Costs of a trip to Patagonia

How much does a trip to Patagonia cost?

Patagonia, the breathtaking region in the southern part of South America that stretches across Chile and Argentina, is known for its stunning landscapes, majestic mountains and breathtaking wildlife. A trip to Patagonia can be an unforgettable adventure, but many travellers wonder how much they should budget for it. In this blog post, I will go through the main cost items of a trip to Patagonia and present a breakdown of my costs in 2024.

Airfare

The first major expense is flights. Prices can vary greatly depending on where you are travelling from.

• International flights: A return flight from Europe or North America to Buenos Aires (Argentina) or Santiago (Chile) usually costs between £700 and £1,300, depending on the season and airline. Currently, flights to Chile are generally cheaper, so travelling via Punta Arenas is recommended. As prices can fluctuate, be sure to check prices via Santiago and Buenos Aires.

• Domestic flights: From Buenos Aires or Santiago, you will need to fly on to Patagonia. Flights to El Calafate, Ushuaia (Argentina) or Punta Arenas (Chile) usually cost between £85 and £260 each way. Here, too, it was significantly cheaper to fly to Punta Arenas from Santiago. You can book the flights together directly or book the domestic flight separately. It is best to allow for a buffer in case your primary flight is delayed.

Accommodation

The cost of accommodation in Patagonia can vary greatly depending on whether you want to stay in hostels, mid-range hotels or luxury lodges.

• Hostels and budget accommodation: Prices start at around £15-30 per night for a bed in a shared room or a simple private room. Some also offer cosy little cabanas.

• Mid-range hotels: You can expect to pay between £50 and £100 per night for a double room.

• Luxury lodges and hotels: Prices here start at around £130 per night and can go up to several hundred pounds per night.

For booking, I can recommend Booking.com and especially Airbnb. It’s super easy and you have a great selection.

Catering

The cost of food depends greatly on whether you want to eat in simple restaurants, cater for yourself or visit upmarket restaurants.

• Budget: If you want to eat cheaply, you can expect to spend around £10-15 per day. Cooking for yourself with local ingredients is particularly inexpensive. Many AirBnB accommodations have a kitchen.

• Middle class: For meals in average restaurants, you should budget around £20-50 per day.

• Upscale: In high-end restaurants, costs can easily exceed £100 per day.

Transport

Transport within Patagonia can be expensive and time-consuming, as distances are long and infrastructure is limited in more remote areas.

• Buses: Long-distance buses are a common and inexpensive option. A trip from Puerto Natales to El Calafate costs around £18-£24.

• Car hire: Car hire is ideal for greater flexibility, but costs more. Expect to pay around £40-70 per day, plus petrol costs. As with flights, car hire prices in Chile are cheaper. Don’t forget the additional costs for crossing the border.• Mietwagen: Mietwagen sind ideal für mehr Flexibilität, kosten aber mehr. Rechne mit etwa 40-70 Euro pro Tag, plus Benzinkosten. Auch wie bei den Flügen sind die Mietwagenpreise in Chile günstiger. Vergiss nicht die Zusatzkosten für die Grenzüberquerung.

Activities

The costs for activities and entrance fees vary depending on the type of activity.

• National parks: Admission to national parks such as Torres del Paine costs around £30.

• Guided tours: Hikes, boat trips and other guided tours cost between £50 and £200, depending on the duration and type of activity.

• Special tours: Activities such as glacier hikes, puma tracking or horse riding excursions can cost between £100 and £300.

Miscellaneous

Vergiss nicht auch Geld für Souvenirs, Trinkgelder und unerwartete Ausgaben einzuplanen. Auch das Wäsche waschen ist ein Punkt. Eine Reserve von etwa 10-20% deines Gesamtbudgets ist empfehlenswert.

My recommendation for a good eSIM is Airalo. You can find offers here and support my blog.

My costs in 2024 for 3.5 weeks in Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego

The flight went from Munich to Santiago de Chile (around €800) and, with a one-day stopover, continued the next day to Punta Arenas (€80).

Accommodation was mostly booked through Airbnb and consisted mainly of simple cabanas with a kitchen and oven. We often ate lunch in restaurants and cooked our own meals in the evening. Cost: €412.

An off-road SUV without four-wheel drive was rented in Punta Arenas for transportation. The total cost, including fuel and ferry, was €649 (shared between three people).

The share of activities in the total costs was only €218, as although there are often entrance fees and boat trips, many activities such as hiking are free of charge.

The “Other” portion amounts to only €27, as tips are included in activities, accommodation and meals.

flights	accommodation	catering	transport	activities	miscellaneous
880 €	318 €	412 €	649 €	218 €	27 €

In total, the 3.5-week round trip cost €2,504.

Recommendation: cash or card

You can pay with VISA almost everywhere, but unfortunately there are exceptions and sometimes there are discounts for cash payments. My tip is to bring a certain amount of euros or US dollars with you, as ATMs in Argentina, for example, only dispense small amounts (in April 2024, this was the equivalent of 15 euros). There are also fees for withdrawals. US dollars are always accepted and euros are usually accepted too.

Fazit

Depending on your travel style and chosen activities, a trip to Patagonia can cost between £2,500 and £5,000 or more for around 2-3 weeks. Careful planning and budgeting will help you enjoy your trip stress-free and get the most out of this unique adventure.

Armed with this information, you are well equipped to plan your dream trip to Patagonia. Have fun and buen viaje!