Meet your private guide in downtown El Calafate, where you’ll board your minivan and take a 20-minute drive to the base of Mt Huyliche, which soars 3,445 feet (1,050 meters) above sea level.
Disembark and ride a chairlift up to Calafate Balcony. On the way up, capture jaw-dropping panoramas of the arid steppes, Argentino Lake, the Andes mountains and bird’s-eye views of El Calafate.
When you reach the top, walk over to a nearby sports activities center, where you’ll be paired with a mountain bike and receive a safety briefing. (Mountain biking experience is not required but is recommended.) Warm up your muscles and test out your bike. When you’re ready, pedal off after your guide on an 8-mile descent that lasts three hours with breaks.
During your mostly downhill ride, don’t forget to catch the views, including new vantage points for El Calafate and Argentino Lake, as well as snowcapped Fitz Roy, the tallest peak in Los Glaciares National Park.
Discover remote places around Laguna Escondida (Hidden Lagoon), a small lake located in the vast Hermoso Valley. Your terrain varies from dry and pebbly paths to soft and wide trails. Stop along the way for revitalizing granola or cookies, and learn about the geological sights you see from your guide, who’ll also check your bike and make sure you’re ready to continue.
The final leg of your route ends in a local town, where you’ll enjoy another snack before boarding your minivan back to El Calafate.