Cornelius Amann
October 06, 2026
5/5
Patagonia: Torres del Paine, Perito Moreno and El Chaltén
10 days from Punta Arenas to El Calafate: three nights at Torres del Paine, the Perito Moreno Glacier by walkway and boat, and three nights under Fitz Roy in El Chaltén.
10 days · Punta Arenas to El Calafate · up to 12 guests
The Cuernos del Paine above a wind-whipped lake, Torres del Paine National Park Photo: Winky from Oxford, UK, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:A_view_towards_Torres_Del_Paine.jpg)
The facts
At a glance
- Length
- 10 days, 9 nights
- Start and end
- Punta Arenas to El Calafate
- Group size
- 7 to 12 guests
- Longest drive
- 5 h on day 5
- Activity level
Moderate
Daily walks of 3 to 8 km on rough, windy trails, with two optional full-day hikes: Base Las Torres (about 20 km return, 800 to 900 m of climbing, a steep boulder section at the end) and Laguna de los Tres (about 22 km, about 750 m of climbing, a steep last kilometre). Each has an easier choice of 4 to 9 km, and any day can be spent with the driver at viewpoints instead.
- Meals included
- 9 breakfasts, 8 lunches, 4 dinners
- Room of your own
- + CAD 1,705 (estimated price)
- Season
- November to March
Highlights
Why this trip
- Three nights at Torres del Paine, so you unpack once and wait out the weather for the clearer day
- The hike to the lagoon under the three granite towers, or an easier day at Laguna Azul and the Paine waterfall
- A boat across Lago Grey to the blue face of Grey Glacier
- The Perito Moreno walkways before the midday buses, then a boat ride under the ice wall
- Three nights in El Chaltén with Laguna de los Tres under Fitz Roy, or the easier Laguna Capri trail
- Laguna Torre, with icebergs below Cerro Torre, and a free afternoon in a town built for hikers
What makes this trip different
Short drives, all published
Every drive is listed day by day. The longest is 5 h, on day 5.
Free time is part of the plan
Free time and choices are marked on the days they fall.
Solo without the penalty
A room of your own is + CAD 1,705 (estimated price).
Day by day
Itinerary
The longest drive is 5 h, on day 5.
Tap any stop on the map to open that dayClick any stop on the map to open that day
Arrive in Patagonia
Punta Arenas airport (PUQ) to Puerto Natales
- Welcome dinner
- Stay in Puerto Natales
- Drive about 3 h
Fly into Punta Arenas (PUQ) on the Strait of Magellan, usually via Santiago, and plan to land by about 2 pm; the latest arrival time is confirmed with your final itinerary. Your See Sight Tours guide meets the group at the airport and we head north on Ruta 9 across open sheep country, about 230 km and three hours, with a coffee stop on the way. Watch for rheas and guanacos on the steppe and, in summer, flamingos on the shallow lagoons by the road. Puerto Natales sits on the Última Esperanza Sound, a fjord with snowy peaks across the water, and the light stays late: in December the sun sets after 9 pm. After check-in there is time to walk the seafront.
Evening
Then we meet for a short briefing on layers, wind and the hiking choices ahead, and sit down together to a welcome dinner of Magellanic lamb or local seafood. If your flight lands at Puerto Natales airport (PNT) instead, a driver brings you to the hotel.
Included
- Pick-up at Punta Arenas airport (PUQ), or at Puerto Natales airport (PNT)
- Drive to Puerto Natales with your guide
- Welcome briefing
- Welcome dinner
Free time: Free time on the Puerto Natales seafront before dinner
Activity: Book a flight landing at Punta Arenas by about 2 pm.
Into Torres del Paine
Puerto Natales to the Milodón Cave, then into Torres del Paine National Park
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Torres del Paine
- Drive about 3 h
We leave Puerto Natales at about 8:30 am and stop after 25 km at the Cueva del Milodón, a huge cave where remains of a giant ground sloth were found in the 1890s; a short path loops through it. The road then runs north past Cerro Castillo into Torres del Paine National Park, created in 1959 and a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The first full view of the Paine massif comes across the steppe near Laguna Amarga, where guanacos graze by the road and condors ride the wind.
Afternoon
Lunch is a sit-down meal in the park. In the afternoon we walk from Pudeto to Salto Grande, where Lago Nordenskjöld pours into Lago Pehoé, and on to the Mirador Cuernos for a close look at the dark-capped Cuernos del Paine, about 6 km return on a mostly level path. A short drive brings us to the hotel, your base for three nights, so you unpack once.
Evening
Dinner is at the hotel.
Included
- Cueva del Milodón natural monument
- Torres del Paine National Park entry
- Viewpoints at Laguna Amarga and Lago Pehoé
- Salto Grande and Mirador Cuernos walk with your guide
- Sit-down lunch in the park
- Dinner at the hotel
Easier option: Walk only the few minutes from the car park to Salto Grande, then wait in the vehicle out of the wind while the others go on to the Mirador Cuernos.
Free time: Early evening free at the hotel
Activity: The Salto Grande trail is exposed, and gusts can knock you off balance; your guide may turn the group back early.
Base Las Torres, or Laguna Azul
Hotel to the Welcome Centre and the trail to the Base Las Torres viewpoint, or by road to Laguna Azul
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Torres del Paine
- Drive about 1.5 h
This is the park's best-known day hike and the active choice. We drive to the trailhead near the Welcome Centre and start walking by about 8 am, which leaves a full day without rushing. The trail climbs the Ascencio valley to a windy pass, drops to the Chileno refuge for a rest, then follows the river through southern beech forest. The last hour is a steep scramble up a boulder moraine to the lagoon at the foot of the three granite towers.
Afternoon
In all it is about 20 km return with 800 to 900 m of climbing and eight to ten hours on foot, led by a licensed local hiking guide with your See Sight Tours guide; lunch is a packed meal from the hotel, eaten by the lagoon. The easier group spends the day with the driver: Laguna Azul for a view of the towers from the north, the Paine waterfall and a short walk among guanacos, with a sit-down lunch.
Evening
Dinner at the hotel brings everyone back together.
Included
- Guided hike to the Base Las Torres viewpoint with a licensed local hiking guide
- Or a viewpoint day at Laguna Azul and the Paine waterfall with the driver
- Lunch
- Dinner at the hotel
Easier option: A viewpoint day by vehicle at Laguna Azul and the Paine waterfall, with short walks of 2 to 3 km and a sit-down lunch.
More active option: The full hike to the lagoon at the base of the towers: about 20 km return, 800 to 900 m of climbing, 8 to 10 hours.
Activity: Rangers can close the last section in strong wind or set a latest time to start the final climb; if the forecast is poor we swap this day with day 4.
Grey Glacier by boat
Hotel to Lago Grey, by boat to the face of Grey Glacier, then back to the hotel
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Torres del Paine
- Drive about 1.5 h
A gentler day after the towers. We drive to the south end of Lago Grey, where icebergs broken from the glacier drift onto a long grey beach. From there a boat crosses the lake to the face of Grey Glacier, a tongue of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, and holds off the blue ice wall for photos before turning back; the outing takes about three hours.
Afternoon
We book the morning sailing, because the wind usually rises after midday and can cancel later boats. Lunch is a sit-down meal near the lake, then the afternoon is yours: rest at the hotel, read by a window with the massif outside, or take a short walk nearby. Those with energy left can climb with a guide to the Mirador Ferrier above Lago Grey for a view over the lake and the ice. If the weather on day 3 is poor, this day and day 3 swap so the towers get the clearer sky.
Evening
Dinner is at the hotel.
Included
- Boat on Lago Grey to the face of Grey Glacier
- Sit-down lunch near Lago Grey
- Dinner at the hotel
More active option: A guided climb to the Mirador Ferrier above Lago Grey in the afternoon, steep, about 3 to 4 hours return.
Free time: Afternoon free
Activity: Boats do not sail in very strong wind; if the boat is cancelled we walk to the Lago Grey iceberg viewpoint instead and refund the boat fare.
Across the border to El Calafate
Torres del Paine to Cerro Castillo and the Chile and Argentina border, then across the steppe to El Calafate
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in El Calafate
- Drive about 5 h
This is the trip's one long road day, about 280 km and about five to six hours door to door, including both border posts. There is no direct flight from Puerto Natales to El Calafate, and flying via Santiago or Buenos Aires would take far longer, so we drive and break the day up.
Morning
We leave after breakfast and stop for coffee in the small village of Cerro Castillo beside the Chilean border post; about ten minutes on we clear Argentine entry at Cancha Carrera, and parts of the road beyond are gravel, so we take it steadily. Neither country lets fresh fruit, meat or dairy across, so finish your snacks before the border.
Afternoon
From there the road runs north-east across empty steppe towards Ruta 40, with a sit-down lunch at a roadside stop around the halfway point and short stops for guanacos, rheas and photos. We reach El Calafate on the shore of Lago Argentino in the late afternoon.
Evening
The evening is free: the main street, Avenida del Libertador, is a short walk from the hotel and full of places to eat.
Included
- Drive from Torres del Paine to El Calafate with your guide, border formalities handled
- Coffee stop in Cerro Castillo
- Sit-down lunch on the way
Free time: Evening free in El Calafate
Activity: Keep your passport with you; border queues vary in high season.
Perito Moreno Glacier
El Calafate to the Perito Moreno Glacier walkways and boat, and back
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in El Calafate
- Drive about 2.5 h
Afternoon
We leave El Calafate at about 8 am for the 80 km drive west into Los Glaciares National Park, listed by UNESCO in 1981, to be on the walkways before the midday tour buses. The Perito Moreno Glacier ends in a wall of ice about 5 km wide, standing on average about 70 m above Lago Argentino, and unlike most glaciers in the region it is roughly stable rather than retreating. Several kilometres of steel walkways and stairs face it from the Magallanes peninsula. Your guide takes the group along the lower balconies first, then you are free to wander and wait for the crack and boom of ice falling into the water. Lunch is a sit-down meal at the restaurant by the walkways. In the early afternoon we take the one-hour boat ride along the south face, close under the ice.
Evening
We are back in town by about 4 pm with the evening free. To walk on the glacier itself, the guided minitrekking can replace the boat ride.
Included
- Los Glaciares National Park entry
- Perito Moreno Glacier walkways with your guide
- One-hour boat ride along the south face of the glacier
- Sit-down lunch by the walkways
Optional experiences
- Guided minitrekking on the glacier with crampons, in place of the boat ride (price shown at booking; age limits apply)
Easier option: Stay on the lower balconies near the entrance, which need few stairs, and skip the longer circuits.
Free time: Evening free in El Calafate
Activity: It is cold beside the ice even on a sunny day; bring a warm layer and gloves.
North to El Chaltén
El Calafate to Laguna Nimez, then La Leona and El Chaltén
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in El Chaltén
- Drive about 3 h
Morning
A slow morning. Walk with your guide to the Laguna Nimez reserve on the edge of town early, when flamingos and black-necked swans feed in the shallow water, or have a late breakfast. We leave at about 10 am for El Chaltén, about 215 km and three hours on a paved road. Halfway we stop at La Leona, an old roadhouse on the river of the same name, for coffee. As the road turns west along Lago Viedma, Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre rise on the skyline ahead if the clouds allow. El Chaltén was founded in 1985 at the foot of the range, and the trails start from its streets.
Afternoon
We arrive for a late lunch together, then stop at the national park visitor centre for the trail briefing before an easy walk up to the Mirador de los Cóndores, about 4 km return, for the view over the town and the Río de las Vueltas valley.
Evening
The evening is free; bakeries, breweries and grills are a few minutes' walk away.
Included
- Laguna Nimez reserve walk, entry included
- Coffee stop at La Leona
- Lunch in El Chaltén
- National park visitor centre briefing
- Mirador de los Cóndores walk
Easier option: Skip the Mirador walk and settle into the hotel after lunch.
Free time: Evening free in El Chaltén
Laguna de los Tres under Fitz Roy
El Chaltén to the El Pilar trailhead, Laguna de los Tres, then on foot back to El Chaltén
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in El Chaltén
- Drive about 30 min
The big hike of the trip, for those who want it. We drive about 17 km up the Río de las Vueltas valley to the El Pilar trailhead, which saves the climb out of town, and walk up through lenga beech forest with views of the Piedras Blancas glacier hanging off the range. Past the Poincenot campsite the trail crosses a stream and climbs the last steep kilometre, about 400 m of loose rock, to Laguna de los Tres, a cold lagoon right under the granite of Fitz Roy (3,405 m).
Afternoon
We eat a packed lunch at the top, out of the wind if we can find shelter, then walk back down to town past Laguna Capri. In all it is about 22 km and eight to ten hours on foot with about 750 m of climbing, led by a licensed local hiking guide with your See Sight Tours guide. The easier group walks from town to Laguna Capri and the Fitz Roy viewpoint and back, then has the afternoon free. If Fitz Roy is in cloud, we swap with day 9.
Included
- Transfer to the El Pilar trailhead
- Guided hike to Laguna de los Tres with a licensed local hiking guide
- Or a guided walk to Laguna Capri and the Fitz Roy viewpoint
- Packed lunch
Easier option: Laguna Capri and the Fitz Roy viewpoint from town, about 9 km return with a steady climb at the start, back by early afternoon.
More active option: The full hike to Laguna de los Tres: about 22 km, about 750 m of climbing, 8 to 10 hours.
Free time: Evening free in El Chaltén
Activity: The last kilometre to Laguna de los Tres is steep and loose; poles help. The guide turns the group around in strong wind.
Laguna Torre, or an easy day
El Chaltén to Laguna Torre and back, or to the Mirador del Torre and the Chorrillo del Salto waterfall
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in El Chaltén
- Drive about 15 min
Two choices today, both starting from the edge of town.
Afternoon
The longer walk follows the valley of the Río Fitz Roy to Laguna Torre, about 18 km return and six to seven hours with only gentle climbing, where icebergs from the Grande glacier float below Cerro Torre (3,128 m), a granite spire; lunch is packed and eaten by the lake. The shorter choice turns at the Mirador del Torre, about 7 km return, then drives a few kilometres north to the Chorrillo del Salto waterfall, reached by a flat 20-minute walk through the forest, with a sit-down lunch in town. The afternoon is free for everyone: a bakery, a stroll along the river or simply a rest after the big days.
Evening
In the evening we meet for a farewell dinner in El Chaltén, to share photos and stories from the parks.
Included
- Guided hike to Laguna Torre with a licensed local hiking guide
- Or the Mirador del Torre and the Chorrillo del Salto waterfall
- Lunch
- Farewell dinner
Easier option: The Mirador del Torre and the Chorrillo del Salto waterfall, about 8 km of walking in all, with a sit-down lunch in town.
More active option: Laguna Torre: about 18 km return, 6 to 7 hours, little climbing.
Free time: Afternoon free
Back to El Calafate and home
El Chaltén to El Calafate International Airport (FTE)
- Breakfast
- Drive about 3 h
Morning
Take a last look at Fitz Roy from the road out of town if the morning is clear. We leave El Chaltén after breakfast, at about 9 am, for the drive back south along Lago Viedma and across the steppe to El Calafate International Airport, about 200 km and three hours, with a short stop at La Leona if there is time.
Afternoon
We reach the airport around midday. Flights from El Calafate go to Buenos Aires and other Argentine cities, with connections home; your guide sees you into the terminal and checks that everyone has what they need before saying goodbye. If you would rather not leave yet, ask us when you book to add nights in El Calafate or El Chaltén, or a few days in Buenos Aires on the way home, and we arrange the hotel and transfers.
Included
- Drop-off at El Calafate International Airport (FTE)
Activity: Book a flight leaving El Calafate after about 2 pm.
- Punta Arenasstart
- Puerto Natales1 night
- Torres del Paine3 nights
- El Calafate2 nights
- El Chaltén3 nights
- El Calafateend
- Overnight stop
- Day trip
- By boat or train
Wildlife and weather: From November to March days are long, with up to about 17 hours of daylight around December, but the weather changes by the hour and the wind is strongest early in the season. March brings calmer days and red and gold beech forest. Look for guanacos, rheas, condors, flamingos and, with luck, a puma in Torres del Paine.
Want this plan in your inbox?
Get the day-by-day itinerary by email, or ask us anything about this trip. A trip planner replies the same or next business day.
Before you book
Right for you?
Good for you if you want
- Walkers who want the famous hikes but also a real choice of easier days
- Travellers who would rather sleep at Torres del Paine than visit it in a day
- People happy to change plans around the wind and weather
Not for you if you want
- Travellers who want a multi-day trek with camping, such as the full W or O circuit
- Anyone who needs step-free access: trails are rough, windy and steep in places
- A trip that also covers Ushuaia, Buenos Aires or Santiago in the same ten days
Book flights after we confirm your seat.
9 nights
Where you'll stay
Your hotels are named in your trip confirmation.
- Puerto Natales1 night
- Torres del Paine3 nights
- El Calafate2 nights
- El Chaltén3 nights
One price
What's in the price
Included
Accommodation
- 9 nights: 1 in Puerto Natales, 3 at a hotel at or near Torres del Paine National Park, 2 in El Calafate and 3 in El Chaltén
- Hotels of a 3-star-plus standard with private bathrooms and heating, central in each town; we name each hotel when we confirm your dates
- Rooms shared, or your own for a supplement
Transport
- Pick-up at Punta Arenas airport (PUQ) or Puerto Natales airport (PNT), and drop-off at El Calafate International Airport (FTE)
- A private vehicle and driver for the group throughout, including the border crossing from Chile into Argentina
- The boat on Lago Grey to Grey Glacier
- The boat ride along the south face of the Perito Moreno Glacier
- Transfer to the El Pilar trailhead
Your guide
- A See Sight Tours guide with the group from day 1 to day 10
- Licensed local hiking guides on the Base Las Torres, Laguna de los Tres and Laguna Torre trails
Activities
- Puerto Natales: Cueva del Milodón
- Torres del Paine: park entry, Laguna Amarga and Lago Pehoé viewpoints, Salto Grande and Mirador Cuernos walk
- Base Las Torres guided hike, or Laguna Azul and the Paine waterfall
- Grey Glacier boat
- El Calafate: Perito Moreno Glacier walkways with Los Glaciares National Park entry, and the glacier boat ride
- Laguna Nimez reserve
- El Chaltén: Mirador de los Cóndores, Laguna de los Tres or Laguna Capri, Laguna Torre or the Mirador del Torre and Chorrillo del Salto
Meals
- 9 breakfasts
- 8 lunches: sit-down lunches on travel and sightseeing days, packed lunches on the long trails
- 5 dinners: welcome dinner in Puerto Natales, three dinners at the Torres del Paine hotel and a farewell dinner in El Chaltén
Not included
- International flights to Punta Arenas and home from El Calafate
- Any visa or entry fees for your passport
- Travel insurance, which must cover hiking
- Meals not listed (4 dinners in El Calafate and El Chaltén)
- Drinks
- Tips for your guide, driver and local hiking guides
- Optional activities: Perito Moreno minitrekking
- Personal expenses
- Hiking boots, poles and rain gear (rental can be arranged in El Chaltén and Puerto Natales)
Extras
- Room of your own
- CAD 1,705 (estimated price)
When you can go
Dates and prices
Pick your start date when you request to book. We check that date and confirm it in your quote.
Prefer to travel without a group or guide? Ask us about arranging hotels, transport and city tours for you to travel independently.
Before you book
Booking terms
Nothing is charged now. Full terms and the cancellation schedule come with your quote, before you accept.
Business addresses
See Sight Tours Trips (USA): 3172 N Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89108, United StatesSee Sight Tours Trips (Canada): 5305 50 Avenue, #1091, Red Deer, AB T4N 4B6, Canada+1-888-961-6584Guest reviews
What guests say
Reviews from guests on our day tours.
Jane
October 06, 2026
5/5
Susan
October 06, 2026
5/5
Tom L
October 05, 2026
5/5
MandL83
October 05, 2026
5/5
Darren O
October 05, 2026
5/5
Good to know
Questions
What does the price include?
Nine nights in 3-star-plus hotels, 9 breakfasts, 8 lunches and 5 dinners, airport transfers at both ends, a private vehicle and driver, your See Sight Tours guide throughout, licensed local hiking guides on the long trails, both national park entries, the Grey Glacier boat, the Perito Moreno boat ride and every visit in the day plan. Only the minitrekking on the glacier is an optional extra.
How big is the group?
The small-group trip runs with 7 to 12 guests. That keeps the group quick at trailheads and border posts, small enough to split into a hiking group and an easier group on the big days, and able to sit around one table at dinner.
Who leads the trip?
A See Sight Tours guide is with the group from the airport on day 1 to the airport on day 10. On the Base Las Torres, Laguna de los Tres and Laguna Torre trails, licensed local hiking guides lead alongside them, so the hiking group and the easier group each have a guide.
How fit do I need to be?
Moderate fitness is enough if you take the easier choices, walks of 3 to 9 km on rough, windy paths; nobody has to do the big hikes. Base Las Torres and Laguna de los Tres are each about 20 to 22 km with 750 to 900 m of climbing and a steep final section; choose them only if you regularly walk six hours or more.
How do I get to the start, and when should I fly home?
Fly to Punta Arenas (PUQ), usually via Santiago, landing by about 2 pm on day 1 so we reach Puerto Natales for the welcome dinner; there are no direct flights from Canada. Seasonal flights to Puerto Natales (PNT) also work, and we meet you there. The trip ends at El Calafate airport (FTE) around midday on day 10: book a flight after about 2 pm.
I am travelling solo. Do I pay a single supplement?
Only if you want a room of your own, and the price is shown up front: from CAD 1,705 on the small-group trip. Solo travellers are part of the group in every way, at every meal and on every hike, and we never seat or room anyone apart.
When is the best time to go?
November to March. These are the months when the park boats, hotels and seasonal flights run, with long days of up to about 17 hours of light around December. November to January brings the strongest wind; March is often calmer, with red and gold beech forest.
What if the weather is bad?
It will change often, sometimes in an hour. We keep a spare day in each park: days 3 and 4 swap in Torres del Paine and days 8 and 9 in El Chaltén, so the big hikes go on the clearer day. If wind cancels the Grey Glacier boat, we walk to the iceberg viewpoint and refund the fare.
How long is the drive from Torres del Paine to El Calafate?
About five to six hours door to door for roughly 280 km, including the Chilean and Argentine border posts, which sit about ten minutes apart. It is the only day over four hours on the road, because there is no direct flight between the two. We break it with a coffee stop at Cerro Castillo, a sit-down lunch and short stops for wildlife and photos.
Do I need a visa for Chile and Argentina?
We confirm the entry rules and any fees for your passport when you book. Canadian citizens have usually visited both countries for short tourist stays without a visa, but rules differ by passport and can change. You need a passport valid for the whole trip, and you carry it on day 5 for the border.
How does booking work?
Prices are per person sharing a room, with taxes. The small group starts from CAD 10,040 and the private trip from CAD 18,070. Pick a start date and request to book; we confirm your place within 24 hours. No payment is taken until we confirm.
Can we travel privately or on our own dates?
Yes. The private version is for your party only, on a date you choose, with your own guide, vehicle and hiking pace. If you would rather travel independently on your own dates, ask us from the dates section and we will quote the same hotels, transfers and local guides.
See Sight Tours has been providing travel services across North America since 2006. Operating in 20 cities across Canada and the USA, the company specializes in small group tours that offer personalized, high-quality experiences for travelers.
Book your Tour
Get in Touch
- Toll Free1-888-961-6584
- Local1-289-271-9767
© 2026 See Sight Tours. All rights reserved.