We offer courses in two very distinct locations of South America:
Patagonia and Ecuador.
Patagonia
Patagonia is a semi-arid plateau that covers over 250,000 square
miles in South America located mainly in Argentina and extending
to parts of Chile. The term Patagonia came from the word Patagone
– a word 16th Century Spanish explorers used to describe the
native Tehuelche Indians. There are several interpretations of how
the region was named. According to one interpretation, the Tehuelches
were a race of very tall people with very physically developed physiques,
so the Spaniards called them Patagones, relating them to a giant
named Patagon, a very popular character in novels of that time.
The region’s inhabitants (mostly mestizo) maintain strong
cultural traditions, particularly in the Andean foothills.
Patagonia consists of varied terrain with endless stretches of
sky, majestic snow-covered mountains, icy masses and shimmering
lakes. This area is one of the least populated regions in the world,
with a density in some places of only one inhabitant per square
kilometer.
Temperate rainforests along the blue-green waters of Rio Blanco
and other rivers are shadowed by the towering Andes mountains. At
over 11,000 feet, these snow-covered volcanic peaks are flanked
with glaciers, ice slopes and permanent snowfields offering a wide
range of mountaineering opportunities.
Along the Chilean coast, the Andes Mountains plunge into the protected
waters of Hornopiren. This provides exceptional sea kayaking with
fjords that open up into bays that are home to sea lions, dolphins
and other marine life.
Courses take place in summer months of Patagonia (November-February),
which means warm temperatures during the day and cooler temperatures
in the mornings and evenings.
Ecuador
Ecuador may be tiny and no larger than the US state of Nevada, but
it packs a spectacular punch. Straddling the equator, this corner
of South America is a world of its own. With some of the most astounding
snow-crowned peaks, and incredible volcanic landscape, there is
a myriad of opportunities for adventure. South of the capital city,
Quito, lays the inter Andean region of the Andes Mountain Range.
Described as “The Avenue of the Volcanoes” by the famous
Naturalist German explorer Alexander Von Humboldt, it holds some
of the most impressive extinct and active volcanoes in the world,
including the infamous Cotopaxi. Ecuador’s deeply ingrained
culture will enhance your experience not only as you day hike to
acclimatize to the altitude, but even while you explore its backcountry.
Ecuador has many secrets to share among it breathless beauty. Come
absorb culture, landscape and of course, adventure.
