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Vibrant street art and colorful houses in La Boca, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Backpacker route · 3–4 weeks

Patagonia and Argentina: Buenos Aires to Puerto Natales

A three-to-four-week route from Buenos Aires through the Lake District at Bariloche and the hiking base of El Chaltén to Puerto Natales in Chile, with optional extras. Each hostel is booked separately.

Photo: Miguel Cuenca / Pexels

Argentina is huge, and Patagonia is far from the capital. This route covers the main highlights in a sensible order: Buenos Aires for city time, Bariloche for lakes and mountains, El Chaltén for trails below Mount Fitz Roy and Puerto Natales as the base for Torres del Paine across the Chilean border.

Distances are long, so internal flights are common. The roads in Patagonia can close for wind, snow or wildfire, and UK government advice notes wildfires can close roads and that thefts from unattended vehicles are common in Bariloche. Mendoza, Salta and Puerto Iguazú are popular extras if you have more time. Each hostel on the route is booked separately.

Each hostel on this route is booked separately with Hostelworld. There is no combined package, and transport is booked with each operator. Duration basis: Estimated by adding the suggested nights at each stop (roughly 16–22 nights) to the travel days, assuming internal flights between the big hops and a border crossing by road into Chile. Adding Mendoza or Iguazú adds around a week.

  1. To San Carlos de Bariloche: Flight, typically around 2 hours to Bariloche (BRC), or a very long overnight bus of roughly a day. Check current schedules.

  2. To El Chaltén: Usually a flight to El Calafate (FTE), often via Buenos Aires, then a road transfer of around 3 hours to El Chaltén. The overland route via Ruta 40 takes longer and is usually done as an adventure rather than for speed.

  3. To Puerto Natales: Bus back to El Calafate, then a bus across the border into Chile; the second stretch is typically around 5–6 hours. Allow a full day with a border stop.

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Route tips

  • Book the El Calafate leg and park permits ahead in the busier months.
  • Weather in Patagonia changes quickly; wind is common, and the main hiking season is roughly November to March.
  • Argentina and Chile have separate border procedures; check current requirements before you travel.
  • Optional extras: add Mendoza for wine country, Salta for the north-west and Puerto Iguazú for the falls, using flights from Buenos Aires.
  • Each hostel is booked separately, so confirm check-in times for late buses and flights.

Sources and review

Reviewed by the HostelConnect editorial team on 8 November 2026. Check entry rules, transport and conditions with official sources before you travel.