Inspired Trip to Patagonia

¡Bienvenidos a la Argentina!

Welcome to Patagonia. Our journey begins in El Calafate, a windswept town on the edge of Lago Argentino where the sky seems to stretch forever. After settling into our hotel, we’ll gather over a glass of Malbec and warm empanadas, savoring our first taste of the region’s rustic elegance.

Dinner this evening invites us into Patagonia’s culinary spirit—a relaxed, convivial meal featuring wood-fired meats, local cheeses, and thoughtful wine pairings. It’s a fitting prelude to the adventures that await.

We depart this morning along Argentina’s legendary Ruta 40, a ribbon of highway that slices through the Southern Patagonian steppe. Golden plains roll out in every direction, flanked by distant snowcaps and clusters of guanacos. A pause at Parador La Leona, once a hideout for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, offers a moment of frontier lore before we continue.

By midday, El Chaltén greets us with jagged peaks and alpine air. Our first hike begins in Los Huemules Nature Reserve—a privately protected swath of lenga forest, turquoise lagoons, and glacier-fed streams. It’s a gentle welcome to Patagonia’s wild heart. Afterward, we check in to our hotel and gather for dinner, a warm reward for our first day on the trail.

Day 2 Hiking: 3.5 hours, 3 miles (ca. 5 km), 410ft (ca. 125m)

Today, we trace the footsteps of mountaineers. The path begins with a gentle trail leading out of El Chaltén, winding through beech forests where lenga and ñire trees bend in the breeze and Magellanic woodpeckers call from above. The trail meanders alongside the Fitz Roy River, opening into wide glacial valleys carved over millennia. As we ascend, the sharp, unmistakable spires of Cerro Torre—one of Patagonia’s most elusive peaks—begin to reveal themselves, sometimes hidden behind cloud, sometimes shining against blue sky.

We pause at Mirador Torre for our first panoramic view of the Adela Range and the glacier-draped valley below, then continue to Laguna Torre, where icebergs drift in still, slate-gray water. Here, the landscape feels both immense and intimate—glacial silence broken only by the creak of shifting ice and the wind sweeping down from the Southern Patagonian Ice Field. It’s a view that humbles and stirs in equal measure.

Lunch is served picnic-style at the lake’s edge, with views of the Torre Glacier spilling into the lagoon. Some may opt to linger at the shoreline while others explore the moraine or venture further to the Maestri Lookout. 

As we return in the afternoon light, the mood is quiet and reflective—our steps softened by the beauty of a day spent in Patagonia’s wild heart. Evening finds us back in town, where dinner is at your leisure. Spend the evening with a meal by flickering candlelight or exploring the town, both offering a comforting close to a day spent in Patagonia’s elemental beauty.

Day 3 Hiking:
7–8 hrs | 11.8 miles (ca. 20 km) | 800ft (ca. 244 m) total elevation gain/loss | Level – High

Today we set out early, the morning air crisp as the trail climbs gently and the peaks of the Fitz Roy Range begin to rise in the distance—first hazy, then strikingly clear. After about two hours, we arrive at Laguna Capri, its glassy surface perfectly mirroring the jagged granite spires above. With few others around, it’s a quiet, humbling place to pause and sip coffee, take photos, or just take in the vast stillness of Patagonia before heading back to El Chaltén.

The afternoon invites unhurried exploration. Stroll the artisan shops, sample handmade alfajores, or simply breathe in the cool mountain air. As the sun begins its slow descent, we make our way to Estancia Bonanza, where dinner is served fireside with panoramic views of Patagonian wilderness.

Day 4 Hiking:
4-5 hrs | 5 miles (ca. 8 km) | Level – Easy

Today offers a rare window into the rhythms of rural life. We journey to Chacra Las Moras, a family-run farm tucked beside Lago Argentino, where strawberries, herbs, and berries grow in neatly tended beds under the southern sun.

With sleeves rolled up, we’ll spend the morning alongside the farm’s caretakers—harvesting, planting, foraging—before sitting down to a homemade lunch crafted from the very ingredients we’ve helped gather. This is Patagonia at its most personal: quiet, earthy, and deeply nourishing.

Evening brings us a bit of relaxation or exploration, depending on what you’re in the mood for, and dinner is your own. 

We wake to the possibility of awe. At Los Glaciares National Park, the Perito Moreno Glacier rises in shimmering silence—its blue-white cliffs cracking and calving into the milky waters of Lago Argentino. This living, groaning expanse is part of the Patagonian ice field, the third largest after Antarctica and Greenland.

We’ll enjoy a bit of lunch in the National Park with stunning views of the glacier. In the stillness, the glacier speaks—loud pops, slow thunder, and the occasional splash as a tower of ice breaks free. Together, we toast to the memory with windburned cheeks and full hearts.

Dinner tonight is at a cozy local restaurant, where warm soup and soft candlelight await.

Today we cross into Chile, trading Argentina’s steppes for the jagged drama of Torres del Paine. It’s a long journey with landscapes shifting from grasslands to deep forest.

At Cerro Castillo, we cross the border and transfer to new vehicles, continuing toward Patagonia Camp. After arriving, we’ll take a short hike through the open plains and lenga groves of the place we’ll call home during the next leg of our journey.

Nestled into the hillside, Patagonia Camp welcomes us with its luxuriously appointed yurts and sweeping views of Lake Toro. As the stars come out, we gather for dinner—a multicourse meal inspired by the region’s bounty, paired with Chilean wines and lakeside stillness.

Today is for those called to the trail. The hike to the Base of the Towers is long, steep, and stunning—13.5 miles through lenga forests, river crossings, and open alpine terrain. The final push ascends a boulder field, rewarding hikers with a dramatic view: three granite spires rising from an icy turquoise lake.

For those preferring a gentler pace, Patagonia Camp offers a curated selection of alternate excursions, each revealing a different facet of the park’s majesty.

Whatever your path, the day ends with a well-earned dinner, stories shared over glasses of Carménère, and the quiet camaraderie of fellow adventurers.

Day 8 Hiking:
Approximately 14 hrs (walking 9–10 hrs / transfer 4 hours) | 13.5 miles (ca. 22 km) | 2525ft (ca. 770 m) total elevation gain/loss (trail allows return to camp at any time) | Level – High

This morning, we set out toward Salto Grande, a torrent of glacial meltwater that thunders between two lakes in luminous shades of blue. The air smells of sage and wildflower, and the wind whips across the plateau.

Our path then leads through skeletal forest—burned but rebounding—toward the Paine Horns, whose striated rock faces tower above us in shades of charcoal and cream. A final trail winds up to a rocky bluff where condors glide overhead and the peaks of Sierra Baguales ripple in the distance.

Back at camp, dinner is casual and relaxed—an open bar, a shared bottle, and a moment to let it all sink in.

Day 9 Hiking
Approximately 9 hrs (walking 6 hrs / transfer 2 hours) | 3.8 miles (ca. 6 km) | 710ft (ca. 215 m) total elevation gain/loss | Level – Easy

Our final full day begins with a drive to Puerto Natales, where fishing boats line the waterfront and windblown architecture whispers of its maritime past.

After a leisurely walking tour and lunch at a favorite local spot, we arrive at The Singular—a repurposed warehouse turned design haven. Industrial relics meet modern elegance, and every room overlooks the fjords.

Tonight’s farewell dinner is a celebration—of where we’ve been, what we’ve tasted, and who we’ve become along the way. The team at Singular presents a multi-course menu that’s both rooted and refined, a final homage to Patagonia’s elemental brilliance.

One last breakfast. One last glance at the mountains. Today we make our way to Puerto Natales for connecting flights home, carrying with us the hush of glacial lakes, the crunch of trail beneath our boots, and the lingering warmth of Patagonian hospitality.