Patagonia Trek

This trip will focus on two of the world’s most famous trekking locations: Los Glaciares National Park from El Chaltén and Torres del Paine National Park. Joe has trekked and climbed in Patagonia on six previous trips. 

Tentative Date

Nov 9 - 19, 2026 

Booking

  • Contact Joe with questions and ideas

  • Up to eight clients 

Reading

  • In Patagonia, by Bruce Chatwin

  • Enduring Patagonia, by Gregory Crouch

Itinerary

Day 1, Nov 9: Travel to El Chaltén. Fly to El Calafate, probably as a four-hour flight from Buenos Aires. Three-hour shuttle to El Chaltén. Group dinner. Night at Destino Sur Hotel in El Chalten. 

Day 2, Nov 10: Hike Los Condores. After a slow morning, we will do an optional short hike to Los Condores and Las Aguilas lookouts (2 hours, 3 miles, +600 feet). Spend the afternoon checking out El Chaltén. Night at Destino Sur Hotel in El Chaltén. 

Day 3, Nov 11: Hike Laguna Torre. Not to be missed hike to Laguna Torre for views of Cerro Torre (6 hours, 11 miles, +1,200 feet). Night at Destino Sur Hotel in El Chaltén. 

Day 4, Nov 12: Hike Laguna de los Tres. Not to be missed, hike to Laguna de los Tres Traverse for close up views of Fitz Roy and Poincenot (10 hours, 13 miles, +1,500 feet). Night at Destino Sur Hotel in El Chaltén.

Day 5, Nov 13: Hike Tumbado. Optional hike to Pliegue Tumbado Hill for views of Cerro Torre and Fitz Roy (7 hours, 12 miles, +3,600’). Night at Destino Sur Hotel in El Chaltén.

Day 6, Nov 14: Travel to Puerto Natales. Drive (7-10 hours, 417 km) to Puerto Natales, Chile, near Torres del Paine National Park. We’ll stop for lunch and views along the way. Night at a hotel in Puerto Natales.  

Day 7, Nov 15: Hike Lago Torres. This is a big day. We’ll have an early breakfast and leave at 7am. After an hour drive we 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 (8-10 hours, +3,200 feet, 14 miles). Return to Torre Central Refugio for the night. 

Day 8, Nov 16: Hike Torre Central to Los Cuernos. From the park entrance at Torre Central we’ll hike along Nordenskjöld Lake to Los Cuernos to camp for the night. 5 hours, 10 miles, +2,000 feet.

Day 9, Nov 17: Hike Los Cuernos, French Valley, Paine Grande. We’ll hike a mile 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. 7 hours, 9 miles, +1,750 feet. 

Day 10, Nov 18: 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 Glacier. 4 hours, 7 miles, +1,400 feet. 

Day 11, Nov 19: 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 (5 hours, 7 miles, +1,300 feet), catamaran to Pudeto, bus to Puerto Natales. Night at a hotel in Puerto Natales. 

Day 12, Nov 20: Fly home from Puerto Natales.

Patagonia

Patagonia is the southern part of Argentina and Chile including a diverse landscape of grasslands, mountains, glaciers, and temperate rainforest. 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 take a shuttle bus to El Chaltén. Later, we’ll take a shuttle bus south to Puerto Natales for trekking in Torres del Paine National Park. 

 
 
 

El Chaltén Treks 

  • 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: An out and back to a summit with views but without crowds. 12 miles, +3,640 feet.

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

 

Torres del Paine Trek

We will be following the Vertice Five-Day W Circuit itinerary while using their refugios, tents, and transport. On the trek we will stay in a combination of tents and refugios. Sleeping may be better in tents than in the refugios. We will eat breakfast and dinner in the refugios. 

  • TDP Day 1: Torre Central to Lago Torres, 8-10 hours, +3,200 feet, 14 miles. 

  • TDP Day 2: Hike Torre Central to Los Cuernos, 5 hours, 10 miles, +2,000 feet. 

  • TDP Day 3: Hike Los Cuernos, French Valley, Paine Grande, 7 hours, 9 miles, +1,750 feet. 

  • TDP Day 4: Hike to Paine Grande to Grey Glacier, 4 hours, 7 miles, +1,400 feet. 

  • TDP Day 5: Hike Grey to Paine Grande and travel to Puerto Natales, 5 hours, 7 mi, +1,300 ft. 

Cost

  • 2 clients: $11,000 each

  • 3 clients: $9,500 each

  • 4+ clients: $8,000 each

Includes

  • Guide Joe

  • All travel expenses for the guide

  • Land transportation from El Calafate to El Chaltén and El Chaltén to Puerto Natales

  • Lodging on day 1-11 

  • Park fees and permits

  • Dinners while on the Torres del Paine trek

  • Breakfast on day 1-11

  • 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

 

Links 

Patagonia Trekking Gear List

International Terms and Conditions

Waiver