Highlights of Chile & Argentina — Self-Launched
10 days · Chile & Argentina
G Adventures charges £1,755
No-markup version: ~£1,035 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A 10-day self-launched version of G Adventures' "Highlights of Chile & Argentina" (SCCA): Santiago, colourful Valparaíso, a Casablanca Valley winery, adventure hub Pucón, a crossing of the Andes into the Argentine Lake District, a gaucho ranch day outside Bariloche, and a finish in Buenos Aires. Same route, same big moments — but you book hostels/guesthouses yourself, use Chile's excellent public buses, sort your own winery tasting and estancia visit via GetYourGuide or direct, and fly Bariloche–Buenos Aires on a low-cost carrier. Costs are rough backpacker/carry-on estimates in GBP per person and exclude international flights.
Day-by-day
Arrive Santiago
Santiago, Chile
Land at SCL and take the Turbus/Centropuerto airport bus (£2) or a shared transfer (£8) into Bellavista or Barrio Lastarria. Check into a hostel or guesthouse, get cash out, and pick up a Bip! transport card for the metro. Evening: settle in with a pisco sour and a completo hot dog in Bellavista — the neighbourhood's street life is the free show.
🚌Airport bus ~£2 or shared transfer ~£8
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Bellavista/Lastarria (dorm or private double)
- →Arrival transfer to hostel
- →Evening wander in Barrio Bellavista
- →Pick up Bip! metro card
Santiago city day
Santiago, Chile
DIY the city: free walking tour from Plaza de Armas (tip-based, ~£5 tip), then the Museo de la Memoria y los Derechos Humanos (£2) and lunch at Mercado Central or a menú del día spot (£6). Afternoon: ride the funicular up Cerro San Cristóbal (£3) for the city-and-Andes panorama. If you want a structured day, a guided Santiago city tour books from ~£25 on GetYourGuide.
🚌Metro ~£2
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Bellavista/Lastarria
- →Free walking tour of Santiago
- →Museo de la Memoria y los Derechos Humanos
- →Funicular up Cerro San Cristóbal
Valparaíso, Casablanca wine, overnight bus to Pucón
Valparaíso / Casablanca Valley / night bus
Morning bus from Santiago to Valparaíso (£4, ~1h45). Wander Cerro Alegre and Cerro Concepción, ride an ascensor (£1), and see La Sebastiana or just the street art. Mid-afternoon head back with a stop in the Casablanca Valley: several wineries (Casas del Bosque, Emiliana, Indómita) run tastings bookable direct or via GetYourGuide for £15–£25 — check timing so you catch a late-afternoon slot. Return to Santiago, then take the overnight bus south to Pucón (Tur Bus or Pullman Bus, cama seat £30–£40, ~10–11h).
🚌Santiago–Valparaíso bus ~£4; Valparaíso winery transfer ~£10; Santiago–Pucón overnight bus ~£35
🛏Overnight bus (reclining cama seat)
- →Valparaíso hills and street art
- →Ascensor ride
- →Casablanca Valley wine tasting
Pucón — lake beaches and rafting
Pucón, Chile
Arrive early morning, drop bags at your hostel, and ease into Pucón. Afternoon whitewater rafting on the Trancura River (£28–£35, book on arrival with one of the many agencies on Av. Bernardo O'Higgins or via GetYourGuide). Later, sunset at Playa Grande on Lago Villarrica. Cheap eats: a menú del día or empanadas for £5–£7.
🚌Local walking; agency transfers included with rafting
🛏Hostel/guesthouse in Pucón
- →Whitewater rafting on the Trancura River
- →Playa Grande on Lago Villarrica
Volcán Villarrica or thermal pools
Pucón, Chile
Pick your adventure. Villarrica volcano hike with a certified guide, crampons and ice axes included, is ~£90–£100 and runs weather-dependent (book a day ahead). Cheaper alternative: Huerquehue National Park day trip with a local guide (~£45) or a shared taxi to the Termas de Huife natural hot springs (~£35 entry plus transport). Evening: hostel cooking or a cheap set dinner.
🚌Shared van or tour minibus included in activity price
🛏Hostel/guesthouse in Pucón
- →Guided Volcán Villarrica hike
- →Huerquehue National Park option
- →Termas de Huife hot springs option
Cross the Andes to Bariloche
Pucón → San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina
The classic Cruce Andino route or the cheaper public version. Public option: bus from Pucón to Panguipulli, onward to San Martín de los Andes through the Seven Lakes corridor (~£20–£25 total, most of a day), then a local bus San Martín–Bariloche (~£10, 4h) or a shared van (~£18). Keep your Chilean PDI slip and passport handy at the border. Arrive Bariloche, check in, and eat your first Argentine steak for ~£10.
🚌Public buses via San Martín de los Andes ~£30–£35, or shared van
🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse in Bariloche centre
- →Seven Lakes route by public bus
- →Argentina border crossing
- →Bariloche centre evening
Gaucho ranch day
Bariloche countryside, Argentina
Self-book a full-day estancia visit — several working ranches outside Bariloche (e.g. Estancia del Carmen, Huechul on Circuito Chico side) take direct bookings or go via GetYourGuide/Viator for £40–£55 including transport, asado lunch, horseback riding with a gaucho, and mate. Otherwise an afternoon of lake views and artisan chocolate shops in town. Bring USD cash — useful in Bariloche.
🚌Shared van to estancia (included in activity price)
🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse in Bariloche centre
- →Estancia / gaucho ranch full-day visit
- →Asado barbecue lunch
- →Horseback riding with a gaucho
Free day in Bariloche
San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina
Hike a local trail — Cerro Campanario (chairlift £6 or hike up) or Circuito Chico by local bus (£2, half-day hop-on loop). Alternatively rent a bike (£8) and cruise the lake road. Chocolate shops and the Museo del Chocolate are a cheap afternoon filler. Book tonight's flight and tomorrow's airport transfer online.
🚌Local bus ~£3; optional bike hire ~£8
🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse in Bariloche centre
- →Circuito Chico by local bus
- →Cerro Campanario viewpoint
- →Chocolate shops and lakeside wander
Fly to Buenos Aires
Bariloche → Buenos Aires, Argentina
Low-cost flight Bariloche–Aeroparque/Buenos Aires (JetSMART, Flybondi or Aerolíneas, £45–£70 one-way if booked ahead; watch the 15kg carry-on limits). From Aeroparque, the 8 bus or a taxi (£12) gets you into Palermo or San Telmo. Evening: free San Telmo street scenes or the Sunday market if it lines up. Optional tango dinner show in San Telmo or La Boca from £35–£75 — book via GetYourGuide.
🚌Flight ~£55; airport bus/taxi ~£3–£12
🛏Hostel or budget hotel in Palermo/San Telmo
- →Domestic flight to Buenos Aires
- →Palermo or San Telmo evening
- →Optional tango dinner show
Buenos Aires and onward
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Last day: a Buenos Aires bike tour is ~£30–£35 and covers Plaza de Mayo, Puerto Madero and the Ecological Reserve. Cheaper DIY: walk Plaza de Mayo, free Recoleta Cemetery, and head to La Boca for El Caminito's coloured buildings and street tango (take a taxi, don't wander far off the main strip, especially at night). Teatro Colón tour is ~£18. Depart at any time from EZE or catch onward flights.
🚌Local bus/taxi ~£6
🛏Depart or extend in Buenos Aires hostel
- →Buenos Aires bike tour option
- →Plaza de Mayo and Casa Rosada
- →La Boca and El Caminito
- →Teatro Colón tour option
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,035 | £1,755 |
| Duration | 10 days | 10 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £720 per person (41%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,035
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Highlights of Chile & Argentina — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,035 per person for 10 days in Chile & Argentina. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £1,755 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,035 — a saving of roughly £720 (41%) per person.
How long is the Chile & Argentina trip?+
This itinerary runs 10 days, covering 10 day-by-day stops through Chile & Argentina.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, culture, hiking trip through Chile & Argentina, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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