How Much Does a Trip to Patagonia Cost? Our 2026 Budget Breakdown
- emoutdoors
- 6 days ago
- 7 min read
Updated: 4 days ago
Planning a trip to Patagonia? Here’s my budget breakdown for flights, food, accommodation, and trekking in Chile and Argentina.
Disclaimer: The information provided on Em Outdoors is for general informational purposes only. Your safety and well-being during outdoor exploration activities is your sole responsibility. It is important to understand and acknowledge our disclaimer.
Patagonia has been on my bucket list for years, but the time and cost always felt overwhelming. When I announced my trip on social media, the biggest request I got was for a budgeting breakdown.... so that’s what this post is all about!
I’ve pulled together the costs of our upcoming January 2026 trip, most of which we’ve already paid through advance bookings for flights, buses, accommodations, and excursions. What’s left are food, incidentals, and any surprises along the way. After the trip, I’ll share an updated budget so you can see how much it cost in the end.
My goal is to give you a clear sense of what to expect and help you plan your own adventure. If you’re a visual learner, scroll down to see the map of our route and highlights!
Sections:
Planning and Money-Saving Tips
Below are a few budgeting tips we’ve learned in the planning process:
Time of year Matters:
Book flights and accommodations as early as you possibly can – especially during the high season (December – February). Prices skyrocket and availability can be scarce, so booking ahead or aiming for the shoulder season can save a lot.
Bring your own gear and food for the W trek:
If you plan to do this famous hike in Torres del Paine National Park, camping with your own tent, sleeping bag, sleeping mat and dehydrated meals is much cheaper than paying for provided gear and meals.
Bundle Up!
Book hotels with breakfast included. This is a popular option in Patagonia, and I tried to choose it wherever possible. It keeps mornings simple and helps cut down on food costs.
Gamble and save:
Consider non-refundable rooms. If your dates are set in stone, non-refundable bookings can save money, just be sure your plans won’t change.
Go self-guided:
Tours and guided hikes add up quickly. If you’re experienced and comfortable on the trail, hiking independently is both affordable and rewarding.
Cash is King:
Buy bus tickets in cash, on location. This can be cheaper than booking online, but buses do sell out in peak season; weigh the savings against the risk.
Stay in hostels:
They’re the most budget-friendly option. Many in Patagonia cater more to hikers and trekkers than to partiers, so they can be a good fit even if you’re not a hostel regular.
Patagonia Itinerary Overview
The Patagonia region is shared by Chile and Argentina. It’s both a hiker’s dream and a logistical challenge. After months of planning, our trip will take us to Puerto Natales, Torres del Paine, El Calafate, and El Chaltén. Here’s a breakdown:
Chile – Puerto Natales & Torres del Paine (6 days, 5 nights)
Arrive in Puerto Natales (PNT) and stay in a budget-friendly hostel.
The highlight of this segment of our trip is hiking part of the W Trek in Torres del Paine National Park, using campsites and buses or catamaran transfers to get around.
After the trek, we’ll return to Puerto Natales for a short stay before heading across the border into Argentina.
Argentina – El Calafate & El Chaltén (7 days, 6 nights)
Our first stop in Argentina will be El Calafate, where we’ll spend a couple of nights to visit the Perito Moreno Glacier.
Next, we’ll travel to El Chaltén, which friends have told us was the highlight of their Patagonia trips. We plan to spend several days hiking and exploring the town. With trailheads right in town, we don’t expect to spend any money on guided tours here.
Finally, we’ll return to El Calafate for one night before flying home, El Calafate → Buenos Aires → Ottawa.
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Budget Breakdown
I’ve put a lot of emphasis on planning and booking as much of our trip ahead of time as possible. I wanted to have piece of mind and also pay for the majority of our adventure before the trip. See below for current and predicted expenses are for our Patagonia adventure in January 2026.
Cost of Accommodation
I’ve pulled together a rough estimate of our nightly accommodation costs based on the bookings I’ve made. These estimates are per room, per night, and exclude the two nights we’ll be camping in Torres del Paine National Park (since those are bundled with the W trek experience).
Location | Nights | Cost (CAD) |
|---|---|---|
Hostel, Puerto Natales | 1 | $123 |
Hostel, Puerto Natales | 2 | $245 |
Hostel, El Calafate | 2 | $215 |
Hotel, El Chaltén | 3 | $410 |
Hostel, El Calafate | 1 | $141 |
Total Accommodation | 9 | $1,134* (~$567 per person) |
Average Cost/per night | 1 | $126* (~$63 per person) |
*Since I’ll be traveling with my husband, all of these costs are split between us.
Cost of Transportation
Below is a breakdown of our transportation costs, including flights, buses, and transfers, based on the bookings I’ve made. *The flight price listed for Ottawa → Puerto Natales is only an estimate, based on average seasonal fares. In reality, Patagonia is the third stop on our larger South America trip, so we’ll be arriving from another country rather than flying directly from Ottawa.
Tip: From what I could read online, Patagonia’s buses are comfortable, reliable, and widely available. There is a lot of information on Reddit on how to get around and other people’s experiences with logistics in Patagonia.
Route | Cost (CAD) per person |
|---|---|
Flight: Ottawa → Santiago → Puerto Natales* | $1,300* |
Bus: Puerto Natales → Torres del Paine → Puerto Natales | $48 |
Catamaran: Pehoe → Pudeto** | $41** |
Bus: Puerto Natales → El Calafate | $53 |
Bus: El Calafate → El Chaltén → El Calafate | $77 |
Flight: El Calafate → Buenos Aires → Ottawa | $1,219 |
Total Transportation | $2,737 per person |
*This flight cost is only an estimate. Since we’ll be visiting another country first, we won’t be flying directly from Ottawa to Puerto Natales.
**The catamaran is only required for certain routes in Torres del Paine. We included it because of the route we chose, but depending on your itinerary, you may not need it.
Approximate Food Costs
We haven’t bought our food yet, but I’ve pulled together rough estimates based on what I found online. Actual costs will vary depending on how often you eat out versus cook for yourself. These numbers are per person, per day, and exclude the W trek days (3) since meals are included in that package.
Location | Average Cost Food per Day | Days | Total (per person) |
|---|---|---|---|
Puerto Natales | 35 | 3 | $105 |
El Calafate | 40 | 3 | $120 |
El Chaltén | 45 | 4 | $180 |
Total | - | 10 | $405 |
Cost of Activities & Experiences
Torres del Paine W Trek:
If you’re planning on hiking the W Trek, here’s a sample of what the costs might look like. There are a range of options for accommodation and food services. You can see how your hike would get pricey fast if more gear or food is provided for you on the trail.
Item | Cost (CAD) per person |
|---|---|
Park Entrance Fee | $65 |
Bus: Puerto Natales → Torres del Paine Park Entrance → Puerto Natales | $48 |
Shuttle: Torres del Paine Park Entrance → W trek trailhead | $7 |
Catamaran: Pehoe → Pudeto | $41 |
Campsite: 1 person (no gear included) | $124 per night |
Campsite: 2 people (no gear included) | $138 per night ($69 per person per night) |
Semi Equipped Camping* - 1 person | $276 per night |
Semi Equipped Camping* - 2 people | $304 per night ($152 per person per night) |
Fully Equipped Camping* - 1 person | $373 per night |
Fully Equipped Camping* - 2 people | $414 per night ($207 per person per night) |
Refugio, single bed | $286 per night |
Full Board (Dinner, breakfast and box lunch) | $179 per day |
Half Board (Dinner and breakfast) | $124 per day |
Breakfast (Bread, eggs, cereal, tea/coffee) | $48 (per breakfast) |
Lunch (Soup, main course, water, bread) | $90 (per lunch) |
Dinner (Soup, main course, water, bread) | $90 (per dinner) |
Box Breakfast | $42 (per box breakfast) |
Box Lunch (Sandwich, cereal bar, dried fruits) | $55 (per box lunch) |
Box Dinner | $84 (per box dinner) |
*Semi equipped camping: includes tent and sleeping mat. Fully equipped camping: includes tent, sleeping mat and sleeping bag
See below for a breakdown of what we ended up paying for our W Trek experience.
Notes:
We’ve chosen the package where tents, sleeping gear, and meals are provided. It’s more expensive, but since Patagonia will be the third stop on our larger South America trip, we decided it’s worth not lugging all our own gear down from Canada.
We are doing a modified W trek, where we will be doing 2 days and 3 nights, as opposed to the full 5 days/4 nights classic W trek.
Our W Trek Costs | Cost (CAD) per person |
|---|---|
Park Entrance Fee | $65 |
Bus: Puerto Natales → Torres del Paine Park Entrance → Puerto Natales | $48 |
Shuttle: Torres del Paine Park Entrance → W trek trailhead | $7 |
Catamaran: Pehoe → Pudeto | $41 |
Night 1: Fully Equipped Camping - 2 people | $207 |
Night 2: Fully Equipped Camping - 2 people | $207 |
Day 1/2: Half Board (Dinner on day 1 and breakfast on day 2) | $124 |
Day 2: Box Dinner | $84 |
Day 3: Box Breakfast | $42 |
Total Cost for our Torres del Paine modified W trek hike | $825 |
Perito Moreno Glacier: Costs included in general park fees for day tours (~$50–$70 CAD if guided).
Hikes in El Chaltén: Free! Only minor expenses for food and water.
Final Total Costs: Our Trip to Patagonia
Here’s a breakdown of our total costs for 13 days in Patagonia this January. Transportation makes up more than half of our expenses, but on a longer trip the balance would shift, since accommodation, food, and activities would add up while transportation would stay about the same.
Item | Total (CAD) per person |
|---|---|
Accommodation | $567 |
Transportation* | $2,650* |
Food (estimate) | $405 |
W Trek Hiking | $825 |
Total | $4,447 |
*I excluded costs for the bus, shuttle and catamaran from "Transportation costs" so I don't double count them; they are included under “W Trek Hiking”.
Final Thoughts
Patagonia has a reputation for being both breathtaking and a bit tricky to plan, and I can confirm that’s true. Between buses, park passes, and accommodation that fills up quickly, it takes some careful organizing. The upside is that getting those details locked in now means (hopefully) less stress later and more time to just enjoy the mountains, glaciers, and trails. I’ll report back once we’re home to share how it all actually went!
There’s a lot more I could say about the logistics, like our detailed itinerary and transportation, so I could save that for another post. Let me know in the comments if you’d like me to dive deeper into that side of the planning!