BACKPACKING 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.
• Empanada making class – learn to make the classic snack in a Puerto Montt beach house on the Carretera Austral.

• 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!).

• 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)