Patagiona Travel Tips

Patagonia is on many a bucket list. And it is easy to see why, with its rugged mountains, easily accessible glaciers, penguins, whales, and alpine lakes.

As you start planning your trip, read this article to know everything you need to know to plan it well.

Important: This guide is dedicated to Argentina's side of Patagonia, sorry Chile. One day I will make it there!

Patagonia is huge, know your regions

I get a lot of messages like "I have 4 days and want to see Patagonia. Girl, no. Patagonia is huge. It takes up 1/3 of Argentina and is as big as California and Texas combined (and we all already know Texas is huge).

Argentina's Patagonia is divided up into different regions and it is best to keep that in mind when planning your trip.

Some may divide it differently (like the steppe versus the mountains or the coast versus the mountains) but I am going to divide it up into four touristic regions.

To get from one of these four to a different one of these four requires a flight (or long bus ride). And to put in perspective, each is generally its own vacation for Argentines when they go on holiday. An Argentine doesn't go to Patagonia, they go to Bariloche or to El Calafate or to Puerto Madryn. These are unique and separate trips.

These are my four Patagonia touristic regions:

1. Northern Patagonia (a.k.a. The Lake District): Bariloche is the largest city here and often the only place foreigners know about in this area. But if you go north of Bariloche you have Villa La Angostura, San Martin de Los Andes, Villa Traful and all of the 7 Lakes Route to explore. Going south from Bariloche you have El Bolson, Esquel, and Trevelin. It features mountains, lakes, scenic drives, numerous small villages to explore. It is built for road trips.

2. Southern Patagonia/Tierra de Glaciares: El Calafate and El Chalten, this region of Patagonia is much further south and you can tell. The mountains are more rugged, more impressive. Same for the hikes, El Chalten is Argentina's hiking capital for a reason. El Calafate is home to the glaciers. You will visit both of these towns together by flying into El Calafate.

3. Southern Patagonia/The End of the World: Tierra del Fuego, the province that is home to Ushuaia, is at the end of the world (a gimmick they are quite proud of). It's far but worth the trip, with its own national parks and stunning hikes, the gateway to Antarctic cruises, king crab and penguins.

4. The Atlantic Coast (a.k.a. Whales & Penguins): Puerto Madryn and the Peninsula Valdes is the most known tourist destinations on the coast but if you really want to get off the beaten path into rugged Patagonia there is a lot to discover on the coast.

How to get around Argentina's Patagonia

Now that you know how big it is and how many bucket-list worthy destinations there are... how do you get around Argentina's Patagonia? How do you connect these regions?

✈Fly: Honestly, flying sounds like the obvious answer because it is the right one. Check flights in advance. Connectivity can depend on the season. In high season during the summer months there are more connections - like direct flights between Bariloche an El Calafate. In low and shoulder seasons you may have to connect via Buenos Aires.

🚌Long distance bus travel is common in Argentina with comfortable lie flat seats but you'll find the prices aren't always as cheap as you expect them to be.

🚶🏼Hitchhiking is possible but you can and should expect long wait times in isolated locations. I wouldn't hitchhike alone or in a hurry.

🚗Rental cars are great for road trips in each destination but not for crossing the country. You'll find it hard (impossible) to say, pick up the car in Bariloche and return it in Ushuaia. Expect to fly between destinations and rent cars in each location if desired.

🇱You can cross the border into Chile with your rental car but expect to have to return it in back where you got it (in Argentina). Make sure your rental car agency knows you will be crossing the border to have all the documents in order. Sometimes you'll have to pay an extra fee for this.

Check flight availability early and leave room for error

When planning your itinerary, check flight availability before getting too attached to any set route.

There may not be direct flights on the days you want them. You may have to route via Buenos Aires which eats up an entire day just to travel from point A to point B.

Plan on these travel days to be just that, travel. That is why it can be better to see fewer destinations in Argentina and see them well than try to jam pack every destination into a short itinerary.

If the flights look great and you're happy with the prices, lock them in. Don't wait to see if prices will go down (they will not go down). The same applies for rental cars. Book these two big ticket items earlier rather than later.

Leave room for error. Don't plan your itinerary too tightly. Flights can be delayed and Argentina is prone to labor strikes.

When to visit Patagonia

Summer is the best time to visit Patagonia. The weather is at its mildest and you have an insane amount of daylight to work with. The sun will rise way before you will and set between 9-10 pm.

That means this is peak travel season. Busy season is from Christmas through February (January being the peak of the peak). If traveling during this time, plan your time well and book in advance. This is the busiest and most expensive time to travel.

Shoulder season is the sweet spot: early fall and late spring. March and early April is lovely along with November and late October.

Winter is also an excellent time to visit Patagonia if you love winter sports. Check out these Patagonia ski resorts if you love to ski or snowboard.

For the coast, when you visit depends on what wildlife you want to see. Penguins are present in the Puerto Madryn region from September through April. Whales are present from June through December, give or take. Read here for more details on that region in particular.