Game-Drive in Valle Chacabuco Ranch

DESCRIPTION:

Departure from GBL in a 4x4 vehicle towards south by the Austral Road (Carretera Austral). After 9 km, we will find the first stop of our route, La Confluencia, this is the confluence between the Baker river and the Nef river. This last one has its source in the North Ice Fields and it is one the main affluents of the Baker river, together with the rivers: Chacabuco, Cochrane, Del Salto, Colonia, Los Ñadis, Ventisquero, and Vargas. In the confluence area, we will walk along a path surrounded by a native forest of lenga and ñirre trees. This path leads us to the Baker River and to the natural viewpoint of La Confluencia and El Salto (a waterfall just before the Baker river meets the Nef river). The walk lasts approx. 10 minutes and it is mostly flat.

After we marvel at this scenic landscape in “La Confluencia”, we will return in 4x4 vehicles to the Valle Chacabuco Ranch, a private park only half hour from there. In this park we will go on a Game-Drive. (A Game-Drive is, in the whole activity, each time you go into the wild, in vehicle or on foot, to look for animals. Usually the game-drives last 3 hours, but they can be full day or many days, depending on the interest, enthusiasm, and intensity of our passengers.) Once inside the Valle Chacabuco Ranch, we will go into the wild several times, to look for the best postcard, image or memory of this spectacular place. It should be mentioned that the Ranch has a surface of 78,000 hectares and in the near future it is planned to connect the national reserve of Tamango with the national reserve of Lago Jeinimeni, both administrated by CONAF, in order to create the Patagonia  National Park (with a surface of approximately 250,000 hectares of protected wild area).

The Valle Chacabuco Ranch has the greatest biodiversity on land, which includes an important surface of Patagonian Steppe of the Aysen region. It is also the natural habitat of endangered species, such as the South Andean Deer (or Chilean Huemul) and the Southern Viscacha. Both of these animals will be our target with the game-drive, together with guanacos, flamingos, upland gooses, several swan and duck species, condors, woodpeckers, rheas, armadillos, skunks, and pumas. And we will appreciate all this, immersed in the amazing scenic beauty and flora of this magical place. During the Game-Drive, we will enjoy a delicious box lunch. On the way back to GBL and before we arrive, we will look for a nice place to stop for a snack and to take the lasts pictures (take it for granted!) that our cameras can store.

End of our services.

• DURATION: 1/2 day (4 to 5 hrs. approx.)
• DEPARTURES : From September2010 to June 2011, depending on weather conditions.
• DIFFICULTY: Easy

TOUR INCLUDES:

• Specialized professional guide.
• Accident insurance (detail and policy in Reception).
• Box lunch and Snack on the way back.
• Transport in 4x4 vehicles.
• First aid kit in charge of the on-site guide.
• Personal safety equipment (trekking poles, gloves) for difficult ground.

NOT INCLUDED:

• Breakfast and dinner after the arrival to GBL are not included. Those services are additional to the activity.
• Accommodation in GBL the night before the activity and the night of the arrival of the activity are not included.
• Transfers from the hotel or airport are not included.

SUGGESTIONS: Cold weather clothes according to the activity, sunglasses, sunscreen, and insect repellent.