Highlights
- Discover Perito Moreno, a rare advancing glacier outside El Calafate
- Hike through the wild landscapes of Torres del Paine National Park
- Go ice trekking to a green lagoon and Ojo de Albino Glacier
- Explore the wilderness of Tierra del Fuego, including an island full of penguins
Brief Itinerary
| Day | Highlights | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrive in Buenos Aires (Argentina), Explore the City | Buenos Aires |
| Day 2 | Fly to El Calafate, Visit the Glaciarium | El Calafate |
| Day 3 | See the Perito Moreno Glacier | El Calafate |
| Day 4 | Transfer to Puerto Natales (Chile), See the Port | Puerto Natales |
| Day 5 | Transfer to Torres del Paine, Hike to the Base of the Paine Massif | Torres del Paine |
| Day 6 | Trek Around Lago Nordenskjöld | Torres del Paine |
| Day 7 | Explore the French Valley | Torres del Paine |
| Day 8 | Boat Trip to Grey Glacier | Torres del Paine |
| Day 9 | Return to El Calafate (Argentina), Free Afternoon | El Calafate |
| Day 10 | Ride Horses or Kayak Near El Calafate | El Calafate |
| Day 11 | Fly to Ushuaia, Explore the City | Ushuaia |
| Day 12 | Hike to Ojo de Albino Glacier | Ushuaia |
| Day 13 | Beagle Channel Cruise or Isla Martillo Excursion | Ushuaia |
| Day 14 | Depart Ushuaia |
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Buenos Aires (Argentina), Explore the City
Welcome to Argentina! Begin your trip in the bustling capital city of Buenos Aires. Travel from the airport to your hotel and take some time to get settled before heading off on an afternoon tour. Your guide will pick you up and start by showing you Plaza de Mayo, home to the national government palace and the Metropolitan Cathedral. Continue to nearby San Telmo, one of the city's oldest neighborhoods; it's famous for its bohemian atmosphere, street tango performances, antique shops, and cobblestoned streets.
La Boca is known for its brightly-painted houses, and Puerto Madero is on the riverside, with former industrial warehouses turned into elegant bars, restaurants, and offices. Palermo is home to trendy bars, clubs, and boutiques, plus parks, lakes, and wooded areas. Recoleta is famous for its cemetery, where some of Argentina's most famous residents are buried—including Eva Perón, also known as Evita. After the tour, have dinner near your hotel—try an Argentine parrilla, or steakhouse—and get some rest before traveling onward tomorrow.
Day 2: Fly to El Calafate, Visit the Glaciarium
Today you'll fly to the Patagonian destination of El Calafate, the gateway to Los Glaciares National Park. If you can, get a window seat to take in the stunning views of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field during the 3.5-hour flight. El Calafate is 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. Stop in the quaint cafés and shops around El Calafate, then have dinner in a local restaurant before getting some rest at your hotel.
Day 3: See the Perito Moreno Glacier
Today's adventure takes you to the famous Perito Moreno Glacier in Los Glaciares National Park. The transfer from your hotel takes about one hour. As you enter the park, you'll catch your first glimpse of the majestic glacier. This extensive ice mass flows down from the Andes out over Lago Argentino, ending abruptly in a great wall that curves around the lake.
Witness "calving," the awe-inspiring sight of ice breaking off the facade and crashing into the tranquil waters below. Near the visitor's center, you'll have time to explore the boardwalks and viewing platforms offering sweeping views of the glacier. You'll also have the chance to get close to the glacier's massive ice walls on a boat tour. Head back to El Calafate for the evening.
Day 4: Transfer to Puerto Natales (Chile), See the Port
After breakfast in El Calafate, it's time to make your way into Chilean Patagonia from Argentina. Your destination is the Chilean town of Puerto Natales. The journey can take upward of five hours depending on traffic conditions at the Argentina/Chile border.
Puerto Natales is the principal base for excursions into Torres del Paine National Park. The town offers simple pleasures, like strolling the waterfront promenade. It sits on the Seno Última Esperanza (Last Hope Sound), which affords views northward to the peaks of Cerro Benitez and Cerro Toro, and the views are especially phenomenal at sunset.
Day 5: Transfer to Torres del Paine, Hike to the Base of the Paine Massif
After breakfast in Puerto Natales, you'll pack up and transfer just over an hour north to the entrance of Torres del Paine National Park. From here, you'll make your way to the base of the park's three iconic towers on one of the most popular hiking routes in the park. Although it can be completed in less than a day, this hike is strenuous and requires a good level of physical fitness. However, the stunning views at the base of the Paine massif make it well worth the effort. The trekking route covers 11 miles (18 km) and lasts about nine hours.
The hike begins at the Las Torres Hostel and will take you over the Río Ascencio, at which point you'll ascend about 1.5 miles (2.5 km) to a lookout featuring panoramic views of the valley below. Then you'll continue through sections of lenga forest until the remaining 45-minute stretch, a steep ascent that involves a hard scramble over a moraine to the final path leading up to the viewpoint. Relax by the lagoon and marvel at the amazing rock formations as you enjoy a delicious picnic lunch, then make the return trip back down the trail.
Day 6: Trek Around Lago Nordenskjöld
This morning, you'll have breakfast and prepare for another four-hour hike. Today's route takes you along the shore of Lago Nordenskjöld toward Refugio & Camping Chileno, located in the Ascencio Valley. Along the way, you'll stop for a hike up Almirante Nieto, a mountain with incredible views of both the lake and the valley. You'll cross a few rivers, hop along rocks, and catch glimpses of glaciers and the mountaintops hovering over you. Once you reach camp, spend some time relaxing before dinner and get a good night's sleep.
Chat with a local specialist who can help organize your trip.
Day 7: Explore the French Valley
Hike into the heart of the park today to visit another iconic area of Torres del Paine: French Valley. After breakfast, you'll meet your guide and transfer to the Pudeto Ranger Station, located on the shores of Lago Pehoé. From here, it's a half-hour catamaran cruise across the lake, where you'll arrive at the trailhead and begin your trek. The first part of the trail is relatively flat and leads along the north side of Lago Skottsberg to Refugio Italiano, which is located at the bottom of the French Valley. Take a break for water and snacks.
Afterward, you'll have the option to continue deeper into the French Valley along a steep trail through lenga forest. Roughly 1.5 miles (2.5 km) from Italiano, you'll reach a viewpoint near the Cuernos del Paine that affords wide views of the French Glacier hanging down from Mount Paine Grande. From here, return to the hotel and spend the rest of the day relaxing.
Day 8: Boat Trip to Grey Glacier
This morning, you'll board the Grey III catamaran for a tour of Grey Glacier, which feeds the lake of the same name, Lago Grey. The boat travels across the lake and stops close to the glacier, which gives passengers a prime vantage point to snap photos of its massive ice walls. The Grey III then continues to the other side of the lake, where you'll disembark and make your way to the Bigfoot Basecamp to begin an epic ice hike.
This portion of the trip starts on the island of Islatak with a hike up the glacial moraine. After an hour, you'll reach the ice, gear up, and learn the basics and safety protocols of glacier hikes from a pro. Equipped with an ice ax, crampons, helmet, and harness, you will then walk onto the Grey Glacier, where you will step over blue crevasses, hop over meltwater streams, and pass alongside ice caves. It's truly a singular experience. Following your ice hike excursion, you'll return to your hotel.
Day 9: Return to El Calafate (Argentina), Free Afternoon
Day 10: Ride Horses or Kayak Near El Calafate
Today you'll have free time to enjoy El Calafate however you like. You could book a luxurious spa treatment and spend the day relaxing. Or embark on an active adventure, like horseback riding at a nearby ranch. One excellent option is to join a kayaking excursion on the lake. Return to town in the evening for dinner in a local restaurant.
Day 11: Fly to Ushuaia, Explore the City
After breakfast in El Calafate, you'll pack up and transfer to the airport for the quick hourlong 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: Hike to Ojo de Albino Glacier
Today you'll go on a full-day guided ice trek to Ojo de Albino Glacier. After an early breakfast, you'll be picked up and transferred to a trailhead located 12 miles (20 km) from Ushuaia. Meet your guide and talk through a safety briefing before gearing up and entering the path. The first section travels through a forest and several peat bogs, crossing the Tierra Mayor Valley until you reach the bright green Laguna Esmeralda.
After a photo break, you'll walk around the lagoon in search of beaver dams until you cross the tree line, where the climb becomes more demanding. Trek along a steep mountain path until you reach the glacier. Observe a mass of cracked, flat ice surrounded by sharp peaks; at the center is a pool of melting water with beautiful icebergs. Have lunch surrounded by this impressive landscape, then start making your way back to the entrance and return to Ushuaia.
Day 13: Beagle Channel Cruise or Isla Martillo Excursion
After breakfast in Ushuaia, head to the pier to board a boat for a sightseeing cruise on the Beagle Channel. As you sail through the channel, you'll get breathtaking panoramic views of the city of Ushuaia and the bay. Be on the lookout for diverse marine wildlife, such as cormorants and sea lions. If the winds are calm, you can get off the boat and walk ashore on one of the islands. Before making your way back to Ushuaia, you'll cruise past the famous Les Eclaireurs, the so-called "Lighthouse at the End of the World."
Alternatively, you could take a boat trip to 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. Return to Ushuaia for a relaxing dinner on the last night of the trip.
Day 14: Depart Ushuaia
The adventure ends today. After breakfast, you'll head to the airport to catch a flight out. Safe travels!
More Great Patagonia Itineraries
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