Patagonia Trek

Patagonia is the southern part of Argentina and Chile including a diverse landscape of grasslands, mountains, glaciers, and temperate rainforest. Our trip will focus on two of the world’s most famous trekking locations: Los Glaciares National Park in Argentina from El Chaltén and Torres del Paine National Park in Chile near Puerto Natales. Joe has trekked and climbed in Patagonia on six previous trips. 

Most people fly into Buenos Aires, the capital and largest city in Argentina. It’s another four-hour flight from Buenos Aires to El Calafate where we’ll meet and drive together to Puerto Natales for trekking in Torres del Paine, and then north to El Chaltén for trekking in Los Glaciares National Park. 

Date

Nov 9-19, 2026 (private trip)

Booking

  • Contact Joe with questions and ideas

  • Up to five clients 

Important Links

Itinerary

D0, Nov 8: Arrive in El Calafate. Joe will meet you at the airport in our rental car. He will be finishing a trip in Ushuaia on Nov 5 and will be in the area before we meet. Gear check and group welcome dinner. Night at Altos de Soberana in El Calafate.

D1, Nov 9: Drive to Puerto Natales. Today is a five hour drive through the beautiful desert steppe of Patagonia from El Calafate to Puerto Natales. Night at Sheuen Patagonia in Puerto Natales.  

D2, Nov 10: Hike Lago Torres. This is a big day. We’ll have an early breakfast and leave at 7am. After an hour drive we will arrive at the park entrance and check in with CONAF (park rangers), the Cerro Paine Reserve at the visitor’s center, and at Torre Central where we will leave our extra trekking luggage. Today’s hike to Lago Torre for views of the towers is the most famous hike in Torres del Paine. It is a long out and back hike, which means the hike can be cut short if folks are tired. Return to Torre Central to camp for the night. 

Time: 8-10 hours

Elevation: +3,200 feet

Distance: 14 miles (21 km)

D3, Nov 11: Hike Torre Central to Los Cuernos or Francés. From the park entrance at Torre Central we’ll hike along Nordenskjöld Lake to Los Cuernos or Francés to camp for the night.

Time: 5 hours

Elevation: +2,000 feet

Distance: 10 miles (16 km)

D4, Nov 12: Hike Los Cuernos, French Valley, Paine Grande. We’ll hike to the Italiano Campsite where we’ll leave our extra gear while we day hike into the French Valley. After returning to Italiano, we’ll collect our gear and keep hiking to Paine Grande to camp for the night. 

Time: 7 hours

Elevation: +1,750 feet

Distance: 10 miles (16 km)

D5, Nov 13: Hike to Paine Grande to Grey Glacier. We’ll hike along the edge of Grey Lake with views of the Grey Glacier. Camp at Grey refuge. 

Time: 5 hours

Elevation: +1,400 feet

Distance: 7 miles (11 km)

D6, Nov 14: Hike Grey to Paine Grande and travel to Puerto Natales. Optional morning 3-4 hour hike to the hanging bridges for views of the Grey Glacier. Hike back to Paine Grande, catamaran to Pudeto, bus to Puerto Natales. Night at Cabañas Los Coihues in Puerto Natales. 

Time: 5 hours

Elevation: +1,300 feet

Distance: 7 miles (11 km)

D7, Nov 15: Travel to El Chaltén. Drive (8 hours, 417 km) from Puerto Natales to El Chaltén. We’ll stop for lunch and views along the way. Night at Solo Lofts in El Chaltén. 

D8, Nov 16: Rest and Hike Los Condores. After a slow morning, we will do an optional short hike to Los Condores and Las Aguilas lookouts. Spend the afternoon checking out El Chaltén. Night at Solo Lofts in El Chaltén. 

Time: 2 hours

Elevation: +600 feet

Distance: 3 miles

D9, Nov 17: Hike Laguna Torre. Not to be missed, hike to Laguna Torre for views of Cerro Torre. Night at Solo Lofts in El Chaltén. 

Time: 6 hours

Elevation: +1,200 feet

Distance: 11 miles

D10, Nov 18: Hike Laguna de los Tres. A traverse with a side trip to the famous Fitz Roy viewpoint at Laguna de los Tres Traverse. Night at Solo Lofts in El Chaltén. 

Time: 10 hours

Elevation: +3,000 feet

Distance: 13 miles

D11, Nov 19: Fly home from El Calafate in the afternoon. We will leave El Chaltén early to drive three hours to the El Calafate airport. Joe flies from El Calafate to Buenos Aires at 13:30 on Aerolineas Argentina flight AR1897. He has a short layover in Buenos Aires before flying onto Los Angles.

Patagonia

 
 
 

El Chaltén Treks 

These are day treks from our base in El Chaltén, so they are all optional and flexible based on your interest.

  • Los Cóndores Las Águilas: A shorter hike for when we first get there. 4 miles, +600 feet. 

  • Laguna de los Tres: A traverse with a side trip to the famous Fitz Roy viewpoint. 13 miles, 3,000 feet. 

  • Laguna Torre: An out and back to the famous Cerro Torre viewpoint. 11 miles, +1,200 feet.

  • Tumbado: Optional long hike out and back to a summit with views and no crowds. 12 miles, +3,640 feet.

 

Torres del Paine Trek

We will be following the Vertice Five-Day W Circuit itinerary while using their tents, transport, and a guide. We have chosen their tents because they will be more private and quiet. We will eat breakfast and dinner in the refuges. 

  • TDP Day 1: Torre Central to Lago Torres. This is an out and back hike so we have options to shorten the hiking length.

  • TDP Day 2: Hike Torre Central to Los Cuernos. This is a long and mandatory day.

  • TDP Day 3: Hike Los Cuernos, French Valley, Paine Grande. This is an out and back hike so we have options to shorten the hiking length.

  • TDP Day 4: Hike to Paine Grande to Grey Glacier.

  • TDP Day 5: Hike Grey to Paine Grande and travel to Puerto Natales.

 

Misc Information

Air Travel

It is usually easiest to book a roundtrip flight from your home city to Buenos Aires, Argentina (EZE), and a separate ticket on Aerolineas Argentinas roundtrip flight from Aeroparque (AEP) to El Calafate (FTE). Note that Buenos Aires has two airports, the international (EZE) airport and the domestic Aeroparque (AEP) airport. Allow five hours minimum transfer time between the two airports for customs, transfer, and security. The transfer between Buenos Aires (EZE) and Aeroparque (AEP) is two hours by taxi (~US$50) or shuttle (~US$17 per person, Manuel Tienda Leon).

Inoculations

None required for Americans. More information on the CDC Traveler’s Health page: wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/argentina

Visa

None required for Americans. Save your migratory card that will be handed to you upon entering the country, otherwise you will have to pay taxes.

Money in Chile and Argentina

Details coming in October.

Reading

  • In Patagonia, by Bruce Chatwin

  • Enduring Patagonia, by Gregory Crouch

 

Cost

  • 2 clients: $11,000 each

  • 3 clients: $9,500 each

  • 4+ clients: $8,000 each

Includes

  • Joe

  • Local hiking guide in Torres del Paine and in El Chaltén. As needed for local regulations.

  • All travel expenses for the guide.

  • Land transportation during the trip.

  • Lodging on day 0-11.

  • Park fees and permits.

  • Breakfast on day 1-11.

  • Lunches on day 1-11.

  • Dinners while on the Torres del Paine trek.

  • Grey Lake catamaran ferry.

Does Not Include

  • Airfare

  • Dinners in El Calafate, El Chaltén, and Puerta Natales.

  • Personal gear (see Patagonia Trekking Gear List).

  • Beverages including alcohol and bottled drinks.

  • Gratuities for local workers.

  • Expenses incurred in the event of early departure (evac fees, transport, extra hotel nights, etc).

  • Charges incurred as a result of delays beyond Stock Alpine control.

  • Travel insurance is recommended. See Terms and Conditions below.

  • Rescue insurance is required. See Terms and Conditions below.

 

Patagonia Trekking Gear List

International Terms and Conditions

Waiver