A perfect 2 weeks in Patagonia: Puerto Natales, Torres del Paine, El Calafate, Los Glaciares, El Chalten
Patagonia
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Dec 9 - Dec 22, 2022
We had the trip of a lifetime! It's really hard to narrow down our favorite parts of the trip, but one huge positive of using Erin and her team at Dittmar was that they were able to find experiences that were off-the-beaten-path, give us great advice on the better-known hikes and sites, and tailored the entire trip to our exact requests. My husband and I are both extremely busy people, so to be able to tell Erin the major things that we wanted to see, the type of vacationing that we wanted to do, and let her largely plan the trip from there, was awesome! I also loved that she and her colleagues had experienced all of the excursions, hikes, and many of the hotels themselves, so could give real-time feedback and advice as we were selecting our itinerary.
One of the best days of the entire trip was going to Estancia La Peninsula in Puerto Natales. This was a last-minute addition to the itinerary after our flight from the States to Chile was unexpectedly moved up a day. While nothing will beat the insanely beautiful views of the national parks in both countries, this day was uniquely special, intimate, and fun. We visited the ranch with 4 other tourists and really got to know the owner and staff as a result. We learned a ton about the culture of Chile and the Patagonia region, got to know their life stories, had a DELICIOUS meal, saw beautiful views on horseback, and just generally had such a special day. These are the types of experiences that Dittmar and Erin arrange: ones that truly unique to the region and to working with Dittmar. That said, Erin and team were also great with the more traditional "must-sees/dos." For example, Erin had a ton of great tips for us while on the 3-night, 4-day W Trek in Torres del Paine, and we felt more prepared and were able to really enjoy our time as a result.
We're so sad that our trip is over, but we're recommending it to anyone and everyone we know now that we are back in the US!
Hotel Reviews
One of the best hotels we've been to yet--gorgeous views, top-of-the-line service, delicious food, and such a unique, historical setting.
The prettiest place I've EVER been. The cabins were well worth the extra cost as a break from the tents, and nice to have a more private bathroom with just the other cabin-goers. I will never forget this awesome place!
The most amazing night after 3 nights of camping on the W! Such a serene lobby, loved the architecture, great food, and insanely gorgeous views.
Great breakfasts, super nice staff, perfect location!
Nicest staff! Great breakfast, beautiful views, perfect location!
Activity Reviews
We added this to our trip at the last-minute because we ended up having an extra day in Natales--and we are so so happy we did! Ian and his team were the best hosts. The boat ride, the horseback ride, the lunch, sheep sheering and watching the sheep dogs do their thing--I can't imagine a more perfect day. The views at the top of the horse trail were absolutely gorgeous.
We have never been so happy to see this boat at the end of our ~50 mile W Trek!! It was so fun--we ended up being with a lot of other W Trek-ers. What a fun way to share stories, all while seeing these gorgeous glaciers with a free pisco sour!
The guides were awesome--we loved learning about their lives! The kayaking was pretty easy between the current and the wind at your back (which I think it typical coming off the lake). Unbeatable views!
![Admire the Famous Perito Moreno Glacier [Mayo Trek - Alternative Excursion]](https://cdn.kimkim.com/files/a/images/cd23070ceb0f0c2703fafeb9daa5aec56f1f6ccf/medium-48065fcfae1a7b989d450b3e3ce1c6fb.jpg)
Loved seeing the waterfall, forests, and other mountains and glaciers of the park in addition to Perito Moreno. It was also great to see so much of Lago Argentina--the lake itself is so incredible. It looks like the southwestern USA on one end (desert-like), and the other you have these huge snow-capped mountains and glaciers. And in between, rolling green mountains that could be in Hawaii! The water is such a neat color once you are on it, too. We had PERFECT weather, which definitely helped, but I think this experience would have been awesome either way.