13-Day Best of Patagonia Tour from El Calafate to Ushuaia: Los Glaciares, Torres del Paine and Tierra del Fuego National Parks

Starting in El Calafate, your 13-day Patagonia adventure tour begins as you are taken to your chosen accommodation and have free time to get settled and explore on your own. The following 12 days will be filled with outdoorsy fun, plus free time to explore on your own or relax.
Guided tours of Los Glaciares National Park, Torres del Paine National Park and Tierra del Fuego National Park will open your eyes to Patagonia’s spectacular natural attractions, including glaciers, jagged mountain peaks, lakes, lagoons and native wildlife! From canoeing to trekking to boating, you’ll have your fill of first-class outdoor adventure as you travel from El Calafate to El Chalten in Argentina, then to Puerto Natales and Punta Arenas in Chile, and back to Ushuaia in Argentina.
You have your choice of four accommodation types; please see below for a list of possible accommodation for each level.
All breakfasts and one lunch are included; depending on the day, you will eat lunch and dinner (own expense) in one of national parks or in town.
There are a variety of optional activities you may choose to do if you wish, including hiking, 4x4 countryside tours, glacier climbing and walking with penguins. These are listed in the Itinerary section below and are at an additional expense; if you are interested in any, please say so when booking or contact the local tour operator after booking (contact details will be provided after booking).
For details on each day of the tour, please see the Itinerary below.

Day 1: El Calafate
Upon arrival at the El Calafate airport, you will be taken to your chosen hotel or hostel and have the rest of the day to relax or explore El Calafate on your own. If you wish, make the 0.6-mile (1-km) hike out to Laguna Nimez for a beautiful Patagonian sunset.

Overnight: Your chosen accommodation in El Calafate, Argentina


Day 2: El Calafate (B)
After an early breakfast, head out on a full-day excursion to Los Glaciares National Park. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981, Los Glaciares National Park is home to one of the most awe-inspiring sights in Argentina – Perito Moreno Glacier. During your guided tour, you will have the chance to enjoy stunning views of the glacier from the nearby walking trail and viewing platforms, as well as from an included Perito Moreno Glacier boat cruise that will take you near enough to fully appreciate the 262-feet-high (80-meter) ice walls!

If you’d like a more adventurous day, you have the option to upgrade your tour to include the Big Ice or Mini-Trekking excursions, both of which allow you to hike the glacier! (If you are interested in any of the optional activities mentioned in this itinerary, you may contact the local tour operator after booking; contact details will be provided on your voucher.)

In the early evening, you will return to your hotel in Calafate.

Overnight: Your same accommodation in El Calafate


Day 3: El Calafate (B)
Enjoy breakfast and then spend today at leisure, exploring on your own or participating in an optional tour (own expense), such as a 4x4 excursion to the countryside or a visit to a traditional estancia (ranch).

Overnight: Your same accommodation in El Calafate


Day 4: El Calafate – El Chalten (B)
After breakfast, make your own way to the bus station, and then depart for El Chalten. Upon arrival, make your way to your chosen accommodation, and then have the rest of the day at leisure to explore the town and its surrounds. If you're feeling adventurous, hike Laguna Torre or try out a traditional tapas restaurant in town.

(In El Calafate a taxi to the bus station will cost roughly USD$4. In El Chalten, most hotels are within a few blocks of the bus station, but if you prefer to take a taxi, you can get one at the bus terminal – it will cost approx. USD$ 5. Both taxis are at own expense.)

Overnight: Your chosen accommodation in El Chalten, Argentina


Day 5: El Chalten (B)
Wake up to breakfast, and then enjoy another free day! The best way to spend your day is on one of many self- guided treks. Trails are all highly maintained, and the moderate full-day hikes to Mount Fitz Roy (where the view of Laguna de los Tres is unforgettable) or Mount Torre are the most recommended. All trekking information you may need will be provided by the tour operator; trails are well-marked, but if you would like to hire a guide, you may at an additional expense.

Overnight: Your same accommodation in El Chalten


Day 6: El Chalten – El Calafate (B)
After breakfast, your morning is free to explore on your own or take another self-guided trek in the area. In the afternoon, board your bus back to El Calafate, where you will make your own way back to your hotel or hostel (taxi at own expense).

Overnight: Your chosen accommodation in El Calafate


Day 7: El Calafate – Puerto Natales (B)
Enjoy breakfast, and then make your way back to the bus station for the trip across the border into Chile. Upon arrival in Puerto Natales in the afternoon, make your own way to your hotel or hostel, and then have the rest of the day free to get to know this traditional coastal town and enjoy its delicious seafood.

(Taxis to and from the bus stations will cost roughly $8 and are at own expense.)

Overnight: Your chosen accommodation in Puerto Natales, Chile


Day 8: Puerto Natales (B)
After breakfast, you will leave on a full-day excursion to Torres del Paine National Park, one of Patagonia’s most recognizable attractions.

With your guide, you will explore some of this world-renowned Chilean park’s most picturesque sights, including of course the famous Torres del Paine (Towers of Paine) themselves – jagged granite pillars that emerge dramatically out of the Patagonian plains – but also the park’s lesser-known sights like Salto Grande, Laguna Amarga, Lago Pehoe and the Cuernos del Paine. During your tour, keep an eye out for wild guanacos (native animals similar to llamas) as they roam the windy plains.

In the evening you will return to Puerto Natales.

Overnight: Your same accommodation in Puerto Natales


Day 9: Puerto Natales – Punta Arenas (B)
After breakfast, depart by bus for Punta Arenas. Upon arrival, make your own way from the bus station to your hotel or hostel, and have the rest of the day free to explore on your own.

(Taxis to and from the bus stations will cost roughly $8 and are at own expense.)

Overnight: Your chosen accommodation in Punta Arenas, Chile


Day 10: Punta Arenas – Ushuaia (B)
Enjoy breakfast, and then embark on a full-day bus trip to back into Argentina to Ushuaia, passing though some of Patagonia’s most stunning scenery. Cross the mystical Strait of Magellan before arriving on Tierra del Fuego Island, on which Ushuaia is located.

In Ushuaia, make your way to your hotel or hostel and spend the rest of the night resting up for the day ahead.

(Taxis to and from bus stations should cost less than $8 and are at own expense.)

Overnight: Your chosen accommodation in Ushuaia, Argentina


Day 11: Ushuaia (B, L)
After breakfast, you will leave on a full-day excursion to Tierra del Fuego National Park that will give you the opportunity to get off the beaten path and see a side of the park that most visitors miss. Your guided tour of the park – the southernmost national park in the world – includes trekking along the Beagle Channel and canoeing on the Lapataia River to Lapataia Bay (box lunch included).

If you prefer a less adventurous option, you can request a gentler activity when booking or contact the tour operator after booking (contact information will be provided on your voucher). Possible activities include the Train of the End of the World or an easy hike.

Overnight: Your same accommodation in Ushuaia


Day 12: Beagle Channel Cruise (B)
Wake up to breakfast, and then make your way to the Ushuaia pier for a boat cruise on the famous Beagle Channel. Gain gorgeous panoramas of Ushuaia Bay and see diverse marine wildlife like cormorants and fur seals on De los Lobos and De los Pajaros islands. Hop off the boat on one of the Bridges Isles, where you can explore the island for concheros (giant shells) and enjoy views of both Chile and Argentina. You will also see Les Eclaireurs lighthouse, and during cruise, you can enjoy included snacks and a glass of mate, a favorite Argentine drink of yerba mate leaves steeped in hot water.

If you would like an even more memorable experience, consider upgrading to include the Magellanic Penguin Rookery Tour on Martillo Island, where you can walk with native penguins. This optional excursion is available from October to April at an additional cost (if you’re interested, please advise when booking or contact the tour operator after booking).

Overnight: Your same accommodation in Ushuaia


Day 13: Ushuaia (B)
At the appropriate time, you will be transferred to either the Ushuaia airport or bus terminal, where your tour ends. From here, it’s time to head home or continue to wherever your Argentina adventure takes you next – perhaps the Mendoza wine region, Iguazu Falls or Buenos Aires!


Possible Hostel Accommodation:

• El Calafate: Calafate Hostel, Hostel del Glaciar Libertador, Che Lagarto, Hostel del Glaciar Pioneros or similar
• El Chalten: Rancho Grande, Hostel Condor de los Andes, Hostel Patagonia, Nothofagus (with bathroom), Inlandsis (classic category), Los Nires or similar
• Puerto Natales: Hostal Patagonia, Hostal Don Guillermo or similar
• Punta Arenas: Hostal Ovejero (with bathroom) or similar
• Ushuaia : Free Style Hostel or similarPossible Inn/B&B Accommodation:

• El Calafate: Hostería Cauquenes de Nimez, Hostería Hainen, Hostería Kau Kalenshen or similar
• El Chalten: Posada del Barranco, Hostería La Aldea, Hostería Kalenshen (standard room) or similar
• Ushuaia: Hostería Austral, Hotel Los Lagos, Hostería del Recodo or similar
• Puerto Natales: Hostel Erratic Rock 2, Hostel Natales, Hostal Francis Drake or similar
• Punta Arenas: Hostal Oro Fueguino, Hostal Chalet Chapital or similarPossible Comfort Hotel Accommodation:

• El Calafate: Hostería Posta Sur, Hostería Patagonia Rebelde, Hostería Tierra Tehuelche or similar
• El Chalten: Hostería Senderos (classic room), Hostería Lunajuim, Hostería Infinito Sur or similar
• Puerto Natales: Hotel Patagonia If, Hotel Weskar Lodge, Hotel Martin Gusinde or similar
• Punta Arenas: Hotel Tierra del Fuego, Hotel Patagonia Pionera or similar
• Ushuaia: Hostería Patagonia Jarke, Hostería The House, Hostería Mirabeagle or similarPossible Superior Hotel Accommodation:

• El Calafate: Hotel Kau Yatun (superior room), Los Ponchos Apart Hotel, Hotel Esplendor Calafate (concept room) or similar
• El Chalten: Hostería Senderos (premium room), Hostería Kaulem, Hostería El Puma or similar
• Puerto Natales: Hotel & Spa Indigo (Esperanza & Dorotea room), Hotel Altiplánico or similar
• Punta Arenas: Hotel Finisterrae or similar
• Ushuaia: Hotel Alto Andino, Hotel Mil810, Hotel Los Yamanas or similar