Where to trek in the heart of Argentina and Chile – Torres del Paine vs. Fitz Roy
Where to trek in the Andes of Argentina or Chile depends largely on whether you plan to arrive via Buenos Aires or Santiago de Chile.
Most travelers to southern South America will arrive in Buenos Aires and begin their trip from there. Although many profess wanting to tour Argentina, it seems one of the first places most wish to visit is Torres del Paine National Park. There is no question that Torres del Paine is a spectacular park, but the fact is it is in Chile and not Argentina and so it’s best to decide whether one may not be better off to trek Cerro Torre and Mount Fitz Roy in Argentina rather than Torres del Paine.
Though to fly from Buenos Aires to El Calafate, in the heart of Argentine Patagonia, and overland from there, is geographically straight and shortest way to get to Torres del Paine, the transportation to the park is not exactly convenient nor overabundant and if time is of essence this may be an issue. There is public bus from El Calafate to Puerto Natales and Punta Arenas one can catch and hop off it at the park’s entry, and private transfers are available as well though not plentiful nor cheap.
Without a doubt the best access to Torres del Paine is from Punta Arenas and Puerto Natales, south of Torres del Paine in Chilean Patagonia. Of course this poses a bit of a dilemma if starting from Buenos Aires. To get to Punta Arenas can be done either by flight via Santiago de Chile or by going to Bariloche in the heart of Argentine Andes first and from there overland across the Andes Lakes District to Puerto Montt and fly to Punta Arenas from there.
If going to Punta Arenas via Santiago may seem like a cumbersome detour, then add a stop and break up the trip by visiting Mendoza first. Mendoza is an easy flight from Buenos Aires and on the way to Santiago. In Mendoza you can tour the best wineries of the region, sample local dishes, lodge at some wonderful hotels, and after three or four days continue on to Santiago.
A better alternative is indeed to forget Torres del Paine altogether, tailor it into your itinerary on a future trip focusing on Chile only, and instead proceed from El Calafate to El Chalten, a base town for treks into the wilds of the incredible Cerro Torre and Mount Fitz Roy. If you are on a limited time, from El Chalten you can head back to El Calafate and return to Buenos Aires from there.
