Southern Patagonia for Avid Hikers - 16 Days

Highlights

• Hit the trail on multiday circuit treks in Torres del Paine and around El Chaltén
• Hike to glacial lakes, like Nordenskjöld and Pehoé, in Torres del Paine
• Cross high mountain passes with epic views over Patagonian landscapes
• Strap on crampons for a thrilling ice hike on Perito Moreno Glacier

Brief Itinerary

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Santiago (Chile), Fly to Puerto Natales

Welcome to Chile! You'll arrive in the dynamic capital of Santiago, but this is just a stopover—your destination today is Patagonia, one of the world's last frontiers. At Santiago's airport, you'll board a connecting flight south to Puerto Natales. This small port city on the Seno Última Esperanza (Last Hope Sound) is famous as a base for nature excursions to Torres del Paine, the crown jewel of Chile's national parks. This legendary protected area covers 700 square miles (1,810 sq km) and is renowned for its circuit treks.

A driver will pick you up at the airport for the ride into town and your hotel. After settling in, you'll receive a briefing from the team about your upcoming park adventures. Afterward, you can enjoy a leisurely stroll along the promenade fronting the silver waters of the Seno Última Esperanza. In the distance, you'll see the peaks of Cerro Benitez and Cerro Toro, and the sunset views are phenomenal.

Day 2: Transfer to Torres del Paine, O Circuit Route

Rise and shine! You may want to warm up with some stretching because today, you'll embark on your first hike in Patagonia. Your driver will pick you up early for the two-hour drive into Torres del Paine. As you enter the park, you'll catch your first glimpses of Torres del Paine's massive granite peaks, including the jagged Paine massif.

You'll arrive at the Laguna Amarga main entrance and register with the park office. Then, take a quick shuttle ride to the Las Torres sector. The day's 6.8-mile (11 km) hike follows the O Circuit leading up Mount Almirante Nieto to an incredible view of Lago Nordenskjöld and Silence Valley.

Continue for one hour through a dense forest, continuing past Campamento Las Torres. Your final destination today is Campamento Japones, a camping area where the original pioneers of Torres del Paine took shelter from the elements and prepped for the climb to the top of Las Torres. There, you'll have dinner and rest up for tomorrow's big day.

Day 3: Cross the Oggioni Pass 

Following an early breakfast, you'll pack up and begin today's hike. The Oggioni Pass is off the beaten path: very few visitors to the park attempt it. The 7.5-mile (12 km) trail is marked by small stone towers left behind by previous hikers, and you'll begin by following the path toward a waterfall. Later, cross a natural stone bridge, then hike over two glacier moraines.

Next, you'll start climbing uphill. You may be able to see Oggioni Mountain as you continue over the pass and pass through a forest. From a distance, you'll come into view of Refugio & Camping Dickson, your destination for the evening. Have dinner and relax at the camp before getting some rest.

Day 4: Explore Dickson & Surrounding Area 

There's a carve-out in today's itinerary for some rest or in case inclement weather makes it impossible to complete the Oggioni Pass on day three. If you successfully completed the previous day's hike, you can take it easy today or head out on a brisk stroll around Refugio & Camping Dickson. Your guide can suggest some excursions in the area. One fun option is a walk around Lago Dickson to check out the wide variety of flora in the region. Or relax and enjoy the views of Dickson Glacier before tomorrow's hike. 

Day 5: Hike from Dickson to Perros 

After a hearty camp breakfast, you'll hit the trail again. Today's trek is approximately four hours long and covers 6.8 miles (11 km). It will take you through one of the oldest forests in the park, where you'll be able to see a number of unique mosses and lichens. Enjoy the scenery until you reach a moraine at the foot of Glacier Los Perros. There, you'll set up camp and prepare dinner with your guide before getting some rest.

Day 6: Hike Across the John Gardner Pass

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Today, you'll enjoy breakfast complemented by the lush scenery of the surrounding forest. Then, set off on a slow but steady climb up a hill for approximately 650 feet (200 m). After more than an hour of hiking, you'll reach the end of the forest and begin trekking up rockslides toward the John Gardner Pass. After emerging from patches of forest, you'll be treated to views of Amistad Glacier, Cerro Blanco Sur, and Punta Puma.

Continue climbing until you reach 3,937 feet (1,200 m). This is where an astonishing view of Grey Glacier and Patagonia's Southern Ice Field awaits. After enjoying this dazzling vista, it's time to begin hiking downhill for about two hours until you reach Campamento Paso for a short rest. Continue along an undulating trail with views of the glacier, Lago Grey, and Ferrier Hill. Cross several of the park's famous suspension bridges before reaching Campamento Grey. All told, the day's hike covers 13.7 miles (22 km).

Day 7: Hike to Lago Pehoé

In the morning, you'll link up with a portion of Torres del Paine's famous W Trek for a 6.8-mile (11 km) hike. Walk for about four hours along Lago Grey and then through a small forest. Most days, this section of the park experiences high winds due to the open landscapes around Lago Grey, Grey Glacier, and the Southern Patagonian Ice Field. In the afternoon, you'll arrive at Refugio Paine Grande on the shore of gorgeous Lago Pehoé. Have dinner and relax.

Day 8: Explore the French Valley

Shortly after breakfast, hike to Campamento Italiano, about 2.5 hours away. Once there, leave your large bag and continue into the French Valley with a small daypack. You'll hike across a moraine and through a forest until you come to a clearing, where you'll be blown away by both the wind and the spectacular views of three lakes: Nordenskjöld, Skottsberg, and Pehoé. You'll see the hanging French Glacier, plus several other peaks. Later, return to gather your larger backpack and continue another 2.5 hours to Camp Cuernos, completing the day's 10.7-mile (17.3 km) route.

Day 9: Hike Along Lago Nordenskjöld, Return to Puerto Natales 

Savor a final trail breakfast in Torres del Paine. Then, leave on an 8.8-mile (11 km) O hike along the shore of Lago Nordenskjöld as you admire its vivid colors. You'll walk for about four hours before reaching Refugio & Camping Central, where you'll catch a transfer and then a bus back to Puerto Natales and your hotel. Spend the evening enjoying Chilean cuisine and cocktails in the town's restaurants and bars to celebrate the end of your Torres del Paine adventures—tomorrow you're off to Argentina!

Day 10: Transfer to El Calafate (Argentina)

Say goodbye to Chilean Patagonia as you hop on a bus this morning and head north to El Calafate. It's a five-hour drive, and along the way, you'll stop for a customs check at the border crossing into Argentina. Eventually, you'll arrive at the scenic town of El Calafate. Sitting on the shores of Lago Argentino, this is the main base for trips into the famous Los Glaciares National Park and one of its star attractions, Perito Moreno Glacier.

Upon arrival, you'll check into your hotel and can spend the rest of the day relaxing or venture out and enjoy the quaint cafés and shops around town. Maybe prime yourself with information on the nearby glaciers by visiting the Glaciarium. This multimedia center has an ice museum, various interactive displays, and educational information regarding glaciers. For fun, it even has a bar made totally of ice.

Day 11: Perito Moreno Glacier Hike, Transfer to El Chaltén

Get ready for a once-in-a-lifetime adventure, as this morning, you'll meet a driver for the ride west into Los Glaciares National Park. As you enter the area, you'll catch your first glimpse of the impressive Perito Moreno. This expansive ice mass flows down from the Andes out over the turquoise waters of Lago Argentino, ending abruptly in a great wall that curves around the lake. Wait a bit, and you'll witness "calving," the awe-inspiring sight of ice breaking off the facade and crashing into the tranquil waters below. Every time ice hits the water, a thundering crash reverberates in the ears.

Believe it or not, today, you'll be trekking on top of this glacier. On this full-day excursion, you'll walk over Perito Moreno's surface while equipped with crampons and an ice ax. It's a perfectly safe activity, as certified bilingual guides will accompany you. So enjoy crossing deep blue ice crevices and hiking over meltwater streams as you experience Perito Moreno up close and personal. 

Afterward, leave El Calafate on a three-hour transfer north to El Chaltén. Nicknamed "the trekking capital of Argentina," this town lies on the Río Las Vueltas. Like El Calafate, it's a gateway to Los Glaciares National Park, with towering peaks rising 10,000 feet (3,048 m) above the windswept landscape. If the skies are clear during the drive, you'll have incredible views of the granite massif of Mount Fitz Roy.

Day 12: Huemul Circuit (Day 1): Trek to Laguna Toro

In the morning, you'll meet a local guide and hiking group to prepare for the first day on the famous Huemul Circuit multiday trek. After organizing the camping materials, your group will depart El Chaltén by foot en route to the trailhead. Once there, you'll start the day's 9.3-mile (15 km) hike, which takes about seven hours total and begins with an uphill section along a large open plateau known as La Pampa de Las Carretas.

Eventually, after passing through a forest, the trail will open up to prime views of Lago Viedma. Finally, you'll reach Toro Valley, from which you'll enjoy prime views of the hanging glacier on Monte Huemul. Over the next four days, you'll hike around this mountain peak, which rises 8,432 feet (2,570 m). After crossing a few small bridges and a river, you'll cut through a young lenga forest and arrive at Laguna Toro, where you'll camp for the night.

Day 13: Huemul Circuit (Day 2): Southern Ice Field Views

After a fortifying breakfast, you'll break camp and head out on foot for day two, which covers 7 miles (12 km) and takes about 7-8 hours to complete. After about 40 minutes of easy walking, you'll reach the Río Túnel, which you'll cross on foot or via a zipline (depending on weather conditions). The rest of the hike covers various terrain, such as pastures, moraines, and the lower part of the Río Túnel Glacier.

Following the glacier crossing, you'll begin a long and steady upward ascent to the El Paso del Viento mountain pass. From here, you'll enjoy impressive views looking out over the Southern Patagonian Ice Field. Following a well-deserved lunch, you'll begin the descent to Refugio Paso del Viento, where you'll set up camp for the night.

Day 14: Huemul Circuit (Day 3): Cross the Huemul Pass

Pack up this morning and embark on the third day of trekking, which covers 11 miles (18 km) and takes about 6-7 hours to complete. It begins with a walk along a gently ascending path as you hop over a few streams en route to Paso Huemul. From the top of the pass, you'll witness epic views of Viedma Glacier and Lago Viedma. With a surface area of 198 square miles (505 sq km), Viedma is the largest glacier in Argentina.

At the lookout point, you'll break for lunch. Later, continue walking down a steep and rocky path to the foot of Lago Viedma and your campsite for the evening. Here, you can marvel at the massive icebergs floating on the water, which were once part of the glacier. 

Day 15: Huemul Circuite (Day 4): Trek to Bahía Túnel 

Following breakfast, pack up and get ready to trek across Patagonia's famous steppe plains. Today's route follows Lago Viedma and covers a distance of 11 miles (18 km), which is primarily flat. It's a relatively easy and scenic hike, during which you'll cross over various streams and rivers. After about seven hours of trekking, you'll arrive at Puerto da Bahía Túnel, a port on the north side of the lake, where a vehicle will be waiting to transfer you back to El Chaltén.

Day 16: Transfer to El Calafate, Fly to Buenos Aires, Depart 

You've conquered the highlights of Patagonia on some of the world's most famous hikes. Now it's time to rest your weary bones and enjoy the memories. After an early breakfast, you'll hit the road with your driver back to El Calafate and the airport. There, you'll board a plane to Buenos Aires and meet your connecting flight home. Safe travels!

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