Region Overviews: Patagonia Travel Guide: Overview
Patagonia is every outdoor adventurer’s dream—400,000 square miles of some of the most rugged landscapes Mother Nature has to offer.
Family — 20s & Beyond
7 days 6 nights
Activity Level: 2-5
Casual Hotels
From: $4,499 - $4,799 pp dbl occ
($700 for sgl occ)
Majestic and untamed, Argentina's Patagonia welcomes you and your family in dramatic glacier-carved fashion. Here, some of the world’s most remarkable landscapes invite you to explore, from Cerro Fitz Roy’s grandeur to the iceberg-studded waters of Lago Argentino. Join us in this glorious world bursting with the passion of the tango and infused with a proudly diverse heritage.
Start/End El Calafate
Start/End locations may vary. Do not book flights until your trip details are confirmed.
Be awestruck on a walk along boardwalks to see the remarkable Perito Moreno Glacier—and with luck, perhaps witness the impressive sight of calving ice | Taste world-class Argentine vintages—Malbec, Pinot Noir, Torrontés and more | Embark on an unforgettable full-day excursion to Estancia Cristina, including a boat ride across Lake Argentino among icebergs and the famous Upsala Glacier | Keep an eye out on Cristina Bay for condors soaring above | Hike a rocky route to Fossil Canyon | Weave through lagoons teeming with coots and black-neck swans before journeying back to El Calafate.
A contemporary hotel set on a hillside with panoramic lake, mountain and downtown views. (pool)
Hike along Lago Argentino's lakeside dunes or opt to horseback ride at Estancia Estela | Lodge at El Chaltén's unique Patagonia Eco Domes, where you have unsurpassed views of Cerro Fitz Roy's peaks from your cozy dome | Head out on an epic full-day hike to Cagliero Glacier | From our domes in El Chaltén National Park, access some of Patagonia's most impressive hikes, complete with magnificent views of the snowcapped Andes, hanging glaciers, lenga forests and unique fauna.
Set in a stunning location, these luxurious and sustainable eco domes keep you cozy with wood burning stoves and have a transparent wall through which Fitz Roy vistas greet you each morning.
Mirador Cerro Torre reveals mammoth views over the Torre and Fitz Roy peaks | Sip yerba maté, Argentina’s national beverage, like a local gaucho | Hike to spectacular vistas of glacier-fed Lake Viedma and to gorgeous Laguna Capri | See glaciers spilling dramatically down ice-carved valleys and massive blue icebergs floating atop glacial melt—a sight your family will not forget!
A boutique lodge with a modern alpine aesthetic boasting beautiful mountain vistas. (spa)
The earlier you book, the more choice you'll have and the lower your price. And you can always change your mind — you won't be charged to transfer to a different trip before your final payment is due. View cancellation policy.
Click on dates for pricing, itinerary variations and to book your trip. Price is per person, double occupancy.
Our Private Trips are best for groups of 6 or more. We suggest joining a scheduled trip.
Group size is required to show per-person pricing. Your group size can be approximate and can change.
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Every Backroads trip is designed to appeal to a wide variety of interests and fitness levels. Several routes and a range of levels are offered each day so you can choose how much or how little activity you want to do. Learn more about how we determine activity levels.
The terrain on this trip includes rolling oak and lenga tree-lined paths, and mountain trails along streams and fjords with rocks and uneven surfaces. Please also note that Patagonia is famous for its intermittent strong winds and fast-changing weather.
We want to make sure you're on the right trip and that you have the best experience possible. Every Backroads trip is unique and this one is no exception.
In order to access some of the best hikes in Los Huemules Reserve, we stay two nights at the unique Patagonia Eco Domes in El Chaltén. Our eco domes have plush beds, private en suite bathrooms, cozy padded walls (that may let in sounds from strong winds or nearby domes) and one transparent wall with views of the famous Torre Fitz Roy. Woodstoves provide heat and solar panels supply power, so lighting can be dim. Each dome is fitted with USB charging outlets while community areas offer standard power outlets. There is no cell or internet service.
In order to experience the full grandeur of Argentina's Patagonia region, we spend more time shuttling and on boat crossings on this trip than on a typical Backroads trip. This enables us to explore the incredible variety of ecosystems and scenery this region has to offer (the views from these shuttles are spectacular!).
Our hikes through Patagonia's captivating rugged terrain climb rocky and sometimes uneven paths, many of which are remote and do not intersect with roads. Vehicles will get us to and from the trailheads, but due to the nature of these trails, we won't see our vehicles along the route. Ample trail support in the form of water, snacks and encouragement is provided by your Backroads leaders and local guides.
Most hikes on this itinerary take place in Argentine national parks and unlike other Backroads Walking & Hiking Trips, regulations require a certified local guide to accompany us. We offer flexibility by dividing into several groups of different paces, with each group hiking in the company of a local guide.
Trips with a small number of guests may be supported by one Backroads Trip Leader and a team of knowledgeable local guides. There will always be at least two people hiking on the trail with you.
Because of Patagonia's extreme weather conditions and strong winds, mid-trip itinerary changes and boat crossings are possible on this trip. If severe weather affects our planned activities, your Trip Leaders will find alternate activities that you're sure to enjoy. Expect the unexpected in this remote region, including slow or no internet and the occasional ATM possibly running out of cash. It's all part of the adventure!
Patagonia is every outdoor adventurer’s dream—400,000 square miles of some of the most rugged landscapes Mother Nature has to offer.
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