Latin America Trip Leader

Carlos Leon

Languages Spoken: English & Spanish

Guide Since: 1996

Carlos Leon was born in central Chile and has lived in Patagonia since he was a child. He has been a member of the Wilderness Travel Patagonia team since 1996, first as a driver and local guide, and then as a Trip Leader. Carlos says, “I live in a wonderful place, surrounded by amazing sights and people, and my desire is to share it with travelers. There can be no better calling than this." A tireless master of detail with an easygoing nature, Carlos knows all the hiking trails of Los Glaciares and Torres del Paine national parks intimately, and has a genuine passion for trekking and outdoor life. Having studied anthropology and sociology, he also loves sharing cultural aspects, with an emphasis on the people who inhabit this unique region of the globe. “There is actually a lot of serious work to make a trip fun. Sometimes I see other groups who don't know what they're doing, where they were yesterday, or are going tomorrow. I want my guests to enjoy as much as they can and, at the same time, truly learn about Patagonia—the mountains, the wind, the people, the trails, and the food.” Carlos lives in Puerto Natales, gateway to Torres del Paine, where he likes to tackle some of Patagonia's toughest hikes, then relax by repairing computers!

Our Team

Upcoming Trips with Carlos

Ultimate Patagonia

Nov 22 - Dec 7, 2024

Jan 8 - 23, 2025

View Trip

Argentina: Hikes and Estancias of Patagonia

Feb 7 - 17, 2025

Mar 9 - 19, 2025

View Trip

Client Testimonials

Carlos was tremendous. Great guy! So friendly, informed, thoughtful, helpful, and professional.

Alex J.

New York, NY
Great Hikes and Estancias of Patagonia

Carlos has a big heart and shares it easily with everyone. He has a lot of knowledge about the plants and animals in this area that added another dimension for us.

Barbara C.

Tempe, AZ
In Patagonia

Carlos is the best guide I have ever had. We all felt lucky to have him! Totally dependable, patient, kind, knowledgeable, helpful, and available. He got along well with everyone.

Betty G.

Kirkland, WA
In Patagonia

It is hard to believe we could have had a better guide than Carlos. He was amazing in every way—passionate, knowledgeable, available, friendly, detail oriented but so relaxed, and just a really nice guy. I loved that he seemed as excited about what we were doing and seeing as we were. He obviously loves Patagonia and is proud to introduce others to this amazing region.

Bev B.

Knoxville, TN
In Patagonia

Carlos is a natural leader with his unflappable calm, knowledge, and enthusiasm for the area, and close relationships with the local tourist industry.

Courtney J.

Auburn, ME
Great Hikes and Estancias of Patagonia

A wonderful, caring trip leader. I could always count on him to answer any question. Very knowledgeable about the flora, fauna, geology, and history of the regions we visited.

Darlene M.

Del Mar, CA
In Patagonia

Carlos was exceptional—extremely knowledgeable and nice. He really knows Chilean Patagonia and was incredibly skilled in spotting flora and fauna.

Ellen K.

Boulder, CO
In Patagonia

Carlos was the best! Every day was so well organized and he kept us all involved and so well informed about our daily itinerary.

Gail W.

Lilburn, GA
In Patagonia

Carlos did a great job. He was diligent, responsive, knowledgeable, and went out of his way to make sure everything went well. We were very pleased.

Gary B.

Hanover, NH
In Patagonia

The location, accomodations, and food were all great, but Carlos made all the difference. His knowledge and passion came through every day while his attention to detail and calm personality made the entire trip feel seamless. Carlos is what set this trip apart from other adventure travel that we've done with other companies.

Greg B.

Knoxville, TN
In Patagonia

Carlos is truly an outstanding Trip Leader in every way. His knowledge, enthusiasm, and kind soft-spoken demeanor added so much to our experience. He gives 110% of himself to ensure every detail is taken care of. We feel so fortunate to have met him and had him as our trip leader for this amazing experience in Patagonia.

J. Greg V.

Loveland, CO
In Patagonia

Carlos was an outstanding trip leader. He is extremely knowledgeable and passionate about Patagonia and sharing his love for the area. It was a pleasure to be with him.

Jenny C.

Maryville, TN
In Patagonia

Carlos' detailed knowledge, planning, and communications were simply outstanding.

John O.

Knoxville, TN
In Patagonia: Peninsula Valdes

Carlos radiated a love for Chile, and was always eager to point out the wild side of Patagonia.

Joyce N.

Fort Mohave, AZ
In Patagonia

Carlos is the perfect trip leader. He is organized, calm, flexible, has a sense of humor, very responsible, and truly loves what he is doing.

Karen S.

Knoxville, TN
In Patagonia: Peninsula Valdes

It was a pleasure traveling with Carlos. He was extremely personable and knowledgeable.

Loran Y.

Portland, OR
In Patagonia

Carlos was fabulous! His competency is laudable; he is like a swan that makes everything above the surface look easy and flawless while paddling vigorously out-of-sight. Carlos was remarkably attuned both to the overall group dynamics and to the interests of each individual. His kindness, generosity and knowledge gave each of us the confidence to relax and enjoy every day to the max. He is a gem!

Louise L.

Plymouth, MN

I found Carlos to be one of the most patient, helpful, gentle souls I have ever encountered. He kept his sense of humor intact throughout and made the trip that much more enjoyable.

Marie K.

Pittsburgh, PA
In Patagonia

Carlos was a pleasure to work with. He is knowledgeable and full of energy to help and make the experience the best it can be.

Mark N.

Tempe, AZ
In Patagonia

I cannot say enough about how wonderful Carlos was with our group! He was enthusiastic, patient, had a great sense of humor, flexible, always prepared us for each day's upcoming adventure. It was a joy to spend two weeks with this fine leader!

Mary S.

Hastings, NE
In Patagonia

Carlos was an absolutely fantastic leader. He was friendly, organized, thoughtful, easy to be with, and truly expert in his knowledge of every aspect of the trip--the culture, geology, biology, birds, etc. He was very generous in extending himself to us and in sharing his love of and excitement of Patagonia with us.

Peggy K.

San Francisco, CA
In Patagonia

Carlos is a gem of a guide. He clearly loves his job and works very hard to make sure everything runs smoothly. He really wanted to make sure that everyone enjoyed their trip and loved Patagonia as much as he does.

Sara E. K.

Denver, CO
In Patagonia

I can't imagine a Patagonia trip without Carlos. His extras made the trip and his attention to detail ensured the best for us.

Sara K.

West Hartford, CT
In Patagonia

Carlos did a superb job and worked very hard to assure that we maximized our experience by obtaining the best views possible and by generally making sure we saw all that we could see and, most importantly, understood what we were seeing. He was very solicitous and good natured but always vigilant to make sure that everyone was safe and satisfied.

Skip S.

Thetford, VT
In Patagonia

Carlos genuinely cares for his clients and is absolutely tireless in making certain that their needs and expectations are exceeded. He also cares for his team of drivers and guides and for the service providers on the trip. He is the ‘lion of Patagonia,’ and we cannot express our appreciation enough for his excellence, attention to detail, and genuine care for all around him.

Steve A.

Pleasanton, CA
In Patagonia

Book Your Trip Today

Our Area Specialists know every detail about our adventures around the world. 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!

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K.","GuestLocation":"Denver, CO<br \/>In Patagonia","GuestReview":"Carlos is a gem of a guide. He clearly loves his job and works very hard to make sure everything runs smoothly. He really wanted to make sure that everyone enjoyed their trip and loved Patagonia as much as he does.","TripName":""},{"GuestNames":"Sara K.","GuestLocation":"West Hartford, CT<br \/>In Patagonia","GuestReview":"I can't imagine a Patagonia trip without Carlos. His extras made the trip and his attention to detail ensured the best for us.","TripName":""},{"GuestNames":"Skip S.","GuestLocation":"Thetford, VT<br \/>In Patagonia","GuestReview":"Carlos did a superb job and worked very hard to assure that we maximized our experience by obtaining the best views possible and by generally making sure we saw all that we could see and, most importantly, understood what we were seeing. 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