Itinerary - Chile and Argentina: trekking through Patagonia

Roundtrip flights are not included in the package, so you can choose from where and when you want to fly.

Check-in to your hotel in Buenos Aires and then it is time for your welcome dinner. It will be the perfect opportunity to get to know each other a bit better and to taste some local delicacies. They say that Argentinian meat is cooked to such perfection that you can cut it with a spoon, so let’s put it to the test! For those of us who don't really suffer from jet lag, we can continue the night in one of the city’s many buzzing bars… vamos a bailar!

Rise and shine, today is the beginning of our adventure in Patagonia! We'll catch a domestic flight to Calafate. Our home for the next two days will be a small village, three hours drive from the airport, at the north end of the Los Glaciares National Park. El Chalten is the national capital of trekking in Argentina so be prepared for stunning hikes surrounded by the most amazing landscapes.

This area includes the tallest peaks in the region, as well as lakes, glaciers and forests. It really doesn't get any better than this! Some of the best treks will be on Mount Fitz Roy (11171 ft) and Cerro Torre (10262 ft). Our choice: a full day hike up to Laguna de los Tres at the foot of Mount Fitz Roy massif. We'll have our camera's at the ready, as your friends and family are going to want to see this!

Before saying goodbye to El Chaltén after lunch we'll have plenty of options to stay busy in the morning. The southernmost white water rafting in the world? We got it. Didn't get enough steps in yesterday and want to add an extra hike? No problem. Fancy exploring a petrified forest full of million year old dinosaur fossils? We got it too. In truth, it doesn't matter what we choose, as it is guarantee to take your breath away.

After arriving in Calafate and checking in our hotel we'll get out to explore this town by the shore of the largest lake in Patagonia. We can maybe explore the incredibly varied birdlife by Laguna Nímez, but will definitely make a stop at one of the many local craft breweries. Cheers!

El Calafate is widely known as the national capital of glaciers. The most famous among them is Perito Moreno and we have a full day to explore it. Despite the sad fact that most of the glaciers worldwide are retreating, this one is one of the few that remains in a state of equilibrium through cycles of accumulation and ablation. After arriving, we will head to one of the viewpoints above the glacier and wait for a large block of blue and white ice to collapse into the glacial lake below. Ice creaking, a roar and a thunderous splash: that will be the soundtrack to one of the most amazing natural phenomena you can witness.

Afterwards we can choose from a number of on site excursions like a boat trip which will take you even closer to the glacier, or a kayak tour for the more adventurous among us. But the must do in the area is the ice trek. So we can don some crampons and follow an expert adventure guides into the interior of the glacier exploring the deep crevasses, caves and underground lagoons. A truly unforgettable experience.

Today is the day that we'll say bye for now to Argentina as we cross the border to Chile to explore the mighty Magallanes region. The isolation is real here as the only way to access from Santiago (apart from flying) is either by ferry crossing the impressive Chilean fjords or, as we'll do, entering by road from Argentina.

It will take us some time to reach Puerto Natales so sit back and enjoy the incredible scenery keeping an eye out for guanacos, a kind of patagonian ostriche, and, if we're super lucky, pumas! Situated on the shores of the Last Hope Fjord, Puerto Natales is the gateway to one of the highlights of our adventure, Torres del Paine National Park. Upon arrival we'll have time to walk around the small village and maybe even explore the famous Milodon Cave, where the skeleton of this prehistorical animal was found.

Torres del Paine National Park is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and is worth the flight across the Atlantic on its own. When you think of Patagonia, one of the most iconic images that comes to mind is probably the view from the base of the towers lookout: the three granite peaks rising behind the crystal clear waters of the lake. And this is where we're headed today so lace up your hiking shoes and get ready for quite a trek! At this point, try to fight the urge to take pictures, just breathe in and enjoy the moment. After an amazing day deep into nature we'll get back to Puerto Natales where we can relax for a while before heading into town to celebrate the success of our hiking adventure with a hearty dinner and a visit to the southernmost gin distillery in the world. Salud!

Today we have a long journey ahead of us to reach our destination - Ushuaia, the end of the earth. We will head south across the Patagonian steppe towards the historical oceanic passage of the Strait of Magallanes. While on the ferry crossing the strait, picture the scene of more than 100 years ago as up until 1914 when the Panama Canal was opened to traffic, this was the only way to travel between the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans across the Americas.

Arriving on the other shore we find ourselves on the legendary island of Tierra de Fuego (the land of fire) and we'll venture deeper into it jumping to the Argentinian side and crossing the last ridges of the Andean mountain range. At some point on our journey another body of water will appear in front of us, the Beagle Channel. And just like that we've reached our home for the next 3 days. After such a day you can consider yourselves real adventurers!

The next two days are dedicated to exploring Ushuaia and the nature surrounding the city. As we’ve come this far it would be a real shame not to sail down Beagle Channel, so for those of you who fancy a boat trip, this is the perfect activity. You’ll be surrounded by the snowy peaks of Isla Grande of Tierra de Fuego, and on the other side, the coast of Chilean Navarino Island. Named after the ship that sailed it for the first time and that, on its second expedition, transported Charles Darwin around the world, the channel is inhabited by big communities of sea lions, cormorants and otters that will play by our boat. But to meet the most famous little friend in the neighbourhood we'll have to get off the ship in Martillo Island and and walk among up to three different species of penguins, who build their nests here every year. On the way back, if we are particularly lucky, we might even spot some whales!

But this is a trekking tour right? So of course we have some exciting hikes available! Let's explore Tierra del Fuego National Park and get to the top of Cerro Guanaco, to enjoy a 360° view of the mountains around us. Don't forget to get some postcards in town beforehand as by the national park's gate we'll get to send them home from the southernmost post office in the world. Let's not leave without trying the delicacy of this land, king crab in all its variations!

It’s unfortunately time to leave the unspoiled nature of these lands at the end of the world and catch a domestic flight back to Buenos Aires. After so many adventures in Patagonia, it’s time to relax with a stroll around the neighbourhood of Palermo, do some shopping in the cute little vintage shops, try to find the best empanada in the city or grab a coffee and watch the world go by. Or, for a culture fix, why not head over to world famous Recoleta Cemetery, the resting place of former Argentine first lady Evita Peron.

Today’s main focus will be exploring the wonderful city of Buenos Aires and tasting delicious local food! We'll start from Plaza de Mayo, right in the heart of the city, and walk along Avenida 9 de Julio, the widest avenue in the world. While we're here, we simply must stop at Cafe Tortoni, the oldest coffee shop in the whole country. Worth a visit is also El Ateneo; the building opened as a theatre and is now considered one of the most beautiful bookshops on the planet.

We'll continue our tour of the city to reach La Boca, walking past La Bombonera - a football stadium named after a chocolate box! - and the colourful houses of Caminito. This is the neighbourhood’s most famous alley, where you often find tango dancers showcasing their talent for everyone to enjoy. Sadly all good things must come to end, but let's celebrate the end of wonderful adventure with a farewell dinner, and few glasses of Argentinian Malbec.

Check-out and farewell. It is time to say goodbye until your next WeRoad adventure!