Adventures in Patagonia

Thank you for sharing! This is really helpful. I have a 2+ week tour in early January and appreciate first- hand experience about the wind, in particular! Money advice, too :) I look forward to your trip report!

Also looking forward to a detailed report!

Day 1 and 2- These were travel days. I flew Air Canada from Halifax to Toronto and then flew Air Canada from Toronto to Buenos Aires with a short stop in Sao Paolo. I arrived in Buenos Aires around 3pm on day 2. I didn’t have any issues getting my bags or finding my transfer, I had prearranged a transfer through Daytrip.

Hotel: Principado Downtown - business type hotel in the downtown, close to the subte (subway) and the ferry terminal and well as the waterfront and a nature preserve.

As I had been travelling for many hours and had an early morning the next day, I didn’t feel like venturing far, I went for a steak at a restaurant down the street from the hotel.

Day 3 - I wanted to go to Uruguay and this is easily done as a day trip from Buenos Aires. I had ordered a ferry ticket from the website before I left home. I chose Buquebus but there is also Colonia Express. The ferry terminal was a short walk from the hotel. I chose the 8am ferry. They recommend getting there 2.5 hours ahead to deal with immigration formalities. I didn’t arrive that early. I got there about an hour and a half ahead. The lines are long, but because I already had my tickets I could at least bypass that line. You clear both Argentinian and Uruguayan immigration in Buenos Aires so you can just exit the ferry in Colonia.

Colonia is a fabulous place and very easy to walk around in. You can’t get lost. I spent hours wandering the streets taking it all in. I had lunch at a fantastic little bistro with a great view and tried some local wine and the local dish, chivito.

I picked up an amethyst ring to bring home as a souvenir from a lovely little shop on one of the streets. I don’t have anything like it and i love it.

There are lots of quirky little museums as well. All in all it was a great day, I got a stamp in my passport and checked off another country.

I took the 5pm ferry back and once again, you clear both Uruguayan and Argentinian immigration on the Uruguay side so you can just get off at destination.

As my lunch was so big, I didn’t bother with dinner and just enjoyed walking around the waterfront a bit before heading back to the hotel.

So happy to read your trip report! We are going next fall and I want to do the Uruguay day as well, was debating a tour vs independently. Looking forward to more of your report.

Day 4

I decided to hire a guide for this free day in Buenos Aires. My guide, Mariano, offered a fully customizable private tour, and the price was very reasonable. The following is what I chose to see:

The Basilica Maria Auxiliadora y San Carlos - I wanted to visit because I saw some photos online and as a person who loves photography, I knew this would be a great spot for photos. On a historical note, this is where Pope Francis was baptized. Mariano had called ahead to make sure we could get in and we went first thing before large numbers arrived and while all the light was shining through the stained glass. It was magnificent.

Plaza de Mayo - there was lots to see in this area and lots to learn about. One thing that is very noticeable here is the complete mishmash of architectural styles. Some important events in Argentina’s history took place here.

The Cathedral- I didn’t specifically have this on my list, but some soldiers marched by and I wanted a photo. It turned out they do a changing of the guard at the mausoleum of San Martin. He is one of the most important people in Argentinian history, he fought Napoleon and gained independence for Argentina from Spain. His tomb is guarded 24 hours a day.

El Ateneo Grand Splendid- This is the bookstore in the old theatre. It’s magnificent and there are loads of books, just not many in English, which is understandable. This is probably one of the most visited attractions in Buenos Aires and the crowds proved it. I did buy a book and a tote bag because I could store my luggage at my hotel while I travelled to Patagonia and because I am a book lover, so I had to.

Librería de Avila - This is the oldest bookstore in Buenos Aires with hard,y any crowds and it is very photogenic. No books purchased, but I enjoyed visiting very much.

Obelisco - Another popular site. This resembles the Washington Monument. Mariano knew where to get photos from to avoid standing in a long line with all the instagrammers.

Teatro Colon - We took the subway to a stop nearby to take a look at the outside and talk a little about the history of the area.

Galeria Guemos - I wanted to to quickly visit for the architecture and hoped to go to the top for the view of the city, but it was a Saturday and the viewing platform wasn’t open. It was still worth a few minutes for the unique ceiling.

Also to note, many businesses in Argentina are very happy for you to takes photos, unlike many in Europe. I always asked first though.

Confiteria La Ideal - This is a cafe with super friendly staff. The ceiling is a stained glass dome and it’s gorgeous. Everything is made in house and this is far less touristy then Cafe Tortoni. Mariano recommended this place and it did not disappoint.

Guerrin - Mariano also offered this place. It’s a pizza place and it may sound odd, but pizza is a huge staple in Argentina. This is also one of the most iconic pizzerias in Buenos Aires and the oven runs 24/7/365. I have not seen a pizzeria like this, even in Italy. Again, super friendly staff and a place locals go.

La Recoleta Cemetery - This is, of course, where Eva Peron is buried. There is a mixture of very elaborate tombs and tombs that have been abandoned. It’s also full of stunning architecture. There used to be a charge for the cemetery (not included in the tour price as not everyone wants to go). It was about 14,000 peso’s if I recall correctly. They accepted credit cards.

And that rounded out a very full day. I learned so much and there were no time limits at any place, which was great for me. This customizable tour was worth every penny.

This evening was the welcome meeting for the Patagonia tour. I chose Explore Worldwide and there would be twelve people altogether, myself included. Our guide was Andres from Argentina. After the meeting, we went for dinner at the same restaurant I went to in my first night.

Day 5

This was another city tour of Buenos Aires. Yesterday, I had purposely chosen things that I knew for the most part wouldn’t be included today. Of course the main square was today, but given the importance of the square, it was inevitable.

The main highlight was La Boca. This is the colourful neighborhood that you see in all the photos. This area must be visited before 5pm. It isn’t safe to visit afterwards. La Bombonera, the football (soccer) stadium is here as well. This was very, very crowded and perhaps that led to my not enjoying it as much. The buildings are certainly colourful and it’s worth a visit, but I personally wouldn’t race back to this area.

The other highlight was the San Telmo Market. It’s like a big street fair on Sundays (which this was). Way too many people for me, but there was lots on offer and if big markets are your thing, this would be the place for you.

We happened upon some busking tango dancers. Tibet weren’t in front of a restaurant or anything, they were just on a random corner and it was fascinating to watch.

We stopped in a cafe called La Puerto Rico, which has been around since 1887. I had a submarino, a traditional drink in Argentina and Uruguay. They bring you a mug of warm milk and two small dark chocolate bars. Essentially, you make you own hot chocolate.

One thing I noticed a lot of was people walking around with thermoses and mate cups and spoons. The spoon is like a filter and straw. It’s a great way to save money. But they share the spoons and my germophobe self cannot cope with that.

After I tried the cambio (the money change place) for the first time, just to have a few pesos. I only changed a $100 crisp USD bill. I mentioned earlier that these bills will give the best rate. This resulted in more than enough cash to do me for the entire rest of the trip (another 12 days).

Today was also Mother’s Day in Argentina so all the restaurants were packed for lunch. I broke off and went to a place on the waterfront and my meal was big enough that I didn’t bother with dinner.

In the evening, I packed my stuff. I brought a roller carryon size bag to store at the hotel until my return and a rolling duffel (checked) which I would be taking on the rest of the trip.

Wake up was schedule super early the next morning due to an early morning flight.

Note: Aerolineas Argentinas advertises a weight of 15kg for checked bags. Most of us were over and they didn’t bother with it. Not to say they wouldn’t, but they didn’t.

Also, there is a city tax. My hotel did not include this in the package, it had to be paid separately. It’s a couple of bucks per night. They took credit card for this.

Next up - Off to Ushuaia in Patagonia.

Day 6

An early morning wake up call today. 4am. Breakfast was boxed and we were off to EZE to catch our flight. It was a lengthy drive to the airport. The flights to Ushuaia leave early in the morning. EZE does not have the machines or automatic bag drops that many airports do. As a result, there were long lines to drop off bags. It is not at all efficient and that is why there was the need to arrive so early for a domestic flight.

Our flight departed at 7:50. They served drinks and a cookie. The flight was just shy of 4 hours. This is when you realize that Argentina is the 8th largest country in the world and when you realize how far south Ushuaia is. Nearing landing, the pilot announced that there would be some bumps due to the high winds and that this is normal for the area. I was on the right hand side of the plane in the window. The snow capped mountains started to appear and the camera came out. The landing was quite rough, I will say, but the views were just spectacular.

We deplaned picked up our luggage and headed to the hotel. This was where the temperature difference became very apparent. In Buenos Aires, it was warm enough for short sleeves. In Ushuaia a heavier jacket was a must.

Hotel: Los Naranjos

The rooms were ready even though it was just after noon. The first thing I did turn the heat off. Argentinians living in remote areas in Patagonia get a subsidy on their heating and so it is cranked. We noticed this everywhere and despite the frigid temps outside, the heat was just too much inside. The room and hotel were lovely. Sort of like a little ski chalet.

We headed down to the end of the world sign and took pictures, got our meeting point for the afternoon and everyone heard off for a couple of hours to explore and have lunch.

All of us were taking an excursion on a catamaran to see the penguins. I had wanted to do the excursion where you can walk on the island with the penguins, but only one company has the permits to do this, Piratour travel and they weren’t running trips either day we were in Ushuaia. I even went to their hut to inquire, but it was a no go. The excursion left at 3pm and there were several people on the boat, but it was small enough that everyone had a seat and everyone could go outside and take pics.

The first stop was the Les Les Éclaireurs Lighthouse in the Beagle Channel. This is a great photo opportunity not only with the lighthouse, but with the seals and birdlife on the little island as well. The boat got very close and turned so everyone on both side could get good views and photos. We had lots of time.

Then it was off to the penguins. We arrived just before Darlene’s and it started to rain a bit, it was windy and it was freezing. But we got to see all kinds of penguins frolicking in the water and waddling on land. We saw 3 species, including the King Penguin. The captain got right close to the shore and we spent a good bit of time there so everyone had ample opportunity to get photos and to just enjoy watching the penguins. It was a fantastic shared experience.

There were drinks and snacks on offer (for a fee) and after leaving the penguins everyone settled inside to get warm. We returned to Ushuaia around 9pm. It was a long day and no one had had dinner yet. There was a grocery store near the hotel still open and I got something to bring back to the hotel. One thing is that the supermarkets in Argentina don’t have ready made meal items like many places. They do have large sandwiches on buns with deli meat, but I know that isn’t everyone’s cup of tea.

This was a memorable day. If you have the opportunity, I definitely recommend a penguin excursion, even though it is expensive.

Day 7

Hiking in Tierra Del Fuego National Park was in the cards today. It’s about 45 minutes from Ushuaia. This park has a beautiful trail with views of the mountains and other scenic lookouts. We saw birds and horses which roam the area as well as different flora. The hike was about 8 km. Most of it was fairly easy with a small section up a fairly steep hill. I found my hiking pole useful in this section. It was a beautiful day for a hike. Not too cold, not much wind and no rain.

After, we took a short drive to the Bahia Lapataia sign. This represents the end of the Pan American Highway, which is the longest highway in the world. It’s 3,079 km from Buenos Aires and 17,848 km from Alaska. It really puts it into perspective just how far south this is.

We returned to Ushuaia in the afternoon and I chose to wander the town a bit. I found a bookshop and picked up a couple of English books about the area and then wintered to the tourist centre where you can get your passport stamped. I wanted the stamp, but not in my passport. So I asked if they had a card or something I could stamp and they gave me a certificate with my name as a thank you for choosing to visit the « End of the World ». There were several stamps to choose from. I picked one with penguins and one with Ushuaia and stamped the certificate.

I found the End of the World post office and picked up a couple of post cards and stamped those to send out. I had been warned not to mail anything from Argentina because the postal service is apparently not reliable. So I didn’t mail them from there.

I ordered what I thought was a cappuccino at a local cafe on,y to be served with a tall glass with chocolate, whipped cream and sprinkles and expresso. Far more calories then I thought I ordered. lol. I inquired later and apparently cappuccino can mean anything in Argentina depending on the place you you.

There is a museum, which used to be the jail, but it is a bit expensive to enter, and I was just enjoying walking around so I didn’t go.

Dinner was at Kuar 1900 which serves typical Argentinian cuisine. I thought the price fairly reasonable compared to costs in Buenos Aires and even the lunch place from the previous day.

Day 8

This was a travel day from Ushuaia to Punta Arenas in Chile. The public bus was spacious, had lots of legroom, free wifi and they provided a decent packed lunch. The Garibaldi Pass was the most scenic part of the trip. The rest of the landscape is quite desolate. Why not fly, you may ask? There are no non stop flights between these two places or to any place in Chile so it would be no faster to fly.

Part of the journey involved taking the ferry across the Magellan Strait at its narrowest part. It isn’t scenic at all, but it was worth getting off the bus and going up on deck. The wind was something else. It’s a quick crossing of 30 minutes or so. Even though we were now in Chile, the actual immigration is quite a bit further (1.5 hours) inland. Everyone had to get out and exit Argentina and then drive a further few kms and enter Chile. You can’t take nuts, seeds, fruit and vegetables into Chile. They are very strict (X-ray all luggage on entry) and the fines are steep. So it’s best to get rid of those items if you have them prior to the ferry.

Wildlife along the way included guanacos, and rhea (ostrich).

Finally arriving in Punta Arenas we stopped at the hotel to drop our stuff and head to dinner. La Luna is a fantastic restaurant a short walk from the hotel. We stopped at the Magellan statue on the way. There was a noticeable difference in prices compared to Argentina with the Chilean Peso. It was much cheaper and I had a beautiful fish dish and some Chilean wine.

Hotel: Hotel Isla Rey Jorge

The hotel was my least favourite and most basic of all the hotels, but as it was only an overnight and we weren’t here long, it was fine. It’s family run.

I love your trip report; this area is on my someday list, and you've provided some great details. Looks like a fabulous trip!

Thank you @susanking39

Day 9

I woke up early to take a walk around town before breakfast to see a little bit of it before we left. This town is the other port from which cruises to the Antarctic depart. Further from the main part of town is the Nao Victoria Museum featuring full size replicas of the Nao Victoria, the first ship to circumnavigate the globe, the HMS Beagle upon which Charles Darwin and Captain Fitz Roy sailed and the James Caird, used by Shackleton in the Endurance expedition. This would be so interesting to visit, but there wasn’t time. A great reason to return to this town though.

After breakfast we departed to a panoramic viewpoint of the town and then it was off to Puerto Natales. This is the closest city to Torres Del Paine and the main jumping off point for visitors to that location. There numerous restaurants, outdoor gear shops, a bank and a grocery store in the area we were. I picked up a neck gaiter with the Torres Del Paine landscape on it as well as took a wander through the streets and had lunch at a pizza place. This place had the most unusual pizzas but the one I had was the best I’ve ever had. It was mozzarella , tomato sauce, goat cheese, mixed color roasted paprika, mushrooms, ground walnuts. There was literally something for everyone. Also, the blue bottle Astral Calafate is the best beer I’ve ever had.

We also used the time to stock up on food to have in Torres Del Paine. There was a restaurant at out hotel, with breakfast and dinner included. You could order a packed lunch to take for the day, but they were quite expensive. There are limited amanities in the Park and I’m not certain if you can just rock up to one of the hotel restaurants and eat if you aren’t staying there. It is very remote. I picked up a bottle of wine for the evenings and some bread, cheese, fruit and protein bars to have for the three nights and two full days in the park.

Back to Puerto Natales for a moment. Many people going to Torres Del Paine stay in this city rather than in the park. It’s likely cheaper and there are definitely amenities. For me, it was a nice stop for a couple of hours, but hardly the main event.

After, we went to the Milodon caves. In 1895 a German explorer discover the remains of the prehistoric milodon. If I’m honest, this isn’t that interesting. You follow a path inside a cave. There is a nice view looking outwards from inside the cave, a replica milodon to take a photo with and a small souvenir shop, but not much else. This is more of a tourist trap if you ask me.

Then it was on to the first main event of the trip. We arrived to clear skies and an absolutely beautiful day to the most breathtaking view of the mountains. We were so lucky. The mountains are not always visible due to clouds. We stopped at a viewpoint for panoramic photos and we could see our hotel from this viewpoint as well. Evening at hotel.

Hotel: Hotel Del Paine

My room was on the main lodge (there were little cottages as well) facing the mountains. This was by far, my favourite hotel. Mainly for the view and the quality and abundance of food at the hotel restaurant. Also, as mentioned earlier, the food was included for us so the only thing we had to pay for were drinks.

Optional hike to the base of Torres Del Paine. This hike is 22 km and cost $185 USD. This is because of the guides and transport necessary. I did not choose to go on this one. I was saving myself for the 26km hike to the base of Fitz Roy later in the trip.

I’m enjoying every word. Thanks for posting!

Thanks @Beth

Day 10

A beautiful sunrise this morning. Part of the mountains looked like they were on fire and there was some cloud around and it just made for a super moody image.

Seven of our group went with two guides to do the 22km hike to the base of Torres Del Paine. The remaining five, including myself were able to spread out in our vehicle and went with our guide into the park. We were told that rain was expected around noon but other then that the weather looked good. Remember, I mentioned earlier the weather can change on a dime here.

The first stop was a viewpoint that can be accessed by vehicle, no hiking required. It’s situated by Lake Pehoe. It was clear enough at this point that we could get a really nice view of the mountains from a different angle. It was here that we saw our first condor. They are magnificent birds.

Next was a hike around Lake Sarmiento and the highlight of this would be the 20 or so cliff paintings that are 6,000 years old that feature in a little cave. This cave turned out to be a godsend because even though it wasn’t anywhere near noon, it started to rain and then it snowed and then it rained and it was cold. The cave provided some shelter as well as the paintings. My mistake was not putting on my rain pants at the outset. So I was already wet when I put them on.

Back to the paintings. The trail where these paintings are located can only be accessed with a guide and that is to protect them from vandalism. They are a historical record of the Aonikenk people. The paintings have faded over the years, but they were amazing to see.

We trekked back to our vehicle a different way to try to avoid the rain. We were mostly successful. All told, the hike was approximately 8.5 km and not difficult. There was a bit of uphill and one short but steep downhill section. I used just one hiking pole.

The next stop was the Cascada Paine. This is a very scenic waterfall. If you’ve been to Iceland, it reminded me of the Gullfoss Waterfall. This was our lunch stop. At the start it was raining, so I ate some food and stayed in the vehicle, but then the sun and out and I was out walking along all the pathways to get some excellent photos.

We then went over to grey lake and then to blue lake hoping to see Cleopatra’s needles, ( the towers of the mountains), but the weather had turned again and there was no view, sadly.

We had a great day all in all and I think by this point, most of us were cold and with no view, we were happy to return to the hotel for drinks in the bar. I want to say that guide had a plan b and a plan c, but the skies were not cooperating.

While the five of us were having dinner, the other twelve returned from their 10 plus hour hike. They reached the base but they couldn’t see the towers either and they encountered worse weather than we did. But they also made the best of it and no one was complaining.

I want to stop here and talk about the weather for a moment. We were very lucky and was the only poor weather day we had and we were still able to see and do so much. But, just a couple of weeks after this, five tourists died in the area on a hike. They were doing the O Trek. https://www.euronews.com/travel/2025/11/27/patagonia-trekking-deaths-raise-urgent-questions-over-safety-at-torres-del-paine-national-

Even though our group weren’t on those exact trails, it really hit home just how lucky we were.

Life has gotten in the way, but I am determined to get this done. I added a link to some photos in my initial post so you can see what I am talking about.

Day 11

Much better weather today and we hiked to a beautiful viewpoint of the mountains. The winds were wild, but it was a great hike nonetheless. This one wasn’t strenuous or long.

We saw another waterfall and various spots in Torres Del Paine before returning to the hotel in the late afternoon.

The Serrano Glacier trip, which was an optional was not available as it wasn’t running at the time.

Day 12

This was more of a test day after all the hiking and activities of the last three days.

Towards the Chile Argentina border we had a wonderful few minutes in the middle of nowhere to get out of the vehicle and wander and take in the vista. It turned out to be a great moment of reflection and fortuitous because a South American grey fox decided to check us out. A beautiful animal and I was able to get some nice photos.

Then it was through the two border stops and on to El Calafate. The town is pretty with lots of shopping available. I actually bought some nice quality items here including a beautiful rhodochrosite pendent. Rhodochrosite is the national symbol of Argentina and us a pretty pink stone. I also picked up a beanie to better suit the high winds then the hat I brought with me.

Dinner tonight was at what turned out to be my favourite restaurant of the trip. The quality of the meals was excellent and the portion sizes crazy. We went to Mi Rancho. I opted to have the ossobuco and it was delicious.

Hotel: Quijote

The hotel here was the nicest of the ones we stayed at, but the staff were not the friendliest in my opinion.

This was also election day in Argentina. It is mandatory for all citizens to vote or there is a fine. You have to submit a ton of paperwork if you can’t vote. Our guide couldn’t because he was out of his district travelling with us. Anyway there was a sort of street party happening as we were coming back from dinner since by then, the results had been revealed. There was no threat to safety and it was interesting to experience.

Day 13

Today we were off to the Perito Moreno Glacier. 5 of us set out earlier as we elected to do the glacier trekking. The rest were doing the boardwalks only.

Note I pre booked the glacier trekking and it is recommended to do so because it is very popular. Yes, the trekking is very expensive, but for me it was worth it and I felt like I achieved something at the end.

My day started with drop off at the boat dock as the trekking was scheduled first. We took a boat to the area where the trekking starts. There were loads of people from all over on the boat. It was nice to see the glacier from this angle and a bit closer than the boardwalks.

Once we arrived at the cabin, we were all broken into groups of 12. We made sure out 5 stayed together. The guides helped everyone put on the crampons. No poles are allowed and I must admit, I missed them as I’m used to having them.

I was a bit terrified I have to admit as I envisioned walking across the glacier and had no idea it was walking up the glacier. I don’t think I believed the crampons would keep me from slipping and I’m not used to the marching style needed to walk with them. I struggled a bit, but the guides were great and I made it and to get the close up views of the glacier was worth it. You can’t get those views on the boardwalk. Then we had to get down and this was a lot on the knees without the poles, but I didn’t fall. At the end, there was a nice surprise for everyone and I will leave it at that so it isn’t spoiled for anyone. I was so happy to have accomplished this trek as it was t at all what I was thinking and I was scared when I realized what it was. It was one of the best experiences for me personally.

We went back to the cabin and had the picnic lunches that we brought with us. There was a caracara in the area and it was a great opportunity to get some photos of this large bird.

Every so often you would hear a crash sound and that was the ice calving. This glacier isn’t going to exist in future as quite a bit if it melts per year, so if this is something you want to see, I suggest doing so sooner rather than later.

After lunch, we took the boat back to the other side and had the opportunity to walk the boardwalks. There are different routes and some allow you to see the glacier from up high and some are lower and closer to it. The boardwalks do give the best overall view of the entire glacier, so you aren’t missing out if you don’t do the boat or trekking. Those are just different experiences. We had plenty of time to walk around and take photos.

We arrived back into El Calafate late afternoon. Dinner wasn’t anything organized this evening as everyone was arriving back at different times. The other 12 were back well before us in fact.

I chose to go to the same spot I went the night before and this time had a steak and then the pear and El Calafate ice cream.

Your photos are stunning, thanks for posting those!

Great trip report and really lovely photos. Thanks for sharing.

We've just started dipping our toes in South America in the past two years and are now hooked. Now we've got trips to Chile and Patagonia on our to-do list for the next few years.

For your gear, I see a phone and a Sony Mirrorless (any others?). Just curious, for the wildlife shots, how big a lens were you using? (I have a Lumix with a long lens for wildlife shots but that thing is heavy and fragile and I sometimes struggle with the decision to bring it or not...I'm not ready to give up the long, heavy glass but I am becoming more selective about which trips I'm willing to carry it along).

Thanks @Beth

@David in Seattle - Yes, I just took my phone and my Sony mirrorless. I just had two lenses with me, a 24-105 for the landscapes and a 200-600 for the wildlife. I didn’t take the latter lens on a couple of the hikes because it’s heavy. Luckily most of the wildlife wasn’t seen on the longer hikes.

Day 14

We travelled to El Chelten this morning. On the way, we stopped at La Leona’s, which is quite well known in the area. Its a museum, restaurant, souvenir shop and hotel and it’s the only stop between El Calafate and El Chelten for washrooms and food. It served as a base for many Mountain Fitz Roy summits and also hosted Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

We arrived in El Chelten before lunch because a few of us were going to hike to the Vespignani Glacier lookout and our pickup was meeting us at the hotel.

El Chelten is the hiking capital of Argentina and there are loads of trails. Many of them don’t require paying a national park fee. There are only about 350 year round residents. It’s a lively little village with all levels of accommodation and eateries, outdoor clothing shops etc.

We stopped at the hotel and our rooms were ready. So we dumped our stuff and 4 of us set off to the pick up point first the glacier excursion. We were driven to a boat and then we sailed along a river for a point, this gave us a unique view of the back of Mount Fitz Roy. We were dropped off at the trailhead for the hike. There are three routes and they join up with each other. We had time to do two of the routes, but kit the one with the closest view of the glacier as that was much longer and more difficult. None of us wanted anything strenuous due to the hike the next day. Let me tell you though, the hike was a little more steep then anticipated. Getting up wasn’t as much of an issues, but getting down was.

The Vespignani glacier is nicer but it pales in comparison to Perito Moreno and having done the latter first, the one just didn’t have the same wow factor. It is still nice, but I think I would have thought it more amazing had I seen it before Perito Moreno.

Back in El Chelten there was a bit of time to wander, so I went and had a glass of wine at a local pub before dinner. I also ordered a packed lunch for the next day. These were a bit pricey, but I wanted something substantial for the Fitz Roy hike.

Dinner was at Fuegia. I can’t remember what I had, but I enjoyed it. There was music at this place as well.

Hotel: Pudu Lodge

The hotel was fine. It was chosen bevsyse it is at the national park entrance, which is the start of the Fitz Roy hike.

Others this day hiked to the base of the Torre mountain, hiked to the cemetery, which I’m told has the best viewpoint in the village or just wandered the shops.

Day 15

This was the day I had been both anticipating and dreading. It was the day of the hike to the base of Mount Fitz Roy, all 26km of it. It’s about 13km up and the same coming back. This was an included activity so there was no extra charge.

I had a hearty breakfast and picked up my pre ordered lunch and then geared up for the day. I should note I took a belt bah to hold my phone so I could quickly and easily grab it. My camera was in my backpack, but I knew the pace would be brisk and I couldn’t be stopping to get it out all the time and I didn’t want to have it out while on this trek in case of a fall. I used two trekking poles for this hike. I also brought an extra pair of hiking socks.

We had two guides and out own guide. This would allow the group to be split if necessary. The first bit of the hike was all uphill. I made it though. The first big rest stop was at a Lago Capri, with a beautiful view. We stopped for about 10 or so minutes. This was about 6km in. We hiked for several more kms and got to a beautiful rest point and it was here that it was suggested to me not to continue by the mountain guides. This was not because I wasn’t capable, but because they thought I would have difficulty descending. The last kilometre of the hike to the base is the toughest. It’s 400 m of elevation on that last bit with a lot of loose rocks. It was my choice ultimately and I was devastated because I wanted to say I did it. But in the end, I chose to turn back. Another person also turned back. We went back down with one of the guides. He took us to a pretty waterfall and we had lunch and saw some birds and had more time for photos. In the end I still did about 24 km.

So I still had a great day even though it didn’t turn out the way I anticipated. I think sometimes you have to take the advice of the professionals. I’m not a mountaineer and am always afraid of falling.

Dinner was at Lito, beside the hotel so we didn’t have to walk far. It was another fabulous meal.

Day 15

We had the morning in El Chelten free and as I really had t had time to see much of the place, I wandered around a bit and picked up some souvenirs and had a nice coffee and came at a bakery and enjoyed the sunshine.

We had to drive back to El Calafate to catch our flight to Buenos Aires. We stopped once for a final view of the mountains and then at La Leona again. We had more time there this go round and could read the information postings, look in the shop and museum or have a wander outside.

El Calafate airport isn’t big and has one shop and it’s before security. They don’t care about liquids here, so I got some of the Calafate jam and liqueur to bring home. The lady wrapped them well as I knew I’d have to put then in my checked bag to get them home. (They made it home without breaking). My bag was over the 15kg limit, but they didn’t charge me any extra so that was a bonus. The flight back to Buenos Aires was again almost 4 hours. We arrived after 8pm and then had to get into the downtown to our hotel.

Our guide said he would take us for pizza if anyone wanted to go. So we went for a last dinner at a pizza place and had a wonderful time. He chose this because it would be quicker and we wouldn’t need a reservation and because it was late and many had flights the next day.

We then said our goodbyes as everyone was heading in separate directions the next day.

I left for home the next day also after spending the morning walking in Buenos Aires.

I had a wonderful time on this trip. Upon reflection and looking at other itineraries with other companies since I’ve been home, I’m really glad I chose the itinerary I did. It was between this one and another and I wouldn’t have seen near what I did on the other itinerary.

Thank you for following along. Patagonia isn’t as talked about on here, so I hope this was useful. These were just my experiences of course.

Thank you for your trip report. I really enjoyed it! I am really impressed by how far you hiked, even though you didn’t quite reach your goal. I don’t know if I’ll ever get to Patagonia, but it was very fun to read about it.

KB,

Thank you very much for taking us along on your travels. I'll be referring to your report often as I plan my own trip to Patagonia.

-- Mike Beebe

This was a great read. My bucket list has gotten bigger!

Thank you for taking the time to share it with us.

Your photographs are beautiful!