The Best Places to Visit in Patagonia: Argentina & Chile
Patagonia is one of the most unique places to visit in South America, and home to some of the world’s most dramatic landscapes, from towering granite peaks, endless steppes, sparkling glaciers, and windswept coastlines where penguins and sea lions thrive.
Patagonia is a remote and mountainous region that spans across the southern stretches of Argentina and Chile.
But if you’re planning your first trip to Patagonia, you might also be wondering; where should I go?
What are the best places to visit in Patagonia?
Well, you have come to the right place!
This guide will take you through the very best places to visit in Patagonia on both the Argentine and Chilean sides!
From the iconic national parks of Torres del Paine and Los Glaciares to the unique wildlife experience at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Peninsula Valdés.
Let’s get under the skin of the best places to visit in Patagonia
This blog post was made in collaboration with Hailey Briggs from The Restless Adventurer. Hailey traveled in Patagonia extensively for 3 weeks.
The Best of Patagonia: Explore Argentina & Chile’s Remote Region
Discover the Top Places to Visit in Patagonia
Patagonia offers some of the most scenic landscapes in Latin America!
This jagged-peaked, rugged part of the world is not only far from home for many, but it is also massive, with spread-apart destinations and two different countries to navigate.
Let’s explore some of the best places to visit in Patagonia – in both Argentina and Chile!
Map of the Best Places to Visit in Patagonia
Check out the best places to visit in Patagonia on the map. In the top right-hand corner, you can click on the full-screen icon and have the map open directly in your Google Maps app.
What Are the Best Places to Visit in Argentine Patagonia?
From the iconic towering Mount Fitz Roy and the unique Perito Moreno Glacier in the south to the clear waters of Nahuel Huapi Lake in the northern part, Argentina offers many fascinating places to experience Patagonia.
Let’s get under the skin of some of the best places to visit in Patagonia Argentina!
El Chaltén
El Chaltén is a small town in Patagonia, and one of the best places to visit in Patagonia to experience its wild beauty.
El Chaltén is often celebrated as Argentina’s Hiking Capital, and serves as the entry point to several of Patagonia’s most famous treks like Laguna de los Tres & Mount Fitz Roy, Laguna Torre, the Huemul Circuit, and more.
El Chaltén is situated near the Chilean border within Glacier National Park and offers numerous hiking adventures into Patagonia’s stunning landscapes, including the iconic Mount Fitz Roy (Cerro Fitz Roy in Spanish) and Cerro Torre.
The hikes starting from El Chaltén vary in length, which allows you to select an excursion that fits your schedule, from multi-day treks to shorter day hikes.
Many routes include visits to Mount Fitz Roy and the stunning Laguna de los Tres, a pristine glacial lake among towering mountains.
The town itself is small, but backdropped by the looming peaks of Mount Fitz Roy is very scenic. There are a few cafes and restaurants, but the main attraction is its surrounding trails.
It is also worth trying out the shorter hiking to the viewpoint, Mirador de los Condores and Las Águilas.
Book a Laguna de los Tres trekking experience in El Chaltén
El Calafate & Perito Moreno Glacier
El Calafate is one of the most popular places to visit in Patagonia because of its proximity to Perito Moreno Glacier, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Perito Moreno is one of the most visited glaciers in Patagonia, situated within the Los Glaciares National Park, also known as Parque Nacional Los Glaciares in Spanish.
The Perito Moreno Glacier is shockingly blue, and you can even go ice trekking on top of the Perito Moreno Glacier!
There are fantastic farm stays and horseback riding at traditional estancias near El Calafate, which was the highlight of my three weeks in Patagonia.
Reserva Natural Laguna Nimez is a great spot to see wild flamingos, and the Laguna Nimez is a perfect day trip from El Calafate
El Calafate has a small airport that you can fly into from Buenos Aires.
Discover the best tours in El Calafate!
Ushuaia & Tierra del Fuego
Ushuaia is located at the southern tip of Argentina, often called “the end of the world.”
Tierra del Fuego National Park has the best hiking and you can take a cruise on the Beagle Channel to see glaciers, penguins, and sea lions.
Ushuaia and Tierra del Fuego are also some of the best places to visit in Patagonia for experiencing local wildlife like penguins and seals, rugged hiking trails, and massive glaciers.
Ushuaia is where all of the Antarctica boats depart from in South America.
Bariloche & the Lake District
Bariloche and the Lake District are beautiful places to visit in Patagonia for hiking and skiing.
The areas are known for their alpine scenery, dense forests, ski mountains, and lakes. Bariloche also offers some great hiking trails in the forested mountains and is good for road-tripping including the iconic Circuito Chico road.
Bariloche is located in the Northern part of Patagonia, farther away from the other Patagonia destinations mentioned here.
The best towns to visit are Bariloche, Villa La Angostura on Nahuel Huapi Lake, and San Martín de los Andes.
Explore the best of Bariloche
Puerto Madryn & Penisula Valdes
Puerto Madryn is a small town located in the northern part of Patagonia facing the Atlantic Ocean, and one of the best places to visit in Patagonia for exploring local wildlife!
Puerto Madryn doesn’t have much to offer, but around an hour’s drive from the town you have another of Patagonia’s most unique places: Peninsula Valdes!
At Peninsula Valdes, you can experience penguin colonies, sea lions, seals, killer whales, and Southern Right Whales in their natural habitat.
During the whale season at the Valdes Peninsula from June to December, you can see wild Southern Right Whales on whale-watching tours in the bay of Puerto Piramides, the peninsula’s only town.
Peninsula Valdes is a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its unique ecosystem and rich biodiversity.
Puerto Madryn and Peninsula Valdes are often left behind when planning a Patagonia trip, but the area’s incredible wildlife does deserve a spot on the list as one of the notable places to visit in Patagonia.
Explore Puerto Madryn & Peninsula Valdes
What Are the Best Places to Visit in Chilean Patagonia?
From towering mountains in the Torres del Paine National Park to remote villages and unique nature on the Carretera Austral, Chile also offers many incredible places to visit in Patagonia!
Let’s explore the best places to visit in Chilean Patagonia!
Torres del Paine National Park
Torres del Paine Natural Park is Chile’s most popular national park, and absolutely one of the best places to visit in Patagonia for hikers and outdoor lovers!
The Torres del Paine Natural Park offers an insanely diverse set of mountains, glaciers, and vibrant turquoise glacier lakes. The park gets its name from the three towering mountains that are unique anywhere else in the world.
Torres del Paine National Park is home to two of Patagonia’s most famous multi-day trekking routes, the W-Trek and the O-Circuit.
Inside the Torres del Paine National Park, you will also find the striking Patagonian glacier, Grey Glacier.
The Grey Glacier is part of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field. It stretches over 270 square kilometers and feeds into the icy waters of Lake Grey.
Refugios and campsites in Torres del Paine National Park book out months in advance in high season. So, start planning your Patagonia trip as early as possible if you want to hike the W-Trek or O-Circuit.
Book the Best Torres del Paine Experiences
Puerto Natales
Puerto Natales is a small port town in southern Chilean Patagonia, known as the gateway to Torres del Paine National Park.
Puerto Natales is a great little place to visit in Patagonia on your way to explore the famous Natural Park. Most people planning to hike in Torres del Paine National Park stop by Puerto Natales first when starting a Patagonia trip to Chile.
The town itself has a laid-back atmosphere with cozy cafes, local restaurants, and charming architecture. It’s a popular base for hikers, nature lovers, and adventurers exploring the rugged landscapes of Patagonia.
You can take tours from Puerto Natales to glaciers outside of the park and go whale watching.
Punta Arenas
Punta Arenas is the southernmost city on mainland Chile, located on the shores of the Strait of Magellan. The town used to be a key stop for ships navigating between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans
Punta Arenas is a 3-hour drive from Puerto Natales and has penguin tours to Isla Magdalena.
The town has a nice waterfront promenade, and there are more tour options in Punta Arenas than in Puerto Natales, like mountain biking, hiking, and whale and dolphin-watching cruises.
The Carretera Austral
The Carretera Austral, translated as the “Southern Highway”, is a remote highway that runs over 1,200 km down Chile’s northern side of Patagonia.
Carretera Austral runs between Puerto Montt and Villa O’Higgins and features 10 of Patagonia’s 17 national parks along its route.
Carretera Austral is a great place to visit in Patagonia, if you are looking for a more off-the-beaten-path experience, and you are looking to see some of the most uninhabited lands in Chile.
While many of the roads are unpaved and offer rough driving conditions, the Carretera Austral could make for an epic adventure.
The best places to visit along the Carretera Austral are:
- Estancia stays
- Cerro Castillo National Park
- Marble Caves
- Queulat National Park
- Pumalín Douglas Tompkins National Park
- Patagonia National Park
Final Thoughts: How Long Should You Spend in Patagonia?
You should plan on spending at least one week in Patagonia – and ideally longer!
Distances in Patagonia are huge, and it isn’t always easy to get around either. So, if you only have a couple of days to visit Patagonia, you might end up spending most of your time in transit.
Exactly how long you should stay depends on your travel style and what you want to do. If you’re dreaming of multi-day treks like the famous O-Circuit in Torres del Paine, you’ll need 8 – 10 days just for that adventure alone.
On the other hand, if you’re more into road trips, glaciers, or hopping between towns, you can design a route that fits into your available time.
Here’s a rough idea of what you can expect to cover depending on how much time you have:
- 7–10 days: Focus on one main region like El Calafate and El Chaltén in Argentina, or Torres del Paine and Puerto Natales in Chile.
- 14 days: Combine two or three regions, for example, El Calafate, El Chaltén, and Torres del Paine.
- 2–3 weeks: Add a multi-day trek, a visit to Ushuaia, or a road trip along Chile’s Carretera Austral.
- 3+ weeks: Mix both Argentina and Chile, explore Bariloche, or take on longer treks alongside shorter highlights.
Get more inspiration on how to plan your first trip to Patagonia!
Rebecca
Rebecca is the voice behind Becci Abroad, a travel blog inspiring you to get under the skin of the world. She is a long-term expat with more than 10 year of living abroad from Spain to Argentina, Cuba, and Sweden.
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