Anonymous
04/25/2025 15:26
Subject: Re:Been trekking in Patagonia?
I went about 18 years ago -- we traveled independently and it was amazing.
We bought a "ticket pack" on LAN which may not be available any longer, but really helped with keeping the air travel costs down. We met up in Buenos Aires and flew to Bariloche. Did dayhiking in Bariloche -- we took the ski area gondola up and then hiked down -- and then took the Cruce de los Lagos to Puerto Montt. After renting a car and spending a few days in Chiloe, we flew to Punta Arenas and then bused to Puerto Natales. We stocked up on food and other camping supplies (e.g., fuel for camping stoves) and then took a bus to Torres del Paine. We hiked the "W" in Torres del Paine -- we camped, but you can also stay in the refugios. It seemed like most of the people in the refugios were with a trip operator, but at least at that time, you could also reserve space in a refugio as an independent traveler. Upon our return to Puerto Natales, we took another bus to El Calafate for glacier trips -- we did the boat trip on Lago Argentina to Uppsala glacier but you can also go to Perito Moreno from there -- and then on to El Chalten to backpack into the campground on Laguna Torre (I think) -- with an amazing view of Cerro Torre.
After this, we flew to Calafate to visit friends, and then on to Santiago to go home.
We spent a lot of time on buses and were in and out of Puerto Natales -- but we had a month for this trip. We also ran into a tour group on multiple occasions that was doing much the same itinerary and taking the same bus routes, for whatever that is worth. We went in December and weather might be best described as variable. Some unbelievably sunny days, others socked in with clouds and fog, others extremely windy. We were prepared with waterproofing and good camping gear.
In my experience, this trip was completely feasible as an independent traveler, but if you want to do glacier hiking or more involved backpacking, a tour operator might be helpful.
We bought a "ticket pack" on LAN which may not be available any longer, but really helped with keeping the air travel costs down. We met up in Buenos Aires and flew to Bariloche. Did dayhiking in Bariloche -- we took the ski area gondola up and then hiked down -- and then took the Cruce de los Lagos to Puerto Montt. After renting a car and spending a few days in Chiloe, we flew to Punta Arenas and then bused to Puerto Natales. We stocked up on food and other camping supplies (e.g., fuel for camping stoves) and then took a bus to Torres del Paine. We hiked the "W" in Torres del Paine -- we camped, but you can also stay in the refugios. It seemed like most of the people in the refugios were with a trip operator, but at least at that time, you could also reserve space in a refugio as an independent traveler. Upon our return to Puerto Natales, we took another bus to El Calafate for glacier trips -- we did the boat trip on Lago Argentina to Uppsala glacier but you can also go to Perito Moreno from there -- and then on to El Chalten to backpack into the campground on Laguna Torre (I think) -- with an amazing view of Cerro Torre.
After this, we flew to Calafate to visit friends, and then on to Santiago to go home.
We spent a lot of time on buses and were in and out of Puerto Natales -- but we had a month for this trip. We also ran into a tour group on multiple occasions that was doing much the same itinerary and taking the same bus routes, for whatever that is worth. We went in December and weather might be best described as variable. Some unbelievably sunny days, others socked in with clouds and fog, others extremely windy. We were prepared with waterproofing and good camping gear.
In my experience, this trip was completely feasible as an independent traveler, but if you want to do glacier hiking or more involved backpacking, a tour operator might be helpful.
Anonymous
04/25/2025 14:42
Subject: Been trekking in Patagonia?
My husband and I did it 15+ yrs ago. We didn’t use a tour company. We rented a car and did long day hikes in Torres del Paine. We went in November. The weather was extremely variable — from extremely windy to sunny and warm. We saw penguins and guanacos and hiked on the Perito Moreno glacier (the glacier we did as part of a tour). It was wonderful! We did it as part of a north-to-south tour of Chile, but it probably would have worked better to focus on Patagonia (both Chilean and Argentinian sides) and leave the rest for another trip.
Anonymous
04/25/2025 11:53
Subject: Been trekking in Patagonia?
Did you use a tour company? What time of year? Was it wonderful?
Tell me everything you wish you'd known please and thank you!
Tell me everything you wish you'd known please and thank you!