Patagonia: Torres del Paine & Los Glaciares — Self-Launched

Fly into Punta Arenas (via Santiago) and take the bus north to Puerto Natales — Bus Sur or Buses Fernández run several times daily, roughly 3 hours, about £10-12. Check into a hostel or guesthouse near the plaza. Spend the afternoon buying supplies: gas canisters, snacks, and rental gear if you need it (the town is full of gear shops). Book tomorrow's park transport and your Torres del Paine park ticket online in advance (CONAF/PasesParques — roughly £20 for a 3-day pass). Evening: seafood stew (curanto or chupe de mariscos) at a local spot like a simple marisquería on Calle Eberhard, or a craft beer at Baguales.

🚌Bus Punta Arenas → Puerto Natales ~£11 (3h)

🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Puerto Natales — private double ~£22-28/night, dorm ~£10-14

• →Buy Torres del Paine park pass online
• →Rent trekking gear if needed
• →Evening walk along the waterfront

Take the early public bus (or a shared shuttle booked through your hostel) from Puerto Natales to the park entrance at Laguna Amarga or Portería Río Serrano — around 2 hours, £13-18 return-plus-entry transfer. Once inside, use the free/cheap internal catamaran or the shuttle to reach Mirador Grey area. Hike the Grey lakeshore trail toward the glacier viewpoint (roughly 4-5 hours return) with panoramic views of the Paine massif and Grey Glacier across Lago Grey. Base yourself in the park's refugio/cabaña network (Refugio Grey or Refugio Paine Grande via booking platforms like Vertice Patagonia or Fantástico Sur) — book these weeks in advance in high season.

🚌Public bus Puerto Natales → park + internal catamaran/shuttle ~£30

🛏Refugio dorm or basic cabin inside the park — ~£35-50/night with bedding

• →Grey Glacier viewpoint hike
• →Lakeshore trail along Lago Grey

The signature day: hike from Refugio Chileno / Hotel Las Torres area up the Valle Ascencio to Base Torres — around 8 hours return, 20km, roughly 900m of climbing, with the final hour a steep boulder scramble. The reward is the three granite towers above the turquoise glacial lake. Start early (7am) to beat crowds and secure a clear-weather window — Patagonian wind and cloud move fast. Carry 2L of water (refill at Chileno), layers, and windproof shell. This is a demanding but very doable solo hike on a well-marked trail; no guide needed. Overnight near the park entrance or in a refugio.

🚌On foot, with internal park shuttle if based further out ~£8

🛏Refugio or cabaña near Hotel Las Torres / Puerto Natales — ~£35-50

• →Base Torres (Las Torres) hike
• →Valle Ascencio trail

A gentler day to recover: short transfer to Lago Pehoé and walk the Mirador Cuernos trail to the Cuernos del Paine viewpoint and Salto Grande waterfall (about 2 hours return, flat and very scenic). In the afternoon, either take the catamaran across Lago Pehoé to Paine Grande and hike to the Grey Glacier lookout, or use the day to sort your park exit logistics. Take the late bus back to Puerto Natales if you haven't overnighted in the park. Evening: laundry and re-pack for the border crossing.

🚌Public bus park → Puerto Natales ~£13

🛏Hostel/guesthouse Puerto Natales — ~£22-28 (or final refugio night ~£40)

• →Mirador Cuernos hike
• →Salto Grande waterfall
• →Optional catamaran on Lago Pehoé

Cross the border by public bus — the daily service from Puerto Natales to El Calafate (Bus Sur / Chalten Travel / Cootra) takes about 5-6 hours including the Chilean exit at Cerro Castillo and Argentine entry at Paso Río Don Guillermo, roughly £30-40. Keep your Chilean immigration receipt. Watch the pampas for guanacos and sheep herds out the window. Arrive in El Calafate, check into a hostel or guesthouse, and book your Perito Moreno tour and any boat excursion for the following days. Evening: Argentine steak and Malbec — a parrilla dinner here is £12-18.

🚌International bus Puerto Natales → El Calafate ~£35 (5-6h incl. border)

🛏Hostel or guesthouse El Calafate — dorm ~£12-16, private ~£25-32

• →Book Perito Moreno tour
• →Book Lago Argentino boat trip
• →Wander the town's main street

Book a shared shuttle or a small-group tour to Perito Moreno via GetYourGuide, Klook or a local operator like Caltur/Hielo y Aventura — around £30-45 for transport plus park entrance (~£20-25, pay in ARS). At the glacier you get the boardwalk viewing circuits (free with entry) and can add the optional 1-hour mini-trekking on the ice with crampons (£80-100) or the boat safari (£25-30). Give yourself 4-5 hours at the site — the boardwalks alone are worth 2 hours and the calving ice is mesmerising. Return to El Calafate for the evening.

🚌Shared shuttle El Calafate ↔ Perito Moreno ~£38

🛏Hostel or guesthouse El Calafate — ~£25-32

• →Perito Moreno boardwalks and balconies
• →Optional glacier mini-trekking with crampons
• →Optional boat safari near the glacier face

The operator's OMG stay at Estancia Cristina is only reachable by private boat and is priced accordingly. The budget equivalent: take the public catamaran day cruise from Puerto Bandera (about 1 hour from El Calafate) up Lago Argentino to view the Upsala Glacier and the iceberg-strewn Cristina Channel. Book via GetYourGuide or directly with Todo Glaciares / MarPatag — roughly £90-130 for the full-day trip including transfer. Alternatively, the cheaper 'Ríos de Hielo' / Mayo Spirit options give you Upsala views for less. Return to El Calafate in the evening.

🚌Shuttle to Puerto Bandera + catamaran (included in tour) ~£10 transfer

🛏Hostel or guesthouse El Calafate — ~£25-32

• →Catamaran to Upsala Glacier and Cristina Channel
• →Iceberg sightings on Lago Argentino

Free-ish day doing the kind of 'OMG Day' activities the operator curates, self-booked: a relaxed morning at the Laguna Nimez Reserve right on the edge of town (about £4 entry) for flamingos and waterbirds, then either the Reserva Natural Patagonia trail network or, for a bigger day, the day trip up to El Chaltén is too far — instead consider the La Leona petrified forest trip or a guided Ceja del Lomo / Cerro Kristina hike (£20-35). Alternatively, hire a bike (£10-15/day) and ride out to Laguna Nimez and along the shore. Evening: cooking dinner in the hostel or a cheap locro/stew spot.

🚌Local bus/taxi to trailheads ~£6

🛏Hostel or guesthouse El Calafate — ~£25-32

• →Laguna Nimez bird reserve
• →Optional guided Ceja del Lomo hike
• →Bike hire along the lakeshore

Sleep in, do laundry, and hit El Calafate's small museum (Centro de Interpretación Histórica, ~£5) or just enjoy coffee with a lake view. If you want one more glacier fix, the Perito Moreno boardwalks can be revisited cheaply, or book the Estancia excursion (£40-60) for a lamb asado and sheep-shearing demo — the honest replacement for the operator's private estancia experience. Farewell dinner: cordero patagonico (Patagonian lamb) at a local parrilla, £18-22 with wine.

🚌Walking / local bus ~£4

🛏Hostel or guesthouse El Calafate — ~£25-32

• →Centro de Interpretación Histórica museum
• →Optional estancia lamb asado excursion
• →Farewell cordero dinner

Fly out from El Calafate (FTE) to Buenos Aires or onward — local airport bus or taxi to the terminal, ~£5-10. If your flight is later, squeeze in a final lakeside walk or stock up on alfajores. If you're heading back into Chile, the bus to Puerto Natales runs daily (~£35, 5-6 hours). International flights not included in the estimate.

🚌Airport bus or shared taxi El Calafate → FTE ~£7

🛏None (departure day)

• →Lakeside walk
• →Souvenir shopping