7. The Cerro Castillo Circuit
Looking for a lesser-known multi-day hike through Chilean Patagonia? The 43-kilometer Cerro Castillo Circuit offers the same wow factor of the W Trek (above) without the crowds. In four arduous days, you’ll circumnavigate the castle-like spires of Cerro Castillo, passing glistening glaciers, turquoise lagoons, and endangered huemul deer along the way.
This circuit trail doesn’t see a whole lot of traffic throughout the year and is best appreciated on a guided tour for inexperienced backpackers due to some tricky stream crossings and technical mountain passes. Find guides in the service village of Villa Cerro Castillo or the regional capital of Coyhaique 1.5 hours away. Experienced hikers with prior backcountry experience should be fine on their own with a good map.
8. The Ice Hike on Perito Moreno
Though not the biggest glacier in Patagonia, Perito Moreno is easily the most famous as it creeps forward up to two meters per day, resulting in thundering roars of cascading ice as it calves truck-sized icebergs into Canal de los Tempanos. This 30-kilometer-long, five-kilometer-wide glacier is the photogenic star of many a postcard and one of Argentina’s top attractions luring visitors from near and far.
One of the best ways to experience it is on an ice hike through its frozen contours. Four-hour guided treks onto the ice can be arranged in nearby El Calafate, the main hub for lodgings and tourist services in the southern sector of Los Glaciares National Park. Most tours involve a boat ride from Puerto Bajo de las Sombras and a walk through a lenga forest before you strap on some crampons and take to the ice.
