Explore Patagonia

• Torres del Paine (Chile): the W trek (4 to 5 days) passes the famous granite towers, the French Valley and Grey Glacier. The full O circuit takes 7 to 9 days.
• El Chaltén (Argentina): day hikes to Laguna de los Tres beneath Mount Fitz Roy and to Laguna Torre. No permits needed, and you can base yourself in town.
• El Calafate (Argentina): the Perito Moreno Glacier, with walkways and optional ice treks.

In Torres del Paine, you must have campsite or refugio reservations for every night of a multi-day trek, and rangers check them. The good spots sell out months ahead for December to February. Buy your national park entry ticket online before you arrive; foreign visitors pay more than Chilean residents. Check current prices on the park's official site.

Fly to Punta Arenas or Puerto Natales (Chile) for Torres del Paine, and to El Calafate (Argentina) for the glaciers and El Chaltén. Buses link Puerto Natales and El Calafate in about 5 to 6 hours, including the border crossing.

• $ to $$: camping with your own gear and buses: about US$60 to $120 a day
• $$$: refugios with meals on the W, hostels and hotels in town: about US$200 to $350 a day
• $$$$ to $$$$$: all-inclusive lodges inside Torres del Paine: US$800 to $1,500+ a day

• Pack for four seasons in a day: wind- and waterproof layers, warm gloves and a hat.
• Carry some cash in both currencies; card payments and ATMs can be unreliable in small towns.
• Stoves and fires are tightly restricted in Torres del Paine because of past wildfires.