Few destinations on the planet can rival Patagonia when it comes to natural, rugged beauty. This region located in the southern hemisphere has it all for nature and adventure lovers. Staggering granite mountains, untouched, massive chunks of ice in glaciers, gushing waterfalls, picture-postcard views all around, and serene fjords. I guarantee that you will fall head over heels in love with Patagonia quickly and deeply. In this Patagonia itinerary, I will guide you on how to spend two weeks in Patagonia, filled with fun and adventurous experiences that will stay with you for the rest of your life.
How to reach Patagonia?
Patagonia is located at the southern tip of South America. International travelers need to take a flight to either the city of Punta Arenas in Chile or to El Calafate or Ushuaia in Argentina.
To reach Punta Arenas, you need to catch a flight from Santiago. From Santiago, there are early morning or late evening flights to Punta Arenas. Similarly, in order to reach El Calafate or Ushuaia, you need to fly through Buenos Aires first.
Alternatively, you can also get a domestic flight in and out of Puerto Natales in Chile from Santiago. However, there are very limited options available.
Note that there are no direct flights from Chilean Patagonia (i.e. Punta Arenas, and Puerto Natales) to Chilean Argentina (i.e. El Calafate and Ushuaia).
How to travel around Patagonia?
Researching how to travel around Patagonia can be both challenging and exhausting. There are so many options to choose from. Plus, the complexity of routes and the remoteness of the region can make the process daunting.
But, fret not. Here are some options you need to know about.
Drive a Car
This is my preferred way to travel within Patagonia. The roads are well maintained. There are plenty of car locations to pick up a rental vehicle from, and you get to choose your own schedule and itinerary.
This post details all the pros and cons of renting a car in Patagonia. If in doubt, this should help you decide whether a car rental is the right way for you to travel within Patagonia.
Take a Bus
Taking buses is probably the most popular option for traveling around Patagonia. Buses are comfortable, on time, and with many timing options.
There are direct bus lines connecting Punta Arenas to Puerto Natales, Puerto Natales to Torres del Paine, Puerto Natales to El Calafate, and El Calafate to El Chalten.
These towns and cities have bus stops in good proximity to the downtown areas. So, you will not be stuck heaving your bags over large distances.
This is an ideal option for those looking to save some money, and interested in visiting the main spots only.
Use a Shared Van
You can book a shared transfer from the main cities and towns at a slightly more expensive option than taking a bus. This is a good option if you are traveling with children, but want to avoid the hassle of renting a car.
Hitchhike
While I personally do not recommend this option, we saw several hitchhikers on the roads of Patagonia. It could be a testament to how safe Patagonia in general is that you still see hitchhikers there.
Walk around
Within towns such as El Chalten, and cities like Puerto Natales, you can easily walk to get around. In fact, that would be my recommendation when staying in these small places.
The only city where walking around is difficult is Punta Arenas. It is a big, spread-out city. So, walking everywhere may not be feasible. However, that brings us to my next point.
Use an Uber or Taxi
Uber has excellent service in Patagonia. We availed of Uber to go from Punta Arenas airport to our downtown hotel when we first landed there. It was comfortable and prompt.
In El Calafate too, we used Uber several times to and from the city center to our hotel (we stayed a bit farther from the downtown area).
Out of all the places we stayed in Patagonia, the only place where there was little to no Uber service was in El Chalten. It made sense though, since it is a small village with everything within walking distance.
However, taxis were available in El Chalten. You can ask your hotel receptionist to call you one. Just make sure to carry cash.
Important things to know about traveling to Patagonia
An important note I would like you to be aware of is that reading just this blog post is insufficient to plan your trip from A to Z. Think of this post as the starting point of your trip planning by understanding the basics of Patagonia travel. Then, be sure to read the linked posts as they will provide you with additional information that you must know to feel confident about your trip and booking your travel.
By noting this, I don’t mean to deter you from planning this trip alone without a tour group. Rather, I want to emphasize that there are a lot of logistics, decisions, trade-offs, and itinerary building you will need to do for your trip. I have traveled to nearly 30 countries so far, and have not planned for any other place as much as I did for Patagonia.
With that said though, the planning effort is 100% worth it!
Week 1 – Chile Patagonia Itinerary
For your first week in Patagonia, start in the Chilean region to get acclimated quickly to this place. Chile is, in my opinion, easier to ease into as an international tourist. This is mainly due to similar road conditions and traffic rules, generally, more people speak English, and it is better to complete the harder hikes of Torres del Paine National Park early in your trip.
Day 1
On your first day in Patagonia, you will reach the cool city of Punta Arenas.
Day 1 Morning – Fly into Punta Arenas, check-in and explore Punta Arenas
On your first day, you will arrive in Punta Arenas either early in the morning or late in the evening as most flight timings are scheduled that way. If you arrive in the morning, follow this itinerary. If arriving later in the evening, check into your hotel and do these things the next day.
Punta Arenas is a great location to fly into for exploring the Patagonian region. Basically, you have two main airports to fly into in Chilean Patagonia – Punta Arenas and Puerto Natales. However, Punta Arenas has a lot more options of airlines and flights, which are usually more economical as well, in comparison to Puerto Natales.
Don’t skip Punta Arenas as there is loads to explore there!
Check out this post of a 2-day itinerary of Punta Arenas. It covers everything you must see, do, and experience there!
Once you get situated in your hotel, head outside to see Plaza Armas Punta Arenas with its memorial to Ferdinand Magellan, who contributed to making this remote place on earth famous in maritime circles.
Day 1 Afternoon – Continue exploring Punta Arenas
After lunch, meander over (and by meander, I really mean be ready to climb some steps) to Mirador De Los Soñadores. This place is on a hill and you can see colorful houses of Punta Arenas and the Strait of Magellan.
Afterward, head down to the Punta Arenas waterfront, aka, the Strait of Magellan, to see remnants of the old city. Walk along the water to see Muelle Prat, Reloj del Puerto de Punta Arenas, and the general Costanera area. Make a stop at Monumento A Tripulantes Goleta Ancud.
Overnight Stay at Punta Arenas
Day 2
On Day 2 of your Patagonia itinerary, you will experience one of the most exciting tours in Chile Patagonia!
Day 2 Morning – Penguin tour
On day 2, you will see Magellanic penguins in their natural habitats! These penguins live on Isla Magdalena, an island in the Strait of Magellan, and tours operate daily to this location.
We had the absolute best time visiting these little penguins in their home! Monumento Natural Los Pingüinos is a nature preserve island, and visitors are allowed one hour to land, explore, and say hello to these feathery friends!
Note: I highly recommend booking this tour in advance. In Patagonia, you won’t have to book many day tours in advance other than this one (especially, if you love penguins! And let’s face it. Who doesn’t?). The one other day tour you need to book in advance is if you go glacier trekking in El Calafate, Argentina).
Day 2 Afternoon – Drive or take the bus to Puerto Natales
In the afternoon, you need to take the bus or drive to Puerto Natales. But before that, you should check out some interesting points in and around Punta Arenas.
If you are a history lover, stop by Palacio Sara Braun, an impressive architectural mansion that is now a museum. Alternatively, visit the Museo Maggiorino Borgatello, a museum showcasing the archaeology, ethnology, history, and wildlife of southern Patagonia.
Additionally, if you are driving, drop by the Museo Nao Victoria, a curious and equally cool museum housing replicas of ships that are significant in Patagonian maritime history. It includes a replica of the Nao Victoria, the first ship to successfully circumnavigate the world. It is super cool!
If you are considering renting a car and driving around Patagonia, be sure to read this comprehensive post I put together highlighting the pros and cons of renting a car in Patagonia.
Once you’ve had your fill of museums, start your 2.5-hour drive to Puerto Natales.
Overnight Stay at Puerto Natales
Day 3
On day 3 of your Patagonia sojourn, you have a choice to make. You can start the W trek on either the east side (main entrance) of Torres del Paine National Park (TDP) or on the west side near Lago Grey. Both options are perfectly reasonable, although most people prefer to hike east to west, so that the most difficult hike, the Tres Torres, is completed first.
Alternatively, you can skip the W trek and opt to do the highlights of TDP instead. In fact, this is exactly what we chose to do, and if you are contemplating which would be the right decision for you, I urge you to check out this post detailing why we chose to do the W trek partially.
For visitors looking to do the W trek partially, I recommend booking a camp or lodge in the Riverside Camp area. Or, you can do what we did, and book with a tour agency such as Chile Nativo.
Another thing to note is that visiting TDP will be the most restrictive part of your Patagonia trip. Outside TDP, you will still need an itinerary, but you will have a lot more flexibility to move things around as needed.
However, within the park, you will need to have a fixed itinerary, with little to no room to change the day-to-day activities. Just something to keep in mind.
To learn more about these avoidable mistakes on your travels, read this post about 16 mistakes to avoid on your Patagonia trip.
Day 3 Morning – Visit Glacier Grey
Today, you will visit the Grey Glacier and the lake it feeds, Lago Grey. You can choose to hike all the way to Mirador Grey (around 12 km total), with the best viewpoint at Refugio Paine Grande (around 24 km total). Or, you can do a short trail (such as this one) around the lake and instead visit the glacier by taking a boat over the lake.
I highly recommend the latter since you will have just 4 to 5 days in TDP. Save your energy for the other two epic hikes, the Three Towers, and the Frenchman Valley.
Day 3 Afternoon – A boat tour of Glacier Grey
The boat ride to Glacier Grey is another amazing highlight of the Patagonia trip. From the boat, you can view the glacier from different sides and perspectives throughout the 3 hours you spend on it.
Trust me when I say that seeing the face/wall of the glacier from the boat directly in front of you is an experience that cannot be described by mere words! The only experience that came close to this, and potentially surpassed it, was getting to trek on an actual glacier (Perito Moreno) in Argentina Patagonia. More on that below.
Make sure to book the boat tour in advance as this is a popular activity and sells out fast during prime season.
Have some extra time after your tour? Hike to Salto Grande to see a beautiful waterfall.
Rest up overnight as the next day, you will embark on one of the most exciting and strenuous hikes in Patagonia.
Overnight Stay at Campsite/Glamping site near Rio Serrano
Day 4
On Day 4 of your two weeks in Patagonia itinerary, you get to see one of the most scenic regions of Torres del Paine National Park.
Day 4 Morning – Frenchman Valley hike
Start early on day 4 to hike the famous Frenchman Valley. This is one of the most epic viewpoints that TDP has to offer. Now, bear in mind that if you are staying outside the National Park, you will have to catch a ferry from Pudeto to Refugio Paine Grande.
This ferry has very specific timings, and you will want to catch the very first one going over Lago Pehoe in the morning. So, make sure to arrive at Pudeto before 8 am. You can park at the Pudeto terminal.
Once you reach Refugio Paine Grande (or Paine Grande Lodge), start your hike immediately as it will be a long day. Additionally, the last ferry back runs at 6:30 pm, so you will want to complete your hike and be back at the ferry stop by then.
The hike to Frenchman Valley is very scenic with views of Los Cuernos from every other turn. In fact, the first 4 km offered some of the most scenic views I saw in Patagonia.
After completing about a third of the hike, you will reach Camp Italiano. Take a short break if you need to, and fill up your water. From there, the hike gets steadily challenging. A short walk from the camp will take you to a small bridge built over a ravine. Only 2 people are allowed at a time, so you may see a line forming, especially if you visit during the peak travel season.
Day 4 Afternoon – Frenchman Valley hike back
After hiking for another 4 km or so, including climbing over some seriously rocky terrain you will reach Mirador Frances, one of the best viewpoints of TDP. You can turn around here, or continue up to Mirador Britanico.
However, keep in mind that Mirador Britanico is not reachable by most people doing this hike as a day trip since you need to be back before 6:30 pm to catch the last ferry.
Our guide also told us a horror story of a time when he brought a group down to Paine Grande Lodge to catch the 6:30 pm ferry only to learn that it had been canceled due to bad weather. Thereafter, the group had to hike another 16 km to be picked up by car at another location on the eastern side of the park. Yikes!
Total Distance from Paine Grande Lodge to Mirador Frances and back: 19 km
Total Distance from Paine Grande Lodge to Mirador Britanico and back: 26 km
Overnight Stay at Campsite/Glamping site near Rio Serrano
Day 5
On the fifth day of your Patagonia itinerary, take it easy post the long Frenchman Valley hike. I am sure you will be a little bit sore, so go for a less intense hike in Laguna Azul.
Day 5 Morning – Hike around Laguna Azul
Start leisurely this morning and drive northeast past the Amarga entrance to Torres del Paine National Park to reach Y-166 until you reach Y-160.
After a few minutes, you will see the bright turquoise waters of Laguna Azul (very aptly named in my opinion!). Set out for this easy-to-moderate hike of 9.5 km with around 135 m elevation gain.
This is seriously the most underrated hike in the Chilean Patagonia region! Plus, after the rigorous Frenchman Valley hike, your legs and knees will thank you for hiking this relatively easy hike. I have learned that the best way to acclimate your body for a multi-day hike is to hike at least a bit each day.
Stop for lunch beside the lake and admire the blue skies and deep blue waters.
Day 5 Afternoon – Hike around Laguna Azul
Continue back to your starting point in the afternoon. Keep an eye out for various wildlife you may see in this region.
For example, we had a guide who helped us spot both a pygmy owl (they are adorable!) hiding in a bush and 2 Andean Condors!
Get back to your glamping site/hotel early because you will have yet another long and epic hike the next day.
Overnight Stay at Campsite/Glamping site near Rio Serrano
Day 6
The next day you will hike arguably the best hike in Patagonia (the contender for best hike here is between this one and Mt. FitzRoy hike in Argentina). But personally, my favorite was the Las Torres hike.
Day 6 Morning – Hike to Las Torres viewpoint
Known as Las Torres, Tres Torres, and The Three Towers, this famous hike takes you to the base of the three iconic towers of Torres del Paine National Park. As a matter of fact, the park is named after these three impressive granite mountains.
Start as early as possible from your campsite near Rio Serrano. Trust me, by midday, there will be hundreds of people on that trail, especially if you travel during the peak season. When you start early, you get to hike up when there will be few people on the trail. Most folks at that time were traveling with small tour groups.
For the first ⅓ section of the hike, you will hike up with moderate elevation gain. In the second ⅓ section, there is a relatively flat area covered with a Magellanic forest providing great cover and plenty of rest stops on a sunny day.
The last third of the hike is super steep. You will climb a precipitous moraine of rocks. Seriously, this hike is not for the faint of heart. At times, the direction of the hike will not be obvious when facing multiple rocks in front of you. So, keep an eye out for the signs that show where the trail is marked.
Then, finally, as the rocks get bigger, your steps get larger, and the trail becomes almost indiscernible, you will turn around a corner and catch the first sight of the three towers. You’ve reached heaven.
Day 6 Afternoon – Hike back to Hotel Las Torres
Take your time clicking photos. Fill up on your packed lunch, and get your energy back. You will need it for your hike back to Hotel Las Torres. Make sure to take care climbing down the trail. Some rocks may be loose, so a sure footing is necessary.
Plus, this is a perfect hike for you to carry your hiking poles. Your knees will be so much happier with a set.
On your way back, you will find many people climbing up. They are likely day trippers from Puerto Natales and other areas who caught a bus to TDP. Make sure to give hikers climbing up the right of way as they need to regulate their breathing over those going downhill.
On reaching your campsite, take plenty of rest, fuel up, and enjoy the feeling of conquering the summit.
Overnight Stay at Puerto Natales
Day 7
On Day 7 of your Patagonia itinerary, you will conclude your Chile Patagonia trip.
Day 7 Morning – Try out a new experience or head to Puerto Natales
On this day, try out a new experience, such as puma trekking, hiking to Ferrier viewpoint, or visiting the town of Puerto Natales. Note that you can do such activities only with a guide. Go to Puerto Natales only if you need to head down south due to the bus schedule (since there are no direct buses from TDP to Argentina), or if you need to pick up your car parked there.
When we went on the trip with Chile Nativo, they picked us up from Puerto Natales and dropped us back there. Our rental car remained parked in the hotel property where we stayed the night before the TDP tour and the night after we completed the tour.
Day 7 Afternoon – Explore Puerto Natales
You can head over to Argentina on this day or the next day from Puerto Natales. If you choose to go on this day, ensure your bus is scheduled for later in the afternoon.
Otherwise, explore the charming town of Puerto Natales. Walk along the waterfront, sample some of the delightful cuisine, and relax. You’ve earned it.
Overnight Stay at Puerto Natales
Week 2 – Argentina Patagonia Itinerary
In your second week in Patagonia, you will explore the Argentinian side. In this leg, you can set your own itinerary, move it around as you see fit, and switch different days.
Day 8
Today, you will cross the border from Chile to Argentina. In Argentina, you will drive to El Chalten, a small town made famous due to the other epic Patagonian hike, the base of Mt. FitzRoy.
Day 8 Morning – Drive to El Chalten
Start your morning early and drive to El Chalten. It is about a 5-hour drive from both Puerto Natales and Torres del Paine campsites. Account for at least 30 minutes at the border crossing. It will take longer if you are behind big buses.
When we crossed the border, there were barely any vehicles in front of us. So, in the Chile Immigration Office, we were done in less than 5 minutes. Then, we crossed the border and drove over to Argentina.
Note: The road crossing into Argentina from Chile turns into a gravel road and remains as such for about 6 miles. You will need to drive at lower speeds, especially, since you do not want little stones hitting your windshield and potentially cracking the glass.
If you have not checked it out yet, I highly recommend reading this guide on whether renting a car in Patagonia is the right decision for you.
After a while on the gravel road, you will see the Argentina Immigration Office. Here, it will be a similar process. You will need a few minutes. For us, it took about 15 minutes and we found the process was a bit slower here. The Argentina authorities also inspected our rental car briefly before allowing us to enter the country.
Day 8 Afternoon – Explore El Chalten
Continue your drive to El Chalten. Make sure to avoid the road shown by Google Maps as it will take you on a gravel road since it appears to be a shortcut based on distance. We were warned about this by our rental car agents.
Opt to drive through Esperanza instead even though it may seem longer. Since these roads are fully paved, you will be faster. Plus, there is a gas station there, where I strongly recommend that you fill up on gas.
Once you reach El Chalten, drop your bags off at your hotel, and set off to check out the charming town. You will likely have seen staggering views of the Mt. FitzRoy mountains on your drive already. However, nothing quite beats the Mirador al Chaltén view right by Highway 23. From this location, you will see the mountains as the backdrop of the town. It is something else!
Then, head over to the Visitor Center (Centro de Informes Turisticos) just a couple of kilometers away. You can get information about the trails, and conditions and get your questions answered by staff. Later in the evening, go explore the nightlife in the town. Be warned that El Chalten is a backpacker destination, so don’t expect anything fancy.
Our favorite spot there was the Laborum pizzeria. I know, I know. Pizza in the middle of Patagonia?! But trust me, it was insanely good!! You won’t regret it, you have my word.
Overnight Stay at El Chalten
Day 9
On your second day in Argentina Patagonia, you will hike your second most epic hike in the entire Patagonian region: the base of Mt. FitzRoy.
Day 9 Morning – Mt Fitz Roy hike up
Start your day super early, before 6 am, and head over to the trailhead of Mt. FitzRoy, aka, Laguna de Los Tres. The trailhead has a moderately sized parking lot. As long as you reach before 7 am, you should find parking without an issue.
Keep in mind that you can also walk to the trailhead if you are staying within El Chalten. It is quite small. But, you will add a few miles to your full day of hike. And when your hike is 25 km long, the 1-2 extra km matter!
Carry a midday lunch with you and gear up to the first 2 km of straight uphill climb. After that, you will get a respite of about 4 km where you will walk through forests, foliage, streams, and the occasional view of the impressive mountains in the backdrop.
Towards the last third of your hike is where the real challenge will be. The last bit is a moraine with an elevation gain of over 400 m. I won’t sugarcoat it. It is brutal.
Plus, there are scores of horseflies that make it more unbearable than you’d think.
We made it up with the moraine in about 1.5 hours, with frequent stops to catch our breath and a sip of water. Plus, if the day is nice and warm, expect the sun to beat down on you without mercy.
However, once you reach the top, you will forget how difficult and painful the hike was. Because the sight in front of you will be absolutely mesmerizing.
I mean, look at this.
Day 9 Afternoon – Mt Fitz Roy hike down
Take your time at the top. Eat lunch, drink water. Don’t worry about finishing up your water. You will have plenty of opportunity to fill up at a freshwater stream that runs through the mountains.
Take loads and loads of photos.
Once you have had your fill of the views, and the mountains, and explored the three lakes (see where they get the name?), start your trek downhill.
My one important recommendation for you is to start downhill around noon if you can. I say this because, the longer you wait at the viewpoint, the busier it will get. You are better off starting super early for this hike, and when the trails start to get busy with day-trippers, head on back.
Be careful going downhill on the moraine. On this hike, it is advisable to take hiking poles. Rent them if need be. Out of all the hikes we did in Patagonia, this is the most important one to have hiking poles, as the rocks on the moraine are uneven. Some of them were loose and wobbly as we stepped on them. Kinda scary. And some steps from one rock to another are very deep. Having hiking poles will make the hike less challenging and less strenuous for your knees.
Overnight Stay at El Chalten
Day 10
On Day 10, take it easy. Well, sort of.
Day 10 Morning – Drive or Take a bus to Glacier Huemul
After your 25 km trek from the day before, chances are, your legs are sore. So, take it easy this day. But, you are still in Patagonia, so, of course, you will still do some outdoorsy things 😉
If you have a car, drive north all the way to almost the border of Chile. Near there is a beautiful lake named Lago del Desierto (marked Rio Canadon de los Toros in Google Maps). You can also take an El Chalten day tour for this day.
Check out the pretty Glacier Huemul that flows close to this lake. We hiked a short trail in this region, but there are plenty of options if you want a longer one.
The lake also has other activities such as kayaking and boat rides to take in the views of the tranquil blue waters with towering mountains around. There is also a camping site there – Camping Lago del Desierto.
Day 10 Afternoon – Sightseeing around El Chalten town
Afterward, drive back down and stop at a few places. My favorites were Salto del Anillo, Estancia Los Huemules, Puente sobre el Río Eléctrico (you can walk around this place, and cool your feet in the stream. We flew our drone here), and Chorrillo del Salto.
Grab dinner in town and a drink at La Zorra Taproom.
Overnight Stay at El Chalten
Day 11
On day 11, you have a choice. Hike some more, and see the second tallest peak in Chalten, or take it easy and do some sightseeing. Adventure lovers should consider doing some horseback riding in town or if your hotel offers such activities.
Day 11 – Morning – Hike to Cerro Torre, Shopping and exploring El Chalten town
If you have an appetite for one more hike in El Chalten, do Cerro Torre base. Considered moderately challenging, this is the second most popular hike in El Chalten and is about 18 km out and back. So, it is easier than Mt. FitzRoy.
If you can only do one hike, I would recommend Mt. FitzRoy over this hike. However, if you have the time to do both, you should definitely check out Cerro Torre as I hear the views along the way are stunning.
I had to skip the Cerro Torre hike as my knees were feeling sore and mutinous after more than 10 days of straight-up hiking challenging treks in Patagonia. If I go back there, I will do it for sure!
Not up for another hike? Explore the town of El Chalten. They have nice stores, gift shops, and even a museum that you can book through a travel agency – Madsen House Museum.
Day 11 Afternoon – Bahia Tunnel, Horseback riding
In the afternoon, drive south toward the Bahia Tunnel. Originally a busy pier that had boat tours going to Viedma Glacier, such activities have now been suspended as the glacier has retracted.
Today, you can find different bird species that have set up shop in the abandoned ruins. You can set up a picnic lunch.
Fly a drone if you carry one, and keep your eyes peeled in the northwest direction. You will catch jaw-dropping views of Mt. FitzRoy mountain range.
In the later afternoon, experience life as a Gaucho. Try your hand at horseback riding at your hotel or estancia. Estancia Bonanza has its own horses that patrons can ride and is a popular activity.
Overnight Stay at El Chalten
Day 12
On Day 12, you are ready to say goodbye to El Chalten and hello to El Calafate.
Day 12 Morning – Head to El Calafate
El Calafate is the second most popular spot in Argentina Patagonia to explore. It houses the famous Perito Moreno Glacier and is as grand as you can imagine.
In the morning, drive or take the bus from El Chalten to El Calafate. This drive should take you around 2.5 hours. The roads are well maintained and there is little traffic. Be sure to fill up on gas before you start. There is a gas station right after you exit the town boundaries.
Day 12 Afternoon – Explore El Calafate City
The city of El Calafate is quite different from El Chalten. Where El Chalten was a backpacker’s paradise, El Calafate is swanky with a nice downtown. In El Chalten, you will see mostly backpackers, hikers, and campers. El Calafate brings in many different kinds of travelers – air travelers flying into El Calafate airport, and people who are there for a day or two to do non-hiking activities. I even saw some people toting luxury handbags in the downtown area!
Check into your hotel in the afternoon and spend the evening exploring the city. There is a solid restaurant scene, but make sure to book in advance as reservations are hard to come by during peak seasons. My restaurant recommendation is to indulge in a hearty meal at Pura Vida. The food there is simply divine, plus they have good vegetarian options.
Visit Parque Nacional Los Glaciares Visitor Center in the heart of the city if you need help with planning your visit. They also have a small museum and gardens with native plants.
Overnight Stay at: El Calafate
Day 13
On Day 13 of your 2 weeks in Patagonia, you will visit the spectacular Perito Moreno Glacier.
Day 13 Morning – Walkways of Perito Moreno, glacier boat ride
With a huge glacier face that ends in a lake (Lago Argentino), there are few sights in this world as striking as the Perito Moreno Glacier. The Perito Moreno glacier is fed by the massive Southern Patagonian Ice Field. Up until 2020, it was one of the world’s handful of growing glaciers outside of Antarctica.
However, in recent years, the glacier has unfortunately been retreating.
Book a ticket online to visit this glacier on your own. Note that it takes about 45 minutes to drive there from El Calafate town.
Once you arrive, you will need to park at the main parking area (or get off your bus there). From there, you will need to take a free bus that runs from the parking lot to the main visitor center.
The metallic walkways are located right next to the visitor center. The walkways run in several directions offering unique vantage points of the glacier. A portion of the paths near the parking area is also accessible to disabled people.
Here, you can explore the walkways to your heart’s content. I recommend going in all the different directions so that you can see the glacier face from several different directions.
Wait for at least 30 minutes in the area with the best view of the glacier face. You may witness the thunderous roar of ice breaking off the face of the glacier and topping into the blue waters below. This is an incredibly cool thing to observe!
You can also go on a ferry ride that takes you close to the glacier face. While we did not do this, we saw the ferries from the walkways, and it appeared to go quite close to the glacier and I bet it was extra cool!
Day 13 Afternoon – Mini trekking on Perito Moreno Glacier
In the afternoon, go for a mini trekking adventure on the glacier itself! Truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, a glacier trek will involve walking with crampons tied over your regular hiking shoes.
You need to do this activity with a tour group and only one company does this tour on the Perito Moreno Glacier. It involves incredible moments such as walking on ice surfaces that change daily (since it is an active glacier) and stepping on freshly cut steps on icy ground. In the end, the group gets rewarded with a whiskey on the rocks, with the rock being a piece of glacier ice. Marvelous, right?
Note: Make sure to book this activity ahead of time. We did not, and almost missed out on this as every tour group we talked to (even though only one company offers this tour, third-party tour groups also sell tickets) informed us that everything was sold out.
Overnight Stay at El Calafate
Day 14
At this point of your trip, you will have already seen unbelievable jaw-dropping views, stunning mountains, impossibly-white glaciers, and deep blue glacier-fed waters of countless lakes. Is there anything else to top that? Indeed, there is.
Day 14 Morning – Glaciar Sur hike for an off-the-beaten-path experience
This is the perfect time in your Patagonia itinerary to experience something off the beaten path. Opt for an exclusive hike with Glaciar Sur to see a lagoon fed by not one, or two but 3 glaciers! Seriously!
We did this tour at the suggestion of our hotel manager who showed us some pictures of the tour. You can see them on their website here.
This tour is completely private and it will be only you with your small group at the location. They pick you up at your hotel and drive you to the Glaciar Sur pier located on the shores of the South Arm of Lake Argentino. This is in the southern area of Los Glaciares National Park, so you will be far enough away from the walkways and Perito Moreno.
Then, you take a ferry through Brazo Sur, hike around 1.5 km up and downhill, and finally take a zodiac to Laguna Frias Superior.
You then deboard the zodiac, and hike another 5 km to see the most serene and unbelievable sights ever! Three glaciers all ending in Lake Frias. Plus, the entire lake is covered in icebergs. It is surreal!
Day 14 Afternoon – Hike back with Glaciar Sur, explore El Calafate city, shop for souvenirs
Enjoy lunch with a view of the glaciers and icebergs. At some point, your guide may climb down to the edge of the water to fish out an iceberg. On your way back, you will be treated to a drink with the fished-out iceberg. Another amazing story for the books!
Later, if you are up for it, head to the city to do some shopping for souvenirs to bring back home for your friends and family. While there are countless things to choose from, one of my favorites was this sheep magnet made from Patagonian sheep wool. 🙂
Overnight Stay at El Calafate
Day 15
Today, you will end your epic Patagonian sojourn and head home.
Day 15 Morning – Go home or continue on your road trip
Drive back to Chile today to catch your flight from Punta Arenas to go back home. Or, continue north towards Chile’s famed Carretera Austral road.
Overnight Stay at Home
Have a couple more days? Add these spots to your itinerary
Do you have a few more days in Patagonia? You should add these spots if so.
Drive south from Punta Arenas
Take a half-day to drive south from Punta Arenas to the end of the world (literally!). Check out the San Isidro Lighthouse accessible via a brisk trail.
Check out this post of a 2-day itinerary of Punta Arenas. It covers everything you must see, do, and experience there!
Puma tracking near Torres del Paine National Park
I highly recommend spending an extra day or half-day to go on a wildlife tracking tour with a guide. Particularly, to go puma tracking in the hills around TDP. The thrill from seeing pumas in their natural habitat is a bucket-list item for sure, and easily one of the best experiences in this region. You can add a day to most tours you take with a travel agency in Torres del Paine.
Puerto Natales
Puerto Natales deserves a day to be explored. A lot of visitors use this town as a starting point and/or ending point of their TDP expedition. But, I believe that Puerto Natales is a great destination in its own right. With a bustling food scene, serene waterfront, and unique things to do (such as Mylodon Cave Natural Monument), you will enjoy it immensely.
Visit an estancia
Estancias are ranches or farms in Patagonia. The steppe is perfectly well suited to raising cattle and livestock. And in Chilean and Argentinian Patagonia, most estancias have been around for over a hundred years.
Visit an estancia to see how they raise the animals there, and a gaucho in action. Plus, you may hear stories of how back in the day, 100 years or so ago, estancias did not have a solid way of tracking farm animals. This led to some cows escaping into the wild and now there are herds of cows and bulls that live in the mountains by themselves.
La Leona Petrified Forest
Between El Calafate and El Chalten, there is one tourist attraction – La Leona. This place consists of unique rock formations, fossils, and yes, petrified trees as well! We had to skip it because we did the mini trekking on Perito Moreno on the day we were going to El Chalten from El Calafate (since tickets were sold out all the other days). Therefore, we did not have time to stop here. But, if we are back there, we will definitely go to this spot.
By the way, if you are worried about making mistakes on your Patagonia trip, from planning to booking to exploring this region, be sure to read this post on 16 mistakes to avoid on your Patagonia trip.
Is one week in Patagonia enough?
I’ll be honest, one week in Patagonia is short. But, if you want to see only one of the two countries, you will have enough time to see the highlights.
However, if you want to see both Chile and Argentina, I strongly recommend you add another week to your itinerary. You will miss out on truly magical places otherwise. We stayed in Patagonia for 2.5 weeks, and it was an ideal length of time.
Are two weeks in Patagonia enough?
Two weeks in Patagonia is enough to see the major highlights and have a couple of unique experiences. As detailed in this post, two weeks allows you to hike the W-trek, or hike the main trails of Torres del Paine, with enough time to explore Punta Arenas, El Chalten, and explore the glaciers of El Calafate.
By the way, you may want to skip the W trek for various reasons I have listed in this post. Do give it a read, if you are contemplating this decision.
When to visit Patagonia?
The best time to visit Patagonia is during the summer season, which runs from October to March, peaking in December.
The holiday season in December brings a lot of crowds from all over the world. And with Patagonia becoming more popular as a travel destination day by day, there can be a lot of people. With crowds come increased pricing for hotels, competition in bookings at Torres del Paine National Park camping sites, and rental car/bus reservations.
Therefore, to avoid these conditions, skip the holiday time, and visit Punta Arenas in November to early December, or late January to February.
However, if you must travel during the holiday season (hey, I get it. A lot of us have limited vacation days, and we must make good use of holiday office shutdowns), it is still an excellent location. We traveled during the holiday season, and the highest crowds that we saw were in El Calafate, and the day hike to Las Torres in TDP. While driving on the roads, there were barely any cars! We saw just 1-2 cars every 15 minutes.
Should you rent a car in Patagonia?
Whether you should rent a car in Patagonia depends on the spots, the tours, and the schedule you want for your trip. To maximize your time, and to go to under-the-radar places, I recommend renting a car so you have the freedom you need to go places.
However, if you intend to visit the main cities and towns, you do not need to rent a car. You will be fine with taking buses and shared vans.
To make this decision easy, I have created this post that goes over the pros and cons of renting a car in Patagonia. Give it a read as it will help you make that decision for yourself.
Is Patagonia safe?
Patagonia is completely safe. There are few locals and the majority of the people you will encounter are tourists. Every city, town, and village we went to, we were never worried about our safety. We drove everywhere and there was never a time that we felt in any danger. There is also no danger from wildlife.
The only caution I would add is about the elements. Mother Nature is fierce in Patagonia, so please ensure you carry the right gear while hiking there. Always wear layers, and be prepared for all the seasons in a single day! Practice safe hiking and trekking, and make sure you have medical insurance.
Obviously, it goes without saying that you should always remain vigilant about your belongings and surroundings, especially in crowded places.
How to prepare for your Patagonia vacation?
Preparing for Patagonia is an important step for you to be ready to go on this journey. I have outlined everything you should do to prepare for your epic vacation to Patagonia in this post. It includes how to train, and how to prepare yourself to do long hikes over several days.
