Where should you stay in Patagonia?
By Aspen Travel Advisors · Last verified · Counts drawn live from the Virtuoso-sourced atlas
For a first trip, base yourself in Torres del Paine, Chile, at an all-inclusive lodge such as explora, Awasi or Tierra Patagonia, where guided hikes, meals and transfers are built in. Add El Calafate and El Chaltén in Argentina if you want the Perito Moreno Glacier and the Fitz Roy trails. Travel between October and April, and plan around the wind rather than the temperature.
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You'll hear back within 24 hours.Torres del Paine is the better single base. The granite towers, the Cuernos and the lakes sit close together, and the lodges there were built for exactly this trip: you arrive, a guide sits down with you each evening to choose the next day's outing, and everything from the packed lunch to the van to the trailhead is handled. explora sits inside the park on Lake Pehoé, Tierra Patagonia on Lake Sarmiento at the park's edge, and Awasi on a private reserve where each villa has its own guide and vehicle. If you would rather sleep in a town and dip in, The Singular near Puerto Natales is the polished option, at the cost of a longer drive into the park each day.
The Argentine side is two different places. El Calafate is a glacier town: you go for Perito Moreno, boat trips on Lago Argentino and an estancia or two, and two nights is usually enough. El Chaltén is a trekking village under Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre, where the trails leave from the edge of town. Most hotels there are comfortable rather than grand. The exception is Explora El Chaltén, an all-inclusive lodge in a private reserve north of the village, run on the same guided model as the Chilean lodges. Doing both countries works well on a trip of ten days or more, connected by road across the border. On anything shorter, pick one side and give it the days, because Patagonian weather rewards people who have a spare morning to wait out a storm.
The three bases compared
| Base | Best for | Where you sleep | Getting there | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Torres del Paine, Chile | A first visit, varied guided outings, wildlife including guanaco and puma tracking | All-inclusive lodges inside or on the edge of the park | Fly to Punta Arenas, or seasonally to Puerto Natales, then drive | Lodges are remote and sold as multi-night packages, so there is little to do but the programme |
| El Calafate, Argentina | Perito Moreno Glacier, lake boat trips, estancia days | Lodges and hotels in or near town, plus estancias on Lago Argentino | Direct flights to El Calafate from Buenos Aires | The town itself is busy and the glacier is the main event, so it does not need many nights |
| El Chaltén, Argentina | Serious day hiking to Laguna de los Tres and Laguna Torre | Small hotels in the village, plus explora's all-inclusive lodge in a private reserve nearby | Road from El Calafate, roughly three hours | Few full-service options, and cloud can hide Fitz Roy for days |
Most first trips are Torres del Paine alone, or Torres del Paine plus one Argentine base. The table is the honest version of how they differ.
How the all-inclusive lodges work
The top Torres del Paine lodges are priced and run more like a safari camp than a hotel. That is the reason to choose them, and also the reason some travelers find them confining. The rate covers the whole day, so the sensible comparison is against a hotel plus private guide plus driver plus meals, not against a hotel room alone.
- Meals and drinks are usually included, along with airport transfers from Punta Arenas or Puerto Natales.
- Excursions are chosen the evening before with the guiding team, graded from easy walks and boat outings to full-day hikes such as the Base of the Towers.
- Most lodges run shared small-group outings; Awasi gives each villa a private guide and vehicle, which matters if your group walks at different speeds.
- Stays are normally sold as packages of several nights, and that minimum is worth respecting, since one lost day to wind can wipe out a short visit.
- A town hotel in Puerto Natales costs less and gives you restaurants and freedom, but you will spend a couple of hours a day driving to and from the park's best areas.
Wind and season, October to April
| Months | What it is like | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| October and November | Spring. Snow still on the peaks, lodges reopening, wind building through November | Quiet and good value; the highest trails may still hold snow |
| December to February | The longest days, around 17 hours of daylight in December, and the warmest. Also the windiest and busiest months | Best for the long hikes. Book early, and expect company on the Base of the Towers trail |
| March and April | Autumn. The wind usually eases, the lenga forests turn red, days shorten and mornings are cold | Our pick for walkers and photographers who do not need the longest days |
| May to September | Winter. Many lodges close or run reduced programmes, days are short and snow is likely | Only if you want solitude and accept limited access |
Wind, not cold, is what changes plans in Patagonia. Summer temperatures are mild, but gusts can close exposed trails, cancel boat crossings and make a ridge walk unpleasant. Lodges handle this by deciding outings the evening before and keeping sheltered alternatives ready, which is one more argument for the guided model and for staying four nights, not two.
Patagonia properties in the atlas, smallest first
Every property the supplier files under Patagonia, from the Chilean Lake District to Tierra del Fuego, with the smallest lodges first, since a few dozen rooms and a few hundred are different trips. Each links to its own page, where the benefits currently on file for it are listed in full.
| Property | Where | Rooms | Benefits listed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Explora Patagonia National Park | Cochrane, Chile | 13 | 4 |
| Awasi Patagonia Relais & Chateaux | Torres del Paine National Park, Chile | 16 | 4 |
| Explora El Chaltén | El Chaltén, Argentina | 20 | 4 |
| Hotel AWA | Puerto Varas, Chile | 25 | 5 |
| Tierra Patagonia, Beckons | Sector Lago Sarmiento, Chile | 40 | 4 |
| Los Cauquenes Resort + Spa + Experiences | Ushuaia, Argentina | 48 | 4 |
| Explora Torres del Paine | Torres del Paine National Park, Chile | 49 | 4 |
| The Singular Patagonia, Chile | Puerto Natales, Chile | 57 | 4 |
| REMOTA | Puerto Natales, Chile | 72 | 5 |
| Arakur Ushuaia Resort & Spa | Ushuaia, Argentina | 129 | 5 |
| Llao Llao Resort, Golf & Spa | Bariloche, Argentina | 205 | 4 |
Frequently asked
When is the best time to go, and how bad is the wind?
October to April is the season; many lodges close or scale back in the southern winter. December to February brings the longest days and the most people, and spring and summer are generally the windiest months, with gusts strong enough to close exposed trails or stop boats. March and April are often calmer, quieter and turn the beech forests red and gold, at the cost of shorter days and colder mornings. Pack for four seasons in one day whenever you go.
Can you combine Torres del Paine and El Calafate in one trip?
Yes. The usual link is by road across the Chile and Argentina border, a drive of several hours with passport control on both sides. Chile restricts bringing in fresh food, so finish the snacks before you cross. Booking a private transfer rather than a scheduled bus makes the day far easier, and it is one of the pieces worth arranging through an advisor so the timings line up with both lodges' check-in.
Do you need to be a serious hiker?
No. The Torres del Paine lodges offer gentle walks, boat trips, horse riding and wildlife drives alongside the long hikes, and a moderately fit traveler will have a full week. The Base of the Towers and the Fitz Roy viewpoints are long, steep days, so if those are the goal, arrive with some recent hill walking behind you.