Relaxing trip to Patagonia and Chile

Hi there, I’m planning a 3-week trip to Patagonia and Chile at the end of March. I’m looking for a pretty chill itinerary that isn’t too tiring for health reasons, but still a nice trip... To avoid spending three weeks in the somewhat chilly Patagonia, we’re planning to head up to Valparaíso and the Atacama Desert. Here’s the itinerary: Arrival in Buenos Aires Flight to El Calafate (4 nights) Bus to Puerto Natales (1 night) Torres del Paine (4 nights) Santiago (1 night) (flight from Puerto Natales) Valparaíso (4 nights) San Pedro de Atacama (5 nights) Santiago (1 night) then flight to Paris I’m wondering whether it’s worth going all the way to Ushuaia. Sure, it’s a legendary destination, but is it as impressive as El Calafate and Torres del Paine? The other option would be to cut one night from Torres del Paine, Valparaíso, and San Pedro, and spend 3 nights in Ushuaia instead. Also, I’m a bit confused about whether an international driver’s permit is required to drive in Argentina and Chile. I’ve applied for one, but the processing times are really long, and I probably won’t have it before I leave... Thanks for your feedback, Marc

Hi,

The city of Ushuaia itself isn’t anything special. If anything, Tierra del Fuego Park to the west of the city might be worth it, or if you were continuing south to Navarino Island and the village of Puerto Williams. But especially for a trip of "only" 3 weeks. If anything, replace the nights you want to cut with 3 nights on Chiloé Island. Personally, I really liked it, despite the rain. So, take a flight from Punta Arenas to Puerto Montt, then another flight (or an overnight bus) from Puerto Montt to Santiago. For Chile, I confirm—you’ll need an international driver’s permit.

Fred

Hi Marc, I took a quick look at your itinerary. If you plan to spend 4 nights in Torres del Paine Park, you might end up with a hefty budget if you stay in hotels. If you camp, you’ll need to pay extra attention to food and supplies. An alternative would be to stay in Puerto Natales and make day trips or a loop, entering via Cerro Castillo and exiting the park via the Milodon Cave road. At the end of March, the days start getting shorter in the area, and the weather in Patagonia is extremely variable—usually chilly with quite a bit of wind. Have a great trip! Thierry

Thanks for the tip—I hadn’t considered visiting Chiloé Island. I’ll look into that option. As for the international driver’s permit, I couldn’t find anything clear on the official websites... Marc

Hi there, Rental companies in Chile and Argentina generally don’t ask for an international driver’s permit. It *might* cause issues during road checks (which are frequent in Argentina), but it’s unlikely.

Car rental companies in Chile and Argentina generally don’t require an international driver’s permit.

That’s often true.

It could potentially cause problems during road checks (common in Argentina), but it’s unlikely.

In Chile, it’s really up to the officer—or rather, the driver’s face.

If the police see a passport from a non-Spanish-speaking country, like a European one, it usually goes smoothly. The officer typically doesn’t want to deal with finding a translator or interpreter.

But if the driver is Venezuelan, Peruvian, Bolivian, or any South American without a Chilean or international license, problems are pretty much guaranteed—for both the driver and the vehicle.

Good luck.