ITINERARY
Note: Below is my actual trip itinerary - I always suggest any recommended adjustments in the "Things I Would Do Differently" section at the bottom of this post.
Total days off work: Six (Five for us since we went over Martin Luther King Jr. Day)
Time of year: January (Summer in Patagonia)
Day 1 - Fly to Santiago, Chile (overnight flight)
Day 2 - Santiago, Chile
Day 3 - Fly to Puerto Natales
Day 4 - Puerto Natales - Day trip to Perito Moreno Glacier/El Calafate, Argentina
Day 5 - Puerto Natales
Day 6 - Puerto Natales
Day 7 - Puerto Natales
Day 8 - Fly to Santiago, Chile
Day 9 - Santiago, Chile
Day 10 - Travel day
STAY
W Santiago (Santiago, Chile) - A perfect spot to relax by the pool with some Pisco Sours. The W Santiago has great views and is also walking distance to many restaurants and cafes in the Las Condes neighborhood.
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The Singular Patagonia (Puerto Natales, Chile) - One of the most unique hotels I've ever stayed in. The Singular Patagonia is a restored cold storage facility, and is both a museum and luxury hotel. It feels so remote, although it is only a 15 minute drive to the small town of Puerto Natales. Each room has floor to ceiling windows overlooking the water. The hotel focuses on its amazing excursions, and there are so many different activities to choose from. Although many excursions are for small groups, we actually really enjoyed meeting other people during our activities, and by the last day, we felt like we knew everyone staying at the hotel. One thing to note is the The Singular is about an hour drive to Torres del Paine National Park (as opposed to some hotels located inside the park), so there will be some time spent in the car for many excursions. However, the hotel stay is well worth the driving time in my opinion and I also liked having the option to have dinner, etc. in Puerto Natales rather than only eating at the hotel for five days (although the food at The Singular was amazing!)
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EAT
Peumayen Ancestral Food (Santiago, Chile) - Very interesting (and tasty!) menus with beautiful presentation. Try a tasting menu and request a seat in the courtyard.
The Singular Patagonia Restaurant (Puerto Natales, Chile) - Located inside The Singular Patagonia hotel, this was definitely the best food we had in Patagonia.
Santolla (Puerto Natales, Chile) - Made out of shipping containers, this is a great little restaurant in the small port town of Puerto Natales.
ADVENTURE
Barrio Bellavista (Santiago, Chile) - Wander the streets to see some of the city's best street art and stop at Patio Bellavista, an indoor-outdoor area full of restaurants and shopping. There are also many great parks within walking distance - walk to the top of the hill in Cerro Santa Lucia for great views of the city.
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Explore Torres del Paine National Park (Patagonia - Chile) - It is hard to even find the words to explain this part of the world, but it is some of the most breathtaking scenery I have ever seen. And it goes on for what seems like forever - we spent an entire day driving to different points of the park and taking short walks/hikes, but you could easily spend days here. Since our hotel was an excursion hotel, we booked their recommended tour with a driver, however, you could easily do this as a self-drive. Lake Pehoe, a bright turquoise lake flanked with twisted peaks, is a must-see, as is Lago Grey /Grey Glacier and Nordenskjöld Lake.
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Base Las Torres Hike (Patagonia - Chile) - Many people choose to do this hike as a part of the popular 5-day "W trek", but we chose to do it as a one day hike due to time restrictions (something you've heard me say before, I'm sure!). It is a long hike, but extremely rewarding. Definitely make sure you are in the physical shape to complete it before attempting. Trekking distance is ~14 miles, and it took us ~9 hours from start to finish including our stop at the top. Thankfully, this hike is much lower elevation than what I am used to in Colorado, so that makes it a bit easier than mountain treks in other areas of the world! The trail is not technical, although there are some steep rocky areas towards the end. It is important to be prepared for the quickly changing Patagonia weather. I started this hike in a tank top, but at the top, it was snowing and was wearing every layer I brought (leggings, tank, long sleeve, fleece pullover, puffy vest, a water resistant windbreaker shell, hat, and gloves). The wind in Patagonia can be very intense, so having wind protection is critical. It is also worth noting that cloudy weather may completely obstruct the view of towers at the top - so that view is not guaranteed!! We were lucky to have a partial view the day we went, and some of the clouds did clear while we were hanging out at the top. Good, sturdy hiking shoes are highly recommended due to the length of the hike, and trekking poles wouldn't be bad to have although we didn't use them. As with all hikes, I always recommend bringing plenty of water (I brought a 2 liter CamelBak), snacks for energy, extra socks, sunscreen, basic first aid, Advil, and Benadryl. The trail is fairly busy, but we met a lot of great people and had great conversation along the way! We also booked this as an excursion through our hotel, which included transportation, park entry fees, lunch and a guide. Our guide let us hike ahead at our own pace, and she also stopped us at a place where it was safe to drink fresh water running directly off a glacier.
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Perito Moreno Glacier (Patagonia - Argentina) - I will fully admit that doing this in a day from Puerto Natales is A LOT. It is a very long day, and I would have much rather had more time to stay at least one night in El Calafate. But - we decided to go for it, and it ended up being a pretty fun adventure. I found a local company that offers group day trips from Puerto Natales (here), and they did a great job. Just keep in mind that you will be in the car for about 5 hours each way. You will stop in El Calafate and enter Parque Nacional Los Glaciares to visit Perito Moreno Glacier, one of the last remaining advancing glaciers in the world. There are wooden walkways that take you to many different viewpoints, and you will hear the loud crashes as ice breaks off the glacier into the water. Surreal.
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Fly fishing (Patagonia - Chile) - I found a local guide on Tripadvisor (Patagonia Line - book here), and had a great experience. Can't beat this scenery, and I caught my first-ever fish!
PACK
What I packed for carry-on only (carry-on roller suitcase plus a backpack - see my packing tips and luggage recommendations here):
What I wore on the plane: low-heel booties, black jeans, breathable / athletic long sleeve shirt, lightweight softshell performance jacket, down vest, scarf
What I packed:
Skinny jeans
2 pairs black leggings
1 maxi dress
1 versatile black dress
1 camisole
2 flannel long sleeve tops
1 breathable tank for hiking
4 long sleeve casual shirts
1 lightweight windproof and water resistant shell jacket
1 pullover fleece
1 swimsuit
1 pair of hiking shoes
1 pair of tennis shoes
1 pair flat sandals
2 pairs of hiking socks
1 CamelBak pouch (to fill and go inside my backpack for hiking)
1 baseball cap
1 warm headband
1 warm beanie hat
1 pair of gloves
OTHER NOTES
Weather - Patagonia is notoriously windy, and the winds are the most extreme in the summer (December - early March). Definitely bring a hooded wind and water resistant shell. The weather in general can change quickly here (i.e., tank top weather and snow in the same day like I experienced on the hike), so pack many layers!
Practice your Spanish! Knowing even basic words will greatly benefit you, especially in smaller towns. We also used Google Translate when our Spanish skills were not proficient enough.
THINGS I WOULD DO DIFFERENTLY
This trip went smoothly, but if you are planning to see Perito Moreno Glacier, it may be worth staying a night in El Calafate, Argentina to break up the drive.
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