Patagonia Full Itinerary

Day 1

Welcome to Patagonia

Afternoon:

  • Welcome to Patagonia! Meet at El Chaltenl Airport at 3:00 pm where your adventure will begin!
  • Embark on a 3.5-hour journey to El Chaltén…the Argentine Trekking Capital!
  • As you begin to get close to El Chaltén, you’ll begin to see why this region is so special as the mountains and glaciers pierce the horizon. 
  • Take a walk around the town with your Trip Leader and get to know your new location.
  • Enjoy an optional visit to Casa Madsen located along the Río de las Vueltas and learn about the pioneer Andreas Madsen, a Dane who arrived more than 100 years ago and built the first house in El Chaltén.

Evening:

  • After a day of exploring, enjoy your group dinner with your new travel friends.

Day 2

Trekking Laguna de los Tres

Morning:

  • Eat a hearty breakfast at your hotel and fuel your body for the long day of hiking ahead! Today’s hike will be 13 miles (22 kilometers) and take approximately 10-12 hours with varying difficulties from flat terrain to steep inclines. We will go at a comfortable pace so everyone can keep up. 
  • Head to the trailhead at El Pilar, just north of town, where your adventure will begin. The path is quite flat and with gentle inclines to ease you into the day of hiking.
  • Arrive at our first viewpoint, Piedras Blancas glacier, then a bit later you will leave the forest and end up in a clearing where you can view the peaks of “S,” Saint Exupéry, Poincenot, Fitz Roy, Mermoz, and Guillaumet.
  • Arrive at the Poincenot Basecamp, where you can use bathroom facilities before beginning the uphill descent. Anyone physically unable to complete the climb can wait here for the rest of the group to descend from the top of Fitz Roy.
  • Climb 1,300 feet (400 meters) of elevation in about an hour and arrive at Laguna de Los Tres.
  • This last part of the trek will be steep, and the path will be rocky with steps and may be challenging for most travelers, but what waits for you at the top will be worth it! 
  • Reach the top of the path and take in the majestic views of Fitz Roy, Los Tres Glacier, and its lagoon. The large scale of this location will make you feel tiny in comparison.

Afternoon:

  • Enjoy an included box lunch at the top of Fitz Roy and rest for about an hour.
  • For those who want added adventure take a short hike during lunch and circle Laguna de Los Tres to head towards a viewpoint of the Laguna Sucia and its glacier. 
  • Now start your descent back down to base camp.
  • After a bathroom break at basecamp, take the trail back to El Chaltén, where you can walk all the way down to your hotel.
  • Along the way, you’ll venture through varying landscapes, crystal clear streams, and you’ll pass by Laguna Capri—a favorite spot for photographers. 

Evening:

  • What a day! If you still have some energy left, head out for dinner on your own and enjoy an optional beer in a microbrewery or sip some hot chocolate.
  • Tomorrow is another day of hiking, so an early bedtime might be your best plan here.

Day 3

Half-day trek

Morning:

  • Have breakfast at your hotel before venturing out on day two of your trekking adventure!
  • Leave El Chaltén by crossing Fitz Roy River, then continue up to the National Park offices where you’ll find the trailhead.
  • Start off easy with a 40-minute gentle climb to arrive at a viewpoint strategically placed to view condors in flight.

Afternoon:

  • Take in the stunning granite peaks and glaciers that surround El Chatlén.
  • Continue along the path to Las Aguilas to see sprawling views of the Patagonian Desert and Lake Viedma before making your way back to town.

Evening:

  • Enjoy  dinner as a group as you rest your legs and reminisce on the epic day of hiking that you just experienced.

Day 4

Explore El Calafate

Morning:

  • Have breakfast at your hotel before your 3.5-hour drive to El Calafate 

Afternoon:

  • After settling into your new home away from home, set out to explore the town.
  • Ask your Trip Leader for their recommendations on restaurants for lunch and try the Calafate ice cream - it’s a must!

Evening:

  • After exploring the town enjoy the included dinner with your travel group.

Day 5

Perito Moreno Glacier

Morning:

  • Rise and shine with some breakfast at your hotel before heading out for another day of fun!
  • Take in the beautiful scenery as you drive from El Calafate to the Perito Moreno Glacier.
  • Ride along the edge of Lake Argentino, snap some gorgeous pictures, and keep an eye out for condors and eagles soaring above.
  • Take different hiking paths, each rewarding you with different vantage points of the glacier. You might even see a few ice falls!

Afternoon:

  • It’s time for an up close and personal look at the glacier!
  • Board a boat for a one-hour cruise along the south face of the glacier. 
  • The boat will make frequent stops along the massive glacier for you to appreciate the spectrum of colors that appear in the ice walls. 

Evening:

  • Enjoy the scenic drive back to El Calafate.
  • Freshen up in your hotel room and enjoy your final dinner as a group. 
  • Compare glacier photos before tucking in for the night.

Day 6

Departure

Morning:

  • Wake up to one last Argentine sunrise, enjoy breakfast, and make your way back to El Calafate Airport.
  • After a scenic three-hour drive through Argentina, we’ll arrive back at the El Calafate airport at 12:00 pm where your adventure will, sadly, come to an end. 
  • Say your farewells to your new friends before boarding your flight back home.

Day 7

Day 8

Day 9

Day 10

Day 11

Day 12

Day 13

Day 14

Day 15

Day 16

Day 17

Day 18

Day 19

Day 20

Day 21

Day 22

Day 23

testimonials

MORE THAN 1,000 FIVE STAR REVIEWS

Heather T.

yelp review

U30X is such an amazing travel community. Once your trip is over, the experience is not. They keep in touch with their alumni & provide platforms for travel questions, personal development, & community connections in your own backyard! If you're a young person looking to travel I highly recommend U30X!

There are not enough ways for me to describe how amazing this company is. After my first trip I always told people, it wasn't about the location, but the experience that u30x gave me. I have some of the best experiences of my life with u30x, and now a passion for travel. Also, their alumni community and groups are awesome too!

Traveling with U30X has been life changing for me. I've made lifelong friends with both travelers and staff. I can't come up with enough good things to say about the company, the people, and the experiences I've had!

Just returned from my second trip with Under30Experiences. My first trip was to the Costa Rica rainforest. My most recent trip was to Iceland. Both trips were such an amazing experience. I loved learning about Iceland and its origins. I enjoy the small groups and I made some great new friends! Recommend them for anyone wanting to travel alone or with a couple of friends.

I was so scared to travel abroad alone and then I came across their website and they made international travel so easy! And the people I’ve met on the trips are some amazing individuals! I’ve done 6 of their trips and plan on continuing to do even more!!

My Hike the Inca Trail trip was beyond amazing, and I couldn't have asked for anything more from a trip. Our leaders made us all feel instantly comfortable, and the group was fantastic. The trip was well planned and the hike was unforgettable. Memories to last a lifetime.

our awesome travelers

As Seen In...