Patagonia walking guide
Our Patagonia walking holidays guide introduces you to what is perhaps the most romantic stretch of Latin America, one that has drawn adventurous souls for centuries with its untamed and rugged beauty.
Patagonia travel tips
Trekking tips
Megan Parkinson, from our supplier Chimu Adventures, shares her Patagonia travel tips:
"Something that I think is incredible is the trekking in Tierra del Fuego. Very few people go, and some of the paths aren’t even marked, but there are guides from the region who can take you on treks in the complete wilderness. It’s a really incredible experience because you feel like you really are the only people there, and you feel like you’re at the end of the earth, trekking. The area hasn’t really been developed, and when people think of trekking they think of Torres del Paine, Fitz Roy and El Chaltén – and not the far south. It’s certainly very bleak and cold but it’s very, very beautiful."
"Something that I think is incredible is the trekking in Tierra del Fuego. Very few people go, and some of the paths aren’t even marked, but there are guides from the region who can take you on treks in the complete wilderness. It’s a really incredible experience because you feel like you really are the only people there, and you feel like you’re at the end of the earth, trekking. The area hasn’t really been developed, and when people think of trekking they think of Torres del Paine, Fitz Roy and El Chaltén – and not the far south. It’s certainly very bleak and cold but it’s very, very beautiful."
Our Patagonia Holidays
Chile and Argentina tour
Santiago, Lake District, Patagonia, Glaciers & Buenos Aires
From
£2395
14 days
ex flights
Small group adventure holiday to Patagonia
Explore the spectacular wilderness and mountains of Patagonia
From
£3659
20 days
ex flights
Chile highlights tour, 10 days
10-days: Santiago, Atacama, Patagonia & Torres del Paine
From
£2550
10 days
ex flights
Patagonia tailor made tour, self guided
Self-guided holiday in stunning Patagonian mountains.
From
US $2922
13 days
ex flights
Patagonia trekking tour
Natural beauty, dramatic vistas and cosmopolitan cities.
From
£2770 to £3095
10 days
ex flights
Tour of Patagonia, El Calafate & Torres del Paine
Patagonia's best - Torres del Paine and Perito Moreno Glacier.
From
US $615 to US $840
5 days
ex flights
Patagonian adventure holiday
Explore the highlights of Argentine and Chilean Patagonia
From
US $3194 to US $4300
15 days
ex flights
Patagonia luxury adventure holiday
Luxury hotels and adventure in Patagonia
From
US $4327 to US $4887
11 days
ex flights
Patagonian holiday
Explore the mountain scenery of Chilean & Argentine Patagonia
From
£3415 to £4080
15 days
ex flights
Highlights of Patagonia holiday
10 day adventure through the Highlights of Patagonia.
From
£769 to £1569
10 days
ex flights
Patagonia tailor made holiday, 14 days
Be awed by beautiful Patagonian wilderness on this trip
From
£3072
14 days
ex flights
Chile adventure holiday
Chile's best: the Atacama Desert, Lake District and Patagonia
From
£4399 to £4839
15 days
inc UK flights
Paine and Fitz Roy trek, trekking holiday
Spectacular Andes scenery from glacial lakes to towering granite peaks
From
£4650 to £4790
15 days
ex flights
Patagonia trekking holiday, Patagonia Eco-camp
Camp & trek Los Glaciares & T. del Paine Parks, Patagonia
From
£3724 to £4600
17 days
ex flights
Patagonia trekking holiday
Trek on the Patagonia Ice Cap, a stunning expedition.
From
£1871
9 days
ex flights
Patagonian adventure holiday in Chile and Argentina
Discover stunning Patagonia
From
£2580
12 days
ex flights
Patagonia 12 day tour, Torres to Buenos Aires
Stunning journey to the end of the world
From
£1911 to £2699
12 days
ex flights
Patagonia trekking holiday, Fitzroy and Paine
Dramatic scenery and the trekking world-renowned
From
£5069 to £5369
15 days
inc UK flights
Chile tailor made holiday, north to south
Highlights of Chile in wine country, Atacama, and Patagonia
From
US $3445 to US $3775
13 days
ex flights
Rio Futaleufu rafting holiday in Chile
Raft deep canyons and pristine wilderness of Patagonia
From
£3800
9 days
ex flights
Chile tailor made tours, volcanos & National Parks
Explore vineyards, spot penguins & journey through volcanoes
From
£2235
16 days
ex flights
Patagonia family holiday, glacial lakes and mountains
Discover true wilderness on this adventurous family holiday
From
£5445
16 days
ex flights
Chile holiday, Atacama Desert to Patagonia Glaciers
Experience the varying landscape and climate of Chile
From
£4084
13 days
ex flights
Patagonia & Torres del Paine holiday
The best of Patagonia and Torres del Paine National Park
From
£2995
15 days
ex flights
Argentina holiday, Buenos Aires to Patagonia
Argentina's highlights - Buenos Aires, Iguazu Falls & El Calafate
From
US $2795
11 days
ex flights
Cycling the Lake District of Chile and Argentina
Amazing cycling through Argentina and Chile
From
£3749 to £4179
16 days
inc UK flights
Bariloche kayaking holiday in Patagonia
Enjoy guided kayaking and hiking in Bariloche, Argentina.
From
US $720 to US $1310
4 days
ex flights
Buenos Aires, Iguazu Falls & Patagonia holiday, Argentina
Visit the best cities and landscapes in Argentina
From
US $2595 to US $3285
15 days
ex flights
Chile tailor made holiday, natural highlights
North to South: Atacama, Lakes District & Torres del Paine
From
US $4741
14 days
ex flights
Cruise tips
David Orrock, from our supplier Pura Aventura shares his Patagonia travel tips for choosing a cruise: "The Skorpios cruises are underrated and less famous than the Australis cruises, which travel round the bottom of Tierra del Fuego. The Skorpios cruises are more laid back and there are a lot of South Americans on them too. They do an amazing trip in Chile up to the 30,000 year old San Rafael glacier, round Chiloé Island and right into the fishing villages – a lot of places that aren’t as well known. It’s much more cultural than the southern cruises, and it’s something quite different to do."
Tips on where to stay
Myer Henderson, from our supplier Say Hueque, reveals his Patagonia travel tips for choosing a base: "El Chaltén is one of my favourite spots. It’s a centre for hiking and trekking, about four hours from Calafate – it’s a tiny, sleepy little town nestled in the heart of these lovely mountains. The town has grown with tourism, so you have some lovely microbreweries, tasty restaurants, small hotels, a few hostels and some nice lodges. But it’s so small that you can wake up in the morning, walk ten minutes out of town and you’re at the trailhead, and you can go straight off and start exploring the region. There’s Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre, you can do horse riding too. It’s basically the quintessential Patagonian experience, especially for outdoorsy folks. I love it!"Culture tips
David Orrock, from our supplier Pura Aventura, shares Patagonia travel tips for culture lovers:
"We always warn people that Patagonians don’t really make much small talk because they lead very solitary lives out in the wilds, especially the gauchos. You’ll get a warm welcome – but not in the way you’re used to. They don’t really chit-chat. It’s all connected to the difficulty of getting around and the scale of it all – you can’t get a sense of the vastness of the place until you try and imagine actually living there."
"We always warn people that Patagonians don’t really make much small talk because they lead very solitary lives out in the wilds, especially the gauchos. You’ll get a warm welcome – but not in the way you’re used to. They don’t really chit-chat. It’s all connected to the difficulty of getting around and the scale of it all – you can’t get a sense of the vastness of the place until you try and imagine actually living there."
Our top Patagonia Holiday
Small group adventure holiday to Patagonia
Explore the spectacular wilderness and mountains of Patagonia
From
£3659
20 days
ex flights
Small group travel:
2019: 3 Nov, 24 Nov, 15 Dec
2019: 3 Nov, 24 Nov, 15 Dec
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about Patagonia or need help finding a holiday to suit you we're very happy to help.
Health & safety in Patagonia
HEALTH
SAFETY
Patagonia tips from our travellers
At Responsible Travel, we think the best people to advise our travellers are often... other travellers. They always return from our tours with packing tips, weather reports, ideas about what to do - and opinions about what not to.
We have selected some of the most useful Patagonia travel tips that our guests have provided over the years to help you make the very most of your holiday - and the space inside your suitcase.
We have selected some of the most useful Patagonia travel tips that our guests have provided over the years to help you make the very most of your holiday - and the space inside your suitcase.
My tip for anyone heading to Argentina would be to learn some basic Spanish as it really helps understand the people a little more and allows you to fit in a little more easily.
- Douglas Pickles
“Make sure you have appropriate footwear (hiking boots). There is no need to bring a sleeping bag as these can be hired at the time – and they are good sleeping bags.“ - Frank Sperling
“Make sure you have all the right equipment including a lightweight towel and rain jacket because some parts of the trip involve having to walk with your own stuff. Also the microbrewery at El Chaltén was extremely good! Two very good beers on tap.“ - Karen Simecek
“Do some walking beforehand, if you want to get the most from it. Also, don't forget a camera or you will be truly sorry!“ - Chris Senior
“Make sure you have all the right equipment including a lightweight towel and rain jacket because some parts of the trip involve having to walk with your own stuff. Also the microbrewery at El Chaltén was extremely good! Two very good beers on tap.“ - Karen Simecek
“Do some walking beforehand, if you want to get the most from it. Also, don't forget a camera or you will be truly sorry!“ - Chris Senior
Make sure you're in good shape for long and sometimes challenging hikes
- Karen Cutler
“Just relax and enjoy yourselves. Everything was really well organised by the operator so the only thing for us to do was have a fantastic honeymoon!“ - Jennifer Warnett
“Take a little notebook to write down your spottings - I am not a twitcher but you cannot help becoming interested and noting the birds and animals down is infectious as it allows you to learn even more back at the lodge. The operator really came up with some wonderful ideas. They knew the best areas to stay in, the best accommodation – including a four-bedroom boutique hotel in Buenos Aires – and came up with original ideas for making our trip very special. The guides were all excellent, and all the pick-ups and transfers worked perfectly.“ - Kathryn Huddle
“Take a little notebook to write down your spottings - I am not a twitcher but you cannot help becoming interested and noting the birds and animals down is infectious as it allows you to learn even more back at the lodge. The operator really came up with some wonderful ideas. They knew the best areas to stay in, the best accommodation – including a four-bedroom boutique hotel in Buenos Aires – and came up with original ideas for making our trip very special. The guides were all excellent, and all the pick-ups and transfers worked perfectly.“ - Kathryn Huddle
More about Patagonia
Best time to visit Patagonia in Chile is the summer season from the end of the year through to March.
A triangle of land at the end of the world, with calving glaciers, shattered fjords and jagged mountains, Patagonia stirs the heart of red-blooded adventurers.
Patagonia is surprisingly vast, but our suggested itineraries help you explore the parts that interest you most - whether that's trekking, marine life, glaciers or local culture.
Torres del Paine National Park is one of the brightest jewels in Chilean Patagonia’s well-bedecked crown.
Home to some of the world’s only advancing glaciers and dramatic mountain scenery, Los Glaciares National Park in Argentine Patagonia is not to be missed.
While cars can cover the distance, slow down to a walking pace and you’ll experience what this region is really about.
Combine Buenos Aires and Patagonia for a holiday that takes you from chic city streets to wild mountain vistas.
From small group holidays led by expert local guides, to road trips behind the wheel of your own hire car, here’s how to travel in Patagonia to make the most of its world-class trekking, stupendous landscapes and glorious, glacier-filled national parks.
Travelling in Patagonia with kids is an offbeat suggestion for a holiday.
Responsible tourism in Patagonia takes many forms - as befits this vast region that spans two South American countries.
More relevant guides
protection
Photo credits: [Page banner: Justin Vidamo] [Trekking tips: Petr Meissner]
[Cruise tips: Steven dosRemedios]
[Culture tips: vicmillon]
[Health & Safety: Inès d'Anselme]
[Douglas Pickles quote: Kris Haamer]
[Karen Cutler quote: Liam Quinn]
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