Argentinian Patagonia FAQs

Where Is Argentinian Patagonia

Patagonia is a vast region located in the southern ranges of South America. Stretching from the central plains and mountains of Argentina and Chile all the way to Ushuaia “the southernmost tip of South America. It is one of the most amazing place I have ever visited and should be on everyone’s bucket list. Being from Canada I am not easily “wowed” by hiking but Patagonia definitely wowed me. The landscapes are mesmerizing and the area legitimately has some of the best hiking in the world. Below I am going to show you how to best spend 1 week in Argentine Patagonia.

The region referred to as Patagonia spans across both Argentina and Chile. Most people when they think of Patagonia are referring to the Chilean national park of Torres Del Paine. This area is just a small part of the greater area. There are actually many other parks in Chile and Argentina. I think Los Glaciares national park in Argentina was one of my favourite destinations I have ever been to. If you have a higher budget some of the hotels in this area are legitimately some of the nicest in the world. We made a list of our favourites here.

Because Patagonia is such a vast area it is really important to have a good plan and itinerary before you go. I am going to help you out with this below. We are going to focus on the Glacier and hiking capitals of El Calafate and El Chalten.

What to expect from Argentinian Patagonia

Argentinian Patagonia is a broader area with more varied terrain than its Chilean neighbor. Around the town of Calafate you have epic plains leading to a massive lake and the most impressive glacier we have ever seen. Further north in the hiking mecca of El Chalten are pointy peaks with dramatic lakes and waterfalls. The famous Patagonia logo is based on the view of these peaks. There is also a very famous hike to a lake lookout below the mountain called Laguna De Los Tres.

Lago Torres one of the many fabulous views in El Chalten. Expect Lots of This!

When To Visit Argentine Patagonia

Patagonia is a very southern destination on the world scale. Because of this the weather can be wild and unpredictable. To give yourself the best shot at a good weather window for views and hiking I recommend going in high season. Remember this is the southern hemisphere so your normal winter is summer and vice versa.

Spring November to early December – This can be a great time go with flowers starting to bloom and the whole area starting to warm up. It can also still be cold and snowed in and make trekking difficult. Do you feel lucky? – temp 0 – 15C

Summer Late December, January, and February – This is when we recommend going to Patagonia. There are exceptionally long days (16 hours +), the best chance of good weather/views and no issues with snow clearance. – temp 5 – 25C

Fall March and April – This can be a magical time to visit. Fall colours are starting to set into the famous Lenga trees, and there are far less visitors. The famous winds are lower than in spring. Temperatures are starting to drop at night but the weather could still be good. Same weather risks as Spring. – temp 0 -10C

Shoulder season is less windy but it’s more prone to rain and the cold. Because of this we recommend high season. It can still be unpredictable and windy but it gives you the best chance at having views. After all you don’t want to fly to the literal end of the earth and not get to see anything! For your best chance at warm clear days (15-22C) you want to be there peak season December to February. There is going to be a bit more traffic in this time but if you follow our plan you it won’t be to bad at all.

How to Get To Argentinian Patagonia

The major hub for Argentine Patagonia is El Calafate. From here you can bus or fly to Chile, as well as the Argentine towns of Cordoba, Bariloche and Ushuaia.

Flying to El Calafate

If you are coming from the east coast or Europe you are going to want to fly to Buenos Aires and then to El Calafate. The Argentine towns of Cordoba, Bariloche and Ushuaia also connect direct to El Calafate.

If you are coming from the west coast you are probably going to want to get to Santiago. From Santiago you can fly direct to El Calafate the main hub for the area. Its here you will find the most options for car rentals, tours, banks, stores, restaurants and gas stations. Yes finding gas stations is a thing or at least something you need to pay attention to. Whichever direction you are coming from sometimes the flights are cheap one way and expensive another so I always recommend checking with Kayak here. And once again flights don’t always make sense with pricing so make sure you check!

El Calafate Airport to town

There are mixed reviews on whether Uber works here. Some people had luck others haven’t. Its not all bad though cabs are about $30 and easy to get. You also have the option of pre booking these shuttles that meet you in the airport and take you straight to your hotel for $23. We did not take it but apparently this company Ves also runs a shuttle service you can message them for times and cost here.

Bussing to El Calafate

El Calafate is well connected to the north of Argentina and to Puerto Natales in Chile. Bus Sur is one of the regional providers, and Recorrido is a site that searches and allows you to book all of them. From here its easy to bus to El Chalten or further on to El Bolson and Bariloche. If you are heading to or from Puerto Natales book in advance as this route gets quite busy.

New Park Fees At El Chalten

Officially El Chalten has started instituting a day pass fee system for trekking in Glaciares National Park around El Chalten. They have set up 3 entrance gates, on the main trial out of town, Rio Electrico and by Los Condores viewpoint.

The passes do not sell out but you are supposed to have them.

1 day pass 34k Arg Peso. If you choose this option your second day is %50 off and must be used within 72 hours of the first entry.

3 day flex ticket 90k Arg Peso or

7 day flex ticket 158k Arg Peso.

you can buy your passes here - https://www.argentina.gob.ar/interior/ambiente/parquesnacionales/tarifas#3dias

The Rangers in El Chalten have also been quoted as saying that don't have the resources to start enforcing these day passes so they aren't going to. So I would maybe see what the situation is like in town before purchasing.