Highlights
- Spot humpback whales from a boat in Francisco Coloane Marine Park
- Observe penguins in the wild on Isla Magdalena
- Explore a glacial landscape in Torres del Paine National Park
- Discover the remote wilderness of Tierra del Fuego National Park
Brief Itinerary
| Day | Highlights | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrive in Punta Arenas (Chile) | Punta Arenas |
| Day 2 | Whale Watching & Glaciers at Francisco Coloane Marine Park | Punta Arenas |
| Day 3 | Visit the Isla Magdalena Penguin Colony | Punta Arenas |
| Day 4 | Transfer to Puerto Natales & See the Port | Puerto Natales |
| Day 5 | Transfer to Torres del Paine, Explore the Park on a Private Guided Tour | Torres del Paine |
| Day 6 | Grey Glacier Boat Tour, Transfer to Puerto Natales | Puerto Natales |
| Day 7 | Day Trip to a Patagonian Estancia | Puerto Natales |
| Day 8 | Transfer to El Calafate (Argentina), Visit the Glaciarium | El Calafate |
| Day 9 | Gourmet Glacier Cruise to Perito Moreno & Spegazzini | El Calafate |
| Day 10 | Ice Hike on Perito Moreno Glacier | El Calafate |
| Day 11 | Fly to Ushuaia, Explore the Town | Ushuaia |
| Day 12 | Boat to the Penguin Colony on Isla Martillo & Hike to a Waterfall | Ushuaia |
| Day 13 | Guided Trek in Tierra del Fuego National Park | Ushuaia |
| Day 14 | Discover the Lakes of Carbajal Valley | Ushuaia |
| Day 15 | Depart Ushuaia |
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Punta Arenas (Chile)
Welcome to Chilean Patagonia and the town of Punta Arenas! Founded in 1848 on the eastern shore of the Brunswick Peninsula, Punta Arenas was a hub of high society in its heyday. After getting settled at your hotel, stroll around town to see the sights. Plaza Muñoz Guerrero is a leafy central plaza lined with French street lamps and decorative architecture. Many of these grand neoclassical mansions were once owned by wealthy sheep-ranching families.
Today, Punta Arenas is a popular tourist destination that provides easy access to some of Patagonia's most impressive natural attractions, including Torres del Paine National Park and Isla Magdalena. Explore the waterfront and watch the sun go down at Mirador Cerro de la Cruz. This viewpoint overlooks the city all the way out to the Strait of Magellan.
Day 2: Whale Watching & Glaciers at Francisco Coloane Marine Park
An exhilarating day trip to Francisco Coloane Marine Park is on the agenda today. Leaving early from your hotel, travel overland to a point just south of Punta Arenas, where the boating excursion begins. After boarding the boat and hearing an overview from the captain and your guide, you'll navigate for 10 hours today through a unique landscape surrounded by mountains, glaciers, and native forests.
Keep your eyes open for marine life along the journey, including sea lions, petrels, cormorants, dolphins, and more. The star of the show is the humpback whale—don't be surprised to see several close to the boat! You'll pass by several points of interest during the day's trip, including San Isidro Lighthouse, Cape Holland, and Isla Rupert, and lunch and snacks will be served onboard. Finish the trip by returning to the dock in Punta Carrera.
Day 3: Visit the Isla Magdalena Penguin Colony
This half-day tour begins early. You'll transfer from downtown Punta Arenas to a pier on the Strait of Magellan, where you'll board a boat at sail to Isla Marta. It's home to a large colony of Patagonian sea lions as well as cormorants, skuas, arctic pigeons, and more.
Continue to Isla Magdalena, where you'll disembark and spend one hour onshore. With your guide, follow a 2,624-foot (800 m) path to an old lighthouse that offers sweeping views of the Strait of Magellan. This island is home to Los Pingüinos Natural Monument, a protected area home to Chile's largest colony of penguins. There's no experience like hiking alongside penguins near Patagonian waters, first mapped by Magellan and made famous by Charles Darwin. Afterward, return to the boat and make the journey back, reaching Punta Arenas in the afternoon.
Day 4: Transfer to Puerto Natales & See the Port
Today you'll transfer about three hours north to the city of Puerto Natales, formerly a fishing port and now the main base for excursions into Torres del Paine National Park. The town is set on the Seno Última Esperanza (Last Hope Sound), offering scenic views across the water to the mountains beyond. Facing north from here, you'll see the peaks of Cerro Benitez and Cerro Toro, and the sight is especially phenomenal at sunset.
Depending on your arrival time, you might take a stroll around town and stop for a drink at one of the town's many bars and cafés. Try a traditional seafood stew in a family-run restaurant before you get some rest at your hotel. More adventures in Patagonia's landscapes await tomorrow!
Day 5: Transfer to Torres del Paine, Explore the Park on a Private Guided Tour
Transfer from Puerto Natales to Torres del Paine National Park this morning. The drive takes about two hours, and you'll get your first glimpses of Torres del Paine's massive peaks as you approach the park. You'll arrive at the Laguna Amarga main entrance and register with the park office. On this full-day guided tour, you'll explore Torres del Paine's unique ecosystem and impressive viewpoints at your own pace with a knowledgeable guide. Throughout the day, visit the park's four ecological zones: the Andean desert, Magellanic subpolar forest, pre-Andean shrubland, and Patagonian steppe.
Along the way, you'll spot plenty of local wildlife, which might include cougars, foxes, guanacos, and birds of prey. Take in stunning landscapes, from the park's distinctive horn-shaped peaks to glacial lakes. Enjoy a few short hikes and a picnic lunch with a view. You'll sleep at lodgings in the park tonight.
Day 6: Grey Glacier Boat Tour, Transfer to Puerto Natales
Today you'll board a catamaran to see Grey Glacier from a unique perspective. The boat will cruise across the lake and stop close to the glacier, allowing passengers to snap photos of its massive ice walls. After the boat tour, take a short hike across the windswept beach and the forest. You'll have the afternoon to relax or hike the nearby Mirador Ferrier, which boasts unbelievable views of the park's many colored lakes. Then leave the park and transfer back to Puerto Natales for the night.
Chat with a local specialist who can help organize your trip.
Day 7: Day Trip to a Patagonian Estancia
After breakfast at your hotel, you'll set off for the beautiful Estancia La Peninsula on the Antonio Veras Peninsula. This sprawling sheep and cattle ranch is surrounded by glaciers, mountains, beech forests, and the Seno Última Esperanza—a body of water you'll have to cross by boat to arrive. The scenic 40-minute ride is part of the fun!
When you arrive at this working wool farm, you'll get an overview of the grounds. Possible activities include horseback riding, wildlife viewing, hiking, bird-watching, and more. Your schedule for this part of the trip depends on your interests. In the afternoon, enjoy a traditional Patagonian asado (barbecue) prepared by the staff and attend the daily sheep-shearing demonstration. You'll boat back to Puerto Natales in the late afternoon.
Day 8: Transfer to El Calafate (Argentina), Visit the Glaciarium
In the morning, you'll transfer roughly 3.5 hours north to El Calafate, the gateway to Los Glaciares National Park. Welcome to Argentina! El Calafate is also known for its location on Lago Argentino, Argentina's largest freshwater lake. After checking in at your hotel and getting settled, you'll have the afternoon and evening free to stroll around town and do some sightseeing.
Get ready for tomorrow's visit to the nearby glaciers by visiting the Glaciarium. This interactive museum offers hands-on displays and an ice bar where you can take a break for drinks. If you'd rather explore the outdoors, check out the birds at the Laguna Nimez Nature Preserve just outside of town. Stop in the quaint cafés and shops around El Calafate, then have dinner in a local parrilla (steakhouse) before getting some rest at your hotel.
Day 9: Gourmet Glacier Cruise to Perito Moreno & Spegazzini
Today you'll venture deep into the Patagonian Ice Field, home to the largest concentration of ice on the planet after Antarctica. Los Glaciares National Park is home to over 200 glaciers. The most well-known among these ice giants are Spegazzini, rising 442 feet (135 m) above sea level, Upsala, covering an entire valley, and Perito Moreno, continuously advancing and causing spectacular ruptures of its frozen walls.
To see these magnificent glaciers, embark on a full-day cruise with gourmet meals, drinks, and snacks. Begin by transferring to the port, where you'll sail northwest to Punta Avellaneda and Boca del Diablo. Disembark near Spegazzini Glacier at Las Vacas Station in the Spegazzini Canal Bay, where you'll enjoy a guided trek to learn more about the local history, flora, and fauna. Afterward, you'll head toward the Upsala Canal and navigate to the Herminita Peninsula.
In the afternoon, sail along the Tempanos Canal for an alternative view of the famous Perito Moreno Glacier. After admiring its dramatic north face, return to the port and head back to El Calafate, where you can relax and spend the evening as you please.
Day 10: Ice Hike on Perito Moreno Glacier
Today you'll have the once-in-a-lifetime experience of walking on the surface of a glacier. Begin with a transfer to the Bajo de Las Sombras port, where you'll board a boat and cruise across the lake for around 20 minutes. Your guides will brief you on the day's activity. Then the trek starts with a walk toward Perito Moreno Glacier along a picturesque beach. On reaching the ice, you'll get outfitted in crampons. Your experienced mountain guides will lead you on the ice hike, pointing out geological formations and wildlife along the way.
In total, you'll be on the glacier for about 1.5 hours. At the end of the ice trek, take a break for lunch. Then explore the walkways around the visitor's center, enjoying various views of the glacier from different angles. You'll transfer back to El Calafate to finish the day.
Day 11: Fly to Ushuaia, Explore the Town
After breakfast in El Calafate, you'll pack up and transfer to the airport for your flight to Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world. Located on a bay in Tierra del Fuego, the city sits between the jagged peaks of the Martial Mountains and the silver waters of the Beagle Channel, where Charles Darwin famously sailed. After dropping off your things at your hotel, walk along the waterfront to marvel at the mountains and scenic shoreline.
Visit Ushuaia's Maritime Museum, housed in a building that was once a prison, or the Museo del Fin del Mundo (End of the World Museum). Located on the waterfront, this small museum features fascinating exhibits on the region's natural and Indigenous history. Alternatively, take a leisurely afternoon hike at Laguna Esmeralda, a beautiful turquoise lake outside Ushuaia. Then enjoy dinner in a local seafood restaurant—be sure to try the centolla (king crab).Day 12: Boat to the Penguin Colony on Isla Martillo & Hike to a Waterfall
Enjoy an adventure on the water today. You'll sail across Brown Bay and the Beagle Channel, passing incredible landscapes and islands with colonies of sea lions and Magellanic penguins. Your destination is Isla Martillo, a rocky island populated by penguins. You'll be invited to hop off the boat and walk near them; though closer contact isn't allowed, you'll have some fantastic photo opportunities.
Continue the boat trip to the small village of Almanza, where you'll have a seafood lunch with a local family and learn about the fishing industry in the area. Then continue on a hike to the Río Lasifashaj, which features a picturesque waterfall. Sunset will be approaching slowly as you return to Ushuaia for a relaxing dinner and rest at the hotel.
Day 13: Guided Trek in Tierra del Fuego National Park
Today, you'll spend most of your time in Tierra del Fuego National Park. Your experienced guide will show you the best hikes, lakes, and lookout points, from seaside mountains to freshwater rivers to subantarctic forests and tranquil bays. Begin with a 4.3-mile (7 km) hike on a coastal path that follows the Beagle Channel. You'll have excellent views of the channel along the way and pass remnants of ancient settlements once occupied by the native Yámana people.
At the end of the hike, enjoy a delicious lunch with views of the Río Lapataia and Lago Roca. After lunch, you'll begin another walk on the La Lenga Trail, reaching the southernmost point of the Pan-American Highway before returning to the city of Ushuaia for the night.
Day 14: Discover the Lakes of Carbajal Valley
Today's excursion takes you through Tierra del Fuego's most wild and breathtaking scenery. After a morning pickup at your hotel, you'll head out of Ushuaia on the picturesque Route 3. Your first stop takes you to the viewpoint of Carbajal Valley, where you can observe the remarkable influence of glacial movement on the landscape. After a quick visit at the Villa Las Cotorras Resort, continue to the legendary Andean mountain pass of Paso Garibaldi, where a panoramic postcard of lakes and mountains awaits.
Your 4WD journey begins here! Start descending through the forest on simple logging roads carved by the region's first lumberjacks. After a stop at Lago Escondido for some traditional Argentine drinks and snacks, continue to Lago Fagnano to see the Magallanes Fault. This continental tectonic fault line helped to form prehistoric South America. Return to Ushuaia in the afternoon and enjoy one last seafood dinner before your stay ends.
Day 15: Depart Ushuaia
More Great Patagonia Itineraries
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