Why not don crampons and enjoy an ice hike on Grey Glacier during your trip to Torres del Paine, a truly unique and exhilarating Patagonian experience.
In partnership with an experienced and longstanding local partner we can include this in any hiking or bespoke tour for those aged 14 – 65 years.
Fitness:
You should be moderately fit and in good physical condition. After boarding a zodiac for the short navigation across the iceberg laden lake to an area close to the glacier you will disembark and walk up onto a rocky landing area to access the glacier. There are some areas where you will hold onto ropes to traverse rocks before reaching the ice. You will then be kitted out with helmets, crampons and ice axes and shown how to use them. Once on the ice you will walk for approximately 1.5 hours exploring the crevices, gullys and ice streams with time to take photos.
What to pack:
You should pack appropriate clothing (waterproof jacket, comfortable hiking shoes, water, gloves, sunscreen, sunglasses).
What is provided:
You will be provided with a helmet, crampons, an ice axe, a backpack and a harness – the use of which will be covered in the detailed safety briefing prior to making your way onto the ice. You will complete a joining form prior to accessing the glacier.
What is the schedule:
The trip usually runs in the morning and afternoon, each session lasts around 5 hours with approximately 2.5 hours on the glacier exploring the ice caverns, crevices and incredible icescapes.
How do I get there:
This trip is not just available to hikers of the W and Circuit trails although the ice hike is a great reason for hikers to stopover and spend more time in the area. For those of you not hiking, you can enter the area via the Grey Boat that operates various departures during the summer from Grey Beach to an area close to Refugio Grey. Depending on the Grey Boat schedule you may need to spend a night either camping or sleeping in the Refugio at Grey. It is also possible to take the catamaran from Pudeto to Paine Grande and then walk the moderately challenging trail to Grey.
We often include the ice hike in our bespoke multi-day tours and we will take care of all of the planning. It is also an exciting activity to include in a family trip for those travelling with older children.
We are happy to advise on suitability.