Patagonia Hiking Tours

The best time to visit Patagonia is from late November through early March. These are the warmest months in the region, during which you’ll enjoy mild temperatures in the 50s and 60s (and sometimes above) and long daylight hours.

Accommodations in Patagonia range from camp sites and mountain refuges with dorm-style lodgings to five-star luxury spa hotels. On WT Patagonia tours, we stay at hotels of character, many of which are historic estancias, and all of which have comfortable, modern amenities and sense-of-place charm.

The boutique, family-owned lodges and estancias we partner with are a highlight of our Ultimate Patagonia and Estancias of Patagonia journeys for many guests, welcoming us in at the end of each day with a glass of Malbec and a roaring fire. In many of the lodges, we will have the whole property for our group alone, and as Patagonia becomes more and more popular as a destination, this kind of special access is increasingly hard to find.

You should have a moderate level of fitness to go hiking in Patagonia, though the trip’s difficulty depends on the Patagonia itinerary you choose. You should have plenty of hiking experience and be comfortable hiking at least 4–6 miles per day, though on some trips we hike up to 13 miles on some days.

Perhaps the most famous hike in Patagonia is the 14-mile out-and-back Laguna de los Tres trail. It brings you through rolling forested hills and climbs steadily by glaciers, lakes, and mountain peaks, offering some of the best views in Patagonia, and eventually reaching the base of Mount Fitz Roy after a steep final push.

Patagonia is not necessarily difficult to hike—there are plenty of shorter, beginner-friendly trails, along with activities that don’t involve hiking, like taking boat rides to glaciers. However, the most rewarding views in the region come after the most difficult hikes, so to fully appreciate Patagonia, you should be prepared to hike at a moderate to advanced level.

No, you won’t need altitude sickness pills for Patagonia. The region doesn’t sit at a high elevation—even at the summit of day hikes, you’ll likely never be above 4,000 feet.

The official currencies used in Patagonia are Argentinian pesos on the Argentina side and Chilean pesos on the Chilean side. But credit cards are widely accepted, as are US dollars.

Neither the Chilean nor the Argentinian side of Patagonia is better—rather, it depends on what you want to see. On the Argentina side are the towns of Ushuaia and El Chalten, along with the famous Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre spires and hikes. In Chile is Torres del Paine National Park, Punta Arenas, and quiet, remote areas in Chile’s north.

Some of the top things to do in Patagonia besides hiking include kayaking the “marble cathedral” (cave formation), witnessing Perito Moreno Glacier, seeing the penguins in Tierra del Fuego, and staying at a charming estancia.

The most important items to pack for a Patagonia hiking trip include broken-in hiking boots, hiking poles, warm socks, rain jackets and rain pants, a hat and gloves, and lightweight layers like leggings, t-shirts, and fleeces. You should also bring a shade hat, sunglasses, comfortable shoes, a reusable water bottle, sunscreen, and an outlet adapter.