If you have never thought about cosidering a Patagonia trip package, you should.
Updated to April 2024
- 1. A package trip won’t let you miss the “essentials” of Patagonia
- 2. Patagonian weather is your unpredictable travel buddy
- 3. What does a local perspective have to offer to a new traveler
- 4. Hablamos español…. but, some speak English too.
- 5. Self-drive in Patagonia, yes! But first, you have to get there
- 6. Read this if you don’t want to read all (summing up)
There are many reason to book a trip, tailored by local experts, but especially when thinking about Patagonia.
These are the 5 most important reason to consider a Patagonia trip package:
- Don’t get lost when choosing, Patagonia has many regions, and you can’t visit all if you have few days.
- Unpredictable. This is the word you can use when talking about a trip to Patagonia.
- This takes us to the third point: EXPERTS ON THE GROUND. You’ll need them.
- Argentina and Chile are Spanish-speaking languages. “Nothing that a translation app can’t help with”, you may be thinking. Probably because you didn’t know there are places in Patagonia with zero connection.
- What about renting a car and getting on with it? Well, the Argentine route is not exactly what you may have imagined, and Patagonian roads can be a real desert.
Are you changing your mind about this trip? Don’t! You’ll regret it! Patagonia is amazing and will surprise you in many ways. You just have to be prepared, and with a package trip, and even more, if planned by locals, you’ll be just fine.
Let’s dive deeper into one of the points mentioned above so you get the big picture.
Take notes!

1. A package trip won’t let you miss the “essentials” of Patagonia
Essential #1
This is a subjective choice. We specialize in tailored tours so any package tour you choose to visit Patagonia can be transformed to start and end where you want.
Beyond this, our essential number one is El Calafate in the Province of Santa Cruz.
- Why? Because is the most popular among our travelers, but also, because flight frequency is rather high. In Argentina, low-cost airlines are few and don’t fly to every destination.
- How many days do I need? Most people come to see the majestic Perito Moreno Glacier. That is a one-day excursion. You can add one more day to visit a Patagonian Ranch and one just to wander and rest. So, 3 days will be enough.
El Chaltén is our “Hiking Capital”, and potential essential #2 you can travel to from El Calafate in a 3-hour ride. In this case, think about adding 2 or 3 days more.
Ready to start planning your trip to Patagonia? Check out one of our best trips
Essential #2
Technically, as we mentioned above, El Chaltén would be our second recommended highlight because people tend to visit El Calafate and El Chaltén on the same trip.
But, if you should take a flight from Buenos Aires, the second popular choice is Ushuaia in the Province of Tierra del Fuego.
There are two funny things about Ushuaia and Tierra del Fuego. The first is known to be “at the end of the world”, we’re talking about the last Patagonian region before Antarctica here. And the latter is an island, really close to the continent, but an island.
- Why go to Ushuaia? Most people come to the city looking to explore Tierra del Fuego National Park, which can be a full-day tour or a multiple-day adventure experience inside the park. Beagle Channel, the End of the World Lighthouse, and Magellan penguins’ rookery are also good reasons to travel almost 2000 miles (a 4-hour flight).
- How many days? Depending on the amount of activities, 3 or 4 days would be nice.
- Winter or summer? Summer. Winter is rather lonely.
Ready to start planning your trip to Ushuaia? Check out one of our best trips
Essential #3 (although, there is more…)
If we want you to keep reading, we’ll have to make a halt here, we could be mentioning unforgettable destinations in Patagonia the whole day.
But, being practical, another probable destination offered in package tours is the Lake District of Patagonia and its Swiss-type capital, Bariloche.
- Why? Bariloche is the nearest Patagonian province to Buenos Aires. A shorter flight will take you to a whole natural parkland. Bariloche is inside a national park, so hikes and boat trips to narrow channels between colossal mountains and river beaches are everywhere. Plus, Bariloche is known for its traditional chocolate making, a tradition very much alive in the many chocolate shops in the city.
- How many days? You can stay a whole week in Bariloche and you won’t run out of things to do and see.
The Llao- Llao Hotel: This legendary 5-star accommodation on top of the Llao Llao Hill is a luxurious icon of Bariloche. Movie stars, presidents, and artists have stayed here. You can visit the hotel and enjoy the afternoon in its Tea House.

2. Patagonian weather is your unpredictable travel buddy
By “unpredictable” we mean that extreme weather is common in Patagonia. A package tour and personalized 24/7 assistance from our expert will help you skip any of the following, very probable, situations:
- Suddenly closed routes because of snow.
- Going on a hike on the proper day. Winter can be quite a challenge sometimes and experts on the parks and reserves always have the latest information which share with tourist operation local partners.
Sometimes, flights need to be rescheduled on the go. Our agents will help you find a place in the next first one that returns to the only international airport in Buenos Aires.
3. What does a local perspective have to offer to a new traveler
It will be very pompous to talk about how good we are doing our job. So, we leave travelers to speak for us.
You can read reviews of real travelers who share their dreams and expectations with us.

4. Hablamos español…. but, some speak English too.
Argentina featured a very large multilingual population. Especially in big cities, where English is taught as a second language in many schools. Because of our immigrant predecessors, coming from Europe, a part of the population speaks Italian, French, Portuguese, or German.
However, the further you travel, the language options are reduced. Even if most tour operators speak English, you may not be that lucky to interact with people in bars, coffees, or shops.
Plus, Patagonia is a true faraway destination. Mountains make it hard for internet and phone connections to work properly. So, don’t trust your favorite translation app.
The good old pocket dictionary would be more useful.
5. Self-drive in Patagonia, yes! But first, you have to get there
Argentinians love to drive long distances and we’re used to it. A typical self-drive Argentine vacation includes: “mate” (our national tea-type drink) and bizcochitos (salt or sweet pastry), cash, and a long playlist.
From Buenos Aires to Río Negro (the first Patagonian province) you have to drive almost 560 miles. To reach El Calafate from Buenos Aries, that would be around 1800 miles, and to Ushuaia, keep counting…
Make it double if you’re counting on returning to Buenos Aires on the same route, which is doable, but, you need to be prepared.
A gorgeous map
We create this gorgeous map just to give you an idea of the routes you would take in a road trip to Patagonia.
Let’s set Buenos Aires to Bariloche (capital of Río Negro Province) and, Bariloche to El Calafate as primary stop. These are the miles you’d have to drive:
- Buenos Aires to Bariloche: 986 miles.
- Bariloche to El Calafate: 887 miles (most of it, by the legendary Route 40).
How can I be prepared for a self-drive trip to Patagonia?
- Change enough money in Buenos Aires. Tolls only accept cash.
- Calculate the miles and the fuel you may need to drive each segment to the next fuel station. The further you go into the South, the fewer you may find.
- Be particularly careful with getting asleep on long, desert routes, which are usual in Patagonia.
- Bring an up-to-date paper map with you, with the state of the roads. We’ve already told you about the poor connection in some areas.
What about flying to Patagonia and rent a car there?
This is a very good option, and we have already prepared some Patagonia trip packages for you, self-drive lover.
Renting a car in Patagonia is possible. You can even pick it up at the airport and leave it there for your flight back to Buenos Aires.
There is one self-drive circuit in particular that is extremely beautiful you can make in Bariloche and its surroundings. It’s called The Seven Lake Road, and the landscapes will jaw-dropping your ride.

6. Read this if you don’t want to read all (summing up)
Summing up, a Patagonian trip package can be a lifesaver for you if you have few days and is your first time around. The perks: don’t waste time in the organization go directly to the source and the experts, and skip any troubles on the road with our 24/7 traveler assistance. You can chat with any of our experts today.