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.
Walking & Hiking
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Chile Patagonia & Fjords Cruise Walking & Hiking Tour
Fjords, Cape Horn & Torres del Paine
Journey by sea and land in spellbinding Chilean Patagonia—fjords, Cape Horn and Torres del Paine. Set sail at the edge of the world, entranced by towering glaciers, mystical waters, colonies of penguins and soaring condors. Bewitching lakes and snow-capped mountains render you speechless. And at days' end, experience magical delights like pisco sours, Chilean wine, empanadas and asado.
THIS ITINERARY: 9 days, 8 nights
ACCOMMODATIONS: Casual Plus Hotels & Ship*
FROM:
$9,599 - $10,699 pp dbl occ
Chile Patagonia Walking & Hiking
Argentina & Chile
Start Ushuaia / End Punta Arenas
Start/End locations may vary. Do not book flights until your trip details are confirmed.
Highlights
- Sail through Chilean Patagonia—Beagle Channel, UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Cape Horn National Park and Wulaia Bay
- Access remote sites via Zodiacs and trek windswept islands, gazing over immense glaciers and sea and mountain vistas
- Taste traditional food and wine, plus learn the history of the Tehuelche people and follow the path of Charles Darwin
- Hike in postcard-perfect Tierra del Fuego and Torres del Paine National Parks and horseback ride on an estancia
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Itinerary
Accommodations may vary based on departure date.
9 Days Casual Plus Hotels & Ship*
Accommodations may vary based on departure.
Days 1-4
From Ushuaia, Argentina, head into Tierra del Fuego National Park for a coastal hike overlooking the Beagle Channel | Board our home for four nights, the Australis expedition ship, built to navigate South America's narrow channels | Sail into Cape Horn National Park and if the weather and sea cooperate, Zodiacs transport us to Horn Island with panoramic views | Anchor at Wulaia Bay, visited by Darwin, and hike through forests to fjord and mountain views | Our Zodiacs crunch through icy waters toward breathtaking Pía Glacier—look for calving ice chunks | Cruise between mountains streaked with waterfalls and visit dramatic Garibaldi Glacier, Águila Glacier with its blue cracks hugging the mountain and the spectacular Cóndor Glacier—keep an eye out for Andean condors above.
Australis Ship
Ventus or Stella
Specifically designed to navigate the narrow channels and remote bays of Patagonia, these state-of-the-art expedition ships get you up close to the area's dramatic geographic formations. Travel + Leisure World's Best.
Days 5-6
Stroll on Magdalena Island, home to hundreds of thousands of Magellanic penguins | Say goodbye to our ship before we head to a historical working ranch for a tasty Chilean asado | Enjoy a yerba maté tasting | Hike in unforgettable Torres del Paine National Park | Follow a trail to meet herds of guanaco and see spectacular views of the Paine massif | Discover 6,000-year-old Tehuelche cave paintings and learn about the native inhabitants | Learn to mix classic pisco sours and dig into traditional asado.
Hotel Las Torres
Torres del Paine National Park
| Casual Plus Hotel With a stunning location inside Torres del Paine National Park at the foot of Paine towers, this former estancia has incredible access to the area's best hiking and breathtaking landscapes. (spa)
Days 7-9
Witness the powerful Salto Grande waterfall with thundering powder-blue waters spilling 50 feet down a narrow opening | Climb a rugged path until the famous snowcapped peaks, cuernos (horns), make their appearance | Stay at majestic Singular Patagonia near Puerto Natales | Try your hand at making empanadas and enjoy a Chilean wine dinner | It's gaucho time as we ride horseback at an exclusive estancia and hike at a ranch with views of Última Esperanza fjord | Tour our hotel's museum, learning about the industrial machines and the history of sheep farming.
Singular Patagonia
Puerto Natales
| *Premiere Hotel Situated at the end of Última Esperanza Sound, the hotel's floor-to-ceiling windows overlook the water and the building's Industrial Age iron relics pay homage to its former life as a meatpacking plant. Travel + Leisure World's Best. (spa)
Dates & Prices
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.
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Activity Level: 1-3
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.
Route notes
Most walks and hikes on this trip involve a mild altitude gain, normally between 600 and 2,300 feet, starting from just above sea level. Trails are sometimes narrow and, depending on the weather, can be muddy and slippery. Also, note that the more technical route options require a degree of agility and balance over rocks and tree roots and uneven terrain.
Daily Route Options
What's Included
- All breakfasts, 9 lunches, 8 dinners
- Expertise and services of our experienced Trip Leaders
- Snacks and beverages between meals
- Additional guides and experts from the region on many trips
- Van shuttles to support a variety of route options
- Comprehensive Travel Planner with detailed pre-trip information
- Private guided tours at museums, historic sites, wineries and other select attractions as noted in the Travel Planner
- All gratuities at hotels and restaurants
- Special events, including wine tastings and other select attractions as mentioned in the Travel Planner
- On biking and multi-adventure trips, use of fully equipped Backroads titanium bike plus helmet and accessories
- Trailercycles, carriers, and kid-sized helmets for Family Trips
- Equipment and experienced guides for kayaking, rafting, snorkeling, sailing and canoeing as described
- Park and other entry fees
- Fares for trains, ferries and other modes of travel as listed in the Travel Planner
- Select coach transfers
- Baggage transfers and porterage
Straight talk
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.
Ships
The ships we sail on during the ocean cruise portion of this trip are like floating luxury hotels, so you can visit a new destination each day without touching your suitcase once you've settled in. Our ships are custom‐designed with a variety of inviting spaces that offer plenty of room for both relaxing and socializing. They're also vastly smaller than most cruise ships, with up to only 210 passengers.
Backroads Cruising Life
If you're new to Backroads active cruise trips, there are a few things you need to know. Our cruises are smaller, and much more intimate than a typical cruise. They are also quite lively, social experiences, shaped by both our Backroads group and the larger ship community. Additionally, even with an itinerary subject to fixed nautical schedules that may occasionally limit our time on shore, we get out and explore far beyond the cruise norm. If you love meeting new people, enjoy the ease of unpacking once, and don't mind a set schedule of port departure times, you'll love our approach to active river and ocean cruising. Nobody does it like we do.
Meals on Ship
All meals are served aboard. On-ship meals, though delightful, are meant to appeal to a wide cross section of passengers and may at times feel more conventional for some, and less reflective of the region than on Backroads hotel trips.
Terrain & Trail Support
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 or Zodiacs will get us to and from the trailheads, but due to the nature of these trails, we won't see vehicles along the route. Ample trail support in the form of water and encouragement is provided by your Backroads leaders and local guides.
Hiking in National Parks
Most hikes on this itinerary are inside national parks and unlike other Backroads walking and 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.
Shuttle Time
To access the most scenic routes and significant points of interest on this trip, strategic shuttles are incorporated into several days. Most will be limited to an hour or so at a time, but some days you can expect to spend a bit more time in the shuttle.
Leaders & Local Guides
Trips with a small number of guests may be supported by one Backroads Trip Leader and a team of knowledgeable local guides. Rest assured that there will always be at least two people hiking on the trail with you.
Itinerary Changes
Because of Patagonia's extreme weather conditions and strong winds, mid-trip itinerary changes are possible on this trip. Rest assured that 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 a scarcity of ATMs which often run out of cash. It's all part of the adventure!
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