Patagonia

The Best Hikes in Patagonia

Nestled in the southern reaches of Argentina and Chile, Patagonia is a hiker’s paradise that offers a wide diversity of hiking options—from a leisurely afternoon observing penguins in Tierra del Fuego to a challenging and iconic 12-miler through Valle Ascencio to the base of Paine’s massive towers. For over four decades, we have immersed ourselves in the wonders of this natural masterpiece and created a unique collection of itineraries that show you the best of its diverse landscapes and pristine wilderness.

We’ve listed three of our favorite hiking days below to give you a sense of the variety and activity levels you can enjoy in Patagonia. You experience at least one of these hikes on most of our trips, and all three on our Ultimate Patagonia journey.

Hike to Cerro Torre

12 miles, 8-9 hours (Shorter option: 9 miles)
We set out for one of the most renowned hikes in Los Glaciares National Park: the Laguna Torre trail. It’s a long but not steep hike right to a glacial lake below the incredible trio of granite spikes: Cerro Torre (10,280′), which soars over a vertical mile out of an ice sheet, stunning Torre Egger (9,350′), and Cerro Stanhardt (8,956′), all capped by infamous “ice mushrooms” that make reaching the summit treacherous. Torre Egger is considered by some mountaineers to be the most difficult climb in the Western Hemisphere. Together they form one of the most iconic mountain panoramas in the world. We start our hike in El Chaltén, with a gradual ascent into a fairytale woodland of southern beech trees, where we’ll keep an eye out for noisy red-crested Magellanic woodpeckers. The tumbling Rio Fitz Roy parallels our path in a canyon below as we reach the viewpoint of Mirador Laguna Torre. We then hike up through glacial terrain to milky-blue Laguna Torre for vistas across the lake of the three towers. We’ll have lunch at the lake, watching floating icebergs calved from the Torre Glacier, before descending via the same route.

Laguna Azul–Our “Private” Hike

9 miles, 6-7 hours
As the only guests at Estancia Helsingfors, we’ll be the only hikers on the beautiful trail to Laguna Azul, a sublime turquoise glacial lagoon that truly earns its name. Right from the lodge, we walk up a beautiful grassy trail with easy footing as we ascend through alpine terrain brightened with wildflowers, into the Rio Alfredo valley and make our way higher into beautiful forests. The real highlight of this hike is the calm solitude, broken only by the sound of the calving ice from the hanging glacier above the lake. We’ll bring a pack lunch to enjoy at the lake. We also offer the option to ride the estancia’s horses most of the way up, then hop off and hike just the top portion of the trail to the lake. We descend by the same route.

Valle Ascencio Hike

12 miles, 8 hours (shorter option: 8 miles)
Departing directly from our lodge in Torres del Paine National Park, we get an early start for our grand finale hike, a classic that leads through the Valle Ascencio (Ascencio River Valley) directly to the base of the three massive Paine towers that form the central Paine massif. This is one of Paine’s iconic hikes, and it is a steep and challenging one—but we’ll be in good hiking shape by now! We hike up through beech forests, then ascend steeply to the glacial moraine just below Paine, where we’ll have breathtaking views of the iconic Paine Towers in all their glory, rising above a beautiful gray-green lake. Our descent follows the same path.

REVIEWS FROM OUR CLIENTS

This was a trip of a lifetime. I loved, loved, loved the hiking, the views, the corners turned to find a spectacular glacial lake, towering rocks, a glacier swooping down, a waterfall. What more could a person want?

Learn More

Talk to an Expert

Our Latin America Specialists know every detail about our Patagonia trips. They will be happy to answer any questions and help you choose the journey that’s right for you. Contact us to learn more or book your trip today!

Choose a Trip

The Best Hikes in Patagonia

Hike to Cerro Torre

Laguna Azul–Our “Private” Hike

Valle Ascencio Hike

All Trips to Patagonia

Talk to an Expert