ONE MONTH IN PATAGONIA! ARE YOU EXCITED OR WHAT?! I am so stoked (and a little jealous) for you! We have spent countless weeks exploring Patagonia and it-is-just-never-enough! To call Patagonia a ~wild~ place would be an understatement.
We have explored enough to be able to confidently put together the BEST one month itinerary that you could possibly do in Patagonia. This itinerary is FAST PACED and very attuned to the common hiker. To deeply explore these mountains, it is important that you GET IN THEM. I cannot stress enough how much it will change your life. So.. you’ve got a month to explore Patagonia? LET’S DO IT!
***Don’t forget to bring these International Travel Essentials on your trip
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Week 1: Torres del Paine
Week one will be all about Chilean Patagonia and the famous Torres del Paine National Park! You will spend 8 days backpacking through the “O” route with highlights including glaciers, mountains, lakes, towers, and all the beauty you can imagine from this iconic park!
Day 1: Fly to Puerto Natales
The best way to get to Torres del Paine is via Puerto Natales. It is a small little mountain town on the outskirts of the park. There is only a couple of flights that run daily from Santiago during high season. If you don’t have the option to fly straight into Puerto Natales, you can always fly into Punta Arenas and then catch a bus to Puerto Natales.
You will be starting the O trek tomorrow, so whenever you arrive in Puerto Natales, you should do a quick gear check and then head into town to purchase any last-minute items (camp fuel, batteries, etc.) that you might need. Check out our backpacking gear guide for gear recommendations!
Once you feel prepared for your upcoming backpacking trek, make sure to catch dinner at Café Kaiken. It is the BEST local little dinner spot in town, run by a one man show. He cooks, plates, and serves, all while providing a wonderful environment. The food is delicious, and the service is incredibly intentional!
DAY 2: Puerto Natales to Torres del Paine O Trek
From Puerto Natales you will take the bus that ends at Laguna Amarga (Base Torres) ~ $9 USD one way. Book your bus ticket here.
Once you get to Laguna Amarga, you will take a quick 5 min shuttle to Camp Central. This is cash only and around $5 USD or 4,000 CLP.
Today will be the official “day 1” of your O trek. You will head towards Camp Seron for your first night on the trail.
DAY 3-9: Torres del Paine O Trek
For more information on how to book the campsites on the O, and details on each day check out our post on the O Trek.
DAY 10: Down Day/Gin Distillery
Trust me, you will want this down day built in! Spend your day exploring Puerto Natales, being sure to make a stop at the famous Gin Distillery, Last Hope! Why not have a couple too many of their delicious gin drinks in celebration of you finishing the epic “O” route!
Week 2: Ice Kayaking and Glacier Hiking
After all of your hard work on the “O” trek, it’s time to have a little fun with ice! Week two will include ice kayaking, glacier trekking, and crossing over into Argentine Patagonia to take a boat SUPER CLOSE to watch one of Patagonia’s massive glacier’s calve her exterior; aka mother nature (or global warming) at work.
DAY 11: Ice Kayaking
Today is a full day of ICE KAYAKING around glacier grey! It is such a cool experience to get up close and personal to the numerous icebergs floating around the glacier. You can book this with Chile Nativo. They will set you up with transport to/from Puerto Natales as well as wetsuits/helmets/kayaks/drybags and everything you need! It is definitely a little pricey, but so worth it for the experience!
Day 12: Bus to El Calafate
Take the bus from Puerto Natales to El Calafate. Spend the afternoon exploring the town and drinking some of the local brews. Grab a bite at Cerveza Patagonia! Good food, good brews, what else can you ask for??
Day 13: Perito Moreno
Today you will be visiting the impressive Perito Moreno Glacier! The Perito Moreno is one of the largest glaciers in the Southern Patagonian Ice Field. The glacier is 80 m tall and covers an area of almost 100 sq mi! Another reason this glacier is so popular, is because of its accessibility. You do not have to be a strong hiker or “in-shape” to be able to enjoy this massive world wonder.
The tourist area consists of a series of man-built walkways with multiple lookout spots containing wooden benches where you can sit and watch the glacier calve! It is a cool experience, that everyone in the family can enjoy.
Normally I would not recommend booking a tour, because I like to oversee how I spend my day; BUT this is one of those times where a tour is worth it for the convenience. There are a few different tours to choose from, all depending on how deep you’re willing to stretch your wallet (of course). The options include kayaking around the glacier, a boat ride around the glacier, and/or trekking ON the glacier! Check out the options here.
Day 14:Explore La Leona Petrified Forest
One of the most unique things to do in El Calafate is to visit La Leona Petrified forest. It is an epic excursion that takes you on a 7 mile (easy) trek through petrified trees and fossilized dinosaur bones! The only way to visit is via a paid tour, which you can book here.
Catch a late bus to El Chalten and get settled in for the evening.
Day 15: El Chalten Town
Spend the day exploring the charming town of El Chalten, or if the weather is nice you can hike to the Cerro Torre Lookout! The lookout hike is 3.6 mi out and back with ~700 ft elevation gain. It’s a good way to stretch your legs and get ready for the epic huemul circuit backpacking trek!
Week 3: The Huemul Circuit
The Huemul Circuit is a 4-day backpacking trip located in the prestigious Los Glaciares National Park right outside of El Chalten, Argentina. THIS IS NOT A BEGINNER BACKPACKING TRIP. It is also very weather dependent! Days 2 & 3 include mountain passes that are IMPASSABLE in high winds. It is so important to understand that the Huemel Circuit will challenge you mentally and physically, and you will need to have strong backcountry and navigation skills to safely complete the trip.
That being said, if you are looking for an EPIC adventure/challenge, you will find everything you want and more with this one! If you choose to forego this adventure, there is plenty of other things to do and ways to spend your time around El Chalten!
For everything you need to know to have a successful and safe trek-check out our Guide to the Huemul Circuit
Day 16-19: Huemul Circuit
Day 20: Down Day
Take a day to recouperate after your awesome adventure in the Patagonian wild! Sleep in and grab some grub at one of the many local eateries!
Week 4: The Fitz Roy and The End of the World
Your fourth and final week will be spent hiking around El Chalten and exploring the town of Ushuai; the southernmost tip of South America!
Day 21: Laguna de los Tres hike
Days 16 & 17 are interchangeable. Both days include long hikes and epic views in Los Glaciares National Park! The hike to Laguna de los Tres starts right in the town of El Chalten. It is a 13 mile out and back hike with 3,300 ft elevation gain. Considered one of the most iconic hikes in Patagonia, Laguna de los Tres offers gorgeous panoramic views of Mount Fitz Roy and its surrounding peaks. It is also the starting point for the infamously difficult ascent of Mount Fitz Roy itself. Pack a lunch (and a beer) and enjoy the huge granite walls while pondering how the heck people climb them.
Day 22: Laguna Cerro Torre hike
Another day, another epic hike! The hike to Laguna Cerro Torre also begins in town. It is an 11-mile out and back trail with 1800 ft elevation gain. This is a much easier hike than Laguna de los Tres and offers jaw dropping views of Cerro Torre! Once you’ve made it to Laguna Torre, there is an option to hike an additional 1.2 miles to get to the Maestri viewpoint, which gives a better view of the Grande Glacier! You’re already there so just DO IT, it’s worth it!
***If you only have one good weather day, I recommend the hike to Laguna de los Tres. It is much more difficult, but it is a Patagonia staple.
Day 23: Bus to El Calafate, Fly to Ushuai, Explore
It’s time to go to “The End of the World”! Catch an early bus to El Calafate where you will Fly down to Ushuaia.
Ushuai is the world’s southernmost city and the last stop before Antarctica! It is also home to Patagonia’s Tierra del Fuego National Park! Spend the day enjoying the charming coastal town, making sure to take a visit to the Maritime Museum to get a quick history of Ushuaia.
Day 24: Penguin Tour!
Today you will get the pleasure of witnessing ARCTIC PENGUINS in their natural habitat by embarking on the 2 pm beagle channel penguin watching boat tour! There are multiple companies that offer this tour. If you are looking to book in advance online, prices are DOUBLE the amount than when you book locally in town. To book a tour in town, just head down to the port in the center of town and there are a ton of little tourist booths offering tours!
The boat tour is about 5 hours long; you can opt to bring your own food/drinks OR the boat sells snacks and alcohol that are surprisingly affordable. The best part about the 2 pm tour is that you get to watch the sunset on your cruise back!
If your wallet can handle it, I would suggest booking the option to walk on the island with the penguins!! We couldn’t quite afford it, but we did see people doing it and they got super close to the penguins… and we were very jealous!
Day 25: “End of the World” Train and Tierra del Fuego National Park
The “End of the World” Train is a 1-hour train ride that takes you into Tierra del Fuego National Park. The rail line follows the route of the original convict train that ran in Ushuaia from 1910 to 1947. Each person will have a headset that will feed you a history of the region (multiple languages offered), as you ride through the park.
**the train travels VERY SLOWLY. It is touristy and overpriced, but one of those things you should at least do once. The history was very compelling, even though the train ride itself was anticlimactic.
After the train ride, you will visit Tierra del Fuego National Park. The National Park is small and tours will usually hit a few main spots- including the southernmost post office in the world! You can either rent a car to get around the park or go with a tour. Same as before, it will be cheaper to book through a local tour in town.
Day 26: Laguna de los Tempanos and Vinciguerra Glacier
A 6.5 mile out and back hike that takes you to one of Tierra del Fuego’s largest glaciers via a stunning hike! The trailhead is just a 15 min drive from the center of town, so be sure to catch a taxi and start early as the trail gains approx 2,000 ft of elevation.
Day 27: Hike to Laguna Esmeralda
Another beautiful hike to a laguna! Esmeralda is a 5.4 out and back hike with nearly 900 ft elevation gain. The trail is pretty consistently muddy, so be sure to wear hiking boots; but the emerald green lake is WORTH IT! Such a great way to end your time in Argentina.
Day 28: Fly Ushuaia to End Destination
Unfortunately it’s time to head home! I can assure you, that you will already be booking your trip back to Patagonia as you say goodbye! There’s never enough time to explore these mountains!
Patagonia Hiking Essentials
Shoes: We LOVE these Salomon’s in women’s and men’s!
Pack: A good day pack makes ALL the difference! We both use this 30L Ortovox pack. It’s the perfect size for day hiking and we love that it unzips all of the way down the front! ***This REI brand is a great option too and it comes in men’s and women’s specific.
Sun protection: a brimmer hat and sun hoodie (women’s and men’s) are essentials in the sun!
Water: Be sure to bring a water bladder for your daypack. Plus this reusable water bottle is great for travel days!
Snacks: Make sure to pack some trail snacks too! We love these coffee waffle bars! They are delicious AND have some caffeine! We also usually bring these meal replacement bars along with us (although we use them as a snack not a meal!)
First aid kit: Just this standard first aid kit should suffice if anything were to happen!
Light: A headlamp and extra batteries are important to carry in case you are out hiking later than you suspect.
