I stayed in El Calafate for a week back in 2016 and went to Perito, El Chalten, and Torres del Paine. I have travelled all over the world but I still consider Patagonia as the best and most memorable vacation of my life.
@@paulkenneally789 Torres del Paine is on the Chilean side. This is one of the most scenic places in Patagonia. It’s about 3 hours from El Calafate, Argentina which you can use as home base for visiting Patagonia.
Hi there! Very helpful video, thank you. I was just wondering if you booked anything in advance or can you book it all when you get there? Do you need a guide at all for the popular trails like Laguna Torres or Laguna de los tres?
It’s funny that many foreigners, when they think about Patagonia, think about Calafate and El Chalten, almost like synonyms of Patagonia, but when we Argentines think about it, the most common answer would be Bariloche, or the lakes region as a whole. Of course, it’s really beautiful in El Calafate too. I think there are many unique and amazing places to visit in Argentina, but there are two that are breathtaking and leave you with a stupid face. I’m talking about the Perito Moreno glacier, and the other glaciers in the region, and Iguazu Falls, where you can only laugh and be in awe at the pristine power of nature. One piece of advice: I know that everything is pretty expensive in El Calafate, but try to do the navigation of the Lago Argentino excursion to see all the other glaciers that are in the park. It would really be a shame not to do it; you are going to be missing a lot.
So much of important information. Thank You!! We will be heading to Patagonia next month and we have a quick question regarding blue dollar. When we pay at restaurants and hotels in USD cash, do we get blue dollar rate? Thanks in advance.
Glad you found it helpful!! So you won’t actually be paying for things in USD at the restaurants and shops- they will exchange the money for you there, and then you’ll pay in pesos. And yes it’s pretty close to the blue dollar rate- slightly lower then what you’d get in Buenos Aires but not very noticeable of a difference
I’m not sure, I didn’t go to the Chilean side!! I’m sure it’s beautiful and safe as many people go, but I just wanted to visit multiple places with minimal travel time which is why I stayed on the argentina side!
I actually read that before going too and I was nervous. But I was in Buenos Aires for 5 weeks and probably went to western Union once a week in Palermo soho- never once waited in line or had any issues 🤷🏼♀️
What an awesome video. Thank you for all the info and congratulations. Lots of useful tips for our next trip. Quick question, did you book the domestic airline ticket and bus tickets before you had arrived in Argentina or while you were there? We plan to fly to El Calafate the day after arriving in BA and I don't know if I need to book the air tix before or wait until we're there. Thank you in advance. Keep up the good work!
Thanks so much, that really means a lot!! I booked the domestic airline ticket when I was already in Buenos Aires, I think about 2 weeks before heading to El Calafate. But I’d start checking now and tracking prices just in case, so you can get the cheapest price! And the bus you definitely don’t need to book in advance, just when you land in el Calafate airport you can pay for the bus there and hop right on! :)
Hello, Thanks for your informative videos on Patagonia and elsewhere in S. America. I watched all of them, and found them very useful. Based on your suggestion, I would like to take the bus to the Perito Moreno Glacier as well. Do you recall which company you went with? I was hoping to book them online. Also, do you recall how many people they take on the bus, and how long was the excursion? Full day or half a day? And do the buses do several trips a day? I'm planning on departing Chalten in the morning and arriving in Calafate around noon. Hoping there would be an afternoon bus to the glacier. Thanks
Hi! So glad you found the videos helpful! So I don’t recall which company I went with, but I would recommend waiting and booking in person because it’s cheaper than booking online! If I remember correctly most of them had both a morning and afternoon departure, and the buses were small so had maybe 15-20 people on them. But basically the excursion is just a ride to the glacier- once you’re at the glacier you explore on your own and just meet back at the bus at a certain time for your ride back to El Calafate!!
How soon should we book domestic flights? Can we book the day prior? Do you think it would be stupid for us to make tour reservations the day prior or day of? Going this December. We're considering going with a tour agency which I don't want to do but my gf is worried about everything booking up. Any advice is much appreciated, thanks!
We booked our domestic flights from Buenos Aires to El Calafate I think a week prior? You can def book it the day before, just know it’ll be expensive. And it’s not stupid to do tour reservations the day of or day before- that’s exactly what I do on every trip, this Patagonia one included!! I hate doing tours so I would avoid an entire trip that’s a tour because you don’t get as much freedom to do what you want AND it’s crazy expensive. Way more expensive than doing it on your own!
Hi! Very informative video! Quick question: I will have a pretty short layover in Buenos Aires. Is there a Western Union in or near the airport that you know of? Also, I’m still a little confused about Blue value, I just want to make sure I neither transfer too much nor not transfer enough😅 I’ll be there for a week, what would you suggest?
Hi! I’m honestly not sure if there’s one inside of the airport. But I’m sure there’s one nearby if you search on WU’s locations website. Hmm I’m not sure - Patagonia is pretty pricey. I’d at least do a few hundred and then see if you have to do another WU transfer. If you have USD, Euros, or GBP (not sure where you’re flying from) I’d bring some so you can exchange that as you go too!!
I'm flying to Calafate and I'm debating whether I should go straight to el Chalten. Can you board one of the buses that depart three times a day towards el Chalten from the airport or do I have to go from the airport to the main bus station?
I’m like 95% sure you can straight from the airport because both on the way there and back when I left from downtown, we stopped at the airport. Right when you get off the plane find one of the tourist stands and they’ll be able to help you buy the bus ticket and let you know if the bus will get you from the airport or if you need to shuttle to the bus station
hi Britney, I jus watch your patagonia video and I have questions : 1. can we go to chilean patagonia/torre del paine from el calafate ? ( public bus or rent a car ? ). 2. can we go to punta arenas from torre del paine or el calafate ? ( public bus or rent a car or flight ? ). tks jef
Hello! 1. Yes you can, both by bus (tour company not public bus) and rental car 2. I’m not sure, definitely by rental car and I’d assume from Torres Del Paine there would be buses. But I didn’t go to the Chilean side of Patagonia so I’m not exactly sure as that’s quite far from El Calafate/Torres Del Paine
You mentioned that you travelled there in Nov/Dec, how was the weather and the rain? The crowd? Most people recommended the hike of Laguna de Los Tres, but it is like 20K and last 1 k is crazy tough. Any thoughts on that? Sure I don't want to miss out the beautiful scenery but have to consider my ability. I am not an avid hiker, in 40s and quite decent shape, no illness. BTW I saw that you are traveling in S. America now but not in Peru yet. ( I am an American living in Peru). Probably for the political instability and weather issue, hope one day you will see this beautiful country as well.
The weather was actually beautiful! Still very cold of course, but sunny everyday. And the crowds weren’t too bad! The good thing about any hike is you pretty much get good views the entire way- so you can turn around whenever your body has had enough! And yes unfortunately we had a flight and Airbnb booked for Peru to stay for a month but with all the political instability we had to cancel. I hope to visit soon :)
This may sound a bit silly, but I’m curious as to if there were any large predators in the Patagonian wilderness. I don’t think there are any bears as far as I know, but I’m wondering if there are pumas or other types of wild cats, or other things to be cautious about. I’ve done lots of hiking in North America, and Southeast Asia, and it’s always good to have some bear spray, or some other way of defending yourself against predators, so I’m just curious as to what precautions might be necessary.
I believe there are pumas and some foxes. Although when we had our intro with the park rangers and they were explaining all the different trails and things to be aware of in the park, they didn’t mention any animals. So they must be very rare!
Hi, there are many pumas. The largest pumas in the entire world!. They prey on guanacos, a kind of south american camel. Usually pumas do not attack to humans. But, be cautious.
We went in November and it was perfect! I’d say summer guarantees best hiking days (Dec-Feb) but going right before/after that busy season probably brings less crowds, cheaper prices & still good hiking weather
I want to take my father to go on a mini glacier trek. I’m having trouble finding a company that will take him since he’s 68. Does anyone know any companies that don’t have an age cap?
I’m not sure! I only had to take one tour for the Perito Moreno Glacier, the rest I just took the bus to get there and hiked myself so I think the bus is cheaper than renting a car!!
Man. inflation really went even harder after this video. I mean 7,800 ARS is around 8 dollars right now... not ... 26... I am sure the price has been readjusted for 2024? not sure.
@@factsfeelings3928 oh wow really? Even the black market/western Union exchange rate? Cuz the standard exchange rate has always been horrible. But I went in Nov 2022 for reference!
Amazing video! Thanks for all the info! I think I just missed a detail. Should we sleep always in El Calafate and from there go to El Chalten for the hikes, or should we sleep there as well? If yes, where would you recommend?
You’re welcome, so glad you found it helpful!!! I’d definitely sleep in both places stay 2 nights in El Calafate to see the town and glacier and then stay 2-3 nights in El Chalten once you want to start hiking! They’re both small towns so you really can’t go wrong location-wise as long as you’re in the town! El Calafate has a main road you should try to stay along (I think Libertador Ave? Double check vid I can’t remember lol) and El Chalten is super tiny so anywhere should be fine :)
No problem! You can exchange at pretty much any restaurant or store in El Calafate- they usually post the exchange rate so choose the best one. You can also exchange at the Western Union if you’d prefer!
You could go for other options if you like wild life ( like penguins, sea lions and whales) go to Puerto Madryn . For scenery : Bariloche,Villa la Angostura,San Martin de los Andes,El Bolson, Refugio El azul,Trevelin. Also : small steam train "La Trochita" where Butch Cassidy had some "adventures". There are a lot of things to do in Patagonia not only that.
Thanks for the video. What denomination of US Dollar bills to take ? So far most people are telling me to take big crisp new $100 bills and not smaller $5s, $10s, or $20s. This advice appears odd to me, that the locals want $100s instead of 5X$20 for example. What do you advise ?
No problem! So yes, the higher the bill denomination, the better the exchange rate is that you’ll get. But I exchanged both $100 and $20 bills and they were accepted no problem, it’s just a better exchange rate for the $100!
are there places to fill up water bottles on those long hikes? or just drink from the river? if so, did you use filter/tablets? very informative video, thanks.
So I bought filtered water and took it with me on the hikes, but I did see people filling up their bottles in the river. I’m not sure if they had filtered water bottles or not- but I would encourage that, just in case!
Stayed in El Chalten which I’d recommend! We did 2 nights El Calafate, then 2 nights El Chalten, then took a bus straight from El Chalten to El Calafate airport on the last day
Couldn't even get through this video; prices are already outdated and seems to be the focus of this video.... not "try for a morning/afternoon flight and the pros and cons of that choice... instead: we saved $5 between the two of us by taking a shuttle instead of a taxi.... update or remove, please.
Thanks, I just got to El Calafate last night and plan to go to El Chelten also. I am from the USA. I have been traveling full-time for 3 years. South America has been breathtaking so far. Take care.
Thank you very much for the prompt reply. Appreciate it. Since we are on a tight schedule, we won't have time to get exchange from Western Union and so this is the only way we are planning to change US dollar to Argentine Peso. Will the Casa de Cambios in El Calafate exchange US dollar at blue rate as well?
I’m unsure about that particular place but when I was there a lot of restaurants and shops did take US dollar and typically had the exchange rate posted somewhere in the shop
Yeah! You go to western union’s website and create an account, then you can transfer money to yourself in whatever country you’re going to be in & then when you’re there, you’ll go to a western union office and pick up the money in cash It’s essentially an ATM with a better exchange rate and zero to minimal fees Normally I wouldn’t go through the effort, I would just use an ATM. But since ATM’s in Argentina don’t honor the blue rate, it’s by far the best way to get cash in Argentina (you get double the amount of pesos to the dollar)
Hi, I just watched your vlog and plan for a height up to the Laguna de los Tres. It will be a 8-hour trek like you said. As for toilet facility is concerned, are there available along the trail. This would be a major concern for females in my group. Thanks
This is by far one of the best videos about Argentina I've seen. I'm planning to rent a car for a day trip to El Chalten from El Calafate (long day). Are there parking areas with short hikes for the views? Thanks.
Thanks so much, I really appreciate that and am so glad you found it helpful! I do remember parking areas by some of the most popular hikes! If for some reason you want to hike something smaller that doesn’t have a parking area, it’s easy to park in town and walk. I walked to all the hiking trails from my hotel :)
Do you use a teleprompter when you record? I want to make a similar video of my experience in Patagonia and omg I didn’t realize how difficult it is to speak full sentences into the camera. 😅
You’ll need to double check when you arrive because when I was there in Nov 2022 this was not the case. Credit cards did not have blue rate. But some people have commented after their 2023 visits saying blue rate applies to credit cards now! So test it out when you arrive!
Hope you didn’t shop around too long to make your $2 saving on the El Calafate to Perito Moreno Glacier trip. If I knew all I was going to save was $2 I’d pick any of them and get on with my day.
Great video! My friend and I are headed to Buenos Aires for a day then doing El Calafate, El Chalten, and Ushuaia. Any tips on how to dress. I’m just doing a carry-on and want to pack wisely.
Thank you!! That’ll be amazing. I went in November so it was basically summer time for them, so totally opposite weather than now. But I just did a backpack too and had several thin layers that I wore everyday and would just take off throughout the day as it warmed up!
Thank you so much for this video! My husband and I are going in January and we’re wondering how to go about the tour guide transportation. Are we able to book once we are there or is this something we should book ahead?
You’re so welcome! Enjoy your trip- it’s such an incredible place!! You don’t need to book transportation or activities in advance- I booked everything when I arrived and it was super easy and actually cheaper than booking in advance!!🥰
Sorry to bother you. I do not know who to turn to. I need your help! I plan a trip to Patagonia next April 2025 after visiting Cusco, Peru. I've been looking for a flight from Cusco to El Calafate, Argentina. But there is virtually no direct flight. Every flight will either go through Lima or Buenos Aires with considerable waiting for connecting flights. Altogether the traveling time is over 20 hrs. Is there a better way to go there? Don't people go there from Peru? Thank you so much. Your vlog is much help for my planning, appreciated.
Hello! I’m not sure, I’m sorry. I would assume most people go to Buenos Aires first to explore the city before heading to Patagonia - which is what we did! So there’s probably no way around it. I’d change your itinerary to include a day or two in Buenos Aires so you can make the most of your layover :)
@@SheRunTheWorld Thank you for your reply I plan to visit Buenos Aires on my way back from Ushuaia. I guess I will have to go to Buenos Aires from Cusco as you suggested. Surprised me that there is not many people taking this route. Thanks again
Thank you! I’m not exactly sure, I know that’s winter so I think the visibility and hiking conditions will be dependent on the weather which might be unpredictable
Hi your video is very helpful! About the western union thing, is there a maximum amount of usd you can bring into Argentina? Like would it be reasonable to come with $1000ish usd so that you can skip the western union?
Thank you!! I’m honestly not sure. A quick google search says $10,000 USD is the max you can bring into Argentina. So I’d say you should be fine! But make sure to double check
Hello! It is mentioned in your video that we can book the tours directly from the airport once we touch down. But is it recommended? Will the tours be fully booked by then? Does it make sense to book the tour earlier or is the price of booking directly from the airport cheaper because of the blue rate? Thanks for your tips!
Sorry to ask but am not understanding the western union transfer option. Do you mean you get a better rate if you go online while you are in Argentina and transfer money from yr personal acct to yourself through western union and pick up in Argentina?
Yes! I was there for 6 weeks, and that’s what I would do. Once you submit the transfer you can usually pick up the money at western Union within the hour
Wow! What a great video. Thank you so much for this. My husband and I have been traveling around the world for the last 7 months on a yearlong sabbatical, and this was by far one of the most helpful and informative videos we've watched all year!
Wow!! First off- how amazing, that’s awesome you both are doing that! And seriously thank you, that means so much to me. I’m glad you found it helpful, enjoy Patagonia :)
@@SheRunTheWorld Thanks :) Actually I would like to come to El Chalten and El Calafate on April 24. Do you think the hiking trails are still accessible or will it be already too cold? I am concerned that the trails will be closed...
Nope! Took a bus from El Calafate and then stayed right in town so I could walk from there to all the hike starting points. Really easy! Don’t really think a car is needed
@@SheRunTheWorld Thanks for your reply! I guess there are a few hikes that the starting point is not that close from town. In that case, is there a transfer or taxi service?
