Laguna Esmeralda Trekking – Winter – Ushuaia

What about an experience in the midst of the Patagonian winter, walking among lakes, beaver dams, immense valleys of the Andes Mountains, and forests that hold a lot of history and once served as routes for ancient loggers and indigenous people of the region? It’s impossible not to get excited about doing such a trekking, isn’t it? In winter, it becomes even more beautiful; the photos speak for themselves, no matter how much we try to describe it, nothing beats seeing the photos and imagining yourself in them, enjoying this privileged nature in one of the southernmost treks on the planet! Unmissable, an unforgettable landscape!

The adventure starts early in the morning, around 9:00 a.m. when we pick up our “brave adventurers.”

We leave the city towards the winter centers, along the famous Ruta 3. During the journey, the guide will share some peculiarities of the “end of the world” and provide some instructions about the adventure that awaits us. After about 15 minutes, we reach our starting point. There, crampons will be put on if necessary, which help with walking on the snow. This decision always rests with the guide. We also distribute walking sticks to each adventurer and their respective snacks, so we suggest that each person or family have a backpack to carry their own snacks and other items they may want.

From there, we start our beautiful walk, perhaps the most beautiful you have ever done or will certainly be among the most beautiful, that’s for sure.

Initially, most of the trekking is through denser forests, crossing a long Patagonian forest with typical trees of the region, all covered in white snow. An excellent place for beautiful photos with an incredible landscape. Then, we leave the forests a bit and cross a beautiful valley surrounded by the Andes Mountains, also passing by lagoons where we can see up close the actions of beavers, animals that were introduced to the region and, due to the lack of predators, make these lagoons their homes. The guide will share interesting stories and facts, and the group will be able to capture everything with their cameras.

Throughout the journey, the landscape changes considerably, each part more beautiful than the other, as you can see from the photos. The guide will explain various curiosities and answer questions from the group during strategic stops.

The presence of an experienced and prepared guide is essential for safety, especially because walking with so much snow can be dangerous without the help of a professional. There are places with crevices or holes, and the guide will be there throughout the journey, guiding where it is 100% safe to walk. The convenience of having a transfer with a guide, crampons when needed, walking sticks that help with balance, the snack box, safety, all the guide’s explanations, not just passing through but learning about the place’s details, curiosities, information that will never be forgotten, this is undoubtedly extremely important for those who want to enjoy a beautiful adventure with all the safety and support that only this context can provide.

During the trek, we will also pass by frozen lagoons and streams, transforming the view with the mountains in the background into something simply spectacular! Maybe we’ll see a beaver in one of the beaver dams along the way, there’s always a chance for that.

With all this surreal context, we reach the highlight of the excursion, which is Laguna Esmeralda. The place is very beautiful, a large valley with a very large lagoon and beautiful mountains in the background, some of them being glaciers, meaning they have eternal ice, so no matter the time of year, the mountain will always have ice. The main glacier mountain is just behind Laguna Esmeralda, making this whole view even more beautiful. You know those places where everywhere you look is of unmatched beauty? That’s how this entire excursion is, especially at the moment when the group arrives at Laguna Esmeralda.

At that moment when everyone is somewhat paralyzed, reflecting and thankful, we will have our delicious snack. It’s not often that we can have a picnic with such a view, right? We’ll be in the heart of one of the most beautiful postcards of Patagonia, experiencing this and enjoying every minute. Of course, there will be time to enjoy, take photos, and have a peaceful snack.

After spending about 40 minutes there, we return to the starting point. On the way back, the whole group will feel lighter, not because the backpack no longer carries the weight of the snack or the calories lost during the walk, but because when we experience something unforgettable, we feel grateful, a deep happiness, a feeling that we have fulfilled a dream, right? Exactly, in that sense, we feel light, satisfied, and value even more the beautiful creations of God.

Throughout the return trail, the group will certainly enjoy the energy of the trail again, savoring every minute, feeling part of the wild nature.

Upon arrival, transportation will be waiting to take us back to our accommodations, with the absolute certainty that we have just experienced one of the most beautiful experiences, one that will never be forgotten!

The difficulty level of the hike is low/medium in summer and medium in winter, not reaching a high difficulty due to the trail being mostly flat, with few slopes, making it a more level trail, although on snowy terrain, sometimes ice or mud, and sometimes all three together on the same day. The trail is around 7 km in total, but the time between going and returning is about 4:30 hours, excluding the trip to and from the city, making it a total excursion of about 6 hours. The trail time is also longer due to stops for some explanations from the guide and photos, including a stop at Laguna Esmeralda itself. Even though it’s not highly difficult, for those without good physical condition, overweight, recently had surgery, diagnosed heart problems, we suggest not to do the excursion.

Observations
(WE RECOMMEND THE USE OF WATERPROOF CLOTHING AND FOOTWEAR TO DO THIS ACTIVITY. CONSULT US ABOUT PLACES FOR RENTAL)
This activity requires good physical condition and is suitable for people between 11 and 60 years old.
Not allowed for pregnant women, people with heart, respiratory, or circulatory problems, knee or spine problems, and overweight individuals.
Difficulty: Medium
Terrain: Flat and sometimes inclined, humid, with mud, stones, snow, and ice
Bring an individual or family backpack to carry your snacks and other items.