Patagonia

Land-Based Expeditions

Torres del Paine

Patagonia

Patagonia typifies the very definition of wilderness: massive, granite horns thrust from the darkness of Earth’s crust to be painted by the sun; fields of prehistoric ice and unhurried glaciers; and species-filled forests and lakes that enchant all those who visit this distant land. Shining as the crown jewel in this glittering realm is Torres del Paine National Park, internationally renowned as one of the most beautiful, unspoiled and remote places on the planet.

Spot Intriguing Wildlife

A wildlife-enthusiast’s dream journey, IE’s Patagonia tour puts you in prime position to discover guanacos, foxes and maybe even pumas! Plus, our expert naturalist guide will help you find intriguing birdlife – Andean condors, Magellanic penguins, Austral parakeets and torrent ducks.

Travel to Patagonia on an In-Depth Expedition

IE’s exclusive, custom-crafted Patagonia tour brings you the most in-depth and personal exploration of Torres del Paine. Exploring glaciers by ship and by foot and daily hiking excursions are the perfect opportunities to spot wildlife, study the vibrant wildflowers and capture extraordinary photographs of the stunning Paine Horns.

Explore With Patagonia Tour Pioneers

Your days are spent with expert Patagonia travel guides like natives Cristofer de la Rivera and Rodrigo Tapia, two of the area's leading field naturalists and ornithologists. Both men have extensive research and guiding experience.

International Expeditions group in Patagonia
Oxalis Eneaphylla
patagonia photos guanacos
patagonia photos torrent duck
patagonia photos photographing torres del paine
patagonia photos darwins fox
patagonia photos andean condor

Optional Pre-Trip Extensions

Santiago Pre-Trip Extension

Daily Itinerary

Patagonia Tour Itinerary

Day
1-2

U.S. / Punta Arenas

Fly independently to Punta Arenas. Enjoy great views of the mountains as you soar over the Southern Patagonia Ice Field. The rest of your day in Punta Arenas is at leisure. Spend two nights at the Hotel Diego de Almagro. (Day 2: D)
Day
3

Porvenir / Parque Pinguino Rey / Punta Arenas

To begin our Patagonia tour, fly to Porvenir in Tierra del Fuego. IE’s naturalist guides may also be able to point out the common South American sea lion or playful pods of Peale’s dolphin in the waters. Drive along the shores of Bahia Inutil — “Useless Bay” —watching for an array of wildlife including guanaco, southern grey fox, upland goose and Chilean flamingo. Arrive at the private Parque Pinguino Rey, where we visit the world’s most accessible colony of king penguins. Taking advantage of excellent feeding conditions, king penguins began breeding here in 2011, and IE guests enjoy opportunities to observe and photograph the penguins. Fly back to Punta Arenas late this afternoon. (B,L,D)
Day
4-5

Magdalena Island / Puerto Natales

Take a boat to Magdalena Island to visit the famous Magellanic penguin rookery. Your Expedition Leader will be on hand to talk about their ecology. By noon we will visit 'Estancia Cerro Negro', a typical working sheep-farming station, where we will see of a shearing and sheep dog demonstration and a delicious Patagonian-style barbecue. Depart for the picturesque coastal town of Puerto Natales, where there are gorgeous vistas of the fjord 'Ultima Esperanza' (the 'Last Hope'). Spend two nights at Hotel Remota. From here venture out to Mylodon Cave Nature Reserve, an outstanding natural formation that sheltered a large number of long-gone Pleistocene mammal species, including the Giant Ground-Sloth or Mylodon, about 12,000 years ago. At Cerro Benitez you go up through the forest of ñirres (nothofagus antarctica) y lengas (nothofagus pumilio) where condors can appear so close that you may hear the sound of their wings. Pass several lagoons as you walk to a cave where paintings are found. (B,L,D Daily)
Day
6-7

Torres del Paine

Sunrise paints the park's granite towers red — a great start to days of nature hikes in this secluded area. Hike through the Nothofagus forest, watching for fox, Magellanic woodpecker, Chilean flicker and Austral parakeet. Cruise along Grey Lake before exploring the area on foot. Grey Glacier is one of the nearly 50 outlet glaciers originating from the massive Southern Patagonian Ice Field. Continue exploring the alkaline pons and reed-fringed lagoons. As we explore, watch for herds of guanaco, lesser rhea and soaring Andean condor. Spend two nights at Hotel Lago Grey. (B,L,D Daily)
Day
8

El Calafate

Travel across the mountains to El Calafate today. At the eastern corner of Sarmiento Lake, we will reach a location that commands the most incredible views of the towering peaks of Las Torres. As we travel you’ll watch for herds of guanaco, the curious-looking lesser rhea and impressive Andean condors soaring along the road. By noontime we will drive to Cerro Castillo, located along the border and from here you’ll continue to the picturesque town of El Calafate in time for check in and dinner at Hotel Kau Yatun. (B,L,D)
Day
9

Los Glaciares National Park: Perito Moreno Glacier

Spend the last full-day of your Patagonia tour discovering the wonders of Los Glaciares National Park. Designated as a park in 1937 and declared an UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981, this spectacular park’s three major features are its majestic mountains, immense lakes and of course, the glaciers themselves. The most celebrated of these is the famed Perito Moreno Glacier. This breathtaking cathedral of ice is still advancing, with a three-mile wall plunging into the Channel of Icebergs. Earlier in 2012, a huge chunk of the glacier calved from Perito Moreno, collapsing into the sea. The area is astonishing, with Magellanic forests and orchids growing so close they seem to touch the face of the glacier. Led by our expert naturalist, search for Andean condor and buff-necked ibis while you listen to this massive glacier crack and calve giant icebergs into the lake. The wind-swept steppes, temperate forests and emerald lakes of Los Glaciares are also home to Magellanic woodpecker, Magellanic plover and other birdlife of the subantarctic woodlands. (B,L)
Day
10

El Calafate / En Route

Our small-group adventure ends in El Calafate after a tasty breakfast. Depart on independent flights home. You may also choose to join our exciting Chilean Fjords extension in Ushuaia or other extensions to complete your experience. (B, Meals Aloft)
Day
11

Arrive U.S.

Arrive in the U.S. and connect with your flights home. (Meals Aloft)

Optional Post-Trip Extensions

Chilean Fjords Extension

Walk in the footsteps of Magellan, Sir Francis Drake and Charles Darwin as you cruise to the end of the world to discover Chile’s fjords and Tierra del Fuego. This remains one of Earth’s most remote and pristine regions, and we’ve arranged a perfect way to take you on a journey of a lifetime: the outstanding expedition ship the Stella Australis. She visits islands populated only by wildlife and glaciers, shorelines and forests that few people will ever be lucky enough to see ... places where Magellanic penguins, elephant seals and sea lions congregate to breed and raise their young, just as they have for thousands of years.

Pricing and availability are based on departure date and available upon request.

Please Note: Some Patagonia tour departures do not match embarkation dates.

Day

El Calafate / Ushuaia / Embark

Fly this morning from El Calafate to Ushuaia, where you are met by a local IE rep and taken to Ushuaia and the Australis office. After a welcoming cocktail reception hosted by the Captain and his crew, the ship departs for one of the most remote corners of planet Earth. During the night we traverse the Beagle Channel and cross from Argentina into Chilean territorial waters. The lights of Ushuaia disappear as we turn into the narrow Murray Channel between Navarino and Hoste islands. (D)

Day

Cape Horn and Wulaia Bay

Around the break of dawn, our ship crosses Nassau Bay and enters the remote archipelago that comprises Cape Horn National Park. Weather and sea conditions permitting, we shall go ashore on the windswept island that harbors legendary Cape Horn (Cabo de Hornos). Discovered in 1616 by a Dutch maritime expedition -- and named after the town of Hoorn in West Friesland -- Cape Horn is a sheer 425-meter (1,394-foot) high rocky promontory overlooking the turbulent waters of the Drake Passage. For many years it was the only navigation route between the Pacific and Atlantic, and was often referred to as the "End of the Earth." The park was declared a World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 2005. The Chilean navy maintains a permanent lighthouse on the island, staffed by a light keeper and his family, as well as the tiny Stella Maris Chapel and modern Cape Horn Monument (currently awaiting repair after being damaged by fierce winds). Sailing back across Nassau Bay, we anchor at fabled Wulaia Bay, one of the few places in the archipelago where the human history is just as compelling as the natural environment. Originally the site of one of the region’s largest Yámana aboriginal settlements, the bay was described by Charles Darwin and sketched by Captain Fitzroy in the 1830s during their voyages on HMS Beagle. This area is also renowned for its mesmerizing beauty and dramatic geography. After a visit to the Australis-sponsored museum in the old radio station - which is especially strong on the Yámana people and European missionaries in the area - passengers have a choice of three hikes (of increasing degrees of difficulty) that ascend the heavily wooded mountain behind the bay. On all of these you stroll through an enchanted Magellanic forest of lengas, coigües, canelos and ferns to reach panoramic viewpoints overlooking the bay. (B,L,D)

Day

de Agostini Sound and Aguila Glacier

Reenter the Beagle Channel and sail westward along the southern edge of Tierra del Fuego into a watery wonderland protected within the confines of Alberto de Agostini National Park. Rounding the Brecknock Peninsula as the western extreme of Tierra del Fuego, our ship is briefly exposed to the open Pacific. We then navigate a zigzag route through the Cockburn Channel, Magdalena Channel and Keats Fjord to reach scenic De Agostini Sound. Named after an Italian Salesian priest who worked among the region's indigenous people during the first half of the 20th century, De Agostini Sound is flanked by numerous glaciers and sheer saw-toothed peaks reminiscent of Torres del Paine. Our shore excursion this morning is Águila ("Eagle") Glacier, which hovers above a placid glacial lagoon surrounded by primeval forest. After a Zodiac landing on the beach, passengers hike around the edge of the lagoon to a spot near the base of the frozen facade. Condors can sometimes be seen winging high above, but there is always abundant bird life around the lagoon. This landing provides the perfect opportunity to experience the beauty of Patagonia’s sub-Antarctic rainforest and to see how the power of nature has molded the spectacular landscape. (B,L,D)

Day

Magdalena Island and Punta Arenas / Depart

After an overnight cruise through Magdalena Channel and back into the Strait of Magellan, we anchor off Magdalena Island, which lies about halfway between Tierra del Fuego and the Chilean mainland. Crowned by a distinctive lighthouse, the island used to be an essential source of supplies for navigators and explorers and is inhabited by an immense colony of Magellanic penguins. At the break of dawn, weather permitting, we go ashore and hike a path that leads through thousands of penguins to a small museum lodged inside the vintage 1902 lighthouse. Many other bird species are also found on the island. In September and April -- when the penguins dwell elsewhere -- this excursion is replaced by a ride aboard Zodiacs to Marta Island to observe South American sea lions. After a short cruise south along the strait, disembarkation at Punta Arenas is scheduled for around 11:30 AM. You will be met upon disembarkation by a local IE rep who will escort you to the airport for your independent flight home. (B)

Day

Arrive Home City

Arrive North America and connect to your homeward flights.

Things to Know

What is included in the price of IE's Patagonia?

Included in the price of your trip are the following.

• Accommodations, excursions, meals and transportation as listed in the itinerary
• Services of a private IE Expedition Leader
• Arrival and departure transfers between the group hotel and airport no matter what day or time
• One soft drink or local beer per person per included lunch and dinner
• Bottled water on excursions, group transfers, at included lunches and dinners and in rooms daily
• All park and entrance fees
• All gratuities to group service staff except your IE Expedition Leader

What is the level of activity for IE's Patagonia?

A trip to Patagonia requires good health and mobility. Time is scheduled for rest but your itinerary has a moderate pace, involving activities and transportation from place to place to ensure you have maximized opportunity to interact with the wildlife and local culture. Consult your physician if you are in doubt about your ability to enjoy this adventure.

Visiting Parque Pinguino Rey involves very little walking, over even ground. Magdalena Island is not large but you have to be careful not to step into penguin nests, which are burrows in the ground. Walking here is not difficult. Estancia Cerro Negro is also easy walking. The rest of your excursions involve a good deal of walking and standing, with nowhere but the ground to sit. You should expect to walk unassisted and stand for up to three hours, twice a day. Terrain can be flat to rocky and involve hiking uphill and downhill in places. Rain and wind can make the ground muddy and slick.

Travel in Patagonia is by road, which is normally in very good condition from Punta Arenas to the entrance to Torres del Paine National Park. From there the road can get rougher, depending on the recent weather and road works. Each of the drives from place to place on your itinerary are about ten hours, including the scheduled excursions and meals along the way, leaving anywhere from four to six hours of actual driving. The flights between Punta Arenas and Porvenir are 15 minutes each.

What is the weather like in Patagonia?

Our expeditions are in the summer at the southernmost tip of South America. Average air temperatures range from 50-70 degrees. Wind chill temps can dip to 20s when on boat excursions to glaciers due to water, glaciers and wind. Skies will range from sunny and clear to overcast with rain. Wind gusts up to 40-75 mph are common.

Is IE's Patagonia a "birding" trip?

This is not a birding-only trip. Our expedition is designed to provide opportunities to view as many types of wildlife as possible, from amphibians and reptiles to mammals and insects. However, birds are ubiquitous and prolific, as well as beautiful and interesting, in the places you will be visiting. As such, birds are a highlight and you can expect to enjoy seeing as many species as possible while still enjoying the other wildlife the region has to offer.

Are you able to customize a trip to Chile and/or Argentina to feature destinations and activities of my choice?

Yes! If our group itinerary does not suit your desires please contact our Custom Department where a specialist can craft the kind of experience that will make your adventure the trip of a lifetime.

Accommodations

Hotel Diego de Almagro Punta Arenas

Each room at the Hotel Diego de Almagro features free Wi-Fi, air conditioning, cable TV and a telephone. Diego do Almagro’s restaurant offers traditional Chilean and international cuisine. While here, Patagonia tour guests can also relax in the hotel's pool, sauna and Jacuzzi.

Hotel Remota

From the fine Peruvian cotton to the private collection of pre-Hispanic decor and fantastic staff, Remote offers the highest standard in Patagonia accommodations. The 22 spacious double rooms feature private bath, safe, air-conditioning, heating and hairdryer.

Hotel Lago Grey

Nestled in one of the most beautiful zones of Torres del Paine National Park, Hotel Lago Grey enjoys a privileged view over the Glacier, floating icebergs and Grey Lake. The hotel features 30 comfortable rooms, large dining room, relaxing environment, great selection of Chilean wines and a professional outdoors team. All guest rooms have private bathroom, safe box and international direct dialing phone. The restaurant specializes in delicious dishes using typical Chilean ingredients, while the bar serves exclusive cocktails made with thousand-year-old ice brought from Grey Glacier.

Hotel Kau Yatun

Experience the best of Patagonian charm at Hotel Kau Yatun, which dates back to the first families that settled El Calafate. The hotel has 40 spacious, comfortable rooms overlooking the estancia and combines the style of a traditional Patagonian home with the comforts and amenities of a four-star hotel. All rooms feature private bathroom and are equipped with king size beds, WiFi, hair-dryers and heating with individual control.

Hotel Galerias

Hotel Galerías offers excellent services in a lovely historic setting of Santiago. It features an outdoor pool on the 6th floor, an extensive wine cellar and fine Chilean cuisine. The outdoor pool area features wooden decks, surrounded by tropical palm trees. Vichuquén Restaurant serves Chile's best wines and cuisine. The Make Make Bar offers a relaxed setting with pool views. Each room has heating, AC, safe, mini-bar Wi-Fi and cable TV.

Stella Australis

Stella Australis features 100 total cabins and can hold up to 210 passengers. With plenty of deck space, entertainment, and beautiful cabins, the Stella Australis allows each guest on the Patagonia cruise to have the best experience possible. The ship has a full gym while cabins have individual AC/heat, safe and en suite bathroom. Each morning enjoy a buffet breakfast. For lunch and dinner, choose from regional specialties complemented by Chilean and Argentinean wines. Best of all, you'll enjoy magnificent panoramic views as you dine. As a unique feature to guests, the Stella Australis offers lectures, slide shows, and other activities in the Yamana Lounge. The lounge features panoramic views, cozy furniture, a bar, and a small library stocked with reference materials on the region. The Sky Lounge also features full bar and spectacular panoramic views. However, some of the best views can be seen from the open outside promenade deck. For entertainment at sea, there is a game room on the third deck, complete with special card tables and other games.

Built: 2010

Cabins: 100 cabins - 177 sqft. with private facilities, low beds and panoramic windows

Decks: 5 decks

Lounges: 2 lounges and one dining room.

Physician onboard

Field Leaders

Matias Ballarini

Expedition Leader

Originally from the Chilean capital of Santiago, Matias came to live and work in Punta Arenas 12 years ago. Since he was a young kid he has been a nature enthusiast. He worked for 6 years at El Colorado, where he was in charge of ski tourism in the mountains. In 2004 he decided to relocate to Chilean Patagonia and work as a guide. Since then he has decided to settle in Punta Arenas, where he can continue to enjoy nature and the outdoors, as well as develop an avid interest in birdwatching. He has had the priviledge to work guiding trips to King George Island in Antarctica, as part of a company that offers touristic flights and excursions on that remote island. Between 2008 and 2013 he worked with an American company as a local guide and program director. He worked managing groups that travelled to destinations such as Buenos Aires, Brazil, the Chilean Lake District, as well as both Chilean and Argentinian Patagonia. Matias shows an interest in photography (he studied graphic design in college), and participates in local ecological nonprofit organizations, which help take care of the local environment and ecosystems. He often joins in courses offered by local universities in order to expand his knowledge about biodiversity, guiding, and conservation..

Rodrigo Tapia

Naturalist Guide

Rodrigo became an avid birder by the age of 10, and has been observing, studying and learning about them for more than 30 years. This early passion led him into studying Biology at Universidad Católica de Valparaíso and Cornell Lab of Ornithology. He's traveled Chile from the northern Altiplano to Cape Horn while conducting ornithological research and guiding birding groups since 1989. Rodrigo traveled to Antarctica in 1991 as part of a research team conducting studies on Antarctic penguins, and later worked for eight seasons in the White Continent as an expedition leader, lecturer and zodiac driver on board a couple of vessels. These years of sailing across the Drake Passage, together with the experience gathered in pelagic birding off his hometown of Valparaíso in the Pacific coast of central Chile gave him hundreds of hours with albatrosses, petrels and other seabirds, a group of birds which has always captivated him. Rodrigo has been involved in children's environmental education projects, lectured about birds and birding, and worked to raise the profile of birdwatching as a sustainable economic activity.

A Note About Field Staff

This is just a selection of the Expedition Leaders and Naturalists who may lead your ecotour. A particular departure may be escorted by any one of them. If you would like to find out which leaders are scheduled to lead each departure, please contact our office.

Wildlife

Puma

From: $7,298 per person

Duration

11 Days, 10 Nights

Departs From

Punta Arenas, Chile

Guest Capacity

18 Guests

Trip Type

Land

Travel Style

Land-Based Expeditions

Destinations

Central & South America, Argentina, Chile, Patagonia

Check Availability

Trip Highlights

Walk among two species of penguins with a rare encounter at king penguin colony & visit to a bustling Magellanic penguin colony on Magdalena Island
Explore the richest array of wildlife & scenery on excursions including hiking, boating & penguin watching
Enjoy insight from Patagonia's premier naturalist Expedition Leaders
Survey Patagonia's culture & cuisine with a traditional lunch at an historic gaucho ranch
Get up close to Grey & Perito Moreno Glaciers

Dates & Rates

Select your preferred occupancy and departure date from the options below.

Departing December 20, 2019

Accommodation	Priced From
2019 Patagonia Standard Accommodations Priced from: $7,298 Please add $125 for park fees Double Spaces Available: 20 Leave this field blank	$7,298	Reserve Now

Departing January 5, 2020

Accommodation	Priced From
2020 Patagonia Standard Accommodations Priced from: $8,598 Includes park fees Double Spaces Available: 18 Leave this field blank	$8,598	Reserve Now

Departing February 1, 2020

Accommodation	Priced From
2020 Patagonia Standard Accommodations Priced from: $8,598 Includes park fees Double Spaces Available: 13 Leave this field blank	$8,598	Reserve Now

Departing December 19, 2020

Accommodation	Priced From
2020 Patagonia Standard Accommodations Priced from: $8,898 Includes park fees Double Spaces Available: 18 Leave this field blank	$8,898	Reserve Now

You've got a dream trip in mind. Let's make it a reality.

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Notes from Our Journal

May 15, 2019 in Wildlife

Patagonia

You are here

Patagonia

Spot Intriguing Wildlife

Travel to Patagonia on an In-Depth Expedition

Explore With Patagonia Tour Pioneers

Optional Pre-Trip Extensions

Santiago Pre-Trip Extension

Depart Home City / Santiago

Santiago / Depart

Daily Itinerary

Patagonia Tour Itinerary

U.S. / Punta Arenas

Porvenir / Parque Pinguino Rey / Punta Arenas

Magdalena Island / Puerto Natales

Torres del Paine

El Calafate

Los Glaciares National Park: Perito Moreno Glacier

El Calafate / En Route

Arrive U.S.

Optional Post-Trip Extensions

Chilean Fjords Extension

El Calafate / Ushuaia / Embark

Cape Horn and Wulaia Bay

de Agostini Sound and Aguila Glacier

Magdalena Island and Punta Arenas / Depart

Arrive Home City

Things to Know

What is included in the price of IE's Patagonia?

What is the level of activity for IE's Patagonia?

What is the weather like in Patagonia?

Is IE's Patagonia a "birding" trip?

Are you able to customize a trip to Chile and/or Argentina to feature destinations and activities of my choice?

Accommodations

Hotel Diego de Almagro Punta Arenas

Hotel Remota

Hotel Lago Grey

Hotel Kau Yatun

Hotel Galerias

Stella Australis

Field Leaders

Matias Ballarini

Rodrigo Tapia

A Note About Field Staff

Wildlife

Puma

Trip Highlights

Dates & Rates

Departing December 20, 2019

2019 Patagonia Standard Accommodations

Departing January 5, 2020

2020 Patagonia Standard Accommodations

Departing February 1, 2020

2020 Patagonia Standard Accommodations

Departing December 19, 2020

2020 Patagonia Standard Accommodations

You've got a dream trip in mind. Let's make it a reality.

Our Conservation Efforts

Notes from Our Journal

Related Expeditions