Chile Travel Guides

3 February 2026

Patagonia Without a Tour: How to Do It Independently

Patagonia is large, remote, and weather-dependent—three facts that separate casual planning from actual success. Two main hubs draw independent travellers: Puerto Natales, the gateway to Torres del Paine in Chilean Patagonia, and El Chaltén, Argentina's self-proclaimed trekking capital. Both are accessible by budget airlines from Santiago and Buenos Aires; both have free and paid trekking options; and neither requires a packaged tour if you book accommodation early enough. The standard circuit takes 10–14 days and costs €600–900 (excluding flights) if you camp and self-cater.

Henrik Vinter