Covering an area of over 300,000 square miles and dominating the wildest expanses of southern Chile and Argentina, Patagonia has inspired explorers and adventurers for centuries. The region’s astonishing scale - along with the plethora of natural wonders to be found here - can make it difficult to know where to start when planning a Patagonia tour. Red Savannah have in-depth first-hand knowledge of the region, and can help you design the perfect itinerary to Patagonia to match all you are hoping to experience in these magical lands.
WHEN TO VISIT PATAGONIA
Image courtesy of Explora Patagonia National Park
The most popular time to visit Patagonia is during the peak summer months of December to February. And, while this is a rewarding time to visit, we highly recommend considering a visit outside of this season if you are able to. In the Patagonian spring (September to November), you will be rewarded with the spectacle of wild flowers bursting into bloom, gushing rivers and waterfalls due to snow melt, and wildlife emerging after the long winter months.
Autumn (March to May) is another wonderful season to visit Patagonia. During this time you will be treated to the magical spectacle of autumn leaves bursting into colour. You should not let weather concerns deter you from visiting Patagonia during autumn – or during spring, for that matter. Many visitors are surprised by how gentle the climate can be during these times, with sometimes less wind than can be experienced during the summer months.
Whatever time of year you choose to visit Patagonia, you should be prepared to experience four seasons in one day – but this is all part of the wild and authentic Patagonian experience. Furthermore, visiting Patagonia during spring or autumn comes with the added advantages of more competitive hotel rates, and far fewer crowds in the national parks.
BEST PLACES TO VISIT IN PATAGONIA
Torres del Paine, Chile
The most popular national park in Patagonia, Torres del Paine is a place of breathtaking scenery, rich wildlife, and world-class trekking. Catching your first glimpse of the soaring granite shards of the Paine Massif piercing the ever-changing Patagonian skies is an experience that leaves a lasting memory, and undoubtedly delivers a taste of Patagonia at its most iconic. The size and diversity of the park – as well as the clutch of excellent hotels and lodges to be found in the area - means that Torres del Paine is truly accessible to all. Whether you wish to challenge yourself to a section of the formidable W trek, take a gentle cruise to the face of an imposing glacier, or simply admire vistas of wild Patagonian steppe from the comfort of a luxury hotel, all is possible here.
Los Glaciares National Park, Argentina
Los Glaciers National Park is Argentina’s Patagonian haven for jagged granite peaks, colossal glaciers, and exceptional hiking. The Fitz Roy Massif puts on the most dramatic display of breathtaking mountain scenery, with Mount Fitz Roy itself soaring vertiginously above the surrounding shards of granite and ice. A wealth of hiking options are on offer in the area, but for the most accessible vistas of Fitz Roy we can organise a one-day trek to the Laguna de Los Tres viewpoint with a private guide.
If it is glaciers you seek, Los Glaciers National Park – as the name suggests – does not disappoint. Best known is Perito Moreno, its vivid blue hues and the ominous rumbling of the calving glacier delivering an assault on the senses. Being the easiest glacier to access from the visitor hub of El Calafate – and with very little exertion required to gain a close encounter with the glacier face – Perito Moreno is always popular with visitors, and there are numerous experiences to enjoy once you are here. Choose from a gentle glacier cruise and leisurely stroll around the scenic walkways, or a more adventurous kayaking expedition. For the ultimate glacier encounter you can also set out on a hike across the ice.
Lake District, Chile
For those not seeking to travel quite so far south – or perhaps looking to contrast the untamed wilderness of Torres del Paine with more gentle adventures surrounded by lakes and volcanic peaks, the Chilean Lake District is a fabulous place to spend a few days. Snow-capped volcanoes, temperate forests, pristine river valleys and inky blue lakes provide the perfect backdrop for walking, fishing, mountain biking, kayaking, and rafting. The Lake District is also the place to gain a deeper insight into Chile’s indigenous Mapuche heritage. Here you can visit a small Mapuche village to learn about the traditional beliefs and ways of life of one of Patagonia’s largest indigenous communities.
Lake District, Argentina
As with the Chilean Lake District, Argentina’s Lake District offers a delightful contrast to the exposed lands further south. Again, activities here showcase the invigorating natural surroundings of dazzling lakes and rivers, and forests punctuated by snow-capped volcanoes. Hiking, fishing, kayaking, mountain biking and rafting are all on offer here, as well as riding, and plentiful opportunities to enjoy fine food and wine (this is Argentina, after all.)
Patagonia National Park, Chile
Image courtesy of Explora Patagonia National Park
Back in Chile, spending time in the Patagonia National Park can be the perfect complement to your explorations of Patagonia’s more visited regions. This park is one with an inspiring and more recent history than some of the others in Patagonia, established in 2018 with the support of the late North Face founder Doug Tompkins and his wife Kristine. They fell in love with the tranquil beauty of the Chacabuco Valley when they first visited in 1995, and spent subsequent years dedicated to active conservation and rewilding work in the region. Visitors to the Patagonia National Park today will find this a place of quiet and understated beauty, characterised by rippling mountain ranges, sparkling lakes, ancient forests, and Patagonian wildlife untroubled by encroaching humanity.
Aysén, Chile
The Patagonia National Park is part of the wider Aysén region of Chile, a truly off-the-beaten track area that delivers a feel of wildest Patagonia, frequented by the very few. Much of this sparsely populated region only became connected by road in the last 20 or so years, but the rewards are great for those willing to venture this far. Astonishing scenery of ice fields, glaciers, crystal clear lakes and stark Patagonian steppe evokes a feeling of Patagonia at its most timeless, exhilarating, and blissfully empty. The turquoise waters of Chile’s second largest lake lap the entrance to the spectacular Marble Caves, while gauchos still hold rodeos in isolated communities, and the iconic Carretera Austral winds its way through these awe-inspiring lands.
THINGS TO DO IN PATAGONIA
Walking & trekking
As you might expect, walking and trekking are some of the most common ways to immerse yourself in the breathtaking landscapes of Patagonia – though you do not necessarily have to be a seasoned hiker to enjoy a visit here. The Lake Districts of Chile and Argentina offer plenty of options for more gentle walks and, even in Torres del Paine, some of the finest lodges in the area include plenty of less strenuous guided walks in their activity programmes.
If it is challenging trekking you seek, however, there is no better place in South America. From the formidable W Trek in Torres del Paine to the challenging ascent of Argentina’s Mount Fitz Roy, there are plenty of opportunities to strike out on an epic adventure. Furthermore, if you are an experienced hiker looking for further challenges in areas frequented by very few, the expert guides at Explora’s three Patagonian lodges – Explora Torres del Paine, Explora Patagonia National Park and Explora El Chalten – lead intrepid, high mountain ascents in some of Patagonia’s most untamed places.
Patagonia glacier cruises
Over 17,000 glaciers are littered across the northern and southern icefields of Patagonia, affording plentiful opportunities to encounter one of region’s most arresting natural spectacles. The Perito Moreno Glacier in Argentina is undoubtedly one of the most impressive. One of the few glaciers in the world that is not retreating, a visit to Perito Moreno allows you to experience the phenomenon of rumbling glacier movements beneath the surface and large chunks of ice crashing into the surrounding waters. A short glacier cruise at Perito Moreno allows you to marvel at this spectacle from an intimate (but safe) distance.
Image courtesy of Stella Australis
There are countless other glacier experiences to be enjoyed in Patagonia. In Los Glaciares National Park in Argentina (where Perito Moreno is located) you can also visit the mighty Upsala Glacier or go hiking on the Torre Glacier. Across the border in Chile, the sight of enormous chunks of ice drifting in the waters surrounding the Grey Glacier is one of the highlights of a visit to the Torres del Paine National Park. Aysén offers further opportunities to marvel at towering glaciers or – full the ultimate experience of Patagonia’s glaciers and fiords – you may wish to embark on a four night cruise between Chile and Argentina on the Stella Australis, which offers a spectacular showcase of the legendary waters and islands at the end of the earth.
Nature safaris
Some visitors to Patagonia return expressing surprise at the diversity of flora and fauna to be found in these windswept lands. But Patagonia boasts far more varied natural habitats than one might expect, from the temperate rainforests of the Lake Districts, the grassy steppe and arid plains of the east, and the deciduous forests bursting with native trees that blanket the mountainous lands of southern Patagonia. Whether you are exploring on foot, on two wheels, on horseback, or as part of a vehicle safari from your lodge, you are likely to encounter a wealth of Patagonian wildlife from herds of grazing guanacos and vicuñas, huemul deer, foraging armadillos, and formidable birds of prey such as the mighty Andean condor.
Whale watching
The wildlife of Patagonia does not just reside on dry land, of course, and taking a cruise around the Patagonian fiords offers opportunities to observe penguins, sea lions, and an array of marine life and birds. The ultimate marine encounter in Patagonia is the sight of the majestic southern right whales, which arrive in the southern Atlantic from June each year, remaining in the region until December. The Valdés Peninsula in Argentina is without doubt the best place to see whales in Patagonia, where southern right whales often easily spotted very close to shore – particularly during the months of August, September, and October. Though whales can sometimes be glimpsed from the clifftops and beaches of the Valdés Peninsula, we recommend taking a whale watching boat trip for the most thrilling encounters.
Kayaking
Image courtesy of Explora Patagonia National Park
Countless lakes and river valleys make Patagonia the ideal natural playground for those with a love of canoeing and kayaking. The Lake Districts and more sheltered areas of southern Patagonia offer boundless opportunities for leisurely kayaking across serene lakes, with the minerals in the water and ever-changing light delivering a watercolour canvas of shades from emerald and turquoise to the deepest, inky blue. In the Patagonia National Park, you may find yourself kayaking through the meandering waters of the Cochrane River while, further south, Argentina’s Los Glaciares National Park and Torres del Paine in Chile offer unforgettable opportunities to kayak amongst icebergs and glaciers.
Riding with gauchos
Image courtesy of Explora Torres del Paine
Riding has long formed the fabric of day-to-day life in Patagonia’s remotest communities, with gauchos rearing horses and tending to livestock in ways of life passed down across generations. Regardless of whether you are staying in a traditional estancia or not, you are likely to still have the opportunity to ride horses that have been lovingly tended by the gauchos of the region, in some cases even setting out on rides with gaucho guides. If this is something you are keen to experience during your time in Patagonia, we will be sure to factor this is in. If riding in Patagonia does not form part of your plan, lasting gaucho traditions can still be experienced from a number of superb Patagonian lodges. One of the most notable of these is enjoying a memorable asado – a delicious Patagonian barbecue where meat is slow roasted over an open fire for many hours, and the melt-in-the-mouth delights are inevitably accompanied by warming Chilean or Argentinian wines.
BEST HOTELS IN PATAGONIA - CHILE
Explora Torres del Paine
Combining expert-led excursions to the most iconic sights of Torres del Paine with intrepid, off-the-beaten track adventures, a stay at Explora Torres del Paine delivers one of the most comprehensive and exhilarating immersions into this spectacular region of southern Chile. The lodge’s dazzling location on the edge of Lake Pehoe offers striking vistas of the cuernos (horns) of the Paine massif, while delicious regional cuisine and a soothing spa await after a day of Patagonia adventures.
&Beyond Vira Vira
This luxurious lodge in the heart of the Chilean Lake District is an exceptional base for your time in the area. Floor-to-ceiling windows showcase the soothing surrounding scenery of lush forest and the Pucón River, while an extensive programme of activities shine a light on the multi-faceted charms of Chile’s Lake District.
Explora Patagonia National Park
Encapsulating all that is special about the Patagonia National Park, this welcoming lodge is a cocoon of comfort in the far-flung Chacabuco Valley. Days can be spent hiking, mountain biking and kayaking in invigorating natural surroundings of lush native forests, shimmering lakes and the rippling Tamango hills. Back at the lodge, learn about the inspiring conservation and rewilding efforts in the national park, soak in an outdoor hot tub looking out to the mountains, and dine on delicious, seasonal Patagonian cuisine.
BEST HOTELS IN PATAGONIA - ARGENTINA
Explora El Chalten
At Explora’s first lodge in Argentina, in depth explorations of the magnificent Los Glaciares National Park combine with uncharted adventures in the undiscovered Los Huemules Conservation Reserve and the Lago del Desierto. The lodge also boasts an inviting spa and fabulous restaurant, meaning there is no better base from which to explore Argentine Patagonia at its most wild.
Llao Llao Resort
Combine explorations of the Argentine Lake District with a generous dose of relaxation at this polished lakeside resort. A wide range of activities are available within the grounds of the resort itself, including golf, tennis, and spa relaxation – all set against a picture-postcard backdrop of Lake Nahuel Huapi and the surrounding snow-capped peaks. Activities in the wider area include hiking, mountain biking, paddle boarding, zip lining and rafting.
Eolo
Those looking to combine their Patagonian adventures with a healthy dose of gourmet cuisine and generous pampering will not be disappointed by Eolo. Located on a vast private estate in southern Patagonia, hiking and riding in the surrounding steppe can be combined with day trips to the Perito Moreno Glacier and other attractions of Los Glaciares National Park. Back at the lodge, the wonderful gastronomic offering combines with the impeccable service that one can expect of a Relais & Chateaux property.
