When you go backpacking in Patagonia, it is like entering a completely different world. The vast land at the extreme south of the Americas is filled with some of the most breathtaking landscapes and unique wildlife on the planet.
In this guide we pull together the highlights and top tips on how to get the most out of your trip to Patagonia and help you explore the far-reaching area that covers Chile and Argentina at the southernmost tip of South America.
For choice travel routes, see also our suggested Patagonia itineraries.
This page contains links to products and services we love, which we may make commission from at no extra cost to you.
Highlights and top tips for backpacking in Patagonia
The area is extensive with lots of unique factors, so we’ve highlighted helpful links and activities to get you started
Getting there and around:
🚌 Busbud: book ahead for affordable travel throughout the area
✈️ Skyscanner: check the best prices for necessary flights between major hubs
🚗 DiscoverCars: a more expensive yet wonderful way to explore on your own
Useful links:
🛡️ SafetyWing insurance: we feel much better knowing we are covered on our travels!
🎒 Patagonia packing list: prepare for your trip with our full list of must-have and nice-to-have items
Activities to book ahead:
🥾 Torres del Paine W Trek: our fave experience in Patagonia made so due to G Adventures!
🐧 Penguin-watching tour by catamaran: see tons of adorable penguins and other marine animals on this fun trip
🏔️ Perito Moreno Glacier mini ice trekking adventure: not-to-be-missed adventure at this iconic Patagonian landmark
🛥️ Los Glaciares Gourmet full day boat cruise: glide along the glaciers and icebergs and have a gourmet lunch while admiring the stupendous views
Accommodation:
🛏️ Hotels and hostels throughout Patagonia: check out hundreds of awesome places to stay in Chile and Argentina
⭐ Stunning places to stay in Torres del Paine National Park: read our complete article for the best picks of the area
🏕️ Guide to camping in El Chalten: peruse our comprehensive guide with necessary details to camp comfortably
Patagonia travel: the basics
Currency: Chilean and Argentine pesos. Find out the latest exchange rates at xe.com.
Safety: Patagonia is considered the safest region to travel in South America, with crime levels very low. The greatest hazards are environmental, as the climate can be extreme and unpredictable. Take care when backpacking in Patagonia, don’t go hiking alone, and invest in travel insurance. We recommend SafetyWing, which covers hiking up to 4,500 metres.
Language: Spanish is the common spoken language in Patagonia, as it is the national language of both Chile and Argentina. A fun fact is that the region is also home to a community of about 5,000 Welsh speakers.
Best time to visit: The best time to go backpacking in Patagonia is during the hiking season. The most popular time to visit is from September/October to March/April, with the summer peak in December to February. To find optimal timings for a range of activities in the region, read our guide to the best times to visit Patagonia.
Top experiences and attractions in Patagonia
Best tours in Patagonia
We recommend G Adventures for small group tours in Patagonia. They have been operating in South America for three decades, and only work with the most knowledgeable and experienced local guides. We have had some of our greatest travel experiences on their tours.
G Adventures run a range of Patagonia tours, including the classic Torres Del Paine W Trek. The team even has its own top-secret campsite inside the park with stunning, exclusive views that you can only access via their tour! Here are some more top tours they organise in the region:
- Patagonia hiking (regular), combining some of the most popular trails around El Chaltén and El Calafate.
- Hike Patagonia in depth, which includes everything in the regular package plus the Torres Del Paine W Trek.
- Antarctica Classic, a once-in-a-lifetime cruise to the Antarctica Peninsula and South Shetland Islands.
- Torres Del Paine O Trek, the full circuit around the park, an adventurous alternative to the W Trek for experienced hikers.
Self-guided trekking in Patagonia
Patagonia features a vast network of national parks which incorporate some of the most outstanding trekking locations anywhere in the world. Our Patagonia trekking guide details 25 of the best trails around the region, and tips on how to prepare. You can also read our specific trek guides:
- After hiking the Torres Del Paine W Trek we compiled a guide for newcomers, including logistics, routes and latest prices.
- Torres Del Paine also has a huge choice of shorter trails. Here are our recommendations on day hikes in the park.
- Our El Chaltén trekking guide details classic routes such as Mount Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre, plus alternatives in the area.
- Argentina’s Lake District offers an array of options for trekking. One of our favourites is the Cerro Llao Llao trail near Bariloche.
More activities in Patagonia
While hiking and trekking is the region’s most popular pastime, there is much more to see and do. Here are some more ideas for tours and experiences to include in your Patagonia adventure:
- The colossal Perito Moreno Glacier is one of Patagonia’s iconic landmarks. See it up close on a mini ice trekking experience.
- The city of Punta Arenas overlooks the Magellan Strait, where you can take a cruise to see penguins on Magdalena and Marta Islands.
- Puerto Madryn on the east coast of Patagonia is a hotbed for wildlife. The Punta Tombo Penguin Reserve is a memorable experience.
- Chiloé Island is a UNESCO World Heritage Site off the western coast of Chilean Patagonia. Discover it on a Chiloé Island tour.
Discovering the towns and cities of Patagonia
Most people visit primarily for the nature, but the region also has some interesting urban centres to explore while backpacking in Patagonia. These are some of Patagonia’s most alluring towns and cities, each with its own special charm:
- Ushuaia is the world’s southernmost city, under the mountains of Tierra Del Fuego. Check out our things to do in Ushuaia.
- Bariloche, known affectionately as the ‘Switzerland of South America’, is an outdoors hotspot. Here are some things to do in Bariloche.
- El Calafate, perched on Lago Argentino, is the base for visiting Perito Moreno Glacier. Here are some activities to try around El Calafate.
- El Bolsón, a hippie hangout town in northern Patagonia, is where you can take on the scenic Cerro Piltriquitrón trail.
Food in Patagonia
Patagonian cuisine is reflective of the rurality of the region, with ingredients sourced from its abundance of farmland and vast surrounding waters. Lamb and seafood are thus an integral part of the cuisine. These are some of the region’s specialities:
What to eat in Patagonia
- Cordero el palo – barbecued lamb, stretched out on an iron cross and slowly spit-roasted over an open wood fire.
- Asado – a national favourite in Argentina, comprising various cuts of meat slow-cooked for several hours over an open grill.
- Lamb empanadas – lamb stew encased in pastry, a regional variation of the snack that is popular throughout South America.
- Patagonian stew – a hearty and warming pot of lamb (or sometimes beef) with root vegetables, tomatoes and onions.
- Patagonian king crab pie – popular along the pacific coast, king crab stewed in breadcrumbs and topped with cheese.
- Guanaco fillet – the lean and tender meat of the native Patagonian guanaco, similar to alpaca in the Andes.
Top food tours in Patagonia
- Glaciers gourmet experience – a cruise around Los Glaciares National Park with a gourmet lunch.
- Crab gastronomic experience in Puerto Almanza – incredible fresh fish from the Beagle Channel near Ushuaia.
- Bariloche horse riding with asado lunch – two hours of scenic exploration and the classic Argentinian lunch.
- Chilean cooking class – learn to make classic dishes like empanadas and pastel de choclo, with Chilean wine
Festivals, celebrations and other dates for your calendar
Coinciding a trip with some local or regional festivities can make the experience that extra bit memorable. Celebrations and events in Patagonia are often specific to the local area. Here are some of the most notable dates to consider in your plans:
- Chile Independence Day, 18 September – celebrations lasting up to a week on the Chilean side of Patagonia.
- Chiloé Folk Festival, February – various events held on the island in February, with food, crafts, music and comedy.
- National Festival of the Long Night, June – a mid-winter celebration in Ushuaia with free events all over the city.
- Bariloche A La Carta, October – a week-long food festival with pop-up stalls, street shows and in-restaurant events.
- National Hops Festival, February – music, activities, food and lots of beer to celebrate the key ingredient in El Bolsón.
- Punta Arenas Winter Carnival, July – street parties with bright colours and music (but in the bitter cold of winter!).
Getting around Patagonia
The distances between tourist destinations in Patagonia are long, and transport links can be infrequent, so navigating the region can be a challenge, and advance planning is vital. We prefer to travel by bus when we’re backpacking in Patagonia, as the services are comfortable, reliable and reasonably priced.
Our guide to getting around Patagonia by bus gives tips and the latest information on booking, prices and the popular routes. We use Busbud to find the best services and prices, and to make advance bookings.
Flying can be a reasonable alternative for travel between the main hubs like Ushuaia and El Calafate. Skyscanner can help you find the cheapest flights. Car hire is an expensive option, but the best for seeing the region’s incredible scenery. Check DiscoverCars to find the best car hire prices.
Accommodation in Patagonia
Accommodation options in Patagonia vary from wild camping for the most adventurous souls to some of the world’s most stunning hotels for luxury travellers. There are plenty of options for all budgets when you’re backpacking in Patagonia. The budget options are pricier than most regions of South America, but we have found the quality to be generally very good.
Guides to accommodation around Patagonia
- Best hostels in Bariloche
- Best hostels in El Calafate
- See booking.com for more in Patagonia: Chile / Argentina
Money and costs in Patagonia
Patagonia is one of the most expensive regions to travel in South America. However, like anywhere, costs vary a lot depending on the location within the region. For example, we found prices to generally be higher on the Chilean side of the region.
With a little savviness there are ways to keep costs down. Our guide to Patagonia trip costs details what we spent on our trip, along with some budgeting tools and tips. The examples below are very rough costs for different budgets based on averages for the region.
Accommodation
Budget: camping/cheap, hostels from $14
Mid-range: B&Bs from $25
Luxury: upmarket hotels from $75
Food
Budget: home-cooking
Mid-range: regular restaurant meal from $15
Luxury: fancy restaurant meal from $20
Transport
Budget: bus, intercity from $35
Mid-range: flights, intercity from $50
Expensive: Car hire
Packing for Patagonia
When packing for Patagonia you need to be prepared for the elements. Even in the height of summer, the weather is unpredictable, and wind and rain are still common. If you are planning any outdoor activities then hiking boots, a good jacket and backpack are essential.
Our complete packing list for Patagonia covers everything you need to bring on your trip to be prepared for all seasons.
Great books about Patagonia
Beautiful lands are often the subject of great literature, and this is true of Patagonia. These are some of the top books to read to bring some inspiration for your trip:
- In Patagonia by Bruce Chatwin (the story of his journey through the region in the 1970s, my personal favourite)
- Travels in a Thin Country by Sara Wheeler (a Chilean exploration including Tierra Del Fuego and Torres Del Paine)
- Patagonia, a Cultural History by Chris Moss (a vast insight into the region’s heritage and important people)
- The Old Patagonian Express by Paul Theroux (an epic train journey culminating in the Patagonian town of Esquel)
- The Uttermost Part of the Earth by Lucas Bridges (an insight into the indigenous communities of Tierra Del Fuego)
- Idle Days in Patagonia by William Henry Hudson (an 1893 account of adventure in Patagonia, for a glimpse of history)
Read more Patagonia blog posts
Get our free brief guide to Patagonia
Our destination brief guide series brings together quick information to help you get on top of the basics before a trip. Our Patagonia edition features condensed information from this page plus extra tips, handy to keep on your tablet. Get your downloadable version by signing up below.
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