Itinerary
- Day 1
Punta Arenas to Puerto Natales
You'll pick up your rental car at Punta Arenas airport and start driving northeast through the Patagonian Pampas toward Puerto Natales. The drive takes a few hours, and you'll get your first real sense of this region's wide open spaces and wind-swept landscape. Puerto Natales sits on the Fjord of Last Hope, a small town where you'll find a mix of local ranching heritage alongside tourism infrastructure. It's your base for the next couple days before heading into Torres del Paine.
- Meals
- Breakfast
- Day 2
Puerto Natales to Torres del Paine
After leaving Puerto Natales, you'll head north on Ruta 9 and then Y-290 toward Torres del Paine National Park, about an hour and a half drive. Along the way, you'll stop at the Milodon Cave to see where ancient ground sloths once lived, then pass Lake Toro and the Serrano sector. By afternoon, you'll get your first hike in the park itself, maybe heading out to Salto Grande waterfall. It's a good way to start getting your bearings in this vast landscape before spending more time here tomorrow.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Optional Activities
- Hike to Salto Grande waterfall
- Visit Milodon Cave
Landmarks Milodon Cave Lake Toro Salto Grande 
- Day 3
Torres del Paine
This entire day is yours to explore Torres del Paine National Park. You can join a guided tour if you prefer having someone explain the geology and ecology, or set out independently to hike at your own pace. The park has plenty of trails through lakes and along ridgelines with views of the Torres del Paine peaks dominating the horizon. If you want something more involved, there's a boat trip on Lake Gray to get closer to the glacier and icebergs, or you can tackle the challenging trek up to Base de las Torres viewpoint for dramatic vistas. It's a full day and you'll want to pace yourself depending on fitness and weather conditions.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Optional Activities
- Boat trip on Lake Gray to glacier
- Hike to Base de las Torres viewpoint
- Guided tour of Torres del Paine National Park
- Independent hiking among lakes and landscapes
Landmarks Torres del Paine Lake Gray Gray Glacier Base de las Torres - Day 4
Torres del Paine to El Calafate
Early morning you'll cross into Argentina at Cerro Castillo, then drive south via Ruta 40 toward El Calafate, roughly seven to eight hours of driving through remote Patagonian terrain. Once there, you'll have time to explore a bit. Walk over to the small Santa Teresa chapel, check out Perito Moreno Street for views back toward the Andes foothills and the lakes around town like Lake Redonda and Soledad Island. Get settled in town and grab dinner somewhere central because tomorrow is the main event here.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Visit Santa Teresa chapel
- Explore Los Glaciares National Park
- Walk along Perito Moreno Street
Landmarks Santa Teresa chapel Perito Moreno Street Lake Redonda Soledad Island Lake Argentino - Day 5
El Calafate
You'll dedicate the full day to Perito Moreno Glacier within Los Glaciares National Park. This glacier is about 5 kilometers long and 80 meters high, and chunks of blue ice constantly break off and crash into Lake Argentino below it, creating a kind of rumbling roar. There are viewing platforms right there, so you can watch from different angles and spend as much time as you want. If you want to go further, you can take a boat trip that gets you even closer to the ice face or visit other glaciers in the park. Alternatively, there are estancias (traditional ranches) you can visit if you'd rather do something different. Most people though spend the whole day just watching the glacier and taking photos.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Visit Perito Moreno Glacier viewing platforms
- Boat trip to Upsala, Spegazzini and Moreno glaciers
- Visit traditional estancia (ranch)
Landmarks Perito Moreno Glacier Upsala Glacier Spegazzini Glacier - Day 6
El Calafate to Punta Arenas
Today is a long driving day heading back toward Punta Arenas, roughly eleven hours on the road. You'll retrace your route north on Ruta 40, cross back into Chile, and drive through the Patagonian steppe. The landscape shifts in color and texture as you go, all pretty stark and open. Depending on what time you need to be back, you might stop in Puerto Natales for lunch or a short break and then continue on to Punta Arenas. Save energy for the drive and plan your meals accordingly since options are limited out here.
- Meals
- Breakfast
- Day 7
Punta Arenas
This morning you'll return your rental car at Punta Arenas airport for your return flight to Santiago. Depending on when your flight departs, you might have time to see a few things around town. The Maritime Museum covers local history and shipwrecks, or you can visit the Cerveza Austral brewery and try the local beer. The cemetery is quirky and worth a wander if you're into that sort of thing, and Bulnes Fortress sits on a hill overlooking town. If you have more time and want something more adventurous, there's an optional boat excursion out to Magdalena Island to see penguins. Check your flight time and plan accordingly so you're not rushed getting back to the airport.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Visit Maritime Museum
- Tour Cerveza Austral beer factory
- Explore local cemetery
- Visit Bulnes Fortress
- Boat excursion to Magdalena penguin island
- Explore Punta Arenas
Landmarks Maritime Museum Cerveza Austral Bulnes Fortress Magdalena Island
