Chile - Argentina Travel Report

For a long time, I had a dream: to travel to Chile (especially the Atacama Desert and Patagonia). I hoped to make a detour to Tierra del Fuego and perhaps take a boat tour through the fjords of Patagonia. That Argentina also came into play as a country in Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego was the logical conclusion.

Actually, I wanted to embark on this journey directly after my trip to Peru last year. However, after four weeks in Peru, it would have been an "overload" of emotions and impressions for me right after. Since I met Chileans in Peru, I received valuable tips and promised to travel to Chile the following year.

Here I am! Read my travel report for nearly 5 weeks of fantastic emotions and impressions in Chile and Argentina. I'm not exaggerating. It's one of the most beautiful trips I have ever taken!

Santiago de Chile

Valparaíso

Atacama Desert

Punta Arenas (rental car) > Patagonia travel report

Puerto Natales (rental car)

Torres del Paine (W-Trek)

El Calafate (rental car)

El Chaltén (rental car)

Puerto Natales (rental car)

Punta Arenas (drop off rental car)

Ushuaia

Australis Expedition Cruise Ushuaia - Punta Arenas

Return flight via Santiago and Amsterdam to Germany

For the journey, I prepared with various guidebooks: For the general part, I bought the Dumont Travel Guide to Chile and the Dumont Travel Guide to Argentina. Both were newly released in 2017 and 2018, respectively, and could not be more current.

However, both guides lacked more information on border crossings, travel times, and hiking trails. We were not entirely happy with that.

For the hikes in Patagonia, I additionally purchased the Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego Hiking Guide by Rother Verlag. These guidebooks are specifically designed for hiking with detailed descriptions and maps.

We decided to rent a car only for Patagonia. In Santiago and Valparaíso, it didn't make sense, as the bus connections are excellent, tickets are cheap, and traveling around is easy.

Since we had a fantastic accommodation with Explora Hotels in the Atacama Desert, which picked us up at the airport in Calama and offered excursions, we didn't need a car here either.

For Patagonia, however, we valued flexibility, as we had no idea at the time of booking what we would want to do, and we already knew that there would be many spots where we could stop with the car to take pictures, which would not be possible by bus.

When renting a car, an SUV (with all-wheel drive) is significantly more comfortable than a regular car. We often used gravel roads and would not have been patient enough to drive them at a snail's pace with a regular car. But it all depends on the price.

If you plan to cross into Argentina (or vice versa) like we did, you must notify your car rental company in advance.

You often need to separately register for crossing into Argentina. Depending on the duration, this permit costs varying amounts. We paid 78,000 CLP for 14 days.

Our choice for the rental car provider, as always, fell on Sunny Cars. Why? Sunny Cars seems to always have the cheapest and best offers, an additional driver and unlimited mileage are included, and in case of damage (at least for me), the communication was quick and seamless.

Book Car Rental

Choosing the places for our trip was really difficult. Chile is huge, distances are often far, and the nature and places I would love to visit in Chile are countless. With 33 days in Chile, we already had much more time than the average tourist. Therefore, we had to make some decisions.

Here you can see the places we visited along with a little travel report and tips on them.

We land around noon in Santiago de Chile. It's warm, the sun is shining, and the sky is clear. The journey with 17 hours and 15 minutes of pure flight time is extremely long. Therefore, we take an UBER to our first accommodation: Hotel Luciano K.

The hotel is perfectly located within walking distance to Santiago's main attractions in the Lastarria district, across from the hipster area of Bellavista. It couldn't be better.

We head out right away to explore Bella Vista with its beautifully painted walls, cafés, and bars. After a little break at a Peruvian restaurant with ceviche, Lomo Saltado, and a Cusqueña (beer), we head to Cerro San Lucia to watch the sunset. Unfortunately, the park closes just then, so we are forced to leave.

We go to the funicular to Cerro San Cristobal, the highest mountain in Santiago, and try our luck there. It seems to have abandoned us: Maintenance work, only one bus is in service.

On the second day, we specifically booked a street art tour in the Yungay district with a local artist:"Urban Legacy": Barrio Yungay - City & Street Art Tour, History of Santiago & Urban Art Tour.

The tour lasts 2.5 hours and costs $20 per person. It starts and ends right at the Quinta Normal Metro Station, next to the Quinta Normal Park and the Museum of Memory and Human Rights, which we also visit.

Graffiti artist Sebastian (@nhesta) shows us the neighborhood and tells us a lot about Chile's history. The tour is truly interesting.

Afterward, we have time for the museum before returning to the center to check out the shopping street, Plaza de Armas, the old post office (Correo), the cathedral, and the Palacio de la Moneda.

We take an UBER to the funicular to enjoy the view of the city from Cerro San Cristobal.

Bus 1,500 CLP to the top (1,000 CLP down)

Luciano K - Boutique Hotel is right by all attractions and at a metro station. Perfect location, great breakfast with good bread, fruit, and pastries. Additionally, it has an excellent view of Cerro San Cristobal and the city from the rooftop terrace.

There are several bus companies that run every 15 minutes from Santiago to Valparaiso. We traveled with Turbus for (11,400 CLP round-trip). This provider is highly recommended.

Colorful, more colorful, Valparaíso!

The port city Valparaíso is known for street art, culture, and its old ascensores - 'lifts' or funiculars that transport residents up and down the steep hills. And there are over 45 of them! The sea of colorful houses seems endless. Each hill offers a different view!

For 3 days, we explore the narrow alleys of the many hills in the city without a real plan. Here you can wander and curiously look around the next corner, explore hidden backyards, and peek back. Because some artworks we only discovered upon a second glance. I'm thrilled.

I couldn't believe it before my arrival, but the city is colorful. Really colorful. Every wall, around every corner, and on the stairs, the artists have left their paintings behind.

I can only recommend that everyone spend at least 2 full days in Valparaíso if they plan to come to Chile! We spent a total of three days here.

Here you can view the comprehensive report on Valparaíso's attractions & tips

The small and very cozy Cerro Alegre Guest House is located right in Bellavista. The rooms are small, but the beds are comfortable, and the staff is really friendly. The breakfast was okay, and the location was perfect for our explorations in Valpo. Excellent cafés and restaurants were nearby. That's what we wanted.

Wonderful Atacama Desert!

Valle de la Luna, El Tatio Geysers, Valle de Marte, Laguna Chaxa (Salar de Atacama), Cordillera de la Sal, Valle de la Luna, and the hot springs are the highlights that we explored through shorter and a few longer hikes.

Dusty and rocky deserts, (active) volcanoes, dried-up salt rivers and lagoons, deep canyons, and Andean flamingos captivated us from the very first moment.

The Atacama is one of the driest deserts in the world. We explored this region for three days. Always in sight: the perfectly shaped Licancabur volcano (5,916 m).

We should have stayed longer because we had no time for the high-altitude and other remote places around San Pedro de Atacama, or would only have had the necessary days for acclimatization on the last day. Traveling from sea level (Valparaíso) to 2,400 m, with high plateaus and volcanoes over 5,000 m should not be taken lightly.

Headaches, dizziness, and nosebleeds are not uncommon. "Altitude sickness" can hit many hard. I had this experience last year at the Rainbow Mountains in Peru. Every step was heavy; the headaches became unbearable.

That's why I was glad that these "high altitudes" and the dry heat didn't cause me any problems this time (a tip: always ask for Coca Tea, it helps for sure). In Peru, everyone advises you to do that; in Chile, you have to ask for it...

For the detailed travel report of the Atacama Desert

Punta Arenas, with 125,000 residents on the Strait of Magellan, is the southernmost city in the world. Once, wealth came from sheep farming and fishing; today, the residents live increasingly from tourism. Punta Arenas is the ideal place to start a Patagonia round trip.

There are a few highlights, but you don't have to see them all. We took the opportunity to recover from a late-night flight. We bought supplies in the supermarket for the hikes and explored the town center on foot.

A place I recommend is the penguin island Isla Magdalena. About 250,000 Magellanic penguins live here. We visited the island as part of our expedition cruise through the fjords of Patagonia.

Around the Plaza de Armas, you'll find beautiful city palaces of the former sheep barons. The best view of Punta Arenas, the Strait of Magellan, and Tierra del Fuego is from Cerro de la Cruz.

In the tourist information, you can get stamps for Patagonia with penguins in your passport.

Recommended stay duration: 1 night at the beginning

Accommodation in Punta Arenas (arrival): Canquen Patagonia (with a small kitchenette), a bit away from the town center but cozy.

Accommodation in Punta Arenas (before the bus ride to Ushuaia): Hotel Plaza. In the center but somewhat dated.

Distance Punta Arenas - Puerto Natales: 248 km, about 3 hours

Distance Punta Arenas - Ushuaia by bus: 630 km. The bus trip takes between 9 - 10.5 hours.

Detailed travel report on the Patagonia road trip

All highlights and things you can do in Punta Arenas

The small town isn't beautiful but has charm. I found it very cozy strolling around the Plaza de Armas. Travelers can find everything they need here. Since the small airport started operations, Puerto Natales has gradually been surpassing Punta Arenas as a starting point for Torres del Paine National Park.

Puerto Natales is often the last stop for many visitors before heading into Torres del Paine National Park for the multi-day hike on the W-Trek or Circuit. Others use Puerto Natales as a starting point for day hikes in Torres del Paine and surrounding areas. Tours to Lago Grey with glaciers, waterfalls, and other fantastic photo spots in the park are also popular.

If you're short on time, you can take a day trip from here to Perito Moreno Glacier. In general, I only recommend that if your time is really tight. The drive to El Calafate takes about 4 hours, which is quite long.

Restaurant in Factoria Patagonia: Very tasty pasta and salads.

Cerveza Baguales: Microbrewery with a good offer of beer, burgers, Mexican food, and sandwiches.

Cafés: The Coffee Maker and El Living.

Restaurant in The Singular: Special recommendation from friends. Unfortunately, we didn't have time for that.

More recommendations from friends: Afrigonia (Taste of Africa in Patagonia), Congrejo Rojo, La Distilleria, and Base Camp (affordable pizza and beer).

At the tourist information center, you can get stamps for the Torres del Paine National Park in your passport. We completely forgot about it.

Recommended stay duration: 1 night at the beginning and 1 day after the trek in Torres del Paine or during the return from El Chaltén.

Accommodation in Puerto Natales: Factoria Patagonia Hostel. New hostel with dormitories and double rooms. Very cozy. The Trattoria is particularly recommended; the breakfast is less so. They wouldn't even turn on the coffee machine for me for an extra charge and only offered Nescafé (not real coffee). No-go.

Distance Punta Arenas - Puerto Natales: 248 km, about 3 hours

Distance Puerto Natales - Torres del Paine National Park: about 2 hours

Distance Puerto Natales - El Calafate: 355 km, about 3.5 - 4 hours. Note: Don't go via Tapi Like but straight through Esperanza. Advantage: paved road and no nasty gravel road (we tested this for you on the way back. It takes longer and is annoying).

Detailed travel report for Southern Patagonia

Patagonia's most famous national park offers primarily one thing: massive glaciers, steep mountain peaks, gnarled rainforests, and azure blue lagoons. A diverse landscape in a compact space. Just like the unpredictable Patagonian weather, which can quickly change from a pleasant 20 degrees with sunshine and blue skies to 2 degrees with snowfall and cloudy mountains.

With wind speeds up to 95 km/h, we hike the famous W-Trek for four days. We experienced highlights like the Grey Glacier, Valle de Francés, and the highlight for most visitors, the Base of the Towers, in sunshine, sleet, and snow. Patagonia at its most beautiful yet rugged side. We spend the nights in refugios or tents.

We spend four days in Torres del Paine National Park hiking the W Trek. Due to availability, we couldn't hike five consecutive days as there were neither refugios nor campsites available at one stop.

Here we spend 2 nights after the W-Trek and undertake another hike outside the national park. Estancia Cerro Guido borders directly on Torres del Paine National Park, making it perfect.Travel report for 2 weeks in Southern Patagonia

The Perito Moreno is the main attraction in the Los Glaciares National Park. No wonder it's one of the few glaciers that isn't melting away.

Plan A was to book the Big Hike. Less than 5 days prior to the event, we couldn't do that. So, upon arrival, we search for the office of "Hielo y Aventuras" (the only provider) in El Calafate. "Big Hike? You can only book that again in three days!" - Shit. Grudgingly, we book the Mini Hike. 1.5 hours on the ice is better than not being on the ice at all.

Thanks to our own car, we save ourselves additional costs for the transfer to the national park, so we leave early in the morning.

First, you ride a catamaran along the south flank of the glacier, walk a short piece over wooden paths, and then get crampons and a little introduction.

The sun is shining, and as long as the icy wind isn't blowing, I actually feel hot. However, gloves are a must. On the ice, we would slit ourselves.

In a duck formation, we set off in a line. I volunteer to go to the back to take pictures. There are almost too many people for my taste (the group consists of about 20 people).

The ice and its structure are fascinating. On the glacier, we find caves, small streams and lakes, as well as deep crevasses that can open up newly every day. For the guides, it's a surprise each morning what they will find on the trail.

If there's a new crevasse that was full of water the day before, by the next day during our visit, it's a deep crevasse that suddenly isn't filled with water anymore and drops steeply.

So we go up and down for 1.5 hours. We are thrilled. At the end follows the classic ritual of every glacier visit: whisky with glacier ice. Delicious!

The glacier is currently about 70 meters high at its highest point; the other parts vary up to 50 meters.

The deepest point in proximity to the front in Brazo Rico (south flank, where the Ice Hike takes place) is 110 meters; in Canal de los Témpanos, it's 164 meters (north flank, where the boat tours take place).

The calving front (the front end) is 2.3 km wide.

Along the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, there is much more than just the well-known Perito Moreno Glacier.

For this reason, we didn't need much persuasion to book another glacier tour before leaving El Calafate for El Chaltén.

During this approximately 5-hour tour by boat, we pass through beautiful fjords, rainforests, and glaciers in Lago Argentino. Among them is Upsala, one of the largest but also most active glaciers in the world. The front of the Upsala Glacier is 10 kilometers wide.

The icebergs originating from it are enormous, so we can only approach them as much as 10 kilometers. Even from that distance, the glacier is impressively large.

We then travel through Canal Spegazzini to the glaciers Heim Norte, Seco, Heim Sur, Peineta, and Spegazzini. The Spegazzini Glacier has the highest calving edge (approximately 130 m, making it twice as high as Perito Moreno). Occasionally, a bit of ice breaks off. The boats appear as toys.

Hostel America Del Sur Calafate advertises with great photos, but I wouldn't call the mattresses actual mattresses. Breakfast is very basic and often not refilled despite still being available for an hour.

Detailed travel report on the Patagonia road trip

We didn't want to do the most strenuous hike on the first day because we wanted to relax a bit. However, after checking the weather report, it became clear: We should go. So we had our accommodation book a shuttle that takes us to Hosteria El Pilar because we didn't want to walk the same path back and forth.

At 8 AM, we are picked up. It's gloomy and foggy, but the view of the Fitz Roy massif is still clear.

The hike begins with gentle and small inclines through an old forest. Below us flows the Rio Blanco; behind it rises the Fitz Roy massif. We hike past glaciers repeatedly.

Upon reaching Campamiento Poincenot, we know: From now on it's going to be steep. We're going to traverse a scree field reminiscent of the final ascent to the Base of the Towers in Torres del Paine for an hour up steep switchbacks.

Upon reaching the top comes the reward: a clear view of Fitz Roy and the entire massif, along with the bright blue Laguna Suica that many visitors don't find because they don't ascend one last small hill.

Only then do you see this wonderful place. Well, not everyone is into reading up and preparing... serves them right, right?

We sit up here for a long time, staring at the incredibly beautiful scenery before us. Does this really exist?

Of course, we have to leave at some point, as the return trip takes as long as the ascent. By now, we have become quite fit. There are also many great stops on the way back, for example, Laguna Capri. Most people linger here for a while longer to enjoy the view of Fitz Roy, which is now basking in the radiant sun, and the now blue sky.

As we round a final curve after over 23 km, El Chaltén suddenly lies below us. We take the main road back to the accommodation.

We enjoy every moment on this day and absorb all the impressions. This incredibly beautiful hike is a must-do (but unfortunately only worth it if the weather is on your side).

"There are mountains you never forget in your life. These include both Cerro Torre and the undisputed king over the Patagonian Pampa, Cerro Fitz Roy." - I read this sentence before my trip.

Now it lingers in my memory. Because it's true. Since my return, I have been looking at the pictures every day. The mountains are so stunning that I can't express their magic in words.

On the second day in El Chaltén, we undertake the hike to Laguna Torre. According to my Strava app, the hike is 23.1 km long; according to official information, the time required is about 3 hours to the lagoon or Campamento Agostini, with approximately 350 m of elevation gain and 100 m of descent. Really easy, especially considering the previous days. But this hike is gorgeous; it might even be the most beautiful of the entire trip.

The weather today is nearly perfect, almost summery and windless. The sky is blue, the sun is shining; a jacket and hat are unnecessary. Hard to believe, but there's a real summer atmosphere over El Chaltén all day.

Upon reaching the destination, we lie down in front of Laguna Torre with a view of one of the hardest summits to climb in the mountain world: Cerro Torre. We relax and savor the moment, just like many others.

I look for the mountain after the compressor left behind during an ascent attempt. So many stories there are to tell about Cerro Torre.

I can only repeat: El Chaltén is my paradise. I absolutely must return (but whether I'll be that lucky with the weather again, I don't know. Because here too, it holds true: without a clear view = no fun).

Detailed travel report on the Patagonia road tripRead all highlights in El Chaltén in detail here

Some say it's the end of the world (which isn't true since Cape Horn is further south); others say it's the beginning. One thing is clear: this region is incredibly beautiful!

Ushuaia, the city itself, isn't particularly pretty, but it radiates a unique charm. It's no wonder that most of the ships heading to Antarctica depart from here along the Beagle Channel. Everywhere you find notices with enticing last-minute offers... phew!

But also, the surrounding areas are worth spending a few days. Unfortunately, we only have this one day, which we use to visit the Tierra del Fuego National Park and the "attraction" of the southernmost post office in the world.

Once again, we are lucky with the weather: sunny and a summery 18 degrees. So we don't hesitate and take one of the shuttles from Ushuaia to the 18 km distant Tierra del Fuego National Park.

We hike the Senda Costera (8km) along the Beagle Channel. At the beginning stands the southernmost post office in the world. Naturally, we get a stamp in our passport for a small fee.

During the hike, we pass many coves and have opportunities to view glaciers in the distance through the dense forest.

We visit the end of Route 3 - the end of the last paved road in the world. It was an unexpectedly beautiful day for me. I didn't expect this little spot to be so lovely.

Ushuaia, I will return! Here you can view my detailed travel report for Ushuaia with tips and highlights

Overnight: Hosteria Pension Jarke

Dining: Maria Lola Resto, Cristopher (steak, large salads, and burgers)

Breakfast & Café: Café Tante Sara

For five days, we boarded the Ventus Australis and explored the fjords and glaciers of Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego. A highlight for many is a possible landing at the legendary Cape Horn.

You can read all info and tips about the expedition cruise in Patagonia here.

The return flight departs from Punta Arenas with an overnight stay in Santiago de Chile. Since we land late in the evening, we chose the airport hotel directly at the airport in Santiago this time.

We wouldn't have enough time left to go into the city since we must check-in the next morning around 9:30 AM.

I will document the costs of the trip (almost 5 weeks) separately. In general, it can be said: Chile and Argentina (especially Patagonia) are not cheap travel countries. For the multi-day hikes in Torres del Paine, accommodation, and rental car in Patagonia, you need to plan a bit more budget than expected.

A detailed breakdown will follow after the trip.

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This trip was supported by Sernatur with flights. We received a discount from Sunny Cars for the rental car. Explora invited us to the Atacama Desert, and Luciano K in Santiago provided the free nights. Australis invited us for a small tour through the fjords at the end. My opinions and tips, however, are still based on my experiences, which are not influenced by this.