Please can anyone give me feedback on the following draft itinerary?
I will be travelling on my own and am planning on bringing camping gear with me. I am happy to hike on my own but expect that I will also meet people in hostels and on the trail. Any recommendations of places to stay would be appreciated and I've got some questions, below.
I'm thinking about leaving the UK late February and returning just before Easter - hoping to do the W trek in mid March when I'm hoping it will be less busy.
1 Fly from London
2 Arrive Buenos Aires
3 Recovery day in Buenos Aires
4 Fly to Ushuaia
5 to 7 Ushuaia to include boat trip; day trip to Tierra del Fuego National Park
8 Fly to El Calafate; shop for provisions (or head straight to El Chalten and shop there?)
9 Bus to El Chalten
10 to 17 Hiking / Trekking with spare days, hopefully including a 4 day trek.
18 Bus to El Calafate
19 Visit Perito Moreno glacier
20 Bus to Puerto Natales
21 Rest day; shop for provisions
22 Bus to Torres del Paine; catamaran and hike to Refugio Grey
23 Hike partway towards Paso John Garner, then return to Paine Grande
24 French Valley; Italiano camp
25 Hike to Camping central
26 Hike to Campamento Torres
27 Dawn at the Torres. Possibly trek into the Valle del Silencio and then return to Camping central - extra night here? (in case of weather - would allow for a second attempt to see the Torres)
28 Back to Puerto Natales
29 Bus to El Calafate
30 Fly to Bariloche
31 to 42 Hiking and trekking near Bariloche and El Bolson
43 Fly to Buenos Aires
44 to 47 Explore city (3 days) + day trip to Uruguay
48 Fly to London
49 Arrive London
Questions:
- What will the Lake District be like in the first week or so of April? It looks like last year was colder than normal. Will it be easy to get around? Should I book my flight back to Buenos Aires now? Should I spend more time in Buenos Aires? I could also stay longer in the Lake District and arrive in Buenos Aires for the Easter weekend.
- Is it worth going to Ushuaia or should I spend more time elsewhere? Will the public buses to the Tierra del Fuego park be running in early March?
- In El Chalten I'd like to be flexible about when I do my trek to take advantage of the weather. Should I book a (possibly dorm) room for all of the nights I could be in the town and try to cancel the ones I don't need when I am there? (losing the cost of a few nights in a dorm is not a problem, but I might like to have a private room for a night or two after my trek). I have allowed 8 days for walking.
Many thanks
Graham