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We have found a "jewel in the rough" in Southern Patagonia. Join us on a
5 day adventure getaway at this wonderful intimate lodge in the middle
of the wilderness at the base of the Viedma Glacier, 120 miles north of
Calafate. The lodge is unique and offer wonderful cozy accommodations,
delicious gourmet meals and first class service. It is surrounded by a
stunning landscape, sheltered by coniferous woods that make way to a
panoramic view of Lake Viedma and the Andean Mountains. Your trip will
start with a transfer from Calafate across the barren landscape of
Southern Patagonia until you reach the breathtaking Lake Viedma with
views of Mount Fitzroy across the water. Nearing Helsingfors, your home
for the next days, you are immediately impressed by the grandiose
glaciers that come all the way down to the water's edge.
 IT-ARSR02
Rates incl. accommodations, gourmet meals, English speaking
guide, daily activities including the last day with lunch - departure in
the afternoon. 3, 4 or 5 riding days |
| 2008/09 Season |
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Low Season |
High Season |
|
6 days/ 5 nights |
$ 1,175 |
$ 1,450 |
|
5 days/ 4 nights |
$ 940 |
$ 1,160 |
|
4 days/ 3 nights |
$ 705 |
$ 870 |
Single Room:
add $60 / $70 per night
Low Seasons:
Oct 10 to Dec 19 and from March 16 to
April 1
'09
High Season:
Dec 20 '08 to March 15 '09
Transfer:
from El Calafate is included at 9AM -- return arrives in Calafate town in
the late afternoon (6:30 PM)
-- transfers are only included on Tuesdays,
Thursdays or Sunday's
Rate
includes: Assistance
of an expert bilingual guide (fluent in English) and crew.
Level:
Good novice+
Pace: Slow, some trots
and canters are
possible on each day
Tack: South American
Horses: Criollo cross
Min/Max:
2-8 riders (16 at the lodge)
Not included:
Lunch on arrival day. Gratuities
- optional tips for guides ....
Note: Dec 24 and Dec
31 have a surcharge of $75 each for special dinner
Check in: noon Check Out 10 AM
-- On arrival day - lunch is not
included. On departure day - clients will have to leave their
rooms at 10am, but they will have lunch and
activities until departure.
Horseback Riding
There is a great herd of free roaming horses at the lodge - your
perfect companion for your stay. You can choose from short rides around
the lodge, to extensive all day rides across the mountains to the
glacier or neighboring ranch - all in breathtaking scenery.
Leave the magnificent Mt. Fitz Roy behind to
enter the Patagonian Andean Forest. see more detailed trail
descriptions
...
more details
Excursion
Glacier Viedma navigation and trekking
It takes the Zodiac a 40-minute trip from the lodge’s pier to Viedma
Glacier, where visitors may witness large pieces of ice cracking and
roaring as they break and fall into the water creating icebergs. Once
disembarked, the glacier presents Helsingfors’ visitors with a unique
experience: to enter and explore the caves that the very rim of the
glacier creates upon land. ...
more details
Laguna del Morro
After a brief navigation along one of lake Viedma’s branches and a short
trek, a crystal patch of emerald green water is revealed: the Morro
Lagoon. A quiet and peaceful natural paradise, the ideal place to enjoy
trout fishing and local wild fauna.
... more details
The Lodge
Helsingfors is located 180 km North of El
Calafate. It has 8 luxury rooms each with private bathrooms, a dining
room and a cozy living room; all exquisitely decorated with amazing
simplicity, combining warm colors and different textures that harmonize
and blend in with the natural environment.
A total of 18 guests will therefore be able to live and enjoy a
personalized service that involves only part of the unique “Helsingfors
experience”.
History: Helsingfors has over 100 years of history.
In the early 20th century an adventurous Finn, Mr Alfred Ranström,
arrived in the Argentinean Patagonia and, overwhelmed by its beauty
decided to adopt it as his second home. He established himself at the
foot of the Andes Mountains on the SW margin of the Viedma Lake, right
in front of a breathtaking view of Mt. Fitz Roy (or Chaltén, as the
local Tehuelches aboriginals called it). In remembrance of his native
land, he decided to baptize the lodge naming it after Finland’s capital
city in those days: Helsingfors. His love for trees turned the
surroundings into a magnificent wood with a wide variety of coniferous
full of color, that welcome Helsingfors visitors from a distance.
Meals
Part of what makes Helsingfors a unique experience is found in its cooking, where our
Chef delights our guests with a truly remarkable gourmand cuisine.
Helsingfors has its own vegetable garden and a refined cellar with a
variety of Argentine and Chilean selected vintage wines that accompany
the delicacies of our regional cuisine, where some of the typical local
dishes such as the Patagonian lamb or the exquisite trout can be
enjoyed.
Transfers :
Scheduled transfers to/from Helsingfors will be provided on
Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays throughout the season.
Transfer in:
Transfers will depart from El Calafate. We’ll pick up passengers from
the hotels in Calafate (with exception of Los Notros and Estancias),
afterwards we’ll pick up passengers arriving on the first flight in
Calafate, (provided it lands before 12:00 noon) and then we’ll head
towards Helsingfors.
Transfer out:
Transfer will depart in the afternoon and will go directly to El
Calafate to leave passengers in their respective hotels. Those
passengers that need to go to the airport, transportation from El
Calafate / Airport must be arranged. We will not provide transfer to the
airport and we highly not recommend to take outbound flights on
that same day.
Time schedule of transfers:
From El Calafate to Helsingfors:
Between 10.30 and 12.00hs
From Helsingfors to El Calafate:
Between 15.00 and 17.00hs
Laguna Azul Ride
We set out on an old grass trail which starts
at the lodge. The path enters the river Alfredo
valley (the same one that provides energy to the
lodge), gradually ascending by the sides of the
Huemul Hill and with the musical noise of the
river. After a 40-minute ride, a most magnificent
view can be seen from where one can appreciate the
magnitude of Mt. Fitz Roy emerging from the other
side of Viedma Lake. The path continues to enter
deeper into the valley that becomes narrower,
surrounded by the Cordón Huemul and its peaks that
reach 2700 ms in height; the Blue Lagoon glacier can
already be seen in the horizon of the valley. The
footpath then leads into a forest of “lengas” and “ñires”.
During the journey it is usual to see guanacos and
condors curiously approaching to observe the
visitor. After a one-hour ride at the end of the
valley, one sees the river descending in escalating
form on the rocks, forming a spectacular waterfall
at a height of 300 ms. The journey continues
bordering the mountain to where the river rises and
which is reached after a 50-minute climb and places
the traveler where the snows are permanent on the
mountains that surround him. Here we leave the
horses behind. A 10-minute walk and a small wood
separate the visitor from his objective. Upon
arrival, one can see the lagoon in a deep bright
blue contrasting with the darkness of the mountain
and the whiteness of the glacier which descends from
the highest of the Andes Mountains to the very bank
of the lagoon. The surroundings are beautiful and
invite to contemplation and reflection in absolute
silence, which is only interrupted by the sounds of
the usual avalanches that take place from the
summits falling to the glacier.
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On horseback to
Estancia Los Mermanos
When departing from the lodge and heading
East, we cross the Alfredo river and climb the
mountain cliff to witness the spectacular, panoramic
view of Viedma Lake. While heading there, one can
observe the local flora which offers a diverse
variety of species and large amount of birds,
typical of this region when passing near the three
lagoons. After 45 minutes, we arrive at the Estancia
Los Hermanos, where one can visit the shearing shed,
the vegetable garden that supplies Helsingfors, and
have the opportunity to see how a Patagonian farm
functions. As one heads to this estancia, one can
see sheep, guanacos, cows and beautiful horses, many
of them the foals of the “Cuarto de Milla” stallion
which live on this farm. After the visit to the
farm, we cross the countryside to arrive at the lake
which has a small pebble beach from where we return
enjoying the wonderful view of Helsingfors.
... many other trails are
available for the more adventurous riders
Navigation to
Viedma Glacier
Leaving from the Lodge’s pier, one embarks in a
Zodiac with capacity for 18 passengers, which
guarantees the maximum security on the Viedma Lake.
One sets out Northbound, with Mt. Fitz Roy in front
like a great lighthouse guiding the way over the
enormous mirror of 1100 km2 of water. It takes a
40-minute navigation to reach Viedma Glacier. During
this time, while bordering the Western coast of the
lake, the visitors may have the privilege to observe
the Strict Reserve (“Estricta Reserva”) – where
mankind has no access – of the Glaciers’ National
Park, where the largest colony of “guemals”
(domestic stag in extinction) dwell in the Austral
Patagonia. In spite of these creatures being
extremely shy, the observant traveler may be lucky
enough to notice some drinking water from the lake
banks or hidden among the vegetation.
Before reaching the glacier, hidden within the rocky
walls, lies the Amphitheatre Waterfall – “El
Anfiteatro de la Cascada”, a narrow entrance of
water in the rock, which enlarges once inside, thus
forming a large circumference, with walls 40
meters-tall and crowned by a 10 meters-tall cascade
which falls in the middle of the amphitheatre.
It takes only a few minutes more navigation before
reaching Viedma Glacier, the giant of Glaciers
National Park, that with its colossal size of 978
km2, makes even the Upsala of 902 km2 seem small
(for years the largest of National Park). Upon
arrival, the view is sublime: the glacier haughtily
stands approximately 60 ms above lake level and on
its walls nature displays tones of blue never seen
before. The motors of the Zodiac are switched off
at a prudential distance to listen to its rhythm:
internal and external ruptures produce large uproars
alternating with unpredictable silences. Together
these compose a perfect natural symphony that
touches those who have the privilege to perceive
this; it is precisely then that the traveler
understands that the glacier can, not only be
observed, but also heard, one can feel it, one can
live it.
As if this sight wasn’t enough, one disembarks on
the dark side of the glacier to take a close view of
the erosion that was provoked by its pass on the
rock, leaving it completely trimmed forming neat
shapes and curves. Cautiously approaching the
glacier, one can touch it, drink its millenarian
waters, and if the ice-conditions allow it, the
visitor may explore inside searching deeper in its
caverns which separate the rock and ice (this option
is only possible in some circumstances, the
tour-guide will decide whether the conditions are
appropriate. After 40 minutes crossing the dark
side, one sets out again to return to Helsingfors,
not before taking as a token, a piece of millenarian
ice for the evening drinks. Duration of
trip: 5 hrs
Trekking
to Laguna del Morro
Departure from the lodge’s pier, heading
Westbound along one of Viedma Lake’s branches –
which penetrates the Andes Mountains – known as
Moyano Bay. During the navigation one can
appreciate the Huemul, Mascarello, Moyano Hills and
the majestic North Hill, while reaching the end of
Moyano Bay, one comes across a valley of the river
with the same name and at the end of it, descending
the mountains, the Moyano Glacier, in its upper part
as a hanging glacier and in its lower part as a
valley glacier. After 25 minutes of navigation one
arrives at the descending point, where one sets out
for a 30-minute walk until one comes upon what is
known as the Morro Lagoon. A mirror of crystal water
is revealed with emerald green “lenga” woods that
surround it. This lagoon is a quiet and peaceful
paradise, ideal for trout fishing. Those more
enthusiastic can continue walking for a short time
and discover the two lagoons (one of them very
extensive) and both are close by. Those who
wish can return on the Zodiac. The most adventurous
can choose to return walking, bordering the Wind
Peninsula. The distance by foot is 9 km
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