Patagonia Dreaming — Self-Launched Edition

Arrive at Ezeiza (EZE). Take the Manuel Tienda León shuttle bus to the city centre (~£10, 40 mins) rather than a £35 taxi. Check into a hostel in San Telmo or Palermo. Spend the afternoon walking San Telmo's Sunday antiques fair if it's a weekend, or wander Plaza de Mayo, the Casa Rosada and Puerto Madero. Book your Bariloche flight tonight if not already done.

🚌Airport shuttle bus ~£10; city on foot / SUBE card for buses

🛏Hostel dorm, San Telmo (~£14/night)

• →Self-guided Plaza de Mayo & Casa Rosada walk
• →San Telmo street wander

Morning flight Buenos Aires–Bariloche with Aerolíneas Argentinas or JetSMART (~£60–90 one way booked a few weeks ahead; baggage extra — pack light). Check into a hostel near the Centro Cívico. Afternoon stroll the Centro Cívico, the lakefront and the Nahuel Huapi views. Optional: join a city bike tour or the Circuito Chico half-day tour (~£30 via GetYourGuide) which loops the lakes and Llao Llao.

🚌Domestic flight ~£75; local bus from airport ~£2

🛏Hostel dorm, Bariloche (~£15/night)

• →Centro Cívico & lakeshore walk
• →Optional Circuito Chico tour

DIY a big hiking day: local bus No. 20 to Villa Catedral, then hike up to Refugio Frey (approx. 4–5 hrs return, free) — one of Patagonia's classic day walks. Alternatively rent a bike and ride the Circuito Chico (~£15/day) or book a beginner rafting trip on the Río Manso (~£45). Evening: chocolate shops on Calle Mitre and a parrilla dinner.

🚌Local bus to Villa Catedral ~£1.50 each way

🛏Hostel dorm, Bariloche (~£15/night)

• →Refugio Frey day hike
• →Optional bike rental
• →Optional Río Manso rafting

Full-day scenic crossing on the Cruce de Lagos / bus route via Bariloche–Osorno–Puerto Varas (book via Bus Sur or Andesmar, ~£25–35, 7–8 hrs including border formalities). The route threads lakes and volcanoes — sit on the left. Arrive Puerto Varas in the evening, check into a hostel with Osorno volcano views and grab seafood by the lake.

🚌Cross-border bus ~£30

🛏Hostel dorm, Puerto Varas (~£15/night)

• →Andes lake crossing by bus

Pick your adventure: hike the Osorno volcano day trail (~£35 with transport, or DIY bus to the ski centre), raft the Petrohué river, or day-trip to Chiloé Island's palafitos and churches (~£40 on a shared tour). A cheap alternative is the Alerce Andino National Park loop by local bus. Book your Puerto Natales flight tonight.

🚌Local buses / shared minivan ~£8

🛏Hostel dorm, Puerto Varas (~£15/night)

• →Osorno volcano hike or Chiloé day trip

Fly Puerto Montt–Punta Arenas (LATAM/Sky, ~£110–150 one way; book early as it's a thin route). Land in the windswept far south, walk to the Plaza de Armas, see the Cerro de la Cruz viewpoint and the Magellan Strait waterfront. Hostel in the centre, then a hearty king crab (centolla) dinner if budget allows.

🚌Domestic flight ~£130; shared airport minivan ~£5

🛏Hostel dorm, Punta Arenas (~£18/night)

• →Cerro de la Cruz viewpoint
• →Strait of Magellan waterfront walk

Scenic 3-hour bus to Puerto Natales (~£8, Bus Sur/Buses Fernández). Afternoon: attend the free CONAF/ranger briefing or the Erratic Rock daily 3pm W Trek talk (excellent, free, tells you everything about refugios and weather). Rent any gear you're missing (poles, rain gear) in town, buy gas and trekking food, and pre-book your catamaran return from Paine Grande if you haven't.

🚌Bus ~£8

🛏Hostel dorm, Puerto Natales (~£15/night)

• →Erratic Rock W Trek briefing
• →Gear rental & food resupply

Early bus from Puerto Natales to Laguna Amarga park entrance (~£15 return-ish one way / shared transfer), pay the park fee (~£30 for foreigners), then hike the 19km return to Mirador Base Las Torres — the three granite towers over the turquoise lagoon. Overnight at Refugio Chileno or Camping Torres (book direct with Vertice or Fantástico Sur months ahead, ~£20–35 pp).

🚌Park transfer bus ~£12

🛏Refugio dorm or camping, Chileno sector (~£30/night)

• →Mirador Base Las Torres hike (19km)

Trek from Chileno down to the Paine River and along the lake shore to Refugio Los Cuernos (~5–6 hrs). The route passes Lake Nordenskjöld with the Cuernos del Paine massif reflected in the water — arguably the best scenery of the whole trek. Book Los Cuernos in advance; carry cash for refugio meals or cook your own at the campsite.

🚌On foot

🛏Refugio dorm or camping, Los Cuernos (~£30/night)

• →Lake Nordenskjöld trail
• →Cuernos del Paine views

Hike to Campamento Italiano, drop your pack and go up the French Valley to Mirador Británico for panoramic views of the whole massif — allow 4–5 hrs return for the side trip. Then continue to Refugio/Camping Paine Grande at Lake Pehoé for the night. This is the longest day; start early and watch the weather.

🚌On foot

🛏Refugio dorm or camping, Paine Grande (~£32/night)

• →French Valley to Mirador Británico
• →Lake Pehoé shoreline

Morning out-and-back to Mirador Grey for close-up views of the Grey Glacier and its iceberg-strewn lake (optional kayak with Big Foot if you have energy and ~£60). Then walk back to Paine Grande and take the catamaran across Lake Pehoé (~£25, book in Puerto Natales) and the connecting bus to Puerto Natales. Shower, laundry, big dinner.

🚌Catamaran ~£25 + bus ~£8

🛏Hostel dorm, Puerto Natales (~£15/night)

• →Mirador Grey Glacier
• →Lake Pehoé catamaran

Bus Puerto Natales–El Calafate (~£25–30, 5–6 hrs with border stop; book with Bus Sur or Chalten Travel). Afternoon in El Calafate: walk the Reserva Laguna Nimez for flamingos, browse the town, and book tomorrow's Perito Moreno transfer. Budget note: Argentina is pricier than the rest of South America — expect UK-ish cafe prices.

🚌Cross-border bus ~£28

🛏Hostel dorm, El Calafate (~£18/night)

• →Laguna Nimez reserve walk

Shared bus or a GetYourGuide day tour from El Calafate to the glacier (~£45 incl. park entry, 8 hrs). Walk the boardwalks for hours of calving ice, and add the optional 1-hour boat trip close to the glacier face (~£25). It's the most accessible big glacier in Patagonia — save the mini-trekking ice walk for those with a bigger budget (~£170).

🚌Shared tour bus included

🛏Hostel dorm, El Calafate (~£18/night)

• →Perito Moreno boardwalks
• →Optional glacier boat trip

Three-hour bus north to El Chaltén (~£15, CalTur/Chalten Travel), Argentina's trekking capital beneath Fitz Roy. Free afternoon: warm up on the short Mirador de los Cóndores and Mirador del Águila loop (~2 hrs, free, straight from town). Stock up on supplies — El Chaltén is small and pricey.

🚌Bus ~£15

🛏Hostel dorm, El Chaltén (~£20/night)

• →Mirador de los Cóndores loop

The big one: self-guided 20km/8–9hr hike to Laguna de los Tres at the foot of Fitz Roy. It's free and well marked — no guide needed. Start by 7am from town, take the steep final hour slowly, and hope for a clear summit. Pack lunch, 2L+ water, and layers; the weather turns fast. Alternative if legs are tired: Laguna Torre (shorter, also free).

🚌On foot from town

🛏Hostel dorm, El Chaltén (~£20/night)

• →Laguna de los Tres / Fitz Roy hike

Travel day to the end of the earth: bus El Chaltén–El Calafate (~£15), then fly El Calafate–Ushuaia (~£120 booked ahead) or take the long bus via Río Gallegos to save money. Evening in Ushuaia: the Martial Glacier trailhead views, and a walk along the Beagle Channel waterfront past the 'End of the World' sign.

🚌Bus ~£15 + flight ~£120

🛏Hostel dorm, Ushuaia (~£18/night)

• →Beagle Channel waterfront walk

Local bus or shared shuttle to Tierra del Fuego National Park (~£15 return + ~£15 park entry) and hike the Coastal Path (Senda Costera) from Ensenada to Lapataia Bay — subantarctic forest, beaver dams and the end of the Pan-American Highway. Optional add-on: Beagle Channel catamaran for sea lions and Les Eclaireurs lighthouse (~£45 via GetYourGuide).

🚌Park shuttle ~£15 each way

🛏Hostel dorm, Ushuaia (~£18/night)

• →Senda Costera hike
• →Optional Beagle Channel boat trip

Morning flight Ushuaia–Buenos Aires (~£130 booked ahead; the bus is cheaper but 2+ days). Check back into a Buenos Aires hostel and close the loop in style: a self-booked tango dinner show in San Telmo or Abasto (~£50–70 via GetYourGuide), or a free La Boca/El Caminito wander and a milonga where locals dance (entry ~£5).

🚌Domestic flight ~£130; airport bus ~£10

🛏Hostel dorm, Buenos Aires (~£14/night)

• →La Boca & El Caminito
• →Optional tango dinner show

Slow morning: recoleta cemetery, a cafe con leche and medialunas, or a last Buenos Aires bike ride if time allows. Take the Manuel Tienda León shuttle back to Ezeiza (~£10) for your international flight. Note international flights are not included in either the group tour or this estimate.

🚌Shuttle bus ~£10

🛏—

• →Recoleta / cafe crawl