Argentina & Chile: Amazing Patagonia - 13 Days

Today, Southern Patagonia welcomes you with open arms. El Calafate is a jumping-off point for adventure travelers who chace to unearth the most spellbinding natural wonders of Patagonia, like the Perito Moreno Glacier.

The Perito Moreno glacier is one of the only glaciers in the world that’s still advancing. Though it’s not the only glacier in the area is the one that made the city of El Calafate famous worldwide. For many years now, El Calafate has been considered capital of the glaciers. Located at the shore of Lago Argentino (the southernmost, largest Patagonian lake) it’s also home of the Spegazzini glacier, which forms the natural border between Argentina and Chile, and the Upsala glacier, named Glaciar del Gigante (Giant’s glacier) upon its discovery and the biggest glacier that sits at the mouth of Lake Argentino.

Is El Calafate all about the glaciers? Well, yes and no…glaciers are main attractions that you can visit via hiking or a boat ride. But you have lot more to discover about Argentine rural culture. From Calafate you can also visit a typical Patagonian finca (ranch) and learn all about the gaucho culture and enjoy a great asado (barbecue). You’ll soon realize that Calafate is much more than the gateway to the Perito Moreno glacier.

Upon arrival you will be taken to the hotel and have the rest of the day to relax or explore the surroundings.

In the morning, we’ll drive you to Glaciers National Park to take the 6 hour long Perito Moreno Glacier tour. Get prepared to play with the giants!

Glaciers National Park has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1981 and home to 200 approximately glaciers. Half of this park is occupied by the campo de hielo patagónico (Patagonian ice field), the largest ice field after Antarctica. You will travel 40 km (about 25 miles) from El Calafate to the park, enjoying the views of the Patagonian steppe. Once inside the park you will take the walkways to explore the different viewpoints, and you’ll feel really close to the Perito Moreno Glacier. If you’re lucky, you may get to see a piece of ice break off and fall from the glacier wall to sink forever into the lake.

During about one hour, a bilingual guide will provide you with all the information you might want to know…and things you might have never thought about. After this visit you will take a boat ride that will take you close enough to fully appreciate the 80 meter (262 feet) high ice walls of Perito Moreno! You’ll never feel closer to this gigantic and impressive natural masterpiece.

We told you that El Calafate is much more than haunting glaciers…today is your perfect opportunity to immerse yourself in rural culture of Patagonia.

Inside Glaciers National park, at the end of NR 15, after a 1 h 30 drive over a rubble road, sits Nibepo Aike Ranch one of the oldest and traditional Patagonian ranches of the area. It’s the only ranch that maintains sheep and Hereford cattle breeding as its main occupation. You can take a day trip to visit its 12 000, learn about its history, witness a shearing demonstrations and a test for horse reins. At the end of the day, a grilled lambed will awaits sizzling in its Patagonian traditional cross stake.

During the morning you will take a public bus to start your 3 hour long trip to El Chaltén. You’ll travel along the famous Route 40, surrounded by the Patagonian steppe, pass through La Leona River, which connects Lake Argentino and Lake Viedma and where stands La Leona Road house, where the famous thieves, Butch Cassidy and Sundance Kid hided for a month.

After discovering other rough gems of this particular landscape, you’ll reach El Chaltén. El Chaltén is the top rated hiking destination in Argentina. This charming little village sits at the foot of Fitz Roy Mountain and it’s surrounded by glaciers, lakes, rivers and forest. It’s also the jumping-off point for most hiking trails. A paradise for sunny walkers and hikers alike.

Enjoy your first afternoon of leisure in Patagonia to relax in the local brewery or explore the surrounding areas—Maybe stroll around a little waterfall…

Today be prepared for an exciting day into the wild. El Chaltén offers a wide range of options of hiking paths of varied difficulty. You can choose where and when to go, since paths are self-guided and very well marked and maintained.

From the main door of your hotel, you can go for a short 3 kilometres walk to Cerro Torre viewpoint—it will take you around 1 hour. Enjoy Rio de las Vueltas and lenga forest amazing views and be prepared to see all kind of birds—This is great woodpecker spotting opportunity!

For truly hiking lovers, continue all the way to Base Torre or go for the 8 hour long hike to the most impressive view to Fitz Roy Mountain and emerald waters of Laguna de los Tres. Though this hike becomes difficult in the last bit, it’s totally worthy. A little secret: seize the day, wake up early and watch sunrise at the Laguna de los Tres to see Fitz Roy peaks turning red—A lifetime opportunity for nature lovers.

Enjoy an early walk around town or a short hike during the morning: you can walk to El Chorrillo del Salto, 3-4 hours away from the village, to visit some nice viewpoint, specially the one called Condors Viewpoint.

Bear in mind that in the afternoon you will board your bus back to El Calafate, so you need to be back in time.The 3 hour long driving back will be a good opportunity to rest or just relax enjoying the passing landscape at your window.

Once you arrive at El Calafate, the bus will leave you at your hotel. It’s your last evening in town, your last chance to try the tender and exquisite Patagonian Lamb or a heavenly tasting Calafate ice-cream. At Calafate, food options are varied: from veggie delicacies to the best demonstration of international cuisine. You can choose a fancy restaurant or a traditional local tavern to spend an unforgettable time.

Early in the morning, we’ll pick you up to start your trip to Chile and your full day visit to Torres del Paine National Park. It’s going to be a long day, but oh boy, is it worth every minute.

First, we’ll drive through the Patagonian steppe in an overland which takes about 2.30 hours (you might be able to see rheas, guanacos, Patagonian hare, and even condors!). We will travel until we reach the border to Chile at Cancha Carrera, where we’ll go through customs.

We’ll keep on traveling amist isolated and windy landscapes, occasionally greeted by guanacos and native green-orange tinted bushes: here you’ll truly feel the significant isolation which characterizes Patagonia.

The park won’t amaze you at first sight. Like a shide lover, it will unveil its enthralling natural beauties little by little. Through winding roads, we’ll make different stops to have a close up view of Cascada Paine (Paine Waterfall), Paine Range at Lake Sarmiento and of Paine Horns at Lake Nordenskjold. Depending on the weather, we’ll perform an hour long walk to reach the lake and get closer to the striking horns. At midday, and after having stopped by the Lago Pehoé Viewpoint to gaze at the vastness of the French Valley, we’ll have our box lunch at this mountainous backdrop. At the end of this fabled excursion, we’ll take you to your hotel in Puerto Natales where you’ll overnight.

Today we’ll pick you up really early in the morning (at 7 am!) to drive you to the sector Las Torres and take you to Cerro Paine Ranch, the jumping-off point of our hike, where you’ll have an informative talk about this high difficulty and amazing outing.

We’ll take the road heading to the Valley and after 10 minutes walking, we’ll get to an old pendant bridge which crosses the river Ascencio. You’ll see a fork 150 meters ahead- take a left at the fork to get to the Base Towers!

Following a winding and green slope, and after an hour you’ll pass by Chilean Campsite on the opposite bank of the river. We’ll continue walking for 45 minutes until reaching Almirante Nieto Hill. Your next stop: the mirador (viewpoint) and the foothill of the moraine!

We’ll continue hiking for an hour and the path will become steeper and steeper as you approach the most amazing view of the three towers: Central, Monzino and Dagostini. Prepare to see some condor nests and the great Peineta Hill!

Time to rest and eat (box lunch included): this is the victory for courageous hikers! You’ll have a moment to enjoy your box lunch with this amazing backdrop before returning via the same road to the starting fork where your driver will be waiting to take you back to Puerto Natales.

Today you’ll make your way to the bus station of Puerto Natales to depart to Punta Arenas. Being there 30 minutes before the departure is the best to avoid any last minutes inconvenience. This is a 3-4 hour long trip through the steppe, crisscrossed by mountains and fjords waters. At your arrival to the bus station at Punta Arenas you’ll make your way to your hotel—you can walk or take a taxi for around 5-7 dollars.

Punta Arenas is the Chilean southernmost city, sited at the Magellanic Strait, and the leading port for Antarctic cruises and scientific research. Before the construction of the Panama Canal, Punta Arenas was the most important maritime crossroad between the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean, thus, the city grew as a commercial center surrounding by European-type buildings— It’s colourful houses, standing out from a backdrop of snow-capped mountains are a vision for sore eyes.

What to do in Punta Arenas? You can enjoy the evening by taking a 3 hour long city tour to visit the Mirador Hill and get the most gorgeous views of Magellan Strait, and the Maggiorino Borgatello Museum to see the craft master pieces made by the Onas, Yaganes and other natives of the area.

In the early morning, you will make your way to the bus station to embark on a full day bus trip to Ushuaia. Take into account (as in day 7) that you’ll be crossing borders so keep in mind our previous advices.

This is a 12 hour long trip, crossing the Patagonian steppe: yellow and green grasslands, Chilean gauchos riding into the wild and grazing unworried sheeps will rolle on the square landscape of your window, till you reach the ferry crossing. It will take around 45 minutes to cross the mythical Strait of Magellan and hit the road again to cross the border and finally enter to Tierra del Fuego Island in Argentine lands.

As the end-of-the world most famous city approaches, grazing sheeps will turn into wild guanacos and horses, snow capped mountains and evergreen woods will arise at the vicinity of Ushuaia. Once you get the “Southernmost City in the World” passport stamp, you’ll realize this intrepid journey through Patagonian remote roads was absolutely worthy.

Upon arrival in Ushuaia you will make your way to your hotel (taxis to and from the bus station should cost less than 10 dollars). Ushuaia is a small town, really easy to get around on foot. The Yamanas, its first inhabitants, called it Ushuaia which means “protected bay” in their language. Ushuaia was officially incorporated into the Republic of Argentina in 1884, and it soon became a penal colony, in order to establish a permanent Argentine settlement.

Take the afternoon to explore the town, learn of the region’s history at the Prisoner’s Museum or visit the Galleria of Fueguian History (its restaurant is also very nice!). Please, don’t forget the local gastronomy! Ushuaia is the best place to try the best seafood in Argentina.

Today we’ll pick you up to make a 8-10 hour long visit to Tierra del Fuego National Park, just 12 km away from the city and lying on the shore of the famous Channel sailed by Charles Darwin. Once at Ensenada Bay, you will have time to enjoy the view over the Beagle Channel before start hiking along the coast.

Six kilometers of wild trail await you where you’ll discover native flora and wild fauna. Discover the remains left by the Yamanas, the native inhabitants of the área. After this 3 hour hike, you will reach Lake Roca where lunch will be served. After a full homemade picnic you will start the second part of this adventure.

Take your oar and plunge to start a 1 h 30 canoeing trip along Lapataia river (only available for children over 5 years old). Make all the way till Lapataia Bay, where the Panamerican Highway and National Route 3 ends at an awe-inspiring landscape. After discovering the unique vastness of this forbidding setting, we’ll take you back to your hotel to rest and enjoy another Patagonian evening.

In 1833 Charles Darwin sailed the Beagle Channel and discover something great. Today is your turn: become another explorer of this channel, primitively named Onashaga Channel since the Onas where its first sailers. You’ll make your way to the tourist pier (at downtown) to embark on a 3 hour long boat trip along the famous Channel (there’s a port tax of around 1-2 dollars you’ll have to pay).

You will gain panoramas of Ushuaia Bay where the city lies proudly crowned by the Martial Glacier. Unearth the diverse marine wildlife, such as cormorants (flying birds, closely related to penguins) and fur seals which frolic its time away on Alicia Island. Argentina standing at your left and Chili at your right, you’ll sail this natural border till reach the iconic end-of-the-world lighthouse, the ancient guard of the bay.

On your way back, you’ll stop at Bridges Island to walk a wildlife interpretative path, lear about Yaman’s history (the native inhabitants) and see the largest shelly deposits of the region. During the trip, you can enjoy a delicious hot chocolate with cookies or try the mate, the favorite Argentine drink. Once we get back to the port, you can make your way back to your hotel or stop by a local café or brewery to try the amber cream craft beer with a traditional Patagonian appetizer.

Today we’ll take you to the airport where this travel adventure will come to this end. Don’t be discouraged! You can return whenever you want (we’ll welcome you with open arms) or…continue your trip towards the North area of Argentina, to the beautiful Salta region or the wine area in Mendoza. We have still a lot to offer!—check out our travelers’ favorite itineraries throughout Argentina and Chile.