North & South Patagonia - Self-Launched Expedition
11 days · Patagonia (Argentina & Chile)
G Adventures charges £2,900
No-markup version: ~£1,035 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
An independent, self-launched version of G Adventures' 11-day Buenos Aires-to-Ushuaia Patagonia expedition. Same headline experiences — the Cruce de los Lagos lake crossing, Torres del Paine, and the Perito Moreno glacier — but booked yourself using domestic flights, public buses, and local shuttles. You'll stay in hostels and budget guesthouses, join local day tours via GetYourGuide or directly with operators, and end at the end of the Earth in Ushuaia. Costs are approximate and assume dorm/budget private rooms, self-catered or casual meals, and shared transport.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Land in Buenos Aires and make your own way into the city — the public bus (Linea 8 or Tienda Leon shuttle, ~£4-8) or a shared taxi/remis (~£12) beats a private transfer. Settle into a hostel in Palermo or San Telmo, then spend the evening exploring the neighbourhood on foot: walk Avenida de Mayo, grab an empanada and a cheap parrilla dinner, and soak up the cafe culture. Book your Bariloche flight tonight if you haven't already.
🚌Airport bus ~£4-8 or shared remis ~£12
🛏Hostel dorm or budget private room, Palermo/San Telmo (~£12-20)
- →Self-guided walk of Palermo or San Telmo
- →Evening parrilla dinner and cafe culture
Fly to Bariloche
San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina
Fly from Buenos Aires to San Carlos de Bariloche with Aerolineas Argentinas or JetSMART (book ahead, ~£70-120 one way, 2h20m). Check into a hostel near the centre. Rather than the operator's included circuito chico tour, do it yourself: hire a bike or take the local 'Linea 20' bus on the Circuito Chico loop, stopping at the chocolate shops, a craft brewery, and the famed Llao Llao viewpoint. Dinner on a budget — Bariloche's chocolate and breweries are the draw.
🚌Domestic flight ~£70-120; local bus/bike hire ~£10
🛏Hostel dorm, Bariloche centre (~£12-18)
- →Self-guided Circuito Chico loop (bike hire ~£10)
- →Chocolate and craft brewery stops
- →Llao Llao viewpoint
Bariloche free day — lakes & trails
San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina
Use your free day to pick an activity: a boat excursion to Puerto Blest (book direct at the jetty, ~£30-40) through the Nahuel Huapi lakes, a day hike on the Cerro Catedral trails, or the Circuito Chico viewpoints you missed. Alternatively, join a GetYourGuide day trip for convenience. Chill evening by the lake with a supermarket picnic.
🚌Local bus to trailheads ~£2-4
🛏Hostel dorm, Bariloche (~£12-18)
- →Puerto Blest boat excursion (~£30-40, book direct)
- →Hiking around Cerro Catedral
- →Optional GetYourGuide lake day trip
The Cruce de los Lagos lake crossing
Bariloche → Puerto Varas, Chile
Do the famous Cruce de los Lagos independently: book the Andina del Sud / Cruce Andino one-day crossing (Puerto Pañuelo → Puerto Frías → Peulla → Petrohué → Puerto Varas) directly, ~£85-120 including bus-ferry segments. It's widely rated one of the world's most scenic lake crossings. Arrive into Puerto Varas in the Chilean Lake District and check into a guesthouse.
🚌Cruce Andino bus-ferry crossing ~£85-120
🛏Hostel or guesthouse, Puerto Varas (~£15-25)
- →Cruce de los Lagos scenic lake crossing (bus + ferry segments)
- →Evening stroll around Lago Llanquihue
Puerto Varas free day — Chiloé option
Puerto Varas, Chile
Free day in the Lake District. Walk the German-heritage town, visit the Osorno volcano viewpoint, or take an independent day trip to Chiloé Island — the bus from Puerto Montt plus a hired 'colectivo' or a GetYourGuide day tour gets you to the palafitos of Castro and the penguin colonies. Cheap, hearty seafood (curanto, salmon) is the local speciality.
🚌Local buses/colectivos ~£5-15
🛏Hostel or guesthouse, Puerto Varas (~£15-25)
- →Optional Chiloé Island day trip (bus + local tour ~£40-60)
- →Osorno volcano viewpoint
- →Seafood and local markets
Fly to Punta Arenas → Torres del Paine
Puerto Varas → Torres del Paine, Chile
Fly (or take a long-distance bus) to Punta Arenas. From the Punta Arenas or Puerto Natales bus terminal, catch the public Bus Sur/ Fernandez coach to Puerto Natales (~£10-15, 3h) then onward to Torres del Paine. Stay in Puerto Natales or a refugio inside the park. Note: park entrance (~£30) and shuttle transfers are paid separately.
🚌Flight ~£60-100 + Bus Sur to Puerto Natales ~£10-15 + park shuttle ~£8
🛏Hostel in Puerto Natales or refugio near park (~£18-35)
- →Scenic drive into Patagonian steppe
- →Settle into Puerto Natales / park base
Torres del Paine full-day excursion
Torres del Paine National Park, Chile
Spend a full day in the park. Rather than the operator's guided excursion, join a local full-day minibus tour (book via GetYourGuide or directly with Puerto Natales operators, ~£35-55) covering the Salto Grande waterfall, the Base of the Towers viewpoint (for fit hikers, a strenuous 5-6h hike), Lago Grey and the Grey Glacier lookout. Carry snacks and water — food inside the park is limited and pricey.
🚌Shared minibus tour ~£35-55
🛏Hostel in Puerto Natales or refugio (~£18-35)
- →Full-day Torres del Paine minibus tour (~£35-55)
- →Mirador Salto Grande and Lago Grey
- →Optional Base of the Towers hike
Cross into Argentina to El Calafate
Torres del Paine → El Calafate, Argentina
Cross the border into Argentina. The cleanest independent route is a Puerto Natales → El Calafate bus (Bus-Sur / Turismo Zaahj, ~£25-35, with border formalities at Cerro Castillo) — a scenic drive over the Patagonian pampas with guanacos and rheas along the way. Arrive in El Calafate, the gateway to the glaciers, and settle in.
🚌International bus Puerto Natales → El Calafate ~£25-35
🛏Hostel, El Calafate (~£15-25)
- →Scenic cross-border bus ride
- →El Calafate town and lagoon walk
Perito Moreno Glacier
El Calafate, Argentina
Head out to the Perito Moreno Glacier. Book a shared shuttle from El Calafate (~£20-30 return) plus the park entrance (~£15), or join a GetYourGuide day tour. Walk the boardwalks for close-up views and roar of calving ice, and optionally add the boat to the glacier face (~£25-40). Back in town, enjoy a lamb 'asado' — Patagonian speciality.
🚌Shared shuttle to glacier ~£20-30
🛏Hostel, El Calafate (~£15-25)
- →Perito Moreno Glacier boardwalks (shared shuttle ~£20-30 + entry ~£15)
- →Optional navegación boat to glacier face (~£25-40)
- →Patagonian lamb dinner
Fly to Ushuaia, end of the Earth
Ushuaia, Argentina
Fly from El Calafate to Ushuaia with Aerolineas Argentinas or JetSMART (~£80-140, book ahead as this route is limited). Land in the world's southernmost city. Spend the afternoon strolling the harbour, visit the 'Fin del Mundo' sign, and — if you're continuing to an Antarctica cruise — drop by the port to reconfirm logistics.
🚌Domestic flight El Calafate → Ushuaia ~£80-140
🛏Hostel or budget hotel, Ushuaia (~£20-30)
- →Walk Ushuaia harbour and Fin del Mundo sign
- →Optional Museo Maritimo (former prison)
Depart Ushuaia
Ushuaia, Argentina
Depart at any time. If your flight connects through Buenos Aires, budget a full travel day. Many travellers use this as the launch point for an Antarctica expedition — if so, pre-arrange your port transfer the day before. Otherwise, take a final walk along the Beagle Channel before heading to the airport.
🚌Airport shuttle ~£4-8
🛏None (departure day)
- →Morning walk along the Beagle Channel
- →Onward connection to Antarctica cruise or flight home
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,035 | £2,900 |
| Duration | 11 days | 11 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,865 per person (64%) | |
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 North & South Patagonia - Self-Launched Expedition cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,035 per person for 11 days in Patagonia (Argentina & Chile). 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 £2,900 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 £1,865 (64%) per person.
How long is the Patagonia (Argentina & Chile) trip?+
This itinerary runs 11 days, covering 11 day-by-day stops through Patagonia (Argentina & Chile).
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, hiking, backpacker trip through Patagonia (Argentina & Chile), 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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