PETRIFIED FOREST

This is a full-day excursion in a completely different setting and landscape. La Leona Petrified Forest is located in the middle of the steppe, halfway between El Calafate and El Chaltén. This tour is intended for those who are interested in discovering a land where wind and water have uncovered an ancient forest that remained hidden for millions of years. You can see dinosaur fossils and petrified trunks.

If you book Gigantes Patagones transfer, we will start our day picking the passengers up from hotels and we will leave for La Leona restroom. On the way, we will be able to see Argentino Lake, Santa Cruz River and La Leona River and there will be a majestic panoramic view of the Andes, including Mount Fitz Roy. At the restroom, we will make a stop to use the restrooms and it will be the meeting point for those who have their own transportation.

We will continue our way until we reach the Los Hornos hill within the Estancia Santa Teresita.

Upon arriving at the petrified forest and the hill, we will be able to see for the first time the enormous depression in the ground where the fossils and petrified trunks are. We will begin the exploration walk that lasts 3 hours, which includes the time needed for lunch. Along the walk, we will see a large number of petrified trunks, some of which are 12 m long: testimonies of ancient times when the climate was very different from today and allowed the existence of a full forest. Fossil remains of different types of dinosaurs have also been discovered.

Upon arriving at the forest, we will begin a walk to explore the fossils. We will be able to see a large number of petrified trunks and fossil remains of dinosaurs.

This site is sheltered from the wind, it is very dry and the weather conditions are pleasant, which makes it easy to explore the area.

At the end of the walk, we will first return to the La Leona rest stop and then to El Calafate. It can be cancelled due to rain.

Frequency: daily – Operates from October to April.

Duration: 09:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

What to bring?: comfortable shoes, jacket, warm clothing, hat, sunscreen and sunglasses.

Included: entrance to the paleontological site. If you book the transfer, it includes lunch.

Restrictions: only suitable for people between 6 and 65 years old. Not exclusive. Not suitable for pregnant women.

Cancellation policy: allows cancellation without charges up to 48 hours before the date of the activity.

No show: in case of not taking the service on the date, time and place agreed, 100% of the cost of the service will be charged as cancellation fees.