Argentina (Chile?)
 

Hi everybody,

So obviously I have a lot of questions because I've never been to any country of South America and it's one of my dream (so I really don't want to mess this one).

My husband has to be in Bariloche beginning of January so we thought that we could jump on this occasion to go visit Argentina before (from 20th December to 3rd January, something like this). Of course we searched some informations for Torres del Paine and the national park Los Glacieres. The first one seem to have a 4 days trek that looks amazing but with a lot of people and for the second I'm wondering if you guys had some recommandations? Also, for the W trek in Torres Del Paine I need to have a honest advice on how athletic you have to be to complete that?

We love to hike/trek, landscapes and of course NATURE! Is there something that's off the beaten path but still accessible? Or anything else in Patagonia or Chile is welcome. So now, I have to ask this question.... Argentina or Chile? :) I'm still thinking about Chile, I really would like to go there.

Also everything is sooooo expensive (I know it's the peak season) so if you have any tip that could help we will be really grateful!

I'm sure I will have many more questions coming up but that's all for now

Thanks so much for your help

If your husband has to be in Bariloche, then I think I would do El Calafate and the Perito Moreno glacier and then hiking in El Chalten where they are all day hikes (though some as long as 13-14 miles round trip). That is prime time though so trying to find any accommodations, especially in the refugios along the W trek, is probably going to be exceptionally difficult at this late date. I might probably tack on a few days in San Martin de los Andes (3 hours north of Bariloche) as well.

What odie said. That is high season, you should be looking at accommodation and transport now. The glaciers at El Calafate (not just Perito Moreno) are amazing, and so are the views at El Chalten and Bariloche.

If you are flying into Buenos Aires, you should try to include the Iguazu Falls as well.

A few years ago now but we travelled from Pucon in Chile across the border to San Martin de Los Andes mentioned by Odie1 above. Absolutely loved both those towns and would thoroughly recommend both if you wanted a taste of both countries. Pucon is famed for Villarica the smoking volcano. We did some amazing bike rides around the base of themountain. Both towns are very pretty with stunning scenery surrounding them, although probably not as stunning as El Calafate/ El Chalten/ the W (although we never made it that far).

Patagonia needs planning ahead and booking moths out. You could try your luck at accommodation but why not save Patagonia for another trip? Bariloche, San Martin de los Andes, Pucon, Puerto Varas…they each have plenty to do in beautiful scenery. The bus ride from SMA to Pucon is very scenic or there is the Cruce Andino which involves buses and boats across the lakes from Bariloche to Puerto Varas/Puerto Montt (pricey). You don't have a lot of days to do lakes and Patagonia.

Do book what you want now as from Christmas through January is high season for visitors from Argentina.

Loved the Cruce Andino. Didn't care as much for SMA as crellston, preferred Bariloche. Better views.

Didn't care for the town of Bariloche itself but the area is pretty. We enjoyed several days in SMA and did some nice hikes there. Loved the Cruce Andino trip.

Thanks to all of you for your precious advices, we finally decided to postpone this trip to have a chance to plan it properly! We'll do it for sure tough