Originally published in the Mazama Bulletin—view the full March 2019 issue.
I wanted to go to Patagonia—really badly, for a long time. This past January I finally made it, and what a place it is. Now all I want to do is go back and see things I missed the first time around. In the meantime, here’s some insight for those who wish to make the 7,000-mile trip south to see one of the most beautiful places in the world.
Patagonia is huge. You could explore for years and only scratch the surface. Encompassing the entire southern region of Chile and Argentina, around 400,000 square miles, Patagonia is home to a sparse 2 million people. Just picture it being larger and emptier than you think. Arid deserts, windswept coastlines, vast pampas (plains), spectacular mountains, the largest ice sheet outside of Antarctica, turquoise lakes and rivers, and miles and miles of remote nothing make up the landscape. Sheep, guanacos (a llama relative), ñandúes (Darwin’s rheas), and horses roam the plains. Pumas and huemules (an endangered species of deer) hide in the forests. Flamingoes and torrent ducks fill the lowland waterways, and giant Andean condors soar above the Andes.
We’ve all seen photos of Patagonia—spires of rock jutting into the sky above bright turquoise lakes. Glaciers sprawling into the water right in front of those lucky enough to be there. We know the names of famous places, like Torres del Paine National Park, Perito Moreno Glacier, and Fitz Roy. The first step: getting down there.
The flight costs around a thousand bucks. So start saving now, and prepare for 24+ hours of travel. It’s relatively easy to overcome the 5 hour time difference in comparison to the abrupt 180° change of seasons and the gain (or loss) of daylight. Flights between Chile and Argentina can get spendy, so plan on flying into one country then bussing or driving into the other. Santiago, Chile to Punta Arenas is a common route, as is Buenos Aires, Argentina to El Calafate or Bariloche. Punta Arenas is the starting point for Torres del Paine or Tierra del Fuego (it’s possible to fly into Ushuaia, but plan on jumping lots of small flights). El Calafate gets you to Perito Moreno Glacier and the area surrounding Fitz Roy. Bariloche, in northern Patagonia, is a Swiss-themed ski and trekking resort town known for chocolate.
Coastal Chile
We flew into Punta Arenas. It’s one of the larger Patagonian towns, and is more of a place people live and work than a tourist spot. But while you’re there, check out the cemetery (odd, but it’s massive, and full of sculpted bushes and interesting old graves and mausoleums). As the main port in southern Chile, Punta Arenas is right on the South Pacific. A visit to the beach is a good way to spend a few hours (and meet a few dogs). Eat some affordable seafood—I highly recommend the seafood soup at Okusa—or head to Lomito’s to have a great sandwich (called a lomito) with the locals. Half-day trips to visit penguins were expensive but looked fun.
Catching the 2-hour bus to Puerto Natales is easy. The busses in Patagonia are a great way to get around. As nice new tour busses, they’re reliable, run frequently and on time, and go to all the hard-hitting locations. Puerto Natales is more of a tourist town, with more shops selling souvenirs and high-end wool products (sheep are the main industry in Patagonia) than Punta Arenas. The waterfront makes for a great walk, and on a clear day, you can see Torres del Paine. Hit some of the cervezerías (most sell Cerveza Austral, the one and only beer you’ll see in Chilean Patagonia), and visit Last Hope Distillery. Opened by an Australian couple a few years ago after they visited Torres del Paine, this place is a must. I even brought home a bottle of their Calafate Gin (calafates are berries similar to huckleberries, and make great ice cream and cocktails). Last Hope Hostel is a great place to stay, with an adorable assortment of one cat and three dogs, and super nice owners.
Torres del Paine
Torres del Paine is a bit like Disneyland. Don’t miss it, but prepare for crowds and over-regulated trails and campsites. If you want to hike the “O” or “W” trails, book your campsites at least 3 months in advance. We tried a month ahead, and didn’t even manage to hike the full W. For food, stock up in Puerto Natales. You can’t bring anything fresh into Chile—they’re ridiculously strict about this—so I recommend just not bringing any food from home. There’s plenty down there to eat on the trail, and the refugios (huts) serve meals if you run out or don’t want to carry a full load. We brought our own hiking and camping gear, but you can rent everything down there if you don’t want to bring it on the plane.
We started on the west side of the W, which means an expensive but beautiful ferry ride across bright-turquoise Lake Pehoé. The ferry runs every hour, and you may need to wait at the dock. The bus drops you right there. Try to stay at Paine Grande or Grey to hit up the Glaciar Grey side of the W. We missed this area, and it was a bummer. Don’t bother with a glacier walk there—we heard stories of high costs and logistic nightmares. Stay at Italiano or Frances (both more rustic) for the hike up Valle Frances, another area we missed due to booked campsites. But we heard avalanches and ice falls thundering down the mountains all up the valley. It seemed amazing!
We camped at Refugio Cuernos. This place was great—beautiful views, chill vibes, and they even gave us free drinks because they gave our tent platform to someone else and we had to sleep on the ground. The horror! Those pisco sours were fantastic after a long day of bussing, waiting, ferrying, and hiking. If you have $200+ per person at your disposal, consider staying at the cabins that come with a wood-burning hot tub. A must if you’re one of those people who make their money on Instagram. The hike from Paine Grande to Cuernos was beautiful but prepare for the wind. For real, the wind down there is insane. The forecast for our first day was 80km/h. That’s 50mph! And not gusts—it’s just super windy all the time. The incredible views of Paine Grande and its glaciers and the tri-color climber’s dream Cuernos make up for it. And the wind makes amazing cloud formations above the mountains. The hiking difficulty is moderate at most, so if you get blown over the consequences are small.
Our second day of hiking over to Campamento Central (near Hotel Torres on the east side of the park) gave us dramatic changes of landscape and more incredible views. As you head east, it becomes more arid. The intense contrast between browned grasses, turquoise Lake Nordenskjold, and alpine mountains made for a landscape that felt other-worldly. You’ll see pack horses on the trails—they’re so cute and so good! Horses and gaucho riders supply all the refugios in the park. Campamento Central is a bit of a letdown (it’s at the main entrance, super busy, and full of day-hikers going to Base Torres), but just remember that you can see the Torres from your camp and the people spending boatloads of money in the fancy hotel cannot. That almost makes up for the extra mile you have to hike past the hotel when you’re hot, tired, and thought your day was done. (I’m only slightly bitter about this.) The Cerveza Australs we’d carried since Puerto Natales made up for it.
From Central, we headed up the canyon to Refugio Chileno. Here, we stayed in the refugio (all the campsites were full). It was worth the $80 per person while sleeping in a warm cozy bed and listening to the storm raging outside all night. The hike up to Chileno is relatively short, but also relatively steep. Once you gain the ridge and enter the canyon, the views are glorious—on a clear day, you can see the Torres. We hiked up the canyon down to the refugio (figure that one out), checked in, and ordered some wine. The girlfriend I was traveling with and I each had our own bottle of Malbec outside by the creek. All afternoon, we watched day hikers slog by on their way back to Hotel Torres, people awkwardly smoke cigarettes in the tiny ring of stones designated for smoking, and shared giddy stories in the sun. A highlight of the trip.
Everyone tells you to hike up to the Torres at sunrise for the alpenglow. When our bunkmates woke up at 3am and the wind and rain were howling outside, they left and we went back to sleep. The Patagonian weather is a tricky fiend. But leaving at 9am for the hike up the mountain through sparse forests and steep boulder fields in the wind and rain ended up working out perfectly for us. As soon as we crested the ridge and arrived at Mirador Base Torres, the clouds parted and the sun came out. I don’t believe in miracles, but you could call it that. What a sight! There were Torres Sur, Central, and Norte soaring vertically above an (unnamed?) turquoise glacial tarn. We beat most of the crowds, and enjoyed a serene hour or so taking in the view. Just as we were getting ready to leave, the clouds moved back in and it started to rain. We passed probably a hundred people on the way down, many of them without extra layers or raincoats. One guy was wearing flip-flops. I guess questionable hiking practices happen even in the hard-to-reach places of the world. After picking up our overnight packs at Refugio Chileno, we headed down to catch the bus back to Puerto Natales.
El Calafate and Perito Moreno Glacier
Argentina: land of rugged alpine peaks and glaciers, vast open grasslands, wine, mate, and horses. The 6.5-hour bus ride from Puerto Natales to El Calafate takes you through miles and miles of absolutely nothing. It’s beautiful in its own way. El Calafate is a touristy desert town on the shore of a large (and turquoise) lake. Yucca, lavender, and roses line the streets, and older tourists from across Chile and Argentina come to shop, eat, and visit Perito Moreno. Flamingos wade in the nature reserve on the edge of town. I recommend paying the $28 per night to stay at América del Sur hostel. It’s a bit expensive, but the panoramic views overlooking the city, beautiful shared space, and bar with live music make up for it.
Perito Moreno Glacier is an hour and a half (yet again, expensive) bus ride from town. Pay the $40 park entrance fee, deal with the crowds, and go. Pay the $200 if you want to walk on the glacier (we opted not to since we have plenty of options for that closer to home for free), or take a boat ride. There’s a reason this glacier is so famous. It’s stunning. At 121 square miles, it’s one of the few glaciers in the world that are still growing. Bright blue and white ice comes almost right up to the boardwalks. You will definitely see ice calve off into the lake, many times. We brought along a few beers (or you could bring wine), found a place out of the wind, and just watched the ice. After 4 hours or so, return to the bus and head back to El Calafate for some wine.
El Chaltén and Fitz Roy
My favorite place from the trip was definitely El Chaltén. I would move there. Argentina founded El Chaltén in 1985 in order to increase its sovereignty over the land after a border dispute with Chile (Chile still has land right up Fitz Roy on the backside). Since then, tourists, trekkers, climbers, and skiers have flocked to El Chaltén, making it Argentina’s premier backpacking destination. An assortment of hostels, hotels, restaurants, souvenir shops, adventure agencies, and houses make up the small town. The vibe is chill, outdoorsy, and fun. The buildings are made of concrete to withstand the intense winds that come down the canyon. There is roped climbing and bouldering accessible right from town.
We opted to spend a week in El Chaltén to make sure we could catch some good weather windows. All the hikes leave directly from town, and most can be done in a day. Hunkering down in a hostel or in-town camping area is a good option to wait out bad weather. Most of one day, we stayed inside to play games and drink wine because the wind was too strong to spend much time outside. Another rainy night we spent having a midnight dinner of choris, wine, and mate with a group of Argentinos in a hostel hardly any of us were staying at (we were camped outside in the yard). We hiked Fitz Roy with two of our new friends the next day.
Camping around El Chaltén in Los Glaciares National Park is free and first-come-first-serve. You camp in designated campgrounds, and there are plenty of spots to go around, even on busy nights. We spent three nights backpacking, camping our first night at Agostini and the next two at Poincenot. Agostini is the less popular of the two (Poincenot being at the base of the final push up to Fitz Roy and Laguna de los Tres), but it’s a fantastic place to camp. We went up to Laguna Torre, a 10-minute walk from camp, in the afternoon and the next morning. There was a huge wind storm that night, which blew a bunch of huge icebergs right up to the beach. You could touch a few of them, and they made the most amazing popping, sloshing, and splashing sounds. Cerro Torre, infamous in the climbing world, looms across the lake.
The connector trail between Agostini and Poincenot takes you up a steep jungle-y trail full of large red-headed woodpeckers. It tops out in a huge valley with picturesque views of Lagunas Madre and Hija, and, on a clear day, the Fitz Roy massif. Poincenot is a busy campground, and the squat toilet outhouses can get a bit gross. If you head down the hill to the creek, find a log, crack a beer or bottle of wine (yes, take them backpacking with you), and enjoy the view. We meant to hike up to Laguna de los Tres the next day, but it was very stormy and we spent pretty much the entire day in the tent. It cleared up enough in the afternoon for the 2km hike to Glaciar Piedras Blancas, a worthy side trip. The next day was even windier and still raining, so we opted to head back to town and try Fitz Roy as a day hike when the weather cleared.
The Fitz Roy hike is around 20km round trip, with the only difficult section being the last 1.5km or so. Half the difficulty has to do with the sheer number of people hiking the trail. You think Dog Mountain and Angel’s Rest get busy? Think again. But as soon as you reach the mirador (viewpoint), your attention to the crowds melts away. The place is incredibly beautiful—there’s a reason Yvon Chouinard chose to feature the Fitz Roy massif in the Patagonia logo. Find a rock on the beach (bring a warm layer), and take in the view. Don’t forget to hike over to the left towards equally-stunning Laguna Sucia. Watching a team of 11 climbers descend the snow-covered glacier above Laguna de los Tres wrapped up our time in this magical spot.
Now that I’ve visited the Patagonian places we drool over in magazines and on Instagram, I want to go back, rent a campervan, and visit the harder-to-reach locations off the beaten tourist trail. I want to visit the Marble Caves and travel the Carretera Austral. Visit the Cave of Hands, walk on a glacier, hike less well-known trails, and climb a small peak. Your first time down there, put up with the crowds, get on a bus or rent a car, and see the famous places. It’s well worth it. But know that you’ll want to go back.
Some things to keep in mind
- Book your Torres campsites, all your hostels, and your inter-country bus tickets in advance. They fill up fast, especially the busses between Puerto Natales and El Calafate, and the hostels in El Chaltén.
- Travel with no more than 3 people. 2 is perfect. It would be difficult to arrange travel and lodging for more.
- Plan to stay at least 2 weeks. We spent 3. There’s a ton to see, and travel between different locations can take multiple days.
- Bring warm clothes. It’s summer, but that doesn’t mean it’s warm. A good raincoat, rain pants, and a mid-weight insulation layer are perfect. Both long-sleeve and short-sleeve shirts are good, but pants or leggings are better than shorts.
- I sleep cold, and my 15° bag was perfect. Make sure your tent has good tie-downs. The ground is often too hard for stakes.
- Wear lots of sunscreen. The hole in the Ozone Layer is nearby, and that sun is intense. I burned and blistered from our first day of hiking, which was fully cloudy.
- Most people speak at least basic English, but brushing up on your Spanish will help. Be prepared for the Argentinian “ja instead of ya” accent and the fact that you probably won’t be able to understand the Chileans. They speak mega fast, cut off/out half the words, and add “po” to everything, which can mean all sorts of things (usually emphasis).
- There are street dogs everywhere. Most seem healthy, and they were pretty much all up for a pet.
- Restaurant service is slow. You get used to it. Remember to ask for the bill.
- Patagonia is expensive for South America. Think Portland prices for food, around $30 for bus trips, and around $20 for hostels.
- Get used to instant coffee. Nescafé is better than the chunkier stuff a lot of the hostels in Chile have.
- You’ll miss fresh food. I read a sign in Torres del Paine that said every apple has to travel 3,000 miles to get there. Stock up on fruits and veggies in Puerto Natales and El Calafate for camping and hostel cooking. Buy black pepper and hot sauce—the food can be a little bland, and none of it is spicy if that’s your thing.
- Eat the local cuisine.
- In Chile, this is chorrillana (beef, chicken, and hot dogs served over french fries and topped with sunny-side-up eggs), lomitos (thin sirloin steak, sauerkraut, avocado, tomato, runny egg, and condiments), and completos (hot dogs served with salsa and copious amounts of avocado). You’ll drink pisco sours (or calafate sours) and Cerveza Austral.
- In Argentina, you’ll find tons of beef (the steak and asado are famous), empanadas, dulce de leche (a caramel-like spread), milanesa (breaded and fried meat served with fries), and chori or choripán (chorizo hot dogs with chimichurri sauce). You’ll drink mate and wine.
- Go sooner rather than later. The number of tourists is growing in leaps and bounds every year, so get it while the getting’s good.
Chao y buenos viajes!
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