Skip to content

DestinationsArgentina

Patagonia, and how much of it you can actually see

The region is larger than many countries, and travellers routinely underestimate it. What fits into a week, what does not, and when to go.

Heyo Travel editorialUpdated 3 min read

Share
The blue ice front of the Perito Moreno glacier, Patagonia
Los Glaciares, Santa Cruz, Argentina

At a glance

Best season
November to March
El Calafate to El Chaltén
About three hours by road
Bariloche to El Calafate
Roughly 1,500 km by road
Rule of thumb
One region per week
In this article7 sections
  1. The honest distances
  2. What a week actually holds
  3. When to go
  4. What to pack
  5. Adding Patagonia to a wider trip
  6. Plan it with us
  7. Questions

Argentine Patagonia runs well over a thousand kilometres from the lake district around Bariloche down to Tierra del Fuego. Travellers arrive with a list, Bariloche, El Chaltén, the Perito Moreno glacier, Ushuaia, perhaps the Atlantic coast for whales, and discover that these are not places near each other. They are separated by flights.

The honest distances

Bariloche to El Calafate is roughly 1,500 kilometres by road. El Calafate to Ushuaia is around 600 kilometres in a straight line and much further by road, which crosses into Chile and back. Puerto Madryn, on the Atlantic side, is off that axis entirely. There is no route that strings all of these together in a week without spending most of it in transit.

The useful mental model is that Patagonia contains three or four separate trips, and a good visit picks one, or at most two connected by a single flight. Many flights within Argentina route through Buenos Aires, so check the connections before you fix the order.

What a week actually holds

The southern ice trip. Fly to El Calafate, see the Perito Moreno glacier, then move to El Chaltén for two or three days of walking under Fitz Roy. This is the classic week, and it works because the two towns are about three hours apart by road.

The lakes trip. Bariloche and the road through the lake district: gentler, greener, easier with children, and good in the shoulder seasons when the far south is cold.

The end-of-the-world trip. Ushuaia, the Beagle Channel and Tierra del Fuego National Park: compact, dramatic, and the departure point if an Antarctic voyage is the real objective.

First light on the Fitz Roy range above a glacial lake, Patagonia
El Chaltén, Santa Cruz, Argentina

When to go

December to February is the Patagonian summer: long days, everything open, and wind that has to be experienced to be believed. March and early April are quieter, autumn colour comes to the lake district, and the wind often eases. Spring, from October, opens the walking season in the south.

In winter much of the far south slows down or closes. That is not a reason to avoid it, but it is a reason to check what is running before you book flights.

What to pack

Layers rather than one heavy coat: a warm mid-layer, a windproof and waterproof shell, and a hat and gloves even in summer. Good walking boots, already worn in. Sunglasses and strong sun protection, because the sun this far south is fierce even on a cold day.

Adding Patagonia to a wider trip

Most visitors combine Patagonia with Buenos Aires, and many add Mendoza or Iguazú. Our Argentina Essentials week covers Buenos Aires, a polo estancia and Mendoza, and Patagonia can be planned around it as an extension, with the flights booked to match.

The Obelisco and Avenida 9 de Julio from above at sunset, Buenos AiresNew routeArgentina Essentials7 days · 6 nights · ArgentinaFrom $2,890 per personSee the journey

Plan it with us

What we arrange for a trip like this one. Each is booked and paid in one step, and priced in full before you pay.

Questions

How many days do you need in Patagonia?

A week covers one region well, for example El Calafate and El Chaltén. Two weeks lets you add a second region connected by a flight.

What is the best month to visit Patagonia?

November to March for most travellers. December to February has the longest days and the most services open; November and March are quieter.

Can I see Perito Moreno and Ushuaia in one trip?

Yes, but they are a flight apart. Allow at least ten days if you also want time in El Chaltén, and check the flight connections for your dates.

Keep reading

All articles