Patagonia is the bottom of South America at its most dramatic: the granite towers of Torres del Paine, the glaciers around El Calafate and, at the very end, Ushuaia. The tours that go there fall into three camps. Some make you walk for it, some fly you between comfortable hotels with optional strolls, and some treat Patagonia as the grand finale of a trip through the whole of Chile.
This guide is for anyone comparing Patagonia tours. We line up every tour on our Chile tours page that reaches Torres del Paine, from a five-day short break to a 19-day journey from Rio, with who each suits and its honest drawback. Pack layers. Then pack another one.
The quick answer
- If you want to hike the W, pick the Torres del Paine W Trek.
- If you only have a few days and want a hotel bed each night, pick the Torres del Paine short break.
- If you want comfort, Perito Moreno and Ushuaia, pick Luxury Patagonia.
- If you want the whole of Chile with UK flights and nearly all meals, pick Chile Top to Toe.
- If you are travelling alone, pick Solo Chile.
Every Patagonia tour compared
| Tour | Days | Price from | Physical rating | Group size | Flights included | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Torres del Paine on foot | ||||||
| Torres del Paine W Trek: Patagonia Hiking Adventure – 6 Days | 6 | £2,168 pp | Medium | Max 14 | No | Fit hikers |
| Torres del Paine Independent Short Break from Puerto Natales – 5 Days | 5 | £1,145 pp | Medium | Max 12 | No | A short, hotel-based break |
| Patagonia in comfort | ||||||
| Luxury Patagonia: Torres del Paine, Perito Moreno & Ushuaia – 9 Days | 9 | £5,406 pp | Low | Max 12 | No | Chile, Argentina and Ushuaia |
| Heart of Patagonia: Torres del Paine & Perito Moreno – 12 Days | 12 | On request | Medium | Not stated | No | Patagonia plus Santiago and Buenos Aires |
| Chile end to end | ||||||
| Chile Top to Toe with Flights: Atacama to Patagonia – 14 Days | 14 | £7,540 pp incl. flights | Low | Max 28 | Yes | Everything included |
| Highlights of Chile: Atacama to Torres del Paine – 13 Days | 13 | £5,090 pp | Medium | Not stated | No | Four internal flights, mid-range hotels |
| Discover Chile: Torres del Paine, Lake District & Atacama – 13 Days | 13 | £5,241 pp | Medium | Max 16 | No | Three days in Torres del Paine |
| For solo travellers | ||||||
| Solo Chile: Atacama to Patagonia with Flights – 16 Days | 16 | £7,399 pp incl. flights | Medium | Max 27 | Yes | A room of your own |
| Solo Chile: Atacama, Patagonia & Easter Island – 20 Days | 20 | £10,169 pp incl. flights | Medium | Max 27 | Yes | Adding Easter Island |
| Patagonia as part of a bigger trip | ||||||
| Brazil, Argentina & Patagonia with Flights: Rio to Santiago – 19 Days | 19 | £7,838 pp incl. flights | Low | Not stated | Yes | Rio, Iguazú and Patagonia |
Prices are per person, twin share, live from our tour pages (updated October 2026). The lowest price can apply to a later departure, so check the dates you want on each tour page.
Ask us which Patagonia tour fits →
Torres del Paine on foot
The classic W
Torres del Paine W Trek: Patagonia Hiking Adventure – 6 Days
- 6 days
- From £2,168 per person
- Max 14 people
- Starts and ends in Puerto Natales, Chile
- Physical rating: medium
- Flights not included
- Departures in January, February, March, April, October, November, December
Six days on the W, the most famous hiking route in Torres del Paine National Park, with a tour leader who is a qualified trekking guide and up to 14 travellers aged 15 and over. You spend two nights in a hotel in Puerto Natales and three on the trail, in mountain refuges with shared dormitories or full-service camps where the tents are set up for you, walking west to east past Grey Glacier and the French Valley and finishing at the Base of the Towers.
Suits: fit hikers with some trekking experience. The honest drawback: days are six to ten hours on uneven, rocky paths, often in strong winds, and the park entrance fee is not included.
A short break from Puerto Natales
Torres del Paine Independent Short Break from Puerto Natales – 5 Days
- 5 days
- From £1,145 per person
- Max 12 people
- Starts and ends in Puerto Natales, Chile
- Physical rating: medium
- Flights not included
- Year-round departures
Five days based in one hotel in Puerto Natales, with no tour leader: local guides lead each outing, and transfers, park entry and activities are arranged for you. You get a full day in the park with the Milodon Cave, a full-day boat trip to the Balmaceda and Serrano glaciers, and a guided trek to the Base of the Towers, in groups of up to 12 aged 15 and over. Local bus tickets are included if you are coming from or going on to El Calafate in Argentina.
Suits: travellers short on time and independent travellers combining Chile and Argentina. The honest drawback: there is no tour leader, and the Base of the Towers trek is eight hours.
Patagonia in comfort
Both sides of the Andes, to Ushuaia
Luxury Patagonia: Torres del Paine, Perito Moreno & Ushuaia – 9 Days
- 9 days
- From £5,406 per person
- Max 12 people
- Santiago, Chile to Ushuaia, Argentina
- Physical rating: low
- Flights not included
- Departures in January, February, March, November, December
Nine days from Santiago to Ushuaia with a leader throughout and up to 12 travellers aged 15 and over. You stay in hand-picked hotels, including three nights at Altiplánico Puerto Natales, or similar, for a full day in Torres del Paine and a full-day cruise to the Serrano and Balmaceda glaciers, then cross to El Calafate for the Perito Moreno Glacier and fly to Ushuaia for a penguin walk on Martillo Island. Flights within the itinerary are included.
Suits: couples and first-time visitors who want comfort. The honest drawback: walks are optional and short, and mainly breakfasts are included.
Patagonia with two capitals
Heart of Patagonia: Torres del Paine & Perito Moreno – 12 Days
- Price on request
- Santiago, Chile to Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Physical rating: medium
- Flights not included
- Dates on request
Twelve days from Santiago to Buenos Aires with a tour director and two domestic flights, staying in comfortable hotels, including two nights inside Torres del Paine National Park. Alongside the park and the Perito Moreno Glacier, there is a boat trip on the Última Esperanza fjord, a Patagonian lamb barbecue and a farewell dinner with a tango show. Dates are on request.
Suits: travellers who want Patagonia without camping, plus two great cities. The honest drawback: walks are optional and short, and international flights are not included.
Chile end to end
Everything included, desert to glaciers
Chile Top to Toe with Flights: Atacama to Patagonia – 14 Days
- 14 days
- From £7,540 per person incl. flights
- Max 28 people
- Starts and ends in Santiago, Chile
- Physical rating: low
- Flights included
- Departures in February, March, September, October, November, December
Fourteen days with flights from the UK, internal flights and nearly every meal included, with a national escort and local guides. The route runs from Valparaíso and Pablo Neruda’s house to the Atacama and the El Tatio geysers, the Osorno volcano in the Lake District and three nights in Puerto Natales for the Serrano Glacier and Torres del Paine, in three- and four-star hotels.
Suits: first-time visitors who want everything organised. The honest drawback: groups can reach 28, walks are short and easy, and the itinerary leaves little free time.
Highlights of Chile (13 days) covers similar ground with four internal flights, mid-range hotels, two nights inside Torres del Paine and a boat trip to the penguins of Magdalena Island; the minimum age is 16. Discover Chile (13 days) gives Patagonia more time, with three days in Torres del Paine, two nights at a lakeside inn inside the park and the Grey Glacier boat trip, in three-star hotels with groups of five to 16. Both include mainly breakfasts and an early start for El Tatio.
For solo travellers
Solo Chile: Atacama to Patagonia (16 days) is for people travelling on their own, with a room of your own and no single supplement, return flights from London, a UK airport lounge and a host throughout. It links the Atacama, Puerto Varas and Chiloé Island with Magdalena Island’s penguins, Torres del Paine and the Balmaceda and Serrano glaciers. Solo Chile with Easter Island (20 days) adds three nights on Easter Island for the moai.
The honest drawback: groups can reach 27, and there are early starts.
Patagonia as part of a bigger trip
Brazil, Argentina & Patagonia with Flights (19 days) runs from Rio de Janeiro to Santiago with UK and internal flights, a tour director and coach transfers: Sugarloaf and Christ the Redeemer, Iguazú Falls from both sides, Buenos Aires, Los Glaciares National Park from El Calafate, three nights in Puerto Natales for Torres del Paine, and Santiago. It is a sightseeing tour rather than a walking one, with mainly breakfasts included.
How to choose
By time available. Five or six days: the short break or the W Trek, both from Puerto Natales. Nine to 14 days: Luxury Patagonia, Heart of Patagonia and the three Chile tours. Two and a half weeks or more: Solo Chile or Brazil, Argentina & Patagonia.
By budget. The short break and the W Trek cost the least, though you need to get to Puerto Natales. The tours with UK flights and the luxury trip cost the most. Live prices are in the table above.
By fitness. The W Trek is the only multi-day hike. The short break includes one long trek, Discover Chile has walks of up to five hours, and the rest have short or optional walks.
By style. Refuges and camps on the W; one hotel on the short break; hand-picked hotels on Luxury Patagonia; a full escorted itinerary on Chile Top to Toe.
When to go
The W Trek runs from October to April and Luxury Patagonia from November to March, while the Torres del Paine short break departs for much of the year. Heart of Patagonia is on request. The months for each tour are in its fact panel above.
Before you travel, check the FCDO travel advice for Chile and Argentina.
Frequently asked questions
Which Patagonia tour hikes the W Trek?
The Torres del Paine W Trek, over three nights on the trail. The short break includes a day trek to the Base of the Towers from a hotel base.
Do any Patagonia tours include flights from the UK?
Yes: Chile Top to Toe, both Solo Chile tours and Brazil, Argentina & Patagonia. The others are land-only.
Can I see Torres del Paine and the Perito Moreno Glacier on one tour?
Yes, on Luxury Patagonia and Heart of Patagonia; Brazil, Argentina & Patagonia visits Los Glaciares National Park from El Calafate.
How fit do I need to be?
For the W Trek, fit enough for six to ten hours of walking a day. The short break’s Base of the Towers trek is eight hours. Most other tours have short or optional walks.
Which tours stay inside Torres del Paine National Park?
Heart of Patagonia, Highlights of Chile and Discover Chile each spend two nights inside the park; the W Trek sleeps on the trail.
Is there a Patagonia tour for solo travellers?
Yes, the two Solo Chile tours give you a room of your own with no single supplement.
Ready for Patagonia?
Tell us how much walking you want and how long you have, and a Travelisto specialist will compare the Patagonia tours with you.
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Prices are live from our tour pages (updated October 2026). Tour details and dates can change; your specialist will confirm everything before you book.
