The south of Chile and Argentina attracts thousands of tourists for its nature of mountains, forests, glaciers, lakes and beaches. If you are thinking of travelling to this region of the world, we propose the best itinerary through Patagonia in 10 days and 14 days.
Patagonia is a region in the extreme south of the countries of Argentina and Chile, characterised by numerous landscapes including the high mountains of the Andes Mountains with lakes, glaciers and forests.
In Argentina, it extends towards the Atlantic Ocean coast, where the landscape changes dramatically from the mountainous area. In the centre of Argentine Patagonia, the environment is transformed into an arid steppe with little vegetation.
Already on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, it is characterised by large rocky beaches with strong waves, many of them unspoilt.
One of the riches of Patagonia is its marine fauna, with the presence of penguins, dolphins, sea lions and elephant seals, whales, dolphins and even killer whales.
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Best time to travel to Patagonia
Undoubtedly the best time to visit Patagonia is from December to March. At this time of the year the temperatures are milder, during the day the weather is pleasant although it is usually windy. This does not detract from the fact that temperatures drop considerably at night.
At this time of the year the trails are open, there is no snow on the trails, but you will be able to see the high snow-capped peaks of the Andes Mountains.
January and February are the months with the highest number of visitors due to the good temperatures and the summer holidays in Chile and Argentina.
Even if you plan to visit Patagonia in the southern hemisphere summer, you should bring warm clothes because the climate is mountainous and the temperature is cold at night.
🔎 Want to live a unique experience near Patagonia? Check out our guide to travel to Antarctica.
Is it expensive to travel to Patagonia?
Compared to other places of interest in Argentina, Chile and Latin America, travelling to Patagonia is more expensive. Above all, many of the places to see, such as glaciers, must be done on tours, which usually cost more than USD 100 when you have to take a boat.
In addition, travelling to Patagonia means having to take a lot of air flights, which adds to the cost.
Itinerary through Patagonia in 10 days on both Chilean and Argentinean sides
If this is your first time in Patagonia and you want to see the most emblematic sites on both the Chilean and Argentinean sides, then this itinerary is ideal.
You can go trekking in the mountains or contemplate the Patagonian beauty from viewpoints and get to know the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, a large ice mass that gathers several glaciers on both the Chilean and Argentinean sides.
The best way to do the tour is to fly into Santiago de Chile, then fly to Punta Arenas or Puerto Natales with one of the airlines Latam, JetSmart or Sky Airline. Then take a bus to cross the Andes to El Calafate in Argentina, fly to Ushuaia, and finally fly from Ushuaia to Buenos Aires to finish the trip.
This way you save having to return to Santiago de Chile or Buenos Aires several times, and only take direct flights between one destination and the other. In both countries there is not much flight frequency that does not pass through their capitals, Santiago and Buenos Aires.
Top attractions to see in Patagonia in 10 days, itinerary in brief:
- Puerto Natales (3 days)
- Transfer to El Calafate (1 day)
- El Calafate (2 days)
- Tour to El Chalten from El Calafate (1 day)
- Transfer to Ushuaia by plane from El Calafate (1 day)
- Ushuaia (2 days)
Day 1, 2 and 3 Puerto Natales
To get to Puerto Natales you have the option to fly to Punta Arenas from Santiago de Chile or Puerto Montt (there are more frequent flights), and then take a bus to Puerto Natales, or fly directly from Santiago de Chile to Puerto Natales, available only in the southern hemisphere summer season.
🔎 Check out our guide to Puerto Natales: how to get there, must-sees, best time to travel and more.
Puerto Natales is an ideal city to make a base and visit Torres del Paine and the Balmaceda and Serrano glaciers.
Torres del Paine is characterised by its three pointed peaks surrounded by turquoise lakes and glaciers. Many tourists trek the so-called W-circuit, which is physically demanding and takes about five days to complete, sleeping in campsites and carrying luggage and food in their backpacks.
If you only have a few days, there is the option of reaching the Base of the Towers viewpoint in one day by trekking for eight hours. This viewpoint is one of the most beautiful in Torres del Paine, from where you can see the Torres Lake and in the background the Central, Monzino and Dagostini Towers, the 3 peaks that make up the Torres del Paine.
On the second day in Puerto Natales you can rest your body after the trekking and go sailing on the Grey Lake in Torres del Paine. This lake is notable for its clear waters and floating ice floes from the Grey Glacier.
After sailing on the lake, you can take a short walk to two impressive viewpoints, Laguna Amarga and Salto Grande. There is an excursion that combines sailing on Grey Lake with a visit to the Mylodon Cave Natural Monument, where fossil remains of creatures including the mylodon, an endangered large mammal.
🔎 Read more information about the place in our article things to do in Torres del Paine.
The last day in Puerto Natales is perfect to visit the Balmaceda and Serrano glaciers. The only way to get to see the glaciers is by a full-day boat trip through the Última Esperanza fjord.
The Balmaceda glacier is characterised by the fact that it literally hangs from the mountain. This large ice mass has retreated in recent times due to global warming, but it is still of great beauty.
The Serrano glacier is the other stop on the excursion. In this case, after a short walk, you reach the viewpoint of the glacier, a real marvel.
Where to stay in Puerto Natales
- If you are on a budget we recommend Arte Brisa Hostal Boutique, Hostal Nataly and Hotel Milodon.
- If you have a medium budget we recommend Weskar Lodge Hotel, Best Western Patagonia and Vendaval.
- If you have a high budget we recommend Hotel Altiplanico Puerto Natales, Hotel Costaustralis and Natalino Hotel Patagonia.
🏨 Do you want more options? Find the best accommodation in Puerto Natales.
Where to eat in Puerto Natales
- Cafe Kaiken: very tasty homemade food, good beer and rustic decoration. One of its great delicacies is pasta.
- La Picada De Carlitos: mythical restaurant in Puerto Natales to try Chilean dishes such as spider crab or caldillo de congrio (conger eel stew).
- El Asador Patagonico: restaurant to eat meat, salmon or roast elbow.
Day 4 transfer from Puerto Natales to El Calafate
During the summer season there are daily buses from Puerto Natales to El Calafate in Argentina and vice versa. The journey takes about six hours. The Bus Sur and Marga companies run the route between the two companies.
Once you arrive in El Calafate and if you still have some energy left, you can go and enjoy the Ice Bar experience. It houses a room with an interior temperature of minus 10 degrees Celsius. You can enjoy a drink right here.
Day 5 and 6 El Calafate
A visit to El Calafate is a must on a 10-day Patagonia itinerary. While the city may not have great splendour, the surrounding landscape is one of the most imposing in the world.
The Perito Moreno glacier is its symbol and is the one to whom the first day in El Calafate is dedicated. To see this ice wall over Lake Argentino there are several options:
- Watch it from the shore of Lake Argentino on the wooden footbridges. Ideal to have a magnitude of its ice walls of more than 60 metres in height.
- Sailing on the Argentinian lake by boat, approaching the glacier wall and listening to the ice masses breaking off.
- Trekking over the Perito Moreno glacier, pure adrenaline. With equipment provided by the company and a guide, you will spot crevasses, sinkholes and lagoons.
The second day in El Calafate is a full day excursion on a catamaran, navigating the other great glaciers of Lake Argentino.
From the boat you will see ice floes floating on the surface of Lake Argentino. One of the first stops is the Spegazzini glacier, whose ice walls are over 100 metres high.
The Upsala Glacier is another of the great landmarks of this navigation through the Southern Patagonian Ice Field.
You can choose from three types of tours in order from cheapest to most expensive:
- Sailing in Los Glaciares Park
- Sailing in Los Glaciares Park with lunch on the catamaran
- VIP sailing in Los Glaciares Park (includes lunch in the salonstrong, Captain’s Club exclusive Heim and unlimited alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages on the boat).
Where to stay in El Calafate
- If you are on a budget we recommend America Del Sur Calafate Hostel, Hosteria Roblesur and Hotel Picos Del Sur.
- If you have a medium budget we recommend Hotel Kosten Aike, Kalenshen Hotel Cerro Calafate and Konke Calafate Hotel.
- If you have a high budget we recommend Boutique Hotel La Cantera, Xelena Hotel and Suites and Blanca Patagonia Hostería Boutique and Cabañas.
🏨 Want more options? Find the best accommodation in El Calafate.
Where to eat in El Calafate
- Isabel: meat, fish, chicken cooked on plough discs, a very Argentinian tradition.
- La Tablita: one of the best places in El Calafate to taste Patagonian lamb or Argentinean asado.
- La Zorra Taproom: craft beers that can be paired with fast food. The Patagonian lamb burger is highly recommended.
Day 7 Day trip from El Calafate to El Chalten
It is worth staying an extra day in El Calafate to visit the beautiful village of El Chaltén, whose main attraction is Mount Fitz Roy, a pointed peak at the foot of the Laguna de los Tres.
El Chaltén is famous for the great amount of trekking that can be done in the mountains, to see waterfalls, glaciers, lagoons and high snow-capped mountains.
Although the ideal is to do a two-day trek to get as close as possible to Mount Fitz Roy, the one-day excursion takes you to a viewpoint where you can contemplate Mount Fitz Roy and Mount Torre in all their splendour.
Don’t forget to have your camera ready before arriving in El Chaltén. From the access road there is an excellent view of the mountains with a snowy background.
📷 Book here the day trip from El Chaltén to El Calafate with transport and guide.
Day 8 Flight from El Calafate to Ushuaia
The local airline Aerolineas Argentinas and FlyBondi has daily direct flights from El Calafate to Ushuaia, which take an hour and a half. It is the best option to go from El Calafate to Ushuaia, as you have to go by bus to Río Gallegos, and the next day take another bus to Ushuaia (a total of 16 hours).
If you arrive early in Ushuaia, you can take advantage of the first day to tour the centre, and even go to the Ushuaia Panoramic viewpoint on the Martial Glacier, after a short walk of low difficulty from the base of the mountain. From the lookout point, it has fabulous views of the city and the Beagle Channel.
🔎 Check our article on how to get from El Calafate to Ushuaia by plane, car or bus.
Day 9 and 10 Ushuaia
The next day in Ushuaia is suitable for two emblematic walks around the city. The first is the famous End of the World Train (everything is called the end of the world here).
This train was used to transport the prisoners who were housed in the gloomy prison at the End of the World, nowadays converted into a museum. The task of the prisoners transported on the train was to cut wood from the trees of the Patagonian forest, which served to heat the houses in the harsh Ushuaia winter.
The train still has the original carriages and follows the route the prisoners used to travel from the prison to Mount Susana, at the beginning of the Tierra del Fuego National Park.
In the afternoon, the Tierra del Fuego National Park is the perfect place to discover the Patagonian forest, lakes and encounter local fauna such as beavers.
Although there are an infinite number of trails to do, one of the most popular is the one that runs along Ensenada Bay and ends at Lapataia Bay, where the Postal Unit of the End of the World is located. Are you ready to send a postcard from the End of the World?
📷 Book here your place on the End of the World Train together with a visit to the Tierra del Fuego National Park.
The last day of the 10-day Patagonia itinerary is dedicated to sailing through the Beagle Channel to visit the already named “Carcel del Fin del Mundo” (Prison at the End of the World).
The navigation through the rough waters of the Beagle Channel includes a visit to the so-called lighthouse at the End of the World, which in reality it is not. This lighthouse is actually called Les Éclaireurs and is located on a small island in the Beagle Channel.
The boat trip is complemented by two mythical islands of the Beagle Channel, the Martillo Island to get to know the friendly Magellanic penguins and the island of the sea lions and birds, inhabited by seabirds such as the cormorant.
📷 Book a la navigation of the Beagle Channel which includes Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse, Bird and Wolf Island, and Hammer Island.
To end the day, you should take a stroll through the End of the World Prison, where today the Ushuaia Maritime Museum is located.
For about 27 years, until 1947, this penitentiary operated where dangerous prisoners lived in deplorable conditions and were subjected to extremely hard labour and very cold temperatures.
Numerous legends of the prisoners who lived here have survived from those years, but that will be left for the local guide to tell you. In addition to touring the old cells, the museum is also home to the Maritime Art Museum and Antarctic Museum, a link between the sea and the people of Ushuaia.
📷If you want to see more of the city centre, book the Ushuaia city centre tour.
Where to stay in Ushuaia
- If you are on a budget we recommend Del Bosque Apart Hotel, Posada Del Fin Del Mundo and Hostería Patagonia Jarke.
- If you have a medium budget we recommend Hotel Canal Beagle, Hosteria y Restaurante America and MIL810 Ushuaia Hotel.
- If you have a high budget we recommend Las Hayas Ushuaia Resort, Los Acebos Ushuaia Hotel and Cilene del Fuego Suites & Spa.
Where to eat in Ushuaia
- Ramos Generales El Almacén, a traditional grocery store in Ushuaia. Among its specialities is the Patagonian toothfish.
- El Viejo Marino, the place to eat seafood in the city. The local spider crab is irresistible.
- Laguna Negra: this is an artisan chocolate shop, ideal for a snack. They have sweet cakes, homemade alfajores (typical Argentinean sweet), hot chocolate and crepes. Our recommendation, try the torta marroc.
After your stay in Patagonia in 10 days, you have to take a direct flight from Ushuaia to Buenos Aires. Jetsmart, Aerolineas Argentinas and FlyBondi offer this air route.
Itinerary Patagonia in 14 days on both the Chilean and Argentinean sides
If you have an extra 4 days to visit both Chilean and Argentinean Patagonia, we recommend the following itinerary:
- Puerto Natales (3 days)
- Transfer to El Calafate (1 day)
- El Calafate (3 days)
- El Chalten (3 days)
- Transfer to Ushuaia by plane from El Calafate (1 day)
- Ushuaia (3 days)
Basically, to the 10-day itinerary, the following is added:
- 1 extra day in El Calafate to visit some of the Patagonian estancias, and even have a lunch or dinner with typical food. We recommend one of these two excursions: dinner and show at Estancia 25 de Mayo, Estancia Cristina and boat trip on the Upsala Glacier.
- 2 extra days in El Chaltén: instead of going to the easily accessible viewpoints in one day, here you have time to do some of the most recommended trekking in El Chaltén. Of the three days, one day is for the trekking to Laguna Los Tres, the second day for the trekking to Laguna Torre and another day for Laguna del Desierto. In the first two cases, you will be able to do it on your own. Laguna del Desierto is further away from El Chaltén, so you must take a bus. More information and our recommendations in the article things to do in El Chaltén.
- 1 extra day in Ushuaia: in this day you can make interesting excursions in the Tierra del Fuego National Park like the Esmeralda Lagoon, or visit the Fagnano and Escondido lakes.
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