Things to see & do in Chilean Patagonia
Our Chile Holidays
Chile highlights tour, 10 days
10-days: Santiago, Atacama, Patagonia & Torres del Paine
Chile and Argentina tour
Santiago, Lake District, Patagonia, Glaciers & Buenos Aires
Small group adventure holiday to Patagonia
Explore the spectacular wilderness and mountains of Patagonia
Tour of Patagonia, El Calafate & Torres del Paine
Patagonia's best - Torres del Paine and Perito Moreno Glacier.
Patagonia tailor made tour, self guided
Self-guided holiday in stunning Patagonian mountains.
Patagonia tailor made holiday, 14 days
Be awed by beautiful Patagonian wilderness on this trip
Rio Futaleufu rafting holiday in Chile
Raft deep canyons and pristine wilderness of Patagonia
Patagonia self-drive holiday
10 days - Torres del Paine, Calafate & Perito Moreno
Paine and Fitz Roy trek, trekking holiday
Spectacular Andes scenery from glacial lakes to towering granite peaks
Patagonia luxury adventure holiday
Luxury hotels and adventure in Patagonia
Patagonian holiday
Explore the mountain scenery of Chilean & Argentine Patagonia
Patagonia small group holiday
Explore Patagonia's National Parks by foot and small-ship.
Chile tailor made holiday, north to south
Highlights of Chile in wine country, Atacama, and Patagonia
Cycling the Lake District of Chile and Argentina
Amazing cycling through Argentina and Chile
Chile adventure holiday
Chile's best: the Atacama Desert, Lake District and Patagonia
Patagonia trekking tour
Natural beauty, dramatic vistas and cosmopolitan cities.
Chile holiday, 21 days south to north
Atacama Desert, Patagonian Rainforest & National Parks
Self drive Patagonia holiday including Mapuche culture
Independent trip to explore the Mapuche culture
Patagonia overland truck tour, South America
From the Chilean Fjords to the Magellan Straits
Patagonia self drive holiday
Showcases three contrasting regions of Patagonia in Argentina and Chile
Patagonia highlights holiday
Explore the wild, mountainous south of Argentina and Chile
Patagonia trekking holiday
Trek on the Patagonia Ice Cap, a stunning expedition.
Patagonian adventure holiday in Chile and Argentina
Discover stunning Patagonia
Patagonia expedition holiday, small group
Explore and trek through Torres del Paine National Park
Patagonian adventure holiday
Explore the highlights of Argentine and Chilean Patagonia
Patagonia trekking holiday, Patagonia Eco-camp
Camp & trek Los Glaciares & T. del Paine Parks, Patagonia
Patagonia 12 day tour, Torres to Buenos Aires
Stunning journey to the end of the world
Chile tailor made tours, volcanos & National Parks
Explore vineyards, spot penguins & journey through volcanoes
Patagonia trekking holiday, Fitzroy and Paine
Dramatic scenery and the trekking world-renowned
Chilean Patagonia practicalities
The sheer scale of Chilean Patagonia gives you enormous breadth on when to travel. Between December and February the days are long and generally warm, and this is consequently the peak season, though it’s never difficult to find space. May to October tend to be damp and cold, with temperatures dropping precipitously at night.
The further south you go – as well as the higher, in terms of altitude – the colder it gets. Snow can make some areas inaccessible in midwinter, and although Torres del Paine National Park, for example, remains open, many of its refuges and campsites will close from May to August. The short days also mean early starts are needed for hikes.
We feel the best time to visit Chilean Patagonia is between March and May, when it’s still pleasantly warm but there are fewer other people around. However the most important thing to remember is to come prepared for changes in the weather whenever you travel. You’re familiar with the expression ‘four seasons in one day’ – in Chilean Patagonia that can be four seasons in just one hour.
Our top Chile Holiday
Chile and Argentina tour
Santiago, Lake District, Patagonia, Glaciers & Buenos Aires
This trip can be tailor made throughout the year to suit your requirements
Things to do in Chilean Patagonia
Trekking
Grey Glacier, in a lake scattered with icebergs, can also be explored by kayaks or boat trips, while elsewhere you have the Cuernos del Paine, rose-tinted ‘horns’ of granite rising out of the Patagonian steppe, and numerous trails also ideal for mountain biking that lead you past emerald lakes and waterfalls. Puerto Natales is the launch pad for Torres del Paine, while further south you have the former pioneer town of Punta Arenas, which is the base for Antarctic cruises and the luridly beautiful island of Tierra del Fuego.
Sea kayaking
As remote as they are magnificent, the northern Patagonian fjords of Quintupeu and Cahuelmo are a stunning destination for sea kayaking, the Andes plunging dramatically down into the sea. Trips depart from the Germanic Puerto Varas, known as the ‘City of Roses’ and normally travel between October and March in groups of between six and 12. Expect to encounter noisy colonies of sea lions, bubbling hot springs and perhaps to enjoy some night paddling under the moonlight, too.Rafting
White water rafting on the Futaleufú River takes you through an area of pristine wilderness, where deep canyons and dense rainforest are dominated by snowcapped volcanoes. No experience is needed for these trips but you will need a decent level of fitness to cope with some intensely challenging Class V rapids, which are interspersed with stretches of tranquillity where you can swim or fish from the raft. These adventures usually depart from Chaitén, another gateway to Chilean Patagonia, and see you staying in riverside campsites where you can relax in the evenings with beach barbecues, yoga and mountain biking.Self drive tours
Another unforgettable way to experience the natural splendour of Chilean Patagonia is with a self drive tour. One popular route is to spend a few weeks travelling around a series of national parks around 700km south of Santiago: the primordial landscape of Conguillio National Park, Araucaria forests and Uerquehue National Park, Villarrica National Park and Chiloé National Park whose residents include dolphins, penguins and sea lions.You can pause whenever you feel like it to trek around exquisite lakes, or to meet indigenous Mapuche people (perhaps staying in a traditional ruka house). Accommodation is arranged for you in advance, and you’ll be provided with comprehensive directions, information packs and of course 24/7 support. You can go wherever you want with tailor made itineraries, even as far south as Torres del Paine National Park if you’re so inclined.