April 2024
General Tips / Notes
- South America in general I thought more people would speak English but it’s not always the case. Would be helpful to brush up on some Spanish if that’s possible
- If a place doesn’t have a website, or you can’t find information you need about it, try hitting them up on Instagram or WhatsApp or both. Instagram also good to see how a place looks before going
- Everything is much cheaper here than it is in America, also useful to have some cash
- Keep phone numbers of Uber & taxi drivers when you can
- Always be careful. People target tourists
- Could be a good idea to register your trip with the US by the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program
- Depending on the length of your trip, travel insurance might not be a bad idea
- Chile & Argentina both have different power outlets than the US so bring adapters
Buenos Aires
The political and cultural center of Argentina, and the 11th largest city in the Americas.
General Notes / Tips
- There are many areas that are not safe, especially at night. La Boca is not safe at night but totally fine during the day. Know where you are and where you’re going
- Don’t walk around with your phone in your hand looking at maps
- Timing is pushed back a few hours compared to what Americans may be used to. Dinner is around 9pm or later, “pregame” starts around 11pm or so, and people start going out to bars/clubs around 1am or later and stay out until 6am and later
Food / Coffee
Aramburu
- High-end tasting menu, gastronomic excellence
Don Julio
- One of the most famous steakhouses in the world. Great hospitality, ranked #10 on World’s 50 Best (2024)
Pizzeria Guerrin
- Unbelievably famous & popular pizza place (113k reviews on Google Maps, not sure I’ve ever seen even half of that before), really good
La Cocina
- Tiny empanada restaurant that serves some of the best empanadas you’ll ever find
Salgado Alimentos
- Argentina loves its Italian food in all restaurants but this place is proper Italian, worth a visit
Parilla La Brigada
- Classic Argentinian steakhouse with soccer players and decor all over the walls and whatnot
- I was a bit under the weather so didn’t love it but people are very high on this place
Alameda Cafe Porteño
- Was right next to our hostel, not worth going out of your way for but solid baked goods & breakfast
Encuentro Nativo
- Ranked highly on Trip Advisor but honestly didn’t like it much
Cafe Tortoni
- World famous place with grand interior, been around since 1858. Be prepared to wait in a line
punto cafe.
- Solid coffee spot
Nightlife
Palermo
- This is the nightlife neighborhood. Honestly, all would be fine if you just showed up here and walked around and went wherever
Jet
- Club on the water, dancing & music & lights
La Muelle
- Club in a mansion on the water, dancing & music & lights
Tres Monos
- Was dead when we went on a Wednesday night but highly regarded bar
Backroom Bar
- Awesome cocktail bar, seemed they have food as well which I would assume is good
Presidente Bar
- Cocktail bar with cool ambiance
Activities
La Boca
- Vibrant area that is very colorful and aesthetically appealing
- If you go on a day the soccer team Boca Juniors is playing it’s lit
- Bars & restaurants everywhere and everyone on the streets
- NOT SAFE AT NIGHT
San Telmo Market
- Nice little indoor market with different spots for food, drinks, and shopping
Cemeterio de Recoleta
- Huge cemetery where important people are buried in finely designed tombs
Lodging
Viajero
- Solid hostel with locations in many countries
- Was fairly dead most nights but one Friday night there was a massive rooftop party
Milhouse Hostel Ave
- Solid hostel, nothing too special but got the job done
El Calafate
One of the central hubs one can fly to in Argentina for Patagonian activities.
General Notes / Tips
- Stores in town know hikers are looking for things last minute so prices generally aren’t cheap. Also, some friends of mine mistakenly purchased items that were far more expensive than they realized, and weren’t allowed to return it immediately after purchasing
- Cordero Patagónico is Patagonian lamb, a regional specialty which is amazing (due to the lamb’s diet and fresh water they drink or something)
- Chile Pasajes was the bus company we used to get to and from Puerto Natales, we booked using Turismo Zaahj
- We rented a couple cars to get to and from El Chaltén. There are also buses that go to/from the El Calafate airport
Food / Breweries
Mi Viejo
- Solid steakhouse, get the cordero (obviously)
Cerveza Patagonia – Refugio Calafate
- Brewery stocked with local Patagonian beers
Activities
Perito Moreno Glacier
- An absolute must. Spend at least one day in El Calafate to go do this
- We booked thru Hielo & Aventura so I can confirm that was a good route to go. Not sure how prices compare if you book through a hostel as they will likely have options as well
- 90 minute drive from town, have to book a tour. Don’t just do the boat- do the trek onto the glacier too
- It is not tiring, so even if you are about to embark on days of hiking or are a bit tired of hiking, it isn’t a big concern
El Chaltén
- See next section
Lodging
America del Sur Hostel
- Cozy place with awesome staff
- If they are offering their BBQ dinner, take them up on it. It was one of the best meals we had during our trip
El Chaltén
Argentinean mountain town located about 2-3 hour drive north of El Calafate.
General Notes / Tips
- Pick up a sandwich in town to bring on your Fitz Roy hike
- Cordero Patagónico is Patagonian lamb, a regional specialty which is amazing (due to the lamb’s diet and fresh water they drink or something)
- We rented a couple cars to get to and from El Calafate. You would need to get an international license beforehand for like $20 to do that (although I don’t think anyone actually checks). There are also buses that go to/from the El Calafate airport
- If you do drive here from El Calafate, watch out for the Guanaco (little alpaca-like animals) as you will see hundreds of them along the road and need to be careful if they cross
Food
La Tapera
- My favorite meal in El Chaltén
La Cervecería
- Nice spot serving Argentinian food
Nightlife
Bourbon Smokehouse
- Probably the best bar in town (competition isn’t much though)
- Try their empanada cordero, even just as a snack to share
Rancho Grande
- Open 24 hours
Activities
Fitz Roy
- The Patagonia logo itself. One of the most famous and beautiful hikes in the world
- This is the main reason people come to El Chaltén
Mountain Biking / Whitewater Rafting / Mountain Climbing / etc.
- We only had 1 day here so did Fitz Roy of course but there are also activities worth looking into if you have time
Lodging
Hosteria El Paraiso
- Comfortable spot, located in the center of town
Puerto Natales
Small Chilean town located a 5-hour bus ride from El Calafate (5 hours including stops at customs for both Argentina & Chile), and a 2-hour bus ride from Torres del Paine National Park. It is something of a transit point to get to Torres del Paine.
General Notes / Tips
- In our group of 6 people, all of our phones were for some reason an hour back from the actual time. We realized when we were trying to schedule our 6am Ubers the next morning and timings weren’t lining up. This is a good thing to check as you don’t want to miss any scheduled buses out. Not sure if this was a random incident or it had something to do with being on the border of different time zones or something
- Chile Pasajes was the bus company we used to get to and from Puerto Natales, we booked using Turismo Zaahj
- If you book the W-Trek through Howlanders or another travel program (see below), they will arrange the 2-hour bus ride to Torres del Paine National Park for you. If not, you will need to do so yourself
Food
Baguales
- Local brewpub which was very popular
- Food was pretty mid
Lodging
Last Hope Hostel
- Gets the job done for a quick night. Not necessarily super comfortable for a longer stay
Torres del Paine National Park (W-Trek)
The main event. The W-Trek is 5 days (really 4 days, the first day is just an arrival) of backpacking through some of the most beautiful nature and views in the world. It is not easy, and not meant to be tried by anyone who is not in decent physical condition.
General Notes / Tips
- All of this information is for the W-Trek (shown in orange in the image below), but most of it likely also applies to the O-Circuit (which is the W-Trek plus a few more days of hiking- shown in orange + yellow in the image below)
- We booked the W-Trek through Howlanders. It cost $1500 but covered all lodging, meals, transfers in/out of Puerto Natales, and the national park entrance ticket. You can book these things individually yourself and it is probably a bit cheaper but make sure you are booking the right lodging at the right dates. We agreed to spend a bit more to not concern ourselves with those logistics
- There are campsites scattered at different points throughout the trek (in the shape of a W), you can either stay in tents or refugios (mountain hostels). I think there are some “hotel” options too but not sure how that works
- The refugios all have WiFi ($60-70 paid up front) so this is when you will have service if you wish to be in contact with others when not hiking
- This is a good website to read thru regarding prep: https://www.twofortheworld.com/hiking-the-w-trek-in-patagonia/
- Do plenty of research regarding what you should bring, and plan according to the weather during the time of year you will be visiting. It can get very rainy / windy / cold during hikes but also you are moving and carrying a heavy bag so if the sun is out you need to be able to shed layers with ease
- I went in April (fall) and would think these are must haves, no matter the time of year:
- Backpack (40L-55L will do the trick)
- Backpacking boots (wouldn’t skimp on these, they need to be waterproof and very comfortable on your feet)
- Thermal layers (short and long sleeves both)
- Waterproof jackets (Patagonia nano-puff jackets are perfect for this)
- Hiking pants
- Hiking socks (these actually work and help prevent blisters)
- Waterproof gloves
- Winter hat
- Headlight & extra batteries
- First aid kit including blister tape & medicine (DayQuil in case of someone catching a cold, Ibuprofen for headaches / general soreness / knee pain, etc.)
- Extra towel
- Shower sandals
- Personal hygiene products
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses
- Cash (CLP)
- Hiking poles (not 100% must have but can be a big relief)
- Day bag (a plus to have one with a Camelbak)
- Portable battery (I like having a battery case for my phone, as well)
- Shoe spray (not a necessity of course but goes a long way)
- You can get most (if not all) of these items from REI. Get a membership (it’s $30 for life and they give you a $30 gift card to use on your next trip within a month). With the membership, you can generally return anything afterwards too as long as it’s in good condition
- You will be able to generally fill up water during your hikes, there is running water pretty regularly
- Be physically prepared. If you don’t do cardio, maybe start doing some before the trip. After days 3 & 4 of hiking, my knees were absolutely killing me (tough on muscles / heart when going uphill, tough on knees / joints when going downhill)
- Download AllTrails and either get the subscription for offline maps or hit “Start Navigation” on the trail before you leave the refugio (when still connected to WiFi). This will drain your phone battery if you don’t have a battery case and/or portable battery, however
- Wake up at 4am for the Base Torres hike (or however much in advance so you can be at the towers when the sun rises). It is worth it x1000
- Try a Calafate Sour drink
- Learn some games (euchre if 4 people, presidents if 5-6 people, yahn if 3 people) and bring a deck of cards. Evenings are spent with your group and there are bars at every refugio, it’s a fun way to spend time
