From the stunning landscapes of Patagonia to the desert northwest and the lush green jungles of the northeast, Argentina, and Chile are two of the most beautiful countries you can visit in South America. They are best explored together, which is why I decided to create this itinerary.
After spending two months traveling across both countries from north to south, I found that the most efficient and cost-effective way to thoroughly explore the region is by zigzagging between the two countries.
This becomes especially important when you reach Patagonia, as the region spans much of the southern parts of both countries. Traveling back and forth in such a remote area can be quite expensive, so it's best to visit everything at once.
In this itinerary, I will take you from north to south starting in the desert of Atacama all the way to Patagonia and and then up again to Iguazu Falls and beyond. Without further ado, here is a complete backpacking itinerary to Chile and Argentina!
- Chile and Argentina Itinerary Map
-
2 Months Chile and Argentina Backpacking Itinerary
- San Pedro de Atacama, Chile
- Antofagasta, Chile
- La Serena, Chile
- Valparaíso, Chile
- Santiago, Chile
- Easter Island, Chile
- Pucon, Chile
- San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina
- El Chalten, Argentina
- El Calafate, Argentina
- Puerto Natales, Chile
- Ushuaia, Argentina
- Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Iguazu Falls, Argentina
- Chile & Argentina Video
- Why go to Argentina and Chile?
- When To Visit Chile and Argentina?
- How to Get to Chile and Argentina?
- How To Get Around Chile and Argentina?
- Which tourist SIM card is best for Chile And Argentina?
- What to Pack for Chile And Argentina?
- Further Reading for Argentina and Chile
Chile and Argentina Itinerary Map
| ☀️ Day 1-3: | San Pedro de Atacama, Chile |
| ☀️ Day 4-5: | Antofagasta, Chile |
| ☀️ Day 6-8: | La Serena, Chile |
| ☀️ Day 9-10: | Valparaíso, Chile |
| ☀️ Day 11-14: | Santiago, Chile |
| ☀️ Day 15-20: | Easter Island, Chile |
| ☀️ Day 21-23: | Pucon, Chile |
| ☀️ Day 24-26: | San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina |
| ☀️ Day 27-29: | El Chalten, Argentina |
| ☀️ Day 30-32: | El Calafate, Argentina |
| ☀️ Day 33-37: | Puerto Natales, Chile |
| ☀️ Day 38-40: | Ushuaia, Argentina |
| ☀️ Day 41-44: | Buenos Aires, Argentina |
| ☀️ Day 45-48: | Iguazu Falls, Argentina |
2 Months Chile and Argentina Backpacking Itinerary
Day 1 - 3: San Pedro de Atacama, Chile (3 nights)
If you are coming from Bolivia, San Pedro de Atacama is where you will begin your journey in Chile. The area is home to some of the most alien-like features Earth has to offer, thanks to its geothermal activities and high altitude.
After you arrive in town, spend your first day exploring the city and check out its town square, Iglesia San Pedro a historical landmark of the city, and Meteorite Museum, featuring expansive collection of meteorites found here.
You might be wondering why there is a meteorite museum in Atacama. Well, Atacama is considered one of the best places in the world for stargazing, thanks to its high altitude and dry climate, which create ideal conditions for observing the night sky.
- Highlights of Chile & Argentina (10 days)
- End of the Earth (14 days)
- Patagonia Hiking Adventure (14 days)
The place is so perfect for stargazing that even the European Space Agency ended up building some of their largest telescopes here. Guess what they named the telescopes: Very Large Telescope and Extremely Large Telescope!
The best part is if you are here on the weekend, you can go on a guided tour around Very Large Telescope and see the machination inside with your own eyes, although you are going to have to rent a car to get here. The tour begins a 10 AM and lasts until 1 PM. You can find more information about the Very Large Telescope tour here.
If you would rather not rent a car, you can also still enjoy stargazing here by going on an organized stargazing tour where they will take you out in the desert in the middle of the night, away from all the light pollution, and you will be able to see the Milky Way with your own eyes.
The next morning, you can go on a Geyser tour that starts at 4 AM to catch the sunrise at Geysers del Tatio, one of the largest geyser sites in the world. Be prepared for the cold since you will be going up to 4,200m above sea level. You will be back by afternoon when the sun is at its highest so it is best to stay in and rest until evening.
For sunset, you can either rent a bike or you can join an organized tour to get to Moon Valley where you will be able to immerse yourself in the stunning landscapes of Atacama. It is also a perfect place for sunset, so be sure to plan your visit accordingly.
On your last day in the Atacama Desert, you can either chill in the city or you can join a full-day organized tour and explore Atacama Salt Flat, which is similar to the Salt Flat in Bolivia, but with a more desert-like landscape. The tour will take you to Los Flamenco National Reserve, visit the lagoons of Miscanti and Miniques, and stop by the charming village of Socaire. I highly recommend you do this if you are not planning to visit Bolivia and do Salar de Uyuni!
Getting From San Pedro de Atacama to Antofagasta
There are around 2 buses leaving from San Pedro de Atacama to Antofagasta starting around 4 PM - 6 PM from Atacama Bus Station. The journey should take around 4 - 5 hours and cost about 23 USD. To book a bus online, be sure to check out the link here: Book a Bus from San Pedro de Atacama to Antofagasta.
If there is no direct bus from San Pedro de Atacama to Antofagasta on the day you are traveling (there are fewer buses in winter), you can travel to Calama first via KTUR Bus Operator, TurBus, or Frontera del Norte where they will drop you off at their designated bus terminal. You will find more buses going to Antofagasta from there.
The journey from Atacama to Calama takes around 1.5 hours and costs 3,000 CPS, and from Calama to Antofagasta takes about 2.5 hours and costs around 8 USD. Click the link here for more details on how to get from Calama to Antofagasta: Book a Bus from Calama to Antofagasta.
Day 4 - 5: Antofagasta, Chile (2 nights)
One of the most surreal experiences in Chile for me was when I saw the iconic Hand of the Desert Monument, a massive art installation in a shape of a hand soaring up 11 meters (36 ft) from the ground, that can be found in the middle of nowhere in the Atacama desert.
It would be a shame to come all the way to Atacama and not see this art installation, so I recommend you stop by here as you make your way down Chile. Unfortunately, getting there is not as straightforward since it is located in the middle of nowhere and you won't find any public transportation that will drop you off here.
To get there, you will first have to base yourself in Antofagasta, where you will have to rent a car and drive 30 minutes south of the city and you will arrive at the monument. To get your money's worth, you can also go and visit Very Large Telescope, if you haven't done so with a tour in Atacama. Again, if you are visiting Very Large Telescope during the weekend, you can take a guided tour and learn more about the machination inside.
There is not much to do around the Hand in the Desert, except take photos with it, so you can expect to spend around 30 minutes here before you go around exploring other parts of the desert. Other than Very Large Telescope, you can also check out other tourist attractions in the area with your car like Mirador La Portada Natural Monument, Huanchaca Ruins Museum, and more.
Getting From Antofagasta to La Serena
From Antofagasta, you can catch a bus to La Serena from Antofagasta Bus Terminal. There are several overnight buses from 11 AM - 11 PM operated by companies like Pullman Bus, which I recommend. The journey will take 12 hours and cost about 30 USD. You can book the bus ticket online with the link here: Book a Bus from Antofagasta to La Serena.
Day 6 - 8: La Serena, Chile (3 nights)
La Serena is the second oldest city in Chile, second only to Santiago and it is a great place to stop as you make your way down the Chilean coast. Here, you can spend 2 days exploring the tourist attractions here like the Town Square, Playa El Faro, Fuerte de Coquimbo, and more.
The next day, you can either spend the day relaxing at the beach or you can go on an organized day trip and explore the beautiful Elqui Valley and learn more about the history of this part of Chile. The tour should take an entire day (about 10 hours) and when you are back, you can spend the rest of the day relaxing before we make our way to Valparaíso the next day.
Getting From La Serena to Valparaiso
To get from La Serena to Valparaiso, you can catch another overnight bus from La Serena Bus Terminal that leaves at 11:30 PM and arrives in Valparaiso at 6:30 AM the next day. The journey takes around 7 hours and costs around 29 USD. You can book the ticket with the link here: Book a Bus from La Serena to Valparaíso
Day 9 - 10: Valparaíso, Chile (2 nights)
Valparaiso is one of my favorite cities in Chile. The place is famous for its colorful houses, vibrant culture, and plenty of awesome street art, you can explore. You can spend the first day exploring the historic quarter of Valparaiso and check out places like Baburizza Palace, Plaza Sotomayor, and Valparaiso Culture Park.
While you explore the historic quarter, be sure to utilize one of the many iconic hillside funiculars that cost only 0.11 USD per trip and admire the view of the city as the funicular takes you up/down a hill.
They are one of the oldest funicular systems out there and go really slow, so you should have plenty of time to enjoy the view. You can take one from Ascensor Reina Victoria, Ascensor El Peral, and many more.
Also, be sure to spend some time and explore the winding streets of Valparaiso while keeping an eye out for this epic street art hidden gems scattered across town. Cerro Alegre is the perfect neighborhood for this, so be sure to drop by there before retreating for the day.
Getting From Valparaiso to Santiago
Again, Pullman Bus also operates this route as well, and you can get from Valparaiso to Santiago via one of their daily buses from 5:50 AM to 4:45 PM. The journey will take around 2 hours and cost 9 USD. You can book the ticket online with the link here: Book a Bus from Valparaiso to Santiago.
Day 11 - 14: Santiago, Chile (4 nights)
Next up, we visit Santiago, the capital city of Chile and one of the safest capitals in South America. It's also a fantastic place to spend a few days, allowing you to truly absorb the fun and vibrant culture that Chile and its people have to offer.
On your first day, you can explore all the main tourist attractions in the city such as San Cristóbal Hill, an incredible viewpoint over the city, Santiago Metropolitan Cathedral, a stunning 19th Century cathedral, La Moneda Palace, a stunning colonial palace, and many more.
On your second day, you can explore all the awesome museums in Santiago like Museum of Memory and Human Rights, a great place to learn more about the history of the city, Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art, a pre-columbus historical museum, La Moneda Cultural Center, a lovely modern art museum, and more.
Santiago has some of the most vibrant cafes and nightlife culture here so on your third day, you can spend the day resting and enjoying all the lovely cafes and bars in the city before we make our way to the famous Easter Island. I happened to spend Thanksgiving with my travel friends here and it was amazing!
Getting From Santiago to Easter Island
Getting to Easter Island won't be cheap, as LATAM, the airline that has the monopoly on the route, has set the round trip flight at a whopping $1,300 USD. So, if you want to see Easter Island, you will have to bite the bullet and pay it. Personally, I think it was worth every penny. I had one of the best times of my life on the island. You can book the flight with the link here: Book a Flight from Santiago to Easter Island.
Day 15 - 20: Easter Island, Chile (6 nights)
Easter Island is the highlight of my trip to Chile. There are many things you can do on this little island, so when you arrive on the island, you can spend the evening planning out how you are going to spend the next 5 days on the island.
Places like the Orongo Crater, an incredible crater with a great view of the island, Ahu Tongariki, the famous lined giant Moai statues, a perfect place to watch the sunrise, and Rano Raraku, where all the Moai heads were made, are some of my favorite places on Easter Island, so be sure not to miss it.
Looking for a nice beach spot to relax on Easter Island? Anakena Beach is the place to be with its beautiful white sandy beach, stunning Maoi statues, and many facilities you can enjoy while you spend the day relaxing.
If you happen to be here at the beginning of the year, you are in for a treat! At the end of January/beginning of February, the epic Tapati Festival is often taking place on Easter Island, and you able to witness all the awesome traditional sports competitions, music, and performances they have prepared for you.
Not gonna lie, I unknowingly got here during the Tapati Festival in early February and I had a blast! If you can align your visit in advance, please do so! Trust me, you are not going to regret it!
For 5 days, you will have plenty of time to go on day trips and visit some of the tourist attractions around the island as well as relax by the beach and enjoy the Tapati Festival before we catch our flight back to the mainland and continue our journey down to Patagonia.
Getting From Santiago to Pucon
Once you get back from Easter Island, you can then take a bus from Terminal Alameda Santiago Bus Terminal to Pucón. The journey will take about 10-12 hours and cost around 18-21 USD. Pullman and Jet Sur buses are highly recommended for this route, and you can book a bus ticket with the link here: Book a Bus from Santiago to Pucón.
Day 21 - 23: Pucon, Chile (3 nights)
After many days, we are finally entering the Patagonia region of Chile, and there is no better place to start our journey than in Pucón, the gateway to Patagonia, home to the active cone-shaped volcano Villarrica, and a perfect place to get your bearing as we enter one of my favorite regions in the world.
There are many things to do in Pucon, but if you really want to make the best out of your time here, you gotta be a bit adventurous and partake in some of the extreme activities the town has to offer like paragliding, climbing an active volcano, and more!
If the weather permits, I highly recommend you go on and summit Villarrica Volcano where you will be able to spot spewing lava inside the crater as you arrive at the top. The tour operator will provide the necessary gear to traverse the snow-capped volcano, so you do not have to prepare anything except sunglasses and sunblocks.
The hike up takes about 4 hours and you will be hiking in snow much of the time, so you must be in good physical condition to do it. Getting down is much easier as you will be sliding down on a sled, and it should only take about an hour to get back to the trailhead.
It was my first time seeing a real lava spewing out of a crater on an active volcano, and I had a blast hiking Villarrica. I highly recommend you do it, especially if you are physically fit and you are lucky to be there on a clear day. There are also many other adventures you can participate from fishing to paragliding, so you can spend the next day doing that or rest up as we continue to go deeper into Patagonia!
Getting From Pucon to San Carlos De Bariloche
To get from Pucón, Chile to San Carlos de Bariloche, you can take a direct bus operated by Andesmar that will take you to Osorno, cross the border, and drop you off at San Carlos De Bariloche Bus Terminal.
The entire journey will take around 8 hours and cost about 18 - 40 USD per person. They only run this route 3 times a week, so if you happen to be there on the days they do not run, you can easily do it yourself and get on a bus to Osorno. From there, plenty of buses will take you across the border to Bariloche. You can check for the direct bus with the link here: Book a Bus from Santiago to Pucon.
Day 24 - 26: San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina (3 nights)
San Carlos de Bariloche or Bariloche for short, is like the little Switzerland of Argentina and there is no better place to give you a great first impression of Argentina than here. The city is located by a beautiful lake with many mountains surrounding it, so naturally, the first thing I recommend you do is to go up one of the mountains and check out the view from above.
You can either hike or take the cable car from Aerosilla Cerro Campanario and get to the top of Cerro Campanario for an incredible view of the lake and the surrounding mountains. To get there, you easily take bus #20 and get off at this bus stop and you should be at the cable car station. You can also go on a half-day organized trip from the city.
If you have time, be sure to go on a little cruise around Lago Nahuel Huapi, visit the famous 7 lakes of Bariloche, or simply walk around the city center and see first hand why I called this place the Switzerland of Argentina.
Getting From San Carlos De Bariloche to El Chalten
From Bariloche, the fastest way to get to El Chalten is to fly, or you can go by bus which takes around 20 hours. Personally, I flew because, at that point, I was done with long buses, and by the time you reach this point in the itinerary, you will probably feel the same.
From Bariloche Airport, you will have to fly to El Calafate Airport where you can take the shuttle that connects El Calafate with El Chalten from the airport, and they will take you to El Chalten.
The flight should take around 2 hours and cost about 150 - 300 USD. From the airport, you can take the airport shuttle bus for 18 - 22 USD, and it will take about 3 hours to get to El Chalten. To book a flight, be sure to check out on Skyscanner or Expedia with the link here: Book A Flight From Bariloche to El Calafate.
Day 27 - 29: El Chalten, Argentina (3 nights)
And now, we have entered Patagonia proper, and the first place to stop by is El Chalten, an incredible mountain town in Argentina, home to the famous Fitz Roy mountain peak, probably one of the most iconic and well-known peaks in Patagonia.
The moment you arrive, if the weather permits, you can go on a little hike just outside the city for about 30 minutes to get up this hill and you will be rewarded with an unobstructed view of the incredible mountains surrounding El Chalten. You can begin your hike from the Visitors Center just outside of town.
I highly recommend you stay here until sunset so you can get a glimpse of what's to come the next day as we will be hiking the Laguna de los Tres trail to see Fitz Roy up close. Be sure to book the transfer service via your accommodation in advance.
For the second day, you will embark on a journey to hike the famous Laguna de los Tres trail early in the morning by starting at 6 AM from the trailhead. From there, it should take about 4 - 5 hours to arrive on the foothills of Fitz Roy where you can admire the view before heading back in about 3 - 4 hours.
You should be back in time before nightfall. The earlier you start, the better as the trail can get a bit crowded during the day. If you really want to beat the crowd at the viewpoint, you might want to consider camping at the base of the trail for a night before making your way up in the morning although you will have to rent a tent from town and carry everything with you the day before.
Another trail you can hike in El Chalten is Laguna Torre, which takes around 6 - 7 hours and is just as impressive as the Laguna de los Tres trail, so if you haven't had enough hiking yet in El Chalten, you can go on this hike on your second day.
Note: Internet access, ATMs, and credit cards don't come by easily in El Chalten as the town is extremely remote, so be sure you have enough cash with you before you arrive in El Chalten.
Getting From El Chalten to El Calafate
To get from El Chalten to El Calafate, you can take the same shuttle bus that you took from the airport. They run in both directions, so the shuttle will stop at the airport, and you can continue with them to El Calafate. This route gets booked quickly, so be sure to get your ticket the day before or, ideally, get your departure ticket on the day you arrive. Check out the shuttle bus schedule here.
Day 30 - 32: El Calafate, Argentina (3 Nights)
El Calafate is another must-stop town in Patagonia. It is home to some of the most beautiful glaciers in the world with one in particular that I found most fascinating. It is one of the few glaciers that are still growing instead of many others that are shrinking away due to global warming.
While you are in El Calafate, you can go on a day trip to Perito Moreno Glacier and spend the entire day day strolling around and admiring the glacier from the national park's elevated pathways. The massive scale of the glacier is going to blow your mind.
Icebergs frequently break away at Perito Moreno, and if you watch long enough, you might witness a large one falling into the water, creating a thunderous sound unlike anything you've experienced before. I waited for hours, and it was incredible when it finally happened.
If you have an extra day in El Calafate, you can also go on a glacier mini trekking excursion and really immerse yourself in the towering glacier of Perito Moreno and explore an ice cave, which is only accessible on foot.
Once you are done, you can spend the rest of the day relaxing and enjoying your time at one of the many ice bars in El Calafate before we continue our journey towards Usuhuia at the End of the World.
Getting From El Calafate to Puerto Natales
From El Calafate, you will have to take the bus from El Calafate Bus Terminal to cross the border and return to Chile in order to reach Puerto Natales.
Bus-Sur operates this route, and they have one bus leaving at 8 AM and arriving in Puerto Natales by 2 PM. The bus ticket costs 22 USD per person, and you can book them online with the link here: Book A Bus From El Calafate to Puerto Natales
Day 33 - 37: Puerto Natales, Chile (2 - 5 nights)
And we are back in Chile again as we visit Puerto Natales, the perfect base to launch yourself into Torres del Paine National Park, one of the most famous hiking spots in Patagonia.
The city itself is nothing to brag about, with nothing but crazy expensive restaurants and accommodation, so I would recommend you go straight to Torres del Paine National Park and do some hikes the next day.
One of the most famous treks in Torres del Paine is the W-Trek which takes 4-5 days to complete the circuit, and you will be sleeping in mountain huts provided by the park. However, you will have to book these huts several weeks in advance, so if you want to do it, be sure to plan your trip way in advance. You can book the mountain huts here or book an organized tour here.
If you cannot book these huts in time, you can just do a one-day hike as I did and hike to the base of Cordillera Paine and get that iconic view of the 3 towers without having to spend overnight. You can do this trip independently by booking the bus from the Puerto Natales bus terminal the day you arrive (it gets booked out very fast so make sure you do it 2 days in advance) or you can go on an organized tour instead.
The hike to the base of Cordillera Paine is not very difficult as the trail consists of a bit of ups and downs, but not as steep as other hikes in Patagonia. The whole hike should take about 8 hours excluding the ride to and from Puerto Natales. For the entire trip including the 4 hours roundtrip rides, you should expect to spend around 12 hours for the day.
Depending on whether you want to do the W-trek or a 1-day trek, you will either have one full day here or 4 full days. Once you are done with the hike, you can retreat for the day and prepare for the long journey to Ushuaia in Argentina.
Getting From Puerto Natales to Ushuaia
To get from Puerto Natales to Ushuaia, it will be another long bus ride that requires you to change buses at Punta Arenas. Big Sur operates the route between Puerto Natales and Punta Arenas, and it runs twice per day, so you can take the 7 AM one from Puerto Natales Terminal.
The first leg of this journey will take about 3 hours and cost 10 USD. You can book this bus with the link here: Book a Bus from Puerto Natales to Punta Arenas.
Depending on the day you arrive in Punta Arenas, you may have to stay overnight there before you can catch a bus from Punta Arenas to Ushuaia. There are 2 bus operators that run this route, Bus-Sur and Buses Pacheco, and luckily the bus offices are located near each other so you can check both places if there is any bus to Ushuaia that day.
This journey will take you 12 hours, cost 46 USD, and only one bus runs daily, so be sure to check the schedule and book it beforehand with the link here: Book A Bus From Punta Arenas to Ushuaia.
Day 38 - 40: Ushuaia, Argentina (3 nights)
Ushuaia is a town right at the edge of the southern tip of South America. The place is also dubbed the end of the world, as this is the last point of civilization before people launch themselves to the least explored continent in the world, Antarctica. Of course, you can do the trip from here if you have 6,000 - 8,000 USD lying around. If you do, you will need to add another 12 - 15 days to this itinerary for the Antarctica excursion. Here are some of the cheapest offers available for Antarctica trip.
If not, you can spend the day exploring and hiking in Tierra del Fuego National Park, a beautiful coastal park that allows you access to the delicate Patagonian forest and lakes, with many hiking trails you can explore. In the park, you will also get a chance to see some of the rare plants you won't see anywhere else but here, so be sure to keep an eye out for them.
To get to the national park, you should be able to catch a local bus from Usuhia Bus Terminal. The bus departs at 10 AM, 11 AM, 12 PM, and 2 PM, and it returns at 1 PM, 2 PM, and 5 PM every day. The roundtrip ticket should cost about 3500 ARS (4 USD). Spend the entire hiking around the national park, and go around and explore the city the next day.
Some of the best tourist attractions you might wanna check out while you are here are Museo del Fin del Mundo, a museum to learn more about the local history, Plaza Islands Malvinas, a memorial and a park dedicated to the people that died during the Falkland Wars with the British in 1982, and the most iconic of all, St. Christopher Shipwreck.
The next day, you can rest from all the hiking by taking a boat tour to the Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse and spend a day enjoying fresh food in Ushuaia city.
Getting From Ushuaia to Buenos Aires
Don't worry, I won't make you go through the bus ride through Patagonia again. From Ushuaia, you can fly directly to Buenos Aires via Aerolineas Argentinas from Ushuaia airport.
The flight should take about 3.5 hours and cost around 66 USD. The flight usually departs at 14:15 and arrives in Buenos Aires at 17:43. You can book your ticket with Skyscanner or Expedia via the link here: Book a Flight From Ushuaia to Buenos Aires
Day 41 - 44: Buenos Aires, Argentina (4 nights)
After several days in the remote region of Patagonia, you can fly back to Buenos Aires, the capital city of Argentina, and enjoy all the comfort and facilities the city has to offer. There are a ton of things you can do here that should occupy you for at least 2 days.
While you are here, be sure to try the famous Argentinian beef in one of the many restaurants in San Telmo, a lovely and vibrant neighborhood. It is my favorite area to explore in the city with its creative scene and lively late-night events happening in the main square.
You can also learn more about the country's history by visiting the many museums available, such as the National History Museum and the Falkland Islands War Memorial or you can go on a day trip and visit La Boca, home to the colorful houses you often see on social media.
Getting From Buenos Aires to Iguazu Falls
From Buenos Aires, you can either take an overnight bus which will take over 18 hours or catch a flight to Iguazu Falls. The flight can be a bit expensive, you will save both your time and sanity so I highly recommend you go with the flight instead. You can book the flight via Skyscanner or Expedia.
Day 45 - 48: Iguazu Falls, Argentina (4 nights)
Last but not least, we are going to visit one of the most impressive waterfalls in the world, Iguazu Falls, located in the northern tip of Argentina by the border between Argentina and Brazil. I've seen many waterfalls in my life, but never quite like this one!
You can spend the first day exploring the Argentinan side of the waterfall while you spend the next day crossing the border to Brazil and exploring Iguazu from the other side. There are way more things to do on the Argentinian side, but the Brazilian side does offer a more up close and personal experience, so they are both worth visiting in my opinion.
There are many hiking trails you can do on the Argentinian side so expect to spend an entire day in the national park. On the Brazilian side, you can see most of it in half a day so if you have time to spare, you can go on a helicopter tour and see the waterfalls from above. You can book the helicopter tour here.
After 3 days at Iguazu, you can either fly back to Buenos Aires and make your way home from there or continue your journey into Brazil. All in all, you have finally completed this 2-month backpacking itinerary across Chile and Argentina, so congratulations!
Chile & Argentina Video
Watch it on Youtube. You can also watch Argentina Travel Video here: Terra Argentina.
Why go to Argentina and Chile?
For Chile, the famous Atacama Desert, considered to be the place with the clearest sky in the world for stargazing, is located in the north. The famous Torres del Paine National Park is located in the south, and Easter Island is located in the west.
For Argentina, you have the Iguazu Falls in the north and many diverse spots in Patagonia in the south. Combine these two regions, and you will have one of the best trips you will ever have - from tropical to snowy landscapes, islands to deserts. What more could one ask for?
When To Visit Chile and Argentina?
Since the length of both countries covers more than 4,300 km, it will depend entirely on where you are.
For Patagonia (South of Chile and Argentina), November to March is the high season. Even though it is not a bad idea to come during this time to maximize the chance of getting good weather, you will also have to deal with the crowds and the overbooked buses and tours. The best time to avoid the crowd is the shoulder season from October to November when the crowd is manageable, and you get the beautiful spring landscape.
For Easter Island, late January to mid-February is the best time, as the annual Tapati festival is taking place with concerts and events all over the island.
For Iguazu Falls, February to March is recommended, as the water level is still quite high, and the sky is mostly clear. It can be quite humid during this time, but you will cool off immediately once you get close to the falls.
For the Atacama desert, any time between September and March is good, but be sure to be in the Atacama during the moonless nights to see the stars.
How to Get to Chile and Argentina?
Browse through Skyscanner or Expedia to find a cheap flight from where you live to Santiago (SCL), and from there, you can find either an overnight bus or a cheap flight to Atacama Airport (CJC).
How To Get Around Chile and Argentina?
Argentina and Chile are not cheap countries, so buses are the perfect solution for long-distance trips. Though not very punctual, overnight buses are very comfortable and cover most of the popular tourist locations. Be sure to get the Cama seat for your overnight buses.
For Chile, Turbus and Pullman provide a great range of buses that cover many popular locations. For domestic flights, Sky Airline is cheap and has good coverage.
For Argentina, Andesmar or ViaBariloche are great options for long-distance trips, whereas for domestic flights, I would recommend Aerolineas Argentinas for their price and coverage.
Which tourist SIM card is best for Chile And Argentina?
Update: If your phone supports eSIM, I highly recommend checking out Airalo, a global eSIM marketplace. It allows you to stay connected affordably while traveling in Chile and Argentina without having to switch out your physical SIM card.
Gone are the days when you needed to scramble to find a local SIM card at an airport upon arrival. You can purchase an eSIM before your arrival, and you'll be good to go. If your phone doesn't support eSIM, here is how you can get a local SIM card in Chile and Argentina:
Internet with an Entel SIM card in Chile is very good throughout the country, even in Easter Island and Patagonia. The speed is reliable, and it is affordable. For more info, read here.
Argentina, on the other hand, is quite a mixed bag. The internet by Claro works well in big cities like Buenos Aires, but in Patagonia, it doesn't work 60% of the time, and in El Chalten, there is no signal anywhere. Even though the internet package has unlimited data, they capped the data each day to 50MB, and you have to pay extra to get the speed back, with another 50MB capped. That is bullsh*t if you ask me, but there were not many options available. For more info, read here.
Tips: To stay connected with people at home, be sure that you have a VPN, such as ProtonVPN, installed before traveling. It's FREE, and you can gain access to services that may be blocked in certain countries.
Daily Budget
Traveling here will typically cost you more than visiting most other countries. You can expect to spend around $45 - $65 USD per day per person, including food, accommodation, and transportation.
Please keep in mind that these are suggested daily budgets based on my own style of travel, which leans more towards the budget side of things. If you aim to stick to this budget, anticipate sleeping in dormitories, dining out only occasionally, and being comfortable with the cheapest and most convenient modes of transportation, which often involve a considerable amount of walking.
What to Pack for Chile And Argentina?
As you may already know, I am an advocate of light traveling, and indeed, packing light for a journey like this is a unique art form. Here are some packing tips for your upcoming trip to Chile and Argentina:
- Walking/Hiking Shoes: With all the walking and possible hiking during your travel, a comfortable pair of shoes is a must. I recommend the Timberland 3-Eye Classic Boat Shoes that are my go-to pair for long strolls and hikes.
- Breathable Shirts: Given the potential for hot weather, pack a few breathable shirts for your outdoor adventures.
- Shorts/Jeans: Anticipate lots of walking during your travels? Be sure to pack some breathable shorts and a pair of Levi's jeans for when the weather cools. For women, leggings are excellent for both hot and cold climates, so consider packing some as well.
- Fleece Jacket: For colder weather, layering is the key, and a fleece jacket makes an excellent insulating layer. I recommend the Columbia Steens Mountain Fleece (for women).
- Outer Shell Jacket: An outer shell jacket is great for windy or rainy conditions. I highly recommend the Columbia Watertight Jacket (for women). It's lightweight, breathable, and even comes in a cool orange color.
- Microfiber Towel: A Microfiber towel is the ideal backpacker's towel due to its lightness, quick drying, and compressibility.
- Camera: You should also pack a good camera for your trip so that you can capture all the beautiful experiences you might have. I recommend the Sony a7R V camera together with the Sony 24-70mm f2.8 GM II lens, which is probably the highest-performance camera and lens combination you can get right now.
- Power Bank: Keep your electronics charged on the go with a 20,000+ mAh Power Bank.
- Water Bottle: The Hydro Flask Trail Water Bottle is a great insulated water bottle to have with you in cities or on hiking trails. It is lightweight and can keep your water cold or warm for more than 12 hours. It's a total game-changer.
- Universal Adapter: You'll need just one universal adapter to plug in your electronics in any country you visit.
- Packing Cubes: Packing Cubes will help you save space in your backpack and keep all your belongings organized.
- Daypack: The Langly Alpha Globetrotter is my go-to everyday camera backpack. It's large enough to carry all my travel gear, and it comes with plenty of slots and pouches. Plus, it's stylish as hell!
- Large Backpack: You will need a large backpack to carry all of your stuff. I recommend the Osprey Atmos AG 65L backpack. With excellent weight distribution and a lifetime guarantee, you can't go wrong with Osprey.
For more information on what I pack in my backpack for this trip, check out: My Packing List: 60 Travel Essentials.
Now that we have all the information we need, it's time to start planning your trip! Here are some resources to help you get going:
Are you planning to travel independently? Be sure to check out my guide on How To Plan A Backpacking Trip here.
Further Reading for Argentina and Chile
I hope you found these Argentina and Chile travel guides useful. If you are looking for more information about traveling in Argentina and Chile, be sure to check out the articles below:
- Looking for a complete backpacking guide to the entire South America continent? Here is the ultimate 6-Month Backpacking Itinerary for South America.
- First time in South America? Check out the 20 Best Places to Visit in South America.
- Packing for a trip to visit South America can be extremely daunting. Here's a packing guide to help you: What to Pack for South America.
- If you want to visit Patagonia, here's a 2-week Patagonia itinerary for hikers and backpackers.
- You can also visit Puerto Natales in Chilean Patagonia and hike the Torres del Paine trail in one day if you don't have 2 weeks to spare. Here is how to hike Torres del Paine independently in one day.
- Easter Island is one of the best experiences you can have in Chile. It is expensive, but with its unique culture, especially during the Tapati festival, you will not regret traveling to Easter Island. Here is the ultimate 5-day itinerary and travel guide for Easter Island, including everything you need to know like how to get there cheaply, how much it will cost you, and many more.
- Looking for unique things to do in Argentina? Iguazu Falls offer a great change of scenery from Patagonia, in the best ways possible. Here's a complete travel guide on how to spend 3 days in Iguazu Falls from both the Argentinian and Brazilian sides.
- You can watch my Chile travel video here: "Charming Chile" travel video.
- You can also watch my Argentina travel video here: "Terra Argentina" travel video.
- To see all articles about Chile and Argentina, visit Chile Travel Guide page and Argentina Travel Guide page.
- Looking for a place to go after Argentina and Chile? Bolivia is a great place to continue your journey north. Visit my Bolivia travel guide page for more information.
- Looking for more travel guides for South America? You can find more on my South America Travel Guide page.
- For more of my travel guides, visit my Destinations page.
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links.
14 Comments
Great post! It will be lovely if you could breakdown some cost you have spent for food, transportation...and maybe tour that u went with for W circuit if any. thanks!!
Thank you Fiona! I didn't do the W circuit unfortunately because apparently you have to book it in advanced and the booking price for the huts seems to be increasing every year. What I did was a day hike to Torres del Paine and that is it :)
Hi Pete,
I'm trying to book Torres Del Paine next year, but like you i have found the prices for refugios to be ridiculously high ($180 per person per night) and i can't justify spending that.
Did you just get on a bus from Puerto Natales in the morning and do a day hike to the base of the torres? And then get the bus back to Puerto Natales in the evening?
Hi Alex,
Sorry for such a late reply. Yes, that is exactly what I did when I got to Puerto Natales bus station, I went straight to another kiosk and book a seat for a one-day round trip to the national park and did the hike in one day straight up to Torres del Paine and back. Ask the person at the kiosk and they will tell you the time and duration you have.
I hope this helps!
Thank you for great info, this is the route I am planning to take, only starting from Buenos Aires. Any suggestions for cheap flights to Easter island?
Hey Neringa,
Thank you for the comments! In general, flying to Easter Island is not cheap but you can try a few things to keep the price as low as possible. Book way ahead of time and fly from Santiago, Chile. The only airline that flies there is LATAM, that's why it's so expensive. The lowest I found was 1000 USD round trip. I didn't book in advance so I paid almost 1300 USD for it instead. Not much option here but I can tell you that it will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience and it was definitely worth the price tag imo.
Good luck!
Hey there !
Really great blog ! I will be leaving for Chile and Argentina for 3 months with my gf and this will be incredibly helpful to plan our itinerary.
I was really impressed by your pictures and the great depth of field you get for your landscape photos ! (Like the one your used to illustrate San Pedro De Atacama, Chile for example) Would you mind telling me what kind of settings you were using for that picture and what was your camera ?
Thank you in advance and keep up the great work !
Thank you for the comments! Back then, I was using the Sony RX100 M3 and program auto settings and I post-processed it with Lightroom. :)
I hope this helps!
Just two words: WOW!
Thanks!
Thank you! Hope you found it useful!