Cascada Expediciones - Explore the Immensity

Cascada offers new Patagonia Winter Adventure

webmaster.cascada — Tue, 15 May 2012 21:21:40 +0000

Cascada Expediciones has recently launched a NEW Experience! The 5 day "Patagonia Winter Adventure" offers travellers the chance to enjoy the winter wonderland of Patagonia during their northern hemisphere summer vacations. On this adventurous multi-activity tour, leading through the windswept Patagonian plains to the snow-capped peaks of Torres del Paine National Park, you explore scenic viewpoints in Punta Arenas and Puerto Natales, go sea kayaking with dolphins, horseback ride and hike to glacial icebergs in Torres del Paine. In addition to multiple activities the tour offers 2 nights in Punta Arenas & 2 nights in Puerto Natales all in 4 star hotel accommodation, giving you the perfect base to get the most out of your Patagonian vacation.

Puerto Natales is the capital of the Ultima Esperanza (Last Hope) province in Magallanes and is the gateway for travellers heading to Torres del Paine National Park. The town has a strong European feel due to the wave of European immigration in the early 20th century following the town's 1911 founding as a sheep industry port. Punta Arenas is famous for its port, as well as being the airport gateway to Antartica and the rest of Chilean Patagonia. The city is steeped in rich history and has many heritage buildings and museums as well as close proximity to natural heritage sites.

Brief Itinerary: » Full Itinerary

- Day 1: Arrival in Punta Arenas, City Tour

- Day 2: Full day Kayak Excursion San Isidro Cape

- Day 3: Puerto Natales & Horse Ride Puerto Bories

- Day 4: Full day Torres del Paine National Park

- Day 5: Departure from Punta Arenas

The trip operational season is during May and September and departures are every day on request.

"Patagonia Winter Adventure" Tour (Trip Code: PAT050) prices starting $1,600 USD p.p. in double accommodation.

In the last twenty years over 20,000 people visiting Chile have enjoyed Cascada-operated tours. Call free on 1-800-901-6987 (U.S & Canada) or 0-800-7095 (UK) or 0-800-891-6292 (Brasil) or worldwide: 0056-2-923-5950 or email: info@cascada.travel for booking and more information. Explore the immensity with Cascada Expediciones!

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Month-by-month Top Trip Tips

webmaster.cascada — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 17:56:39 +0000

Our month-by-month top trip tips have been compiled based on recommendations from all of the Cascada team. Our sales team, travel specialists for Chile, Patagonia and Argentina, have analysed which trips they enjoy most in which months and we’ve cross-checked their preferences with weather statistics to come up with our official trip calendar! (Beware though, plan as you might, weather in Patagonia is always subject to rapid changes from bright sunshine to rain and ferocious winds!)

January - Patagonia United

What better way to start the new year than with a trip across Patagonia? Traversing the wild plains in Torres del Paine National Park in Chile, across the border to the snow-capped peaks in Los Glaciares National Park in Argentina. January’s your best bet for long sunny days and warmer weather (No guarantees though, This Is Patagonia).

February - Tierra del Fuego and Ushuaia 4 Day Explorer

Literally the world’s end! The earth’s southernmost city Ushuaia has a mystical feel to it and is surrounded by beautiful lakes, forests and nature reserves. Going in February, the peak of summer, reduces the possibility of stormy weather and hopefully ensures a smooth sail as you navigate between the Pacific and Atlantic ocean along the famous Beagle channel.

March - Perito Moreno and Upsala Glacier Explorer

Make the most of the end of summer in the southern hemisphere by visiting one of Argentine Patagonia’s most talked about sights - the spellbinding Perito Moreno glacier near El Calafate. Upsala Glacier, also on Argentina Lake, provides further stunning views showing the immense power of nature.

April - 5 day short W Trek

Doing the classic W trekking route in Torres del Paine in April has many benefits. Apart from a 30% off-peak discount during the final month of the season at EcoCamp Patagonia, trekkers enjoy more abundant wildlife and intense Autumn colours such as the deep red Chilean Firetree. Fauna is also seen more often due to reduced visitor numbers in the park. Be prepared to embrace the wild weather though!

May - Altiplano 5 Day Wildlife Explorer

Nicely avoiding the Altiplanic winter, May is a great month to visit this famous high altitude plateau housing ancient sites, Surire Salt Flat, hot springs and Lauca National Park. Wildlife is abundant, with fauna including llamas, alpacas, vicuñas, birdlife including over 140 species and wild scenery of vast lakes, diverse vegetation and steaming volcanoes.

June - Atacama Desert Awasi Tour Experience

By June it’s pretty cold in Santiago and the south of Chile & Argentina and going to the world’s oldest and driest desert is definitely a good move. If you’re partial to a little luxury then the boutique Awasi hotel in San Pedro de Atacama is the perfect option. Your private guide and chauffeur will take you to Moon valley, the Geysers, the Lagoons and the Atacama salt flat, leaving you to relax in your private cottage each evening.

July - Easter Island - Rapa Nui Explorer

July seems to spell tropical island - if you’re in the southern hemisphere you want to get away from the cold and if you’re in the northern hemisphere you’re fed up of working in the heat and crave a remote getaway. Where better than the world’s most isolated inhabited island? With famously mysterious Moai stone statues, wild Pacific beaches, ancient ruins and volcanoes, Easter Island's the ticket to buy.

August - Skiing the Chilean Andes in Valle Nevado

August is peak season for skiers hitting the southern hemisphere, and Valle Nevado in the Chilean Andes provides world-class skiing and snowboarding on pistes looking out over spectacular mountain views. Just a day trip from Santiago, skiers and snowboarders can make the most of the slopes’ proximity to the city and the diverse runs including a snowpark.

September - EcoCamp Patagonia Wildlife Safari

EcoCamp Patagonia in Torres del Paine National Park opens its doors in September exclusively to Wildlife Safari explorers! There’s a 30% off-peak discount for all guests, staying in either Suite Domes (you might want to treat yourself, it’s still pretty chilly!) or Standard Domes, and guests have the best opportunity to see wildlife due to low numbers of visitors.

October - 7 day W trek

The first month of the EcoCamp Patagonia season open to trekkers, October is a wonderful time to hike through all the spring wildlife in the park on the classic W trek. Winds are pretty strong but rainfall averages are not too high and if you feel the cold you can always upgrade to a Superior Dome during your trek. The full W trek includes all the highlights - The Towers, French Valley and Grey Glacier and there’s still that off-peak discount.

November - Paine Circuit

EcoCamp Patagonia’s Paine Circuit is the ultimate challenge for trekkers coming to Torres del Paine. November is the first month possible for the trek due to weather conditions and there are still strong winds as you make your way determinedly around the Paine massif, passing mountain ridges and immense glaciers. This is the right trek at the right time of year for anyone wanting to end the year on an unbeatable high!

December - Best of Chile

Want to look back on the year and feel proud that you covered Chile, the world’s longest country, from tip to tail? In an impressive 13 days you can go from marvelling at the magical geysers in the Atacama desert to cycling through the vineyards surrounding Santiago to rafting down Petroe river in the Lake District! The best is saved until last of course - the highlights of Torres del Paine National Park on an EcoCamp Wildlife Safari.

The long and short of it is: Patagonia from September-April and the Atacama desert & the Chilean Altiplano, Easter Island and the ski resorts in the Andes mountains next to Santiago during the rest of the year. For further recommendations or to chat directly about a trip get in touch with our travel consultants team!

Kaleidoscope Travel Blog

EcoCamp Early Bird booking Discount

Cascada Expediciones — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 16:26:06 +0000

All those booking to do an EcoCamp Wildlife Safari or EcoCamp W trek during the 2012/2013 are eligible for our early bird discount! Bookings made directly through us and paid for in full between April 17th and July 31st 2012 will receive a 5% discount on the total price. Programs include EcoCamp Patagonia’s Wildlife Safari, in either Suite Domes or Standard Domes, and EcoCamp’s 5 day short W trek and full 7 day W trek.

Guests on all of these trips enjoy the delights of the unique and sustainable EcoCamp Patagonia, with its cozy domes and sociable community dinners. Wildlife Safari explorers have the chance to discover the park’s highlights including Grey Glacier, French Valley, the Towers and diverse wildlife trails, returning to EcoCamp each evening for night time festivities. Trekkers doing the W enjoy the same highlights in the park and spend the majority of nights at EcoCamp, with additional nights spent in comfortable mountain huts.

Book now and catch not just the worm but all of Torres del Paine’s Big 5!

EcoCamp Patagonia Tour	Opening Date	Departures 2012/13	Last Departure Date	Make your reservation Now Pay until July 31 with 5% early Bird
Patagonia Wildlife Safari	Sep 10 2012	every day	Apr 29 2013	Book your Trip
Torres del Paine 5 Day Short-W Trek	Sep 30 2012	every Sunday (or private departure)	Apr 21 2013	Book your Trip
Torres del Paine 7 Day W Trek	Oct 1 2012	every Monday (or private departure)	Apr 29 2013	Book your Trip

(Check out our EcoCamp Tour Experience Finder for more tour details.)

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Which time of year best suits your Patagonian adventure?

webmaster.cascada — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 19:52:13 +0000

Deciding which month to book your Torres del Paine visit can be tricky. Do you want to go for the peak of summer to maximise sunshine hours, or do you want to brave the lower temperatures to ensure a little more tranquility and fauna sightings?

EcoCamp Patagonia gives you the calendar rundown:

	Patagonia season	Max temp	Min temp	Avg rainfall	Wind highs	Hours daylight	EcoCamp Patagonia
Jan	summer	20°C / 68°F	8°C / 46°F	75mm / 2.95in	107km/h / 66mph	16	High Season
Feb	summer	19°C / 66°F	7°C / 45°F	65mm / 2.56in	72km/h / 45mph	14	High Season
Mar	summer	17°C / 62°F	6°C / 43°F	60mm / 2.36in	74km/h / 46mph	13	High Season
Apr	autumn	13°C / 55°F	3°C / 37°F	80mm / 3.15in	74km/h / 46mph	11	30% Discount
May	autumn	9°C / 48°F	0°C / 32°F	65mm / 2.56in	111km/h / 69mph	9	EcoCamp closed
Jun	autumn	5°C / 41°F	-3°C / 27°F	70mm / 2.76in	91km/h / 57mph	8	EcoCamp closed
Jul	winter	5°C / 41°F	-3°C / 27°F	50mm / 1.97in	72km/h / 45mph	8	EcoCamp closed
Aug	winter	8°C / 46°F	-1°C / 30°F	45mm / 1.77in	72km/h / 45mph	10	EcoCamp closed
Sep	winter	10°C / 50°F	0°C / 32°F	40mm / 1.57in	107km/h / 66mph	12	30% Discount
Oct	spring	14°C / 57°F	3°C / 37°F	45mm / 1.77in	104km/h / 65mph	14	30% Discount
Nov	spring	17°C / 63°F	5°C / 41°F	65mm / 2.56in	69km/h / 43mph	16	High Season
Dec	spring	18°C / 64°F	7°C / 45°F	45mm / 1.77in	83km/h / 52mph	17	High Season

Conclusion: Whatever the month, come prepared for four seasons at the same time! Despite our calculated chart showing temperature, wind and rainfall averages, in Patagonia anything goes! Rainfall is actually lower at EcoCamp than the average stated due to rain coming in from the west and dying down as it moves towards the Andes mountains in the east, passing by EcoCamp. Also, up in the mountains it’s a lot colder and windier than down at EcoCamp, in your snug eco dome. In one day, be it January or September, it can rain sleet, snow and shine all within a day’s trek. So embrace it all, bring layers and hope for a sighting of that puma!

Prefer to base your tour booking decision on solid figures? Want to escape the winter gloom in the northern hemisphere? Stick with the sunlight facts and choose your departure date by comparing Torres del Paine's hours of sunlight with your current location:

The example doesn't fit with your latitude? Check out the the Daylight Hours Explorer

Or contact our Chilean travel experts by emailing info@cascada.travel and we'll get back to you with climate questions!

Kaleidoscope Travel Blog

EcoCamp Patagonia 2012/13 season opening date fixed

Cascada Expediciones — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 20:53:00 +0000

Feet itching to get back in their hiking boots? EcoCamp has fixed an earlier-than-ever-before opening date for their 2012/13 season! We’re opening our green doors on September 10th to welcome in the 2012/13 season in Torres del Paine National Park. From September 10th until October 31st all guests booking to do an EcoCamp Wildlife Safari in either Suite domes or Standard domes or booking to do the W trek will enjoy 30% low season reduced rates.

Visiting Torres del Paine during the off-peak season also has other benefits - wildlife is more abundant and visitors can enjoy the wonderful colours which spring up and line the park’s gorges. Animals are more often seen due to the lower number of visitors and guests on an EcoCamp Wildlife Safari can enjoy flora & fauna at its peak. The harder part? Weather conditions and lower numbers of visitors can sometimes mean itinerary changes, but rest assured EcoCamp offers excellent alternative excursions to off-the-beaten path park locations (as described in detail on our website)!

Trekkers booking to do EcoCamp’s 5 day and 7 day W trek enjoy the benefits of a more peaceful park atmosphere with increased wildlife, at reduced rates. EcoCamp’s 5 day short W trek begins every Sunday starting from September 30th and the full 7 day W trek every Monday starting from October 1st. EcoCamp’s 9 day Paine Circuit, which runs exclusively in high season, starts operating on October 31st.

Be an early bird and book your EcoCamp experience now - Explore Patagonia’s wilderness in harmony with nature during EcoCamp’s off-peak season!

EcoCamp Patagonia Tour	Opening Date	Departures 2012/13	Last Departure Date	Make your reservation now Get 5% early bird discount!
Patagonia Wildlife Safari	Sep 10 2012	every day	Apr 29 2013	Book your Trip
Torres del Paine 5 Day Short-W Trek	Sep 30 2012	every Sunday (or private departure)	Apr 21 2013	Book your Trip
Torres del Paine 7 Day W Trek	Oct 1 2012	every Monday (or private departure)	Apr 22 2013	Book your Trip
Torres del Paine 9 Day Circuit	Oct 31 2012	every Wednesday (or private departure)	Mar 20 2013	Book your Trip

(Check out our EcoCamp Tour Experience Finder for more tour details.)

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