Chile Patagonia vs Argentina Patagonia: Which is Right for You

Patagonia is one of those bucket list places that hikers, nature lovers, and photographers dream of. Towering jagged peaks, massive glaciers you can walk on, dramatic waterfalls, and the legendary W or O treks — it’s no wonder this wild region is one of the most photographed in the world. But when we started planning our own Patagonia adventure, we quickly realized something: Patagonia is split between Chile and Argentina — and unless you’ve got unlimited time and money, travelers will have to decide to focus on one side, or plan for the time and expense of visiting both.

After spending nearly two weeks hiking, road tripping, photographing, and even horseback riding through this stunning region, we’re here to break it all down for you. In this post, we compare Chilean Patagonia vs. Argentinian Patagonia, the pros and cons of each, to help you decide which side is right for your next adventure — or if doing both is worth it!

Summary of Chilean Patagonia vs Argentina Patagonia

What and Where is Patagonia

Patagonia is enormous, way bigger than we ever imagined! Spanning over 1 million square kilometers, Patagonia is actually larger than France and Germany combined! Before researching for our trip, we had imagined Patagonia as just a compact national park. But we quickly realized that Patagonia stretches across both Chile and Argentina, encompassing a huge variety of landscapes and regions. 

Of course, there are the iconic highlights like Torres del Paine in Chile and Los Glaciares National Park in Argentina — but Patagonia doesn’t stop there. It also includes the stunning lakes and forests around Bariloche, and reaches all the way down to Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world.

In this guide, we will however focus on the most iconic part of Patagonia: Torres del Paine National Park in Chile and Los Glaciares National Park in Argentina where you’ll find the famous Mount Fitz Roy (the emblem of the Patagonia Clothing line).

These are the areas most travelers end up exploring and will provide more jaw-dropping experiences than you could possibly fit into two weeks. 

It’s also worth mentioning that many visitors come to Patagonia specifically to tackle the famous multi-day W or O treks. We decided to take a different route and opted for a road trip with several epic day hikes/trips instead. So this comparison is based on that kind of adventure — ideal for those who want flexibility, epic scenery, and the freedom to explore without booking campsites six months in advance or roughing it in a tent every night.

👀 One tour platform many people don’t know about for South America and has been excellent throughout our travels is Denomades. It’s worth taking a look!

Chile Patagonia Vs Argentina Patagonia

First let’s start off by saying that both the Chilean Patagonia and Argentinian Patagonia are stunning. But while they share that wild dramatic landscape, they each feature their own pros and cons.

In this post, we will compare them based on several key factors like landscape, variety of activities, accessibility, cost, food and more. That way, you can decide which side of Patagonia best suits your travel style, or maybe it is worth visiting both!

Of course, some of this comes down to personal preference, but we’ll keep things as fair and objective as possible (with a dash of opinionated honesty sprinkled in).

Scenery and Landscapes – Argentina ✅️

Let’s kick things off with one of the biggest reasons people visit Patagonia in the first place: the jaw-dropping landscapes. We had just come from the breathtaking Atacama Desert, so Patagonia had big shoes to fill—and it did not disappoint.

Argentina Patagonia Landscape

If we had to compare, we’d say the Argentinian side delivers more of those dramatic, unforgettable views. On both the Laguna de los Tres and Laguna Torre hikes, the striking contrast of crimson fall foliage (we were lucky to go during Autumn), towering snow-capped peaks, and floating icebergs created some of our most unforgettable memories from our entire Patagonia adventure. 

Chile Patagonia Landscape

The Chilean side, on the other hand, offers more variety: cascading waterfalls, ancient caves, sweeping valleys filled with lagoons, and snow-dusted peaks combined with vast lakes. The scenery feels more expansive and diverse, though generally less dramatic than its Argentine counterpart.

For this reason, if you are after the most photogenic and memorable landscapes, we would say that Argentina wins in this category. 

Accessibility and Transport – Tie ↔️

In accessibility, we’ll be breaking down how easy it is to get around and how easy it is to access the main activities/hikes. In the end, this category is tied between Chile and Argentina, but each feature their own specific benefits and caters to a specific style of travel.

Chile Patagonia Accessibility

On the Chilean side, we found that the best way to explore Torres del Paine National Park is by renting a car and doing a self-drive road trip. This is what we did and many of our favourite views came from having the freedom to pull over and soak in the scenery whenever we wanted.

Many of the best viewpoints can be easily accessed by car without needing a long hike, which makes it very convenient. With that said, the downside of accessibility on the Chilean side is that getting to there from Puerto Natales (the main town) requires a drive of close to 2 hours each-way.

While you can stay inside the Torres del Paine National Park to cut down driving time, the accommodations tends to be quite expensive.

So in summary, it is very easy to access the main activities and viewpoints since you have a car and most do not require much hiking, however the driving distances are longer.

Argentina Patagonia Accessibility

On the Argentinian side of Patagonia, you will be basing yourself in the towns of El Calafate and El Chalten, both of which are very close to the main attractions and located right amongst the iconic mountain peaks.

In particular in El Chalten, most of the most famous hikes begin right from the town with the trailheads just a short 5-10 minute walk away. This offer a significant advantage in terms of accessibility, and eliminates the need to rent a car on the Argentina side. In any case, there is no scenic drive around El Chalten.

The one drawback of accessibility on the Argentina side of Patagonia is the 2.5-hour journey between El Calafate and El Chaltén, which requires taking a bus at about $35 USD per person each way. 

Summary: Accessibility in Argentina Vs. Chile Patagonia

If you prefer flexibility, easy access by car, a wide variety of landscapes without needing to hike long distances, and do not mind driving longer distances, then the Chilean side of Patagonia is a better fit.

But if you’re excited about epic and challenging hiking trails that start right from town, stunningly dramatic scenery, and don’t mind traveling around by bus between your two base towns, then the Argentinian side will likely be your favourite.

Hiking – Tie ↔️

Argentina Patagonia Hiking

If you’re looking for challenging and iconic day hikes, then the Argentinian side of Patagonia is where you’ll find them. If we’re only comparing Day hikes between Chile and Argentina Patagonia, we would have to say that the ones in Argentina are more epic!

While El Calafate is mostly known for the impressive Perito Moreno Glacier, the nearby town of El Chaltén is the true hiking capital. Here, you’ll find the famous trails like Laguna de los Tres (to Mount Fitz Roy), Laguna Torre, and other lesser known ones such as Loma del Pliegue Tumbado or Laguna Toro, all of which offer challenging full-day treks (18–20+ km) with unforgettable views – starting right from the town.

These dramatic and varied mountain peaks reminded us a lot of our experience hiking through the Dolomites in Italy. The drawback here however, is that reaching many of the best viewpoints requires a 15+ km roundtrip hike. 

Chile Patagonia Hiking

On the Chilean side, Torres del Paine National Park shines with its world-famous W-Circuit (70-80km, taking 4-5 days) and O circuits (110-130km, 7-9 days), both multi-day treks that bring you through the impressive Cordillera del Paine Andes Mountain Range.

However, these are demanding and often require advance planning, gear, and endurance.

If you’re not up for a multi-day trek, most day hikes in Torres del Paine—aside from the famous Base de Torre hike—are relatively short and accessible, with many scenic viewpoints reached via easy walks (around 10 minutes) or moderate trails under 8 km. This is perfect for families with kids, or those who simply don’t want to or are unable to hike for 5+ hours to reach a viewpoint! 

On final thing to consider is that the trails in Torres del Paine (Chile) have a far stricter control, with many areas roped off and a strict opening and closing time (especially for the Base de Torre hike). We did not see any of that on the Argentinian side, meaning we had a lot more freedom to explore without the time restrictions. 

Summary: Argentina Patagonia Vs. Chile Patagonia Hiking

So in summary, Argentinian Patagonia shines for its challenging and rewarding long day hikes that lead to some of the most jaw-dropping peaks and high-altitude lagoons.

Meanwhile, Chile’s Torres del Paine is ideal either for those seeking an unforgettable multi-day trekking experience or for travelers looking for easier, more accessible day hikes with stunning views. 

Activity Variety – Chile ✅️

Not every traveler heads to Patagonia solely for hiking—and that’s why having a variety of activities is such a huge plus. 

Chile Patagonia Activities

In our experience, Chilean Patagonia offers a much wider range of things to do. 

Other than embarking on the iconic hike to Base de Torre (22km), there are plenty of shorter trails (Like Mirador Condor, Mirador Cuernos, or Salto Grande Lookout) that lead to spectacular viewpoints.

Beyond hiking, Torres del Paine also offers one of the most amazing scenic drive routes (we did this exact route) where you can admire some of the best landscapes of the park right from the road. In fact, it was so enjoyable that we drove this circuit 3 times during our trip! But that’s just the start.

You can ride horses at a traditional estancia (one of our favourite experiences!), explore the ancient Milodón Cave, go glacier kayaking or ice hiking, track wild pumas, Making your own Gin Workshop, visit local cultural museums, catamaran to see the glaciers, or indulge in fresh Patagonian seafood throughout the charming town of Puerto Natales.

Then if you have time for a day trip, you can even head over to Punta Arenas to go visit the King Penguins! We loved how the Chilean side lets you mix intense outdoor adventures with relaxing cultural and scenic experiences.

📝 For a full guide on visiting Torres del Paine (Patagonia in Chile), we have written a comprehensive guide on the best things to do, where to stay, park tickets, how to get there, road trip tips, best tours, and more!

Argentina Patagonia Activities

On the Argentinian side, aside from the incredible Perito Moreno Glacier and the two iconic hikes in El Chaltén (Laguna Torre and Laguna de los Tres), we found that the shorter trails were less impressive, and there weren’t as many other experiences or activities available beyond hiking.

While you can do an Estancia Nibepo Aike horseback riding Tour and glacier hiking (similar to what you’d find on the Chilean side) – overall, we felt it lacked the same variety of activities we enjoyed around Puerto Natales and Torres del Paine. 

And since eating is a big part of travel for us, we have to mention that the food in Argentina felt underwhelming and was very pricey. On the Chilean side, however, we were pleasantly surprised to find delicious seafood like king crab and oysters at much more affordable prices.

Best Tours in Chile and Argentina Patagonia

⚠️ You’ll notice many of the tours we recommend are through Denomades — a platform we used throughout our Patagonia trip. We had consistently great experiences with them. They offer a wider selection of tours/activities than Viator, often at better prices, and work with trusted local companies.

Glacier Experiences and Access – Argentina ✅️

If seeing glaciers is high on your Patagonia bucket list, then the Argentinian side is the clear winner — after all, it’s called Los Glaciares National Park for a reason!

Argentina Glacier Experiences

Argentina is where you’ll find one of the most jaw-dropping glaciers we’ve ever seen: Perito Moreno Glacier. From here, you have the option of exploring all the incredible viewpoints along their network of panoramic boardwalks, get up close on a scenic boat ride, or even strap on some crampons to ice trek on the glacier!

💵🧊 Remember how I said Denomades offers the tours at a more affordable price? The Ice Trek on Perito Moreno Glacier is priced at around 440$ on Denomades Vs. 578$ on GetYourGuide. Just doing my part to help you save those sweet travel dollars!

Furthermore, if one set of glaciers is not enough, there is a secondary exclusive excursion to the more remote Upsala and Spegazzini glaciers where you can enjoy a full-day cruise including a 4-course gourmet lunch!   

Chile Glacier Experiences

On the Chilean side, Torres del Paine is home to the stunning Grey Glacier, but accessing it can be challenging.

If you are interested in taking the Grey Glacier boat navigation, you’ll first need to drive 2 hours (or take the shuttle bus) to reach Hotel Lago Grey where the boat departs.

As for glacier hiking, ice trekking, or kayaking, those experiences are only available to travelers doing the multi-day W or O treks, since they start from Refugio Grey, which isn’t accessible by road. We had really wanted to do the Ice trekking on Grey Glacier given it is about half the price of ice trekking on Perito Moreno Glacier, but getting to Refugio Grey turned out to be too inconvenient and costly. 

For this reason, Argentina comes out on top for glacier experiences—offering easy access, one of the largest and most spectacular glaciers, and multiple ways to explore it.

Food/Gastronomy – Chile ✅️

We love eating and for us, it plays a huge part in our enjoyment of travel. So here we’ll compare the gastronomy of Chile Vs. Argentina Patagonia.

Chile Patagonia Food

For us, food is a huge part of traveling and experiencing a new culture, so we were especially excited by the amazing variety of seafood available on the Chilean side of Patagonia, particularly in the town of Puerto Natales.

From king crab and oysters to scallops and freshwater salmon, the selection was both delicious and surprisingly affordable. Back home, king crab is a luxury and we would never even consider ordering it, but here, we were enjoying dishes like king crab risotto for just around $22!

After a long day of hiking, nothing excited us more than sitting down to a hearty seafood dinner. It quickly became the highlight of our evenings and reminded us of the amazing seafood we enjoyed traveling through Sicily, especially in Taormina and Syracusa!

Argentina Patagonia Food

On the Argentinian side, we found the food to be quite underwhelming overall. Of course, food is highly subjective, so we also asked other travelers we met along the way, and most shared similar impressions.

Due to the ongoing financial crisis in Argentina, the price of food is highly inflated. To give you an idea, an empanada in Buenos Aires might cost around 1$, whereas in El Chalten it is priced closer to 5$. A king crab dish in Chile costed around 22$, whereas a regular fish dish in El Chalten costed 35$!

We ate out every night in El Chalten and El Calafate and other than maybe 1 or 2 meals, most dishes didn’t stand out in terms of flavour.

So in summary, the Chilean side of Patagonia definitely comes out on top in terms of food, offering delicious and fresh seafood and the chance to indulge in specialties like king crab! 

Cultural and Historical Experience – Chile ✅️

When traveling, we always make an effort to learn about the local history and culture, which gives us a deeper connection to the place and the people. Here we’ll compare the cultural and historical experiences in Chile Patagonia Vs. Argentina Patagonia.

Chile Patagonia Cultural/Historical Experiences

Overall, we found far more cultural and historical experiences on the Chilean side of Patagonia and were able to really learn a lot about the local indigenous tribes that once lived there.

Other than the Mylodon cave where you can explore its prehistoric past, there is also an informative museum in town providing fascinating insights into the different tribes that once roamed the lands, as well as its dark history regarding the genocides that occurred.

This story was also shared during our La Peninsula Estancia visit and we were able to not only recognize but also appreciate the native past of Patagonia. We met a lot of local natives here and were able to admire their artisanal crafts and traditional wool products. 

Argentina Patagonia Cultural/Historical Experiences

On the Argentinian side, tourism seemed to be much more centered around hiking rather than exploring the region’s culture and history. We found it challenging to learn more about its culture and the history with the indigenous people that once lived there. When we tried to learn more, most of the historical information tended to be focus primarily on the industrialization of El Calafate and El Chalten and the emergence of sheep and cattle farming estancias. 

Cost – Chile ✅️

With all travel, one of the biggest factors to consider is the cost. In this regard, we felt Chile to be noticeably more affordable and provided a better value. Some of your largest expenses for a trip to Patagonia will be accommodation, restaurants, park fees, and transport.

Accommodation Cost

When it comes to accommodation, Puerto Natales in Chile offered a much wider range of hotels and Airbnbs at affordable prices. In contrast, options in El Chaltén were more limited due to the town’s small size.

While we were able to find budget-friendly stays in both places, Puerto Natales definitely had a broader selection to choose from.

Park Fees Cost

In terms of park fees, Chile turned out to be more a lot more affordable. A 3-day adult foreigner passo Torres del Paine costs 55$ whereas at Los Glaciares National Park (Argentina), a 3-day flexipass costs 80-90$!

If you are only visiting for a shorter period of time and would like to only get a one day Los Glaciares pass (let’s say only to visit Perito Moreno), it is even more expensive at 40$ (almost the same price as the 3 day chilean pass).

Another important factor to consider is that the Torres del Paine pass will cover you for all your activities on the Chilean side, whereas many of the alternative hikes in El Chalten (Argentina) are not part of Los Glaciares and therefore require an additional entrance fee (usually 10-20$).

We heard from locals that a few years back, hiking in El Chalten was completely free and it was only in October 2024 that they implemented these park fees.  

Food Cost

When it comes to food, as we mentioned earlier, we found the Chilean side to be much more affordable, offering better value for both quality and variety.

Transportation Cost

Finally for transportation, the costs are fairly equal.

We rented a car for 4 days in Puerto Natales (Chile) which costed us around 240$, whereas the bus transportation in Argentina totalled about the same (bus between El Calafate to El Chalten, and bus to get to Laguna de los Tres alternative trailhead)

Accommodation and base towns – Chile ✅️

Next up we will evaluate the base towns on both the Chilean and Argentinian side of Patagonia, comparing facilities, accommodation, and amenities.

Chile Patagonia Base Town

When visiting the Chilean Patagonia, your base town will either be Puerto Natales, or you can stay inside the Torres del Paine park.

Although staying in Puerto Natales means that you’ll need to drive a bit further to reach your hikes, the town itself is an excellent base offering an abundance of restaurants, cultural activities, affordable accommodations, and grocery stores.

We chose to use Puerto Natales as our base since staying at the lodges inside of Torres del Paine would’ve costed us about 5x as much.

Although if we had the budget, we would’ve definitely loved to stay inside the park at Hotel Lago Grey, Rio Serrano Hotel & Spa, or Hotel Las torres since you get to be fully immersed in the stunning landscape 24/7!  

Argentina Patagonia Base Town

On the Argentinian side, your trip will typically be split between two towns: El Calafate and El Chaltén.

Overall, we found both towns to be fairly simple, with limited options for groceries, dining, and activities. El Chaltén, where you’ll likely spend most of your time, is especially small, so accommodation tends to book up well in advance.

We also felt like the accommodations, even the pricier ones, tended to be more simple (like Hotel de Los Tres). The one huge benefit of the town of El Chalten is that it is located right amongst the iconic peaks, with the trailheads starting right from the town. 

For these reasons, we overall felt like the Chilean town of Puerto Natales to be a better base town in terms of amenities and accommodations. 

Credit cards/Payments – Chile ✅️

One final thing to consider is the ease of payments in each country. Chile ended up being far easier to make payments, without needing to deal with the blue dollar or MEP rates (in Argentina), and with credit cards widely accepted. 

Argentina, however, proved to be challenging both in terms of withdrawing cash and how credit cards were not widely accepted.

Without getting into too much detail, withdrawing cash in Argentina is difficult because they have several exchange rates available and if you try to take cash out at an ATM, you will be dinged with a very poor exchange rate.

Instead, to get cash with their superior exchange rate (known as the blue dollar rate), you will need to wire yourself money at Western Union and then withdraw the money in person. This is what we did but several times the Western Union was closed, ran out of money, or their system was not working, meaning we had to return 3-4 times.

It turned out to be a huge hassle. If we tried to pay with credit card, we were often hit with a 10-15% surcharge. For this reason, both getting cash or paying with credit cards proved challenging in Argentina. Nonetheless, you’ll need cash in Argentina and despite the hassles, Western Union is still the best way to get the most out of your money.

Patagonia Chile or Argentina: Who is Each Side Better for?

If you’re either seeking an epic multi-day trek like the famous W or O circuits, or doing a road trip filled with breathtaking accessible viewpoints, shorter hikes, delicious and affordable seafood, a range of activities from relaxation spa to horseback riding, and opportunities to learn about local history and culture—Chilean Patagonia is the perfect fit. 

If you’re more focused on embarking on challenging and iconic day hikes with jaw-dropping mountain scenery (like Laguna de los Tres and Laguna Torre) and want to see one of the most accessible and awe-inspiring glaciers in the world (Perito Moreno), then Argentinian Patagonia is for you. It’s a hiker’s paradise, best suited for those focused on dramatic and long day treks rather than variety or cultural immersion.

Overall, if we had to choose only one, we enjoyed the Chilean Patagonia (Torres del Paine) more than the Argentinian side.

Although we love hiking and the Argentinian side provided more epic views, the variety of experiences in Chile was simply unbeatable. From challenging full-day treks to short scenic hikes, relaxing horseback riding excursions, the freedom of road tripping, meaningful cultural and historical sites, and ending the day with fresh, affordable seafood dinners, Chilean Patagonia offered a more well-rounded and fulfilling adventure.

If you’re now planning on visiting Chilean Patagonia, make sure to check out our comprehensive guide on planning your Torres del Paine Visit.

Using WISE card in Chile and Argentina

When taking cash out of an ATM while abroad, you will most likely be charged both a foreign exchange fee and a foreign transaction fee by that country’s ATM. With my Canadian card, this can easily be 3-4$ + 2.75% + a markup on the exchange rate charged by my bank, and then another 3-5$ charged by the foreign ATM.

This can be really costly. For this reason, we recommend using WISE card which has only minimal fees and just about no foreign currency exchange markup. This helps me save at least 5-7$ every time I take out money from an ATM. If you want to see our full review of the card showing exactly how WISE can help you save, check out our WISE Travel card Review post.

Summary: Is Patagonia better in Chile or Argentina

If you’re heading to Patagonia, you can’t go wrong with either the Chilean or Argentinian side.

Both sides have their standout features and offers a different travel experience.

If you are after a more relaxed, accessible, and diverse experience, we would recommend visiting Torres del Paine in Chile.

On the other hand, if you’re an avid intense hiker and want to tackle the most dramatic mountain peaks with unforgettable views, and do not mind the drawbacks of cost and food, then the Argentinian side is better. If you have the chance, we would recommend visiting both but if we had to choose just one side, it would be Torres del Paine in Chile.

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