Top Things to do in Chilean Patagonia
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10 Things to do Good for Big Groups in Chilean Patagonia That You Shouldn't Miss
Dazzling fjords and vertiginous Andean peaks cover Chile's best-known region, turning this slim swath of land into a playground for skiing, whitewater rafting and trekking. To the north lies San Rafael Lagoon National Park with its impressive ice fields. In Patagonia's southern stretch, the city of Punta Arenas is the gateway to Torres del Paine National Park, which attracts serious climbers and casual day hikers to its granite peaks, glaciers and waterfalls.
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1. Torres del Paine National Park
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 6,038 reviews
A hiker's dream, this national park contains huge granite mountains surrounded by clear lakes and a series of well-maintained trails that vary in degree of difficulty.
Reviewed By TEBlaise - Ilion, United States
I have been to many beautiful places from Alaska to Iceland, but this place is a world apart. It's label as the 8th wonder of the world is spot on. I drove around this park with my wife and son and had to stop around every corner to take a photo, and the views just kept getting better. The best view by far was from the top of Mirador Condor (which is where the photo was taken), The air is the freshest I have ever breathed and the views are something out of a painting. We rented a car and winged it, enabling us to go wherever we wanted.This place should be on everyone's bucket list.
2. Futaleufu River
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 58 reviews
Reviewed By cindymq144
The Earth River rafting journey on the Futuleufu river is spectacular and amazing in all ways. The vast pristine landscapes, the professional and compassionate staff, the personal challenges one has the opportunity to confront, the lodging and food, the activities on and off the river all add up to an unforgettable experience. If you are a beginner - GO! The expedition is designed to help you become more confident on the water as the days progress. By the last day the class five rapids are a source of awe inspiring beauty and sheer joy. The staff are so encouraging, always pointing to the positive, they helped me to feel like "You got this and if you don't - we got you!" My love of white water paddling was ignited and I hope to travel with Earth River Expeditions again in the near future. The supply list is actually pretty complete. If you are a woman I would suggest adding two pairs of leggings, a sarong and one more long sleeve top for evenings. I would also bring a thin warm hat for the hike to Obsession lake. I am a plant based eater and except for a milk alternative they were able to accommodate my dietary needs. There were fresh fruits, vegetables and plant based options at every meal. The rivers combined with the glaciers, the waterfalls, the granite walls, the trees, the sun and clouds, the stars and the mysteries of the cosmos are awaiting you. I would recommend this Earth River Expeditions journey to the Futuleafu in an adventure seeking heartbeat!
3. Queulat National Park
4. Catedral de Marmol
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 805 reviews
Reviewed By gmloubr2018 - Albuquerque, United States
The so called marble cathedral and marble caves was the most memorable area we saw in Chile. We were in Chile the whole 2019 and visited every one of their regions. We went to the Atacama desert and the town of San Pedro de Atacama. We went to the Torres del Paine area. But the General Carrera Lake was the highlight of the year. We went to Puerto Rio Tranquilo and took a "full day" boat ride that took us to the marble cabinets area and then to the marble chapel, marble caves and to the marble cathedral. Here are a few photos.
5. Capillas de Marmol
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 522 reviews
Reviewed By Farmlabourer - Dumfries, United Kingdom
A wet and fast boat trip to the caves followed by a gentle tour in an out of the caves. A lot of explanation but all in Spanish but the main point is what you see. The longer trip is probably worth the extra cash for a more relaxed time in the caves.
6. Reserva Nacional Cerro Castillo
7. Parque Nacional Laguna San Rafael
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 81 reviews
Reviewed By KristenT316 - Baltimore, United States
We really enjoyed getting to be this close to a glacier (at 1km away it felt in our face!). The knowledgeable, happy, and friendly guides were great. It was a long van ride from Tranquilo, with nice views along the way but for fog, then we got reshuffled at the pier, then the boatride was not short either but also good views despite fog. No bathroom on boat - use one before getting on and at the park with the short walk near the glacier. They fed us (and I am vegetarian) very well (starting on the boatride) - eating a hot meal while sitting on the top of the boat looking at the glacier calve was incredible. Wear full rain/wind gear and gloves and have a strap on your camera. Wear waterproof walking shoes/boots or take a change of good socks.
8. W-Trail
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 386 reviews
Reviewed By sandtrap629 - Birmingham, United States
My wife and I hiked the W trail for our 40th anniversary at age 63 & 64. We brought along our two children and their spouses telling them they would be our packmules, but in reality we all had a minimal backpacks as we stayed at refugios - less than 20 pounds. We did not use a guide as they are much more expensive and not needed as the trails are well marked. However, you have to be willing to put in some effort to figure out the logistics of lodging and transportation as that can be fairly complicated. The refugios are owned by different companies and have limited availability so you have to get things reserved well in advance - at least 9 months for peak season IMO. The Puerto Natales airport only has flights a few days a week so when to arrive and leave is more challenging unless you want to take a 3 hour bus ride from Puntas Arenas. Then you have to figure out how to get to the park and in which direction you will hike. What fit our schedule best was arranging for private transportation to take our party of 6 from Puerto Natales to the Lagos Grey Hotel to catch the boat across Lagos Grey and hike to the Paine Grande refugio. From there we hiked to Cuernos refugio seeing the French Valley on the way (hardest day we hiked). Day 3 was a hike to refugio Chileno. The final day was a hike up to Mirador Torres then down to Hotel Torres to catch a bus back to town. You will also find the wether forecasts confusing. You can go to two different web sites for Torres del Paine weather and one will say it will be a high in the 60s and another say the 30s for the same day high. We packed for extremes. For the most part it was nice and in the 50s and 60s for us (late February), but when we hiked up to Mirador Torres the temperature dropped into the 30s with 30 MPH winds gusting to 50 MPH. I would recommend wearing light fast drying long pants rather than shorts as it was never that hot and there are lots of prickly plants you will be encountering. If you enjoy hiking with mountain scenery this is a trip you have to take.
9. MIrador Las Torres
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 259 reviews
Reviewed By darkbluesparkles - Oxford, United Kingdom
We did this hike with our 11-month-old baby in a hiking backpack. I would say this hike pushed us right up to our very limits and I wouldn't want to do anything tougher than this. That said, I would do the hike again if it was our first time. There were a lot of people on the trail when we went, and we were never alone. It is imperative to wear STURDY WATERPROOF shoes that go over your ankles, as you will be hiking IN a stream (not along, I do mean IN the flowing water) for about 15% of the total distance. The last scramble was not as bad as I'd anticipated, but obviously very tiring. The most dangerous part, in my opinion, is the first part of the descent over the rocks - GO SLOWLY. It took us 9 hours round-trip, including lunch, photos at the viewpoint, and two nappy changes (once at the camp right before the final ascent, and once at Refugio Chileno on the way down). The view at the top was amazing and there's lots of space to sit for lunch. It wasn't that windy, though there were a few snowflakes on the way up. For those with babies going up, you can use the bathrooms for free for nappy changes, just ask the staff (who speak English). We opted to do it on a picnic table outside for space reasons, and it wasn't that cold.
10. Channel of Last Hope (Ultima Esperanza)
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 228 reviews
A sail through this beautiful Sound offers breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains, and the setting is particularly gorgeous at sunset.
Reviewed By kaybru
You get here by boat from Puerto Natales and it is well worth the trip - you can get off and walk to pretty close to the face of the glacier and it is so beautiful - quite stunning - loved it.
