Patagonia is one of those places that definitely lives up to the hype, actually it’s one of the few places that exceeds it. In this post we will talk about all the must see places to visit in Patagonia.
Just know that it’s an absolute haven for outdoor enthusiasts and adventure seekers.
Patagonia region is home to some of the most pristine nature, with sharp towering snow-capped mountains, turquoise lakes, glaciers, rivers and gorgeous grasslands.
Patagonia spreads through two countries, Chile and Argentina, and is this guide we will cover both.
These are the Must-See Places to Visit in Patagonia: Your Ultimate Itinerary.
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How to Get to Patagonia
So how exactly do you get to Patagonia? So that’s dependent on where you decide to start your trip. In this itinerary we will be starting from Argentina.
No matter where you are coming from in the world you’ll most likely be landing either in Buenos Aires Argentina or Santiago Chile. For this itinerary you will be landing in Buenos Aires, I highly recommend you spend a couple days discovering the magnificent city of Buenos Aires before or after visiting Patagonia.
After arriving in Buenos Aires you will catch a flight to Bariloche, your first stop in Patagonia. For the rest of the stops in this itinerary you will be taking a combinations of flights, buses and car rentals to get around Patagonia.
Best Time To Visit Patagonia
No matter when you decide to visit you will likely to experience sun, wind, rain and snow, sometimes even all in one day. The weather in Patagonia is very unpredictable.
For the best weather try and visit during the summer season December-February. During this time you can expect a higher chance of sunny days and fewer rain showers, but the infamous Patagonian winds are at its peak.
Since this is a popular time to visit for hikers, booking camp sites, refugios, buses, flights and car rentals in advance is highly recommend.
Shoulder season is also a great time to visit, late Spring October to November or Early Fall March and Early April. You will have less crowds, lower prices, pleasant weather and most hiking trails are open.
Argentine Patagonia
Bariloche Argentina
1st Stop (4 NIGHTS)
You will be flying from Buenos Aires to San Carlos de Bariloche. Make sure to rent a car you, will definitely need one.
I recommend booking with a local car rental shop, this way you can pay cash and get the rental at a much better rate.
Bariloche is Patagonia’s most charming town and known as little Switzerland. Expect stunning landscapes, chocolate, fondue and lots of craft beer!
Things to do in Bariloche
- Cerro Campanario: You can visit the viewpoint by chairlift or on foot. Going on foot will take around 45 minutes to an hour to reach the viewpoint.
- 7 Lakes Drive
- Hike Cerro Llao Llao: 9 miles(15 KM) loop trail
- Bike or Drive Circuito Chico
- Hike Refugio Frey: 11.6 miles(17 KM) out and back trail
- Wander Around the City Center and Cathedral
- Eat Delicious Chocolate & Fondue
- Visit the Breweries and enjoy 50 Cent Beer Tastings.
Places to Eat in Bariloche
- La Carbon Food Truck (The best food and with the best view, we ate here 4 times)
- Alto El Fuego Parrilla
- Caliu Brasas del Sur
- Rapa Nui (The Best Chocolate, try the fondue with fresh fruits)
- El Cafecito
Where to Stay in Bariloche
Budget| Ciao Bariloche Hostel
Mid Range| Selva India Suites
Luxury| Llao Llao Resort, Golf-Spa
El Chalten Argentina
2nd Stop (4 NIGHTS)
Now El Chalten has to be one of the best places to visit in Patagonia, the day hikes here are unreal!
The easiest way to get to El Chalten is to fly to El Calafate Airport. Here you can rent a car or take a bus like we did to the town of El Chalten.
You can book a bus ticket with Taqsa HERE. Two of my favorite day hikes are in El Chalten. Make sure to stay at least 3 nights but 4 is preferable due to unpredictable weather.
Things to do in El Chalten
- Laguna de Los Tres: 12.5 miles(20 KM) out and back trail from Patagonia Eco Domes and 15 miles (24 KM) from the town of El Chalten.
- Laguna Cerro Torre: 11 miles(18 KM) out and back trail.
- Horse Back Riding at Estancia Bonanza: Cost $85 USD per person
Places to Eat in El Chalten
We had all but 1 meal at Patagonia Eco Domes. They have the most delicious food, plus it was included in our room rate.
The only meal we had outside of our hotel was after our Horseback Tour with Estancia Bonanza, where we enjoyed a delicious Patagonian Lamb a la cruz. Highly recommend!
Where to Stay in El Chalten
We stayed at Patagonia Eco Domes and it was a truly amazing experience! If budget allows I would 100% stay with them.
Budget| Rancho Grande Hostel
Mid Range| Hosteria Senderos
Luxury| Patagonia Eco Domes
El Calafate Argentina
3rd Stop (2 NIGHTS)
Make your way over to El Calafate either by bus or with your car rental. Here you will be visiting the spectacular Perito Moreno Glacier located at UNESCO World Heritage Site, Los Glaciares National Park.
Unlike most glaciers worldwide that are retreating due to climate change, Perito Moreno is one of the few glaciers that is still growing.
You can book your bus ticket with the same company Taqsa.
We highly recommend The Big Ice Trek, it’s a difficult excursion as you will be walking for approximately 7 hours but it was the highlight of El Calafate.
If you want to trek the glacier but feel like 7 hours of walking is a bit too much do the Mini Trek. Not interested in trekking at all then I recommend a tour that includes a cruise.
El Calafate Glacier Tours
- Perito Moreno Big Ice Trek Only available September 15th to April 30th.
- Perito Moreno Mini Trek Only available July 15th to May 31st
- Perito Moreno with Cruise Operates Year Round
- Perito Moreno with Cruise & Lunch Operates Year Round
- Kayak Perito Moreno
Places to Eat in El Calafate
- Bocanada
- Pura Vida
- Cervecería Artesanal Chopen
Where to Stay in El Calafate
Budget| Hostal Scilling
Mid Range| Patagonia Queen Hotel Boutique
Luxury| Esplendor by Wyndham El Calafate
Chilean Patagonia
Puerto Natales Chile
4th Stop (1 NIGHT before trek 2 NIGHTS after trek)
Take a bus from El Calafate, Argentina to Puerto Natales, Chile. You can book your bus ticket HERE. Cost is between $35 USD to $45 USD.
Puerto Natales is the gateway to Torres del Paine National Park, and is the perfect place to shop for any last minute supplies you might need for the trek.
Things to do in Puerto Natales
- Wander Around the City Center
- Fly Fishing with Into The Wild Patagonia
Places to Eat in Puerto Natales
- Base Camp Pizzeria
- Cafe Kaiken
- Restaurant at Simple Patagonia
Where to Stay in Puerto Natales
Budget| El Patagónico Hostel
Mid Range| Casa de la Patagonia
Luxury| Hotel Simple Patagonia
Torres del Paine National Park Chile
5th Stop (7 NIGHTS)
Now from all the places to visit in Patagonia this is hands down my favorite , this stop should not be missed.
Purchase a roadtrip ticket from Puerto Natales Terminal Rodoviario to Laguna Amara (Base Torres). Bus fare will cost $32 USD per person for a roundtrip ticket.
You will be staying at different Refugios and Campsite throughout your trek. All Refugios and Campsite need to be booked in advance. DO NOT show up without a reservations.
You also need to purchase a National Park entrance ticket. Tickets are $49 per person for a stay longer than 3 days and can be purchased HERE.
I recommend booking Refugios or campsite at least 4-6 months in advance especially during the peak summer season.
How to book Campsites for Torres del Paine National Park
You will need to make 2-3 different reservations depending on where you decide to stay. Make your bookings with Vertice, Las Torres Patagonia and CONAF. CONAF sites are free but you still need a reservation and you will need to bring your own tent. Update: CONAF campsites are currently closed for the 2024/2025 season.
UPDATE: You are now able to book all accommodation, meals and gear on Torres Hike.
I still recommended booking individually though, Torres Hike does charge a service and payment fee. When I checked for example booking directly through Vertice for Dickson Camp the total for Site, Full Board, Tent, Mat and Sleeping Bag came out to $190 USD versus on Torres Hike was $225 USD.
- Book with Vertice for- Dickson, Los Perros, Grey, and Paine Grande Campsites.
- Book with Las Torres Patagonia for- Central, Serón, Francés, Los Cuernos, and Chileno Campsites.
Book with CONAF for- El Paso and Italiano Campsites.
Things to do at Torres del Paine National Park
- O Circuit: 80 miles(129 KM) over 8 days.
- W Circuit: 50 miles(80 KM) over 5 days
Punta Arenas Chile
Final Stop (2 NIGHTS)
Last on our Places to visit in Patagonia itinerary is the hopefully weather cooperating Puerto Arenas.
Take a bus from Puerto Natales to Punta Arenas with Bus Sur. A one way ticket cost $12 USD per person and can be purchased HERE.
The best thing to do in Punta Arenas is to walk with thousands of penguins on Isla Magdalena or visit a colony of King Penguins.
Tours get cancelled and rescheduled frequently due to high winds, that’s why I recommend 2-3 days in Punta Arenas.
Things to do in Punta Arenas
- Wander Around the City Center
- Isla Magdalena Penguin Tour
- King Colony Penguin Tour
Places to Eat in Punta Arenas
- Wake Up Coffee & Brunch
- Kiosco Roca Punta Arenas
- Restaurant Damiana Elena
Where to Stay in Punta Arenas
Budget| Haiken Hostal
Mid Range| Patagonia Apart Hotel – Suite
Luxury| Hotel José Nogueira
If you have more time head over to Ushuaia and visit Tierra de Fuego National Park. If not take a flight from Punta Arenas Airport to Buenos Aires where you can catch your international flight back home.
And that‘s all the Must-See Places to Visit in Patagonia.
BUT WAIT THERE’S MORE:
- The Ultimate Argentina Itinerary
- Exploring the Best of Colombia: A 3 week Itinerary
- Peru Itinerary & Guide-An Epic 3 Week Adventure
- Guatemala Itinerary: A Two Week Adventure
Travel Resources
Here you can find all the travel site links that we personally use and recommend.
CAMPSITES/CAMPGROUNDS We like to use a couple apps for last minute campsite bookings. Our favorites are HipCamp, The Dyrt and Campendium.
ACCOMMODATION: We find the best deals with BOOKING.COM. The more you book the better the perks like free breakfast with your stay, room upgrades and even higher discounted room rates.
CAR RENTALS: We have always used RentalCars.com and find them to have the best deals, customer service and selection of locations.
FLIGHTS: Our go to for looking up flights is SKYSCANNER, but we try to always book directly with the airline.
TOURS/EXCURSIONS: GET YOUR GUIDE and VIATOR are two very reputable sites with easy and hassle free bookings.
TRAVEL INSURANCE: It’s so important to travel with insurance and for this we use SafetyWing. We are currently using them for our 1 year trip.
TRANSPORTATION: For all our bus, ferry and train transfer needs in Asia we use 12go.asia.
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