Cerro Huyliche by 4x4
The hills rising behind El Calafate belong to the Cordón Huyliche. A La Nación travel report describes a 35 km circuit up there that only 4x4 vehicles can drive, climbing to about 1,000 m. Along the way it passes the Laberinto de Piedras, rock formations the article dates to about 85 million years, and the Piedra de los Sombreros, rocks the wind has shaped into hat-like forms. From the lookout, the so-called balcony of El Calafate, you see the town and the eastern part of Lago Argentino, and on clear days the Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre range far to the north.
Source: La Nación, 16 December 2009. The Southroad Patagonia listing does not say which of these points its tour visits.
The Southroad Patagonia half day combines the 4x4 ride with a walk and a zip line, in about three and a half hours. Reviewers mention pickup, lunch and drop-off, and one did the zip line as part of the day. Another found the guide good once he switched to English, which happened halfway through. If English commentary matters to you, ask about the guide’s language when you book.
Nativo, lakes and caves
Patagonia Profunda describes its three-hour outing to lakes and caves as a nature experience rather than a hike. Reviewers name and praise their guides, one liked hearing about the history of the area, and one mentions a good lunch. It is the quieter of the two options and the one to pick if you would rather look and listen than ride a zip line.
A half day that fits around the big trips
The glacier, El Chaltén and Torres del Paine each take a full day. A three-hour outing works on the afternoon you arrive, between a morning flight and an estancia evening, or as a rest day after the long drive north. Horseback riding on Cerro Frías is a similar half day; see our riding page.
