Best of Patagonia Tour: 9 Days Through El Chaltén, El Calafate & Torres del Paine

Today you head out on the trail to Laguna Torre, a glacial lake set at the base of the impossibly steep Cerro Torre. The trail winds through lenga beech forests, crossing streams and offering panoramic views of the surrounding peaks before arriving at the turquoise waters of the lagoon. This is Patagonia at its most raw and humbling.

Duration: Full day, approx. 7–8 hours round trip.

Overnight in El Chaltén.

Meals included: Breakfast.

Not included: Trails are well-marked and self-guided. A private guide is available at extra cost.

Today's hike is one of the finest day treks in the world. You follow the trail to Laguna de los Tres, climbing through river valleys and ancient forests until the panorama of Mount Fitz Roy bursts into view — its granite towers reflected in the deep blue of the lagoon below. The final ascent is steep, but every step earns its reward.

Duration: Full day, approx. 8–9 hours round trip.

Overnight in El Chaltén.

Meals included:

Breakfast. Not included: Trails are well-marked and self-guided. A private guide is available at extra cost.

A relaxed morning in El Chaltén gives you time for a final stroll through town before boarding the afternoon bus back to El Calafate. The 3-hour ride across the open steppe is a chance to unwind as the mountains slowly fade behind you. Once back in El Calafate, the evening is yours to explore the town at your own pace.

Transfer duration: Approx. 3 hours by shared bus.

Overnight in El Calafate.

Meals included: Breakfast.

Nearly 5 kilometers wide and rising 60 meters above the surface of Lake Argentino, Perito Moreno Glacier groans and calves in real time as you watch from the famous network of walkways and viewing platforms. You'll also board a boat for a navigation cruise along the glacier's towering face, getting close enough to feel the cool air radiating off centuries of compressed ice.

Duration: Full day.

Overnight in El Calafate.

Meals included: Breakfast.

Not included: National Park entrance fee.

This morning you make your way to the bus station for the 5-hour overland crossing into Chile. The road passes through sweeping green valleys framed by the Andes, a journey that feels cinematic from start to finish. Upon arriving in Puerto Natales — the charming gateway town to Torres del Paine — the afternoon is free to explore this laid-back Patagonian town at your own pace.

Transfer duration: Approx. 5 hours by shared bus.

Overnight in Puerto Natales.

Meals included: Breakfast.

Not included: Taxi to the bus terminal if needed.

Inside Torres del Paine National Park, the landscape shifts between granite towers, turquoise lakes, glaciers, and windswept grasslands where guanacos roam freely. This is a full-day trip where you'll be in contact with nature and one of the most awe-inspiring landscapes in Chilean Patagonia — widely considered one of the great natural wonders of the world.

Duration: Full day.

Overnight in Puerto Natales.

Meals included: Breakfast.

Not included: National Park entrance fee.

After breakfast, you board the bus back across the border to El Calafate, a scenic journey that traces the edge of two countries. Once settled back at your hotel, the evening is free to explore the town and enjoy a final dinner with the flavors of Patagonia.

Transfer duration: Approx. 5 hours by shared bus.

Overnight in El Calafate.

Meals included: Breakfast.

Not included: Taxi to the bus terminal in Puerto Natales if needed.

Your driver will collect you from your hotel and take you to El Calafate Airport for your onward flight. Your Patagonia adventure ends here — but the landscapes, the glaciers, and the silence of the steppe will stay with you far longer than nine days.

Transfer: Private driver to airport.

Meals included: Breakfast.

Not included: Flights.