596.00€ per Skier
  • 4 Skiers: 2’189.00€ per Skier
  • 6 Skiers: 1’720.00€ per Skier 

Included in the price: Organisation, 7 days IFMGA mountain guiding, Private Transport Champex – Verbier on Day 2,  6 nights at huts with half board, 6 pack lunches, tea for the tour
Not included in the price: Drinks, Lift tickets, personal insurance*, personal equipment

*We strongly recommend the purchase of a cancellation, accident, travel insurance.


Level requirements

This trip is for experienced ski tourers who have already done at least one hut-to-hut tour or a multi-day ski tour. You should be able to skin up to 5 hours with up to 1100m vertical gain per day, at a good steady pace.
Efficiency in your skinning technique and confident moving over a steep and exposed terrain should be no problem. You are expected to be comfortable and safe doing kick turns on slopes of over 35 degrees.
Are you an excellent off piste skier, confident and efficient in skiing in all snow conditions without losing control over your skis?  Skiing on slopes of 40 degrees is not a problem of you?
You should be physically fit, ready to hike and ski for up to 8 hours per day without being too tired the next day. You have to be able to move reasonably fast (climb 400m/h).


Haute Route Mont Blanc Extension 

Why not benefit from your fitness and acclimatization and climb Mont Blanc with skis following your completion of the Haute Route? Take a look at our program!


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Kyrgyzstan ski touring adventure

Best time for this tour is February, please contact us.
What to expect:

Imagine waking up in a traditional Yurt, in the middle of the snow caped Tien Shan mountains.  You are ready for a day of ski touring with your friends…! Your dream can come true.

We would like to introduce you to a fascinating country. Kyrgyzstan, a country of nomads, in the heart of Central Asia. Largely unexplored mountains offer a wonderful playground.

We take you to yurt camps in snowy summer pastures. That offers us immediate access to endless skiing terrain with mountains up to 3,400-3,600m.

Traditional, cosy yurts will be ready for us swell as a traditional Russian Sauna next to a river with refreshing spring water. All yurts are heated by wood burning stoves.

10-day program / 7 skiing days:
Arrival day:

Arrive early in the morning at the airport in  Bishkek. Meet with the group and join the privat transfer to Karakol  (6hrs). We drive along the north shore of Issyk Kul lake, the second biggest alpine lake in the world. 

  • Night near Karakol in a privat home, dinner cooked by the family
Day 2: Yurt arrival

We skin up to the yurt today, do some avalanche training and get installed for the next 5 days.

Day 3 – 7: 5 complete days of skiing

Yurt based skiing days in Jyrgalan and Aksuuvalley

Day 8: Ski and back down to Karakol

We ski in the morning and go back down to Karakol in the evening.

  • The night is spent in Karakol
Day 9: Travel to Bishkek:

You will have some time to explore Karakol in the morning before we travel to Bishkek. Hot spring visit.

  • Last night and farewell dinner in Bishkek
Day 10: Back home

Flight back home


Prices per skier: 
  •  2495€  (minimum 4 skiers)

Included in the price:
Guiding with IFMGA mountain guide Federico Arletti, organization, all accommodations as mentioned in the program (Hotel, guest house Yurts), all meals, all transportations from/to Bishkek

Not included in the price:
Flights, personal insurances, alcoholic drinks, personal equipment


Check out our video:


Kyrgyzstan… a fascinating country in central Asia:

A welcoming landlocked oasis located at the heart of Central Asia. It’s surrounded by Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and China. Kyrgyzstan is a  in a remote, always fascinating, sometimes volatile, and oftentimes misunderstood part of the world. With an average elevation of 3,000m (9,840ft) and 30% of its landmass buried under permanent ice and snow. The country’s landscape and people are defined by a ruggedness utterly unique to the highlands of Central Asia. The republic is a little smaller in area than the UK minus Northern Ireland.


Home sweet yurt

Yurts are the archetypal shepherd shelters. Circular homes made of multilayered felt stretched around a collapsable wooden frame. The outer felt layer is coated in waterproof sheep fat, the inner most lined with woven grass matting to block the wind. Long woolen strips secure the walls and poles. The interior is richly decorated with textiles, wall coverings, quilts, cushions, and ornately worked chests. Floors are lined with thicket felt and covered with bright carpets and sometimes yak skin. Look up: the central wheel-like tuneup that supports the roof is none other than the design depicted in the middle of Kyrgyzstan’s national flag.


Kyrgyz People

Native Kyrgyz make up around 70% of the country’s population. The remaining percentage made up mostly of Uzbeks and Russians. Kyrgyzstan gained its independence from the former Soviet Union in 1991. Many Kyrgyz today follow the nomadic traditions of their ancestors, erecting hand-crafted yurts in the high mountain pastures above their villages. There they graze their animals and live for the summer.

The central Tien Shan mountains

This region offers many superlatives of Central Asia. The highest mountains, the coldest temperatures, the longest glaciers and the strangest natural phenomena. It’s a region of ice, snow and unexplored peaks. The world’s fourth longest glacier and an amazing disappearing lake can be found here. You will be discovering the valleys close to Karakol where the temperatures are more pleasant. The Chinese were the first to explore this foreboding mountain zone, but it was not until the middle of the 19th century that European explorers penetrated the region. The snow that falls on this former Soviet state is particularly light and fluffy. This, combined with the country’s mountainous geography, makes it something of a paradise for powder-loving backcountry skiers.


Food

All food is prepared by local chefs. Our breakfast menu is Western-inspired, featuring omelets, frittatas, burritos, pancakes and french toast, and always the option of muesli or porridge. The dinner menu highlights traditional Kyrgyz cuisine.


Getting to Kyrgyzstan by airplane

Bishkek’s Manas airport is the main hub with relatively inexpensive international connections on Turkish and Pegasus (via Istanbul), Flydubai (via Dubai), Ukrainian International (via Kiev) and Aeroflot (via Moscow).


Visa

Around 60 nationalities can stay for 60 days or longer without a visa. Citizens of most major Western and former Soviet countries are included in those.


Language

Kyrgyz is a Turkish language that has the usual characteristics of that language group. Most notably vowel harmony, which is strictly adhered to. As part of the Kyrgyz-Altay group of Turkic languages, it is most closely related to the Altai language and fairly similar to Kazakh. Russian is also an official language and Uzbek is widely spoken in the south.


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