Los Glaciares from El Calafate to El Chaltén

Welcome to El Calafate, the gateway to Los Glaciares National Park! If you’ve got time after travelling, you can go birdwatching at Laguna Nimes or visit the ice museum, perhaps with a drink at the ice bar included.

Start today with one of the park’s most-visited sites, the Perito Moreno Glacier. Drive to the port where you’ll take a boat to the glacier, giving you a unique view of its icy blue sheer sides. Keep an eye on the sky for condors and eagles!

Continue along the Canal de Los Témpanos to the northern face of the glacier. Pass Bahia Toro, a unique black sand beach, where you can disembark from the boat to enjoy a walk around this amazing area. A thundering waterfall is your endpoint, and here your guide will tell you all about the glacier you just saw. Grab a hot drink at the nearby cafe and spend some time adventuring on your own before departing the Perito Moreno area.

After breakfast and a cup of hot coffee, you’ll be off to a trailhead in the petrified forest. Walk while you learn about the geology of this unique area where dinosaurs roamed 70 million years ago.

After lunch, it’s onwards to El Chaltén, with the afternoon free to do as you please.

This morning, depart for the Piedras Blancas Glacier viewpoint for a beautiful start to your day. You’ll hike up to Laguna de los Tres. This is the closest you can get to Mount Fitz Roy without any technical climbing, and the view of the distinct jagged peaks atop the impossibly blue lake is truly one of the best in Patagonia.

Descend via Laguna Capri, another pretty spot. Celebrate your hike tonight at a local restaurant.

This morning, you’ll be transferred to Lago del Desierto, a gorgeous drive to an even better location. Your kayaking instructor will teach you the basics once you arrive, and then you’re free to take to the water to explore the hanging glacier and admire the surrounding mountains.

Enjoy some time to explore freely today as you hike to Laguna Torre without a guide (but with plenty of preparation from one!). You’ll pass a collection of small lakes along this relatively flat path, then drop into a glacial valley that leads to Laguna Torre. Geologists and photographers alike love this valley for its perfect U shape.

Admire the stellar sight of Laguna Torre framed by Mount Torre, one of the most difficult mountains to conquer in the world due in part to its permanent ice mushroom cap formed by strong, cold winds.

After lunch, you’ll head back to El Chaltén through the Fitz Roy Valley.

Your final adventure in Patagonia is another self-guided expedition, but this one starts right outside the front door of your hotel. Hike out along a lesser-walked trail that culminates in a 260-degree viewpoint of Fitz Roy, Viedma Lake, and the Patagonian steppe. Keep an eye out for marine fossils on the trail back.

Your 8 days in Patagonia are sure to be days you never forget. To complete the tour, you’ll grab a bus to El Calafate and depart from the local airport. Safe travels!