Abordnet

We are two experienced female trekkers who will spend 2-3 weeks trekking in the Pategonian Andes in December/January. Our preliminary trekking routes are located in Torres del Paine and near Bariloche, however we have yet not decided for sure. We are not satisfied with the information provided by the lonely planet guide, hence we would appreciate suggestions for other books about trekking in Patagonia. We are travelling on low budget and bring our own tent and cooking equipment. Since we must keep the weight of our rucksack at the minimum, we particularly need to know the climate in December/January. Will it be necessary to bring warm sleeping bags (-10 degrees celcius? Which kind of clothes do we need (fleece, down jacket, wool, etc)? We were thinking of using approach shoes for the whole tour-are there swamps and rivers which will be difficult to pass with just approach shoes? Finally, at the time we are trekking in the Pategonian Andes it would be Christmas and New Years Eve. Are there any problems related to travelling on these days.Is it possible to find cheap and cosy hostels on Christmas Eve and New Years Eve? If you have any suggestions on a nice place to celebrate New Years Eve in the Lake District (Argentina or Chile)we would be glad to know. We hope someone would like to share their experineces with us.