Self-Launched Iconic Patagonia: Santiago to Buenos Aires Independently
8 days · Patagonia (Chile & Argentina)
G Adventures charges £3,680
No-markup version: ~£1,150 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of G Adventures' National Geographic Journeys "Iconic Patagonia" — 8 days from Santiago's vineyards over the Andes into Chilean Patagonia, then across the steppe to El Calafate's glaciers and out through Buenos Aires. Same spine (Santiago city + winery day, Torres del Paine full day, Perito Moreno Glacier, tango in BA), but booked directly: city buses and the metro in Santiago, low-cost flights (Sky/JetSMART/LATAM) instead of included internal flights, shared glacier tours booked via GetYourGuide, and the public bus across the Chile–Argentina border. Expect hostel/budget-hotel beds rather than "upgraded" hotels, and a total land cost of roughly a third to a quarter of the operator's price.
Day-by-day
Arrive Santiago — settle into Bellavista or Lastarria
Santiago, Chile
Land at Arturo Merino Benítez (SCL) and take the TurBus/Centropuerto airport bus (~CLP 2,000–2,500, about £2) or an official taxi (~£22) into the centre. Base yourself in Bellavista or Lastarria for walkable nightlife and cheap eats. No group welcome meeting needed — instead pop into the Turistik kiosk on Plaza de Armas or book online, and grab a BIP metro card for the next days. Evening: empanadas and a pisco sour at a patio bar in Bellavista (£8–12).
🚌Centropuerto/TurBus airport bus ~£2; metro once in town
🛏Hostel dorm or private double in Bellavista/Lastarria (e.g. Hostal Providencia, Casa Volante) — £16–24
- →Airport bus to city centre
- →Self-walk of Bellavista & Lastarria neighbourhoods
- →Buy BIP transit card
Santiago city walk + Maipo/Casablanca Valley winery day
Santiago, Chile
Morning self-guided history loop on foot or by metro: Plaza de Armas, Metropolitan Cathedral, La Moneda Palace, Cerro Santa Lucía lookout — all free or by donation. After lunch (£8), head to the surrounding valleys: book a small-group boutique winery tour on GetYourGuide (Maipo or Casablanca Valley, ~£45–60 incl. tastings and transport) or do it DIY by taking a Turbus/ Pullman bus to Casablanca (~£3–5) and booking a cellar-door tasting at a family bodega (~£15–20). Several valley wineries run seasonal viticulture/harvest workshops in Feb–Apr — ask when booking. Return to the city for the evening.
🚌Metro ~£1; shared minivan or intercity bus to wine valley ~£3–10
🛏Same Santiago hostel/hotel — £16–24
- →Self-guided Santiago historic centre walk
- →Winery tour & tasting in Maipo or Casablanca Valley (GetYourGuide or direct)
- →Optional seasonal viticulture workshop at the bodega
Fly south to Puerto Natales
Puerto Natales, Chile
Fly Santiago → Punta Arenas or Puerto Natales with Sky Airline, JetSMART or LATAM (~£70–110 one way booked early; Sky often cheapest, Punta Arenas flights are more frequent). From Punta Arenas take the Bus-Sur/Buses Fernández bus to Puerto Natales (~3 hrs, £12–16) — or fly direct to Puerto Natales (PNT) if schedules line up. Check into a hostel near the plaza, then stretch your legs on a self-guided wander of the waterfront along Última Esperanza Sound. Stock up on snacks and cash (ATMs are patchy) and buy your Torres del Paine park ticket online in advance (CONAF, ~£25). Early night before a big day.
🚌Domestic flight ~£70–110; Bus-Sur Punta Arenas→Puerto Natales ~£14
🛏Hostel in Puerto Natales (e.g. Hostal Yagan, El Patagonico) — £18–26
- →Self-guided Puerto Natales waterfront & plaza walk
- →Buy Torres del Paine park entry online (CONAF)
- →Sort next-day tour pickup with your hostel
Full day in Torres del Paine — Grey Lake, Cuernos lookout, Salto Grande
Torres del Paine National Park, Chile
Book the classic full-day small-group Torres del Paine tour via GetYourGuide or directly with a Puerto Natales operator (e.g. Torres del Paine Tours, Solo Expediciones) — ~£45–65 including transport, guide and park logistics. The standard route hits Grey Lake and its icebergs, the Pehoé Lake viewpoint, the Cuernos Lookout, a picnic stop by Nordenskjöld, Salto Grande waterfall and Sarmiento Lake/Blue Lagoon with guanacos on the steppe. If you'd rather DIY, the Buses Fernández/Josmar day bus into the park runs ~£18–25 return, but you lose the guided narration. Bring lunch (£6) — park food is pricey. Back in town for dinner (£12).
🚌Shared minivan tour transport included in activity price
🛏Same Puerto Natales hostel — £18–26
- →Full-day guided Torres del Paine tour (GetYourGuide/direct booking)
- →Grey Lake & Grey Glacier viewpoint
- →Cuernos Lookout and Salto Grande waterfall
- →Wildlife spotting — guanacos, rheas, possibly condors
Cross the steppe by bus into Argentina — El Calafate
El Calafate, Argentina
Take the daily cross-border bus Puerto Natales → El Calafate (Bus-Sur/Cootraviaga, ~5–6 hrs incl. border formalities, ~£25–35; book 1–2 days ahead in high season). The route rolls across empty Patagonian steppe with guanacos and the odd ñandú — sit on the right for views. Border stop at Cerro Castillo/Integración Austral: have your passport handy and declare any food. Arrive El Calafate, check into a hostel on Avenida del Libertador, then walk to the Glaciarium Museum (~£12, shuttle included) to prep for tomorrow's glacier — or do the museum first and wander the lakefront instead. Dinner: Patagonian lamb stew (£14).
🚌Bus-Sur/Cootraviaga Puerto Natales→El Calafate ~£30; local shuttle/taxi to Glaciarium ~£3
🛏Hostel/budget hotel in El Calafate (e.g. America del Sur, Hostel del Glaciar) — £20–30
- →Cross-border bus over the Patagonian steppe
- →Glaciarium interactive ice museum
- →Self-guided lakeside walk on Lago Argentino
Perito Moreno Glacier — boardwalks and north-face boat
Los Glaciares National Park, Argentina
Book the full-day Perito Moreno excursion through GetYourGuide or a local operator (~£40–55 including park transfer and guide; park entry ~£10 extra, pay online). Morning on the wooden boardwalk network for multiple angles on the 60 m ice wall — time it for a calving. Then add the boat cruise along the northern face (~£22–28) for the real sense of scale, with lunch in the park (~£8). Keep your ticket for re-entry into the boardwalk loops in the afternoon. Back in El Calafate for a free evening — happy hour and a parrilla (£14).
🚌Shared tour minibus included; park entry fee extra
🛏Same El Calafate hostel — £20–30
- →Perito Moreno Glacier boardwalks
- →Boat cruise along the glacier's north face
- →Optional mini-trekking on the ice (book direct, ~£90–110)
Fly to Buenos Aires — architecture, cafés, tango
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Fly El Calafate (FTE) → Buenos Aires (AEP/EZE) with Aerolíneas Argentinas, JetSMART or Flybondi (~£60–100 one way; 15 kg luggage limit on the cheap fares). From AEP take the Aerolíneas/Airport Bus or a taxi (~£8–14) to Palermo or San Telmo. Afternoon self-walk: Plaza de Mayo, Casa Rosada, Recoleta Cemetery (free), and a cortado in a classic café (£3). Evening: book a tango dinner show in San Telmo or Abasto via GetYourGuide (~£55–90) — or the budget route: a group beginner tango class in a milonga (~£10–15) plus pizza at Güerrin (£8).
🚌Domestic flight ~£60–100; airport bus/taxi ~£8–14; Subte ~£1
🛏Hostel or budget hotel in Palermo/San Telmo (e.g. Milhouse, America del Sur) — £22–32
- →Self-guided Buenos Aires historic & Recoleta walk
- →Tango dinner show (GetYourGuide) or milonga class
- →Palermo street-art and café crawl
Buenos Aires — depart (or linger for a market morning)
Buenos Aires, Argentina
If your flight is later, spend the morning at the San Telmo Sunday market if it falls on a Sunday, or hit the weekend Feria de Mataderos for folk music and street food (£6). Otherwise: La Boca's Caminito for 30 minutes of photos (daytime only), bookshop-hop El Ateneo Grand Splendid, and a final medialuna and coffee (£4). Head to Ezeiza (EZE) with the Tienda León bus (~£11, 45–60 min) or AEP by taxi for onward flights. No group transfer needed.
🚌Tienda León airport bus to EZE ~£11, or taxi to AEP ~£8
🛏Departure day — no overnight
- →Self-guided San Telmo/La Boca wander
- →El Ateneo Grand Splendid bookshop
- →Airport bus to EZE
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,150 | £3,680 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £2,530 per person (69%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,150
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 Self-Launched Iconic Patagonia: Santiago to Buenos Aires Independently cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,150 per person for 8 days in Patagonia (Chile & Argentina). 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 £3,680 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,150 — a saving of roughly £2,530 (69%) per person.
How long is the Patagonia (Chile & Argentina) trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 day-by-day stops through Patagonia (Chile & Argentina).
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, culture trip through Patagonia (Chile & Argentina), 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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