The 14 best places to go in Patagonia for adventure, wildlife and culture

13.09.2024 - 01:45 / lonelyplanet.com / El Calafate

Sep 12, 2024 • 9 min read

Covering huge swathes of southern Chile and Argentina, Patagonia is heaven for fans of outdoor adventures. Strap on your boots for some of South America's most spectacular hikes, adrenaline-fuelled white water rafting, wildlife spotting and horseback riding. 

But there's more to this expanse of grasslands and mountains than its reputation as an adventure playground. A complex and turbulent history, intriguing cowboy culture and even experimental fusion dining at the end of the world.

Choose the ultimate itinerary for your trip from our pick of the best places to visit in beautiful Patagonia.

Best place for hiking and wildlife watching 

You’ll see the characteristic bell-shaped Los Cuernos range and the trident granite towers of Las Torres long before you reach the most popular of Patagonia’s national parks.

Torres del Paine is the only national park in Patagonia where you can arrange a multiday bunk-hut to bunk-hut hike while carrying nothing heavier than a day pack, or else opt for camping at well-equipped designated sites.   

Chile’s pride and joy is the place for two unparalleled multi-day hikes. The "Circuit" takes you on a seven- to ten-day tour of the park’s undisputable highlights, from up-close-and-personal encounters with the two famous mountain ranges to the challenging crossing of John Gardner Pass, with unparalleled views of Glacier Grey from above.

The three- to five-day "W" skips the backcountry trek and the pass crossing, but visits the three big-hitters: Glacier Grey, the French Valley, and Las Torres. Puma and guanaco sightings are frequent, particularly in the backcountry.

Best place for cruises to the Antarctic

Every summer in the southern hemisphere finds Antarctica-bound travelers in Ushuaia, Argentina’s southernmost city, waiting to board one of the giant icebreakers in the harbor for the turbulent trip across stormy Drake’s Passage to the world’s remotest continent.

You need at least a week to make the trip worthwhile, and money to spare. Last-minute "bargains" can sometimes be had, but you’ll need plenty of time on your hands to hang around, walking the steep streets overlooking the Beagle Channel, and hoping that there’s an empty berth with your name on it.

Experienced deckhands can sign up to crew a yacht on weeks-long Antarctic trips.   

Best place to view vast glaciers

Every day, fleets of buses depart the compact, hugely popular Argentinian town of El Calafate for the Perito Moreno glacier – an accessible icy spectacle, and one of the world’s few advancing glaciers.

A series of boardwalks lead to various viewpoints that allow you to contemplate this shining, blue-white wall of ice. Every now and then, a muffled "crack" and splash signals the calving of a