Romantic Getaway to Patagonia: Luxury & Adventure

El Calafate is a charming town in Patagonia. Stone buildings with wooden doorframes create a beautiful alpine ambiance. Chocolate shops and pine-knotted souvenir stores line the wide main avenue of Libertador. Lush pine trees shade the walkways. Your flight lands at Comandante Armando Tola International Airport and your private transfer greets you upon your arrival. The town is tranquil and inviting. The sensual scent of chocolate floats out of the numerous chocolatiers and fills the streets. Your private transfer escorts you to a luxurious hotel. The historic architecture provides both secluded ambiance and modern comforts that allow you to settle into El Calafate and relax in the lush natural surroundings of Patagonia.

In the morning, the sunlight washes over the shores of Laguna Nimez. Ducks and geese glide over the water’s surface, creating small ripples in the glassy lake. Flamingos perch on one leg and rest with their beaks nestled into their wings. Their pink plumage reflects in the water. At breakfast, you and your partner enjoy the rich flavors of fresh espresso with a view of the charming main street of El Calafate coming to life. After your meal, your private transfer meets you in the hotel lobby. Upon leaving El Calafate, the scenery opens up to unparalleled beauty.

The quiet plain stretches into the rugged rolling mountaintops in the distance. You arrive in the town of El Chalten, located on the northern edge of Los Glaciares National Park. World-class trails lead from El Chalten into the mountains, offering endless ways to explore the encompassing landscape. The town retains its frontier ambiance blending with a mixture of friendly locals. You settle into your hotel with rooms that offer a private view of the stunning El Chalten Valley. In the fading daylight, you can see the dramatic shadows of the mountain peaks bordering the valley.

The morning light drapes over the valley, and you wake to a sensational view extending to the mountains. Mount Fitz Roy crowns the Los Glaciares National Park, rising to an elevation of 11,171 feet. The summit stands at more than 6,400 feet above the encircling mountains. Puffs of clouds pass over the looming summit, which gave cause to aboriginal tribes naming the peak, “Smoking Mountain.” After breakfast, the day is yours to explore Los Glaciares National Park and the borders of El Chalten at your leisure. Stroll along the flat terrain of Piedra del Fraile for a spectacular view of the Fitz Roy or follow an easily marked path to Chorrillo del Salto Waterfall. The romance and rewards on the path to Laguna Capri are plentiful.

Yellow flowers blossom out of the windswept plain. Bursts of red emanate from the greenery along the foothills from the spindly petals of the notro flower. The shrubs can grow up to 65 feet tall with flowers decorating the branches. When you reach the edges of the lake, you have a clear view of the peak of Mount Fitz Roy behind the glacial waters of the Lake Capri. The emerald grasses on the lakeshores rise to the craggy and snow-topped outcropping of the mountains. The air is crisp and cool. The gentle breeze causes the water’s surface to ripple. The peaceful landscape feels like your own private view, which provides a romantic escape.

In the morning, the fireplace in the lobby continues to roar, offering another layer of comfort from the cool climate of Patagonia. At breakfast, you can indulge in medialunas, a breakfast pastry similar to a croissant, which is loved throughout Argentina. After your meal, the day is once again yours to experience the natural splendor of the town and its surroundings at your leisure. Viedma Glacier is the largest glacier in the country and reaches an expanse of 377 square miles. You and your partner can head off into the national park on an ice trekking adventure, taking in edges and crevices of the ice field.

Your guide meets you at the hotel and escorts you to the shores of Lake Viedma. The water is pristine and still. You board the catamaran and set out on the water. The tranquil sailing experience offers views of the landscape, from the plain to the rising mountains. The scent of fresh water rises from the lake. You pass the front wall of the glacier, finding chunks of ice floating nearby. The wall rises more than 130 feet above the water’s surface. When the boat docks, you set out on a hiking excursion alongside the glacier, first taking in the rugged landscape shaped by the volcanic soil.

Black ash colors parts of the glacial surface, remnants of the forces that created the scenery. Your guide clips on your ice shoes, and you set out on the ice field. The walk is extraordinary, showing how deep the glacier travels. The ice forms slopes and shines bright blue. Free-flowing water has created small paths across the surface leading to the lake. Walking on the glacier’s surface is unlike anything you have ever done, and you are thrilled you can share the experience with your partner.

In the morning, you take in the view of the valley once more. You can’t help but reminisce about the exciting time you had, traversing the surface of the largest glacier in Argentina. Your private transfer greets you in the hotel lobby and escorts you on a return journey to the charming town of El Calafate. After your time in El Chalten, El Calafate feels more like a big city. The sensual aroma of chocolate welcomes you. Window displays showcase elaborate and enticing sweets. The trees provide the slightly spiced fragrance of pine. You once again settle into the luxuries of your hotel that effortlessly combine the charms of antique architecture with the comforts of modern amenities. The shops and restaurants are painted with bright colors. Locals sip glasses of wine in delightful cafes. For a spectacular and romantic meal, you and your partner can enjoy a restaurant that offers scenic views paired with an unparalleled lamb dinner.

In the morning, you can see flamingos grazing in the waters on the shore of Lago Argentino at the edge of town. They dig their leg into the lake and turn the soil with their webbed foot, attempting to unearth a meal. After breakfast, your guide meets you at the hotel and escorts you into Los Glaciares National Park at the edge of the Magallanes Peninsula. A network of walkways begins at the visitor center. Across the narrow passage known as the Iceberg Channel, you see the towering edge of Perito Moreno Glacier. The cliff rises more than 240 feet above the channel. Icebergs float in the tranquil water.

The glacier extends more than three miles at its widest point. It is one of the few glaciers in Patagonia that is expanding instead of retracting. From the walkways, you gain a fabulous perspective of the ice field. It looks like a wave frozen in time, racing towards the water. After your time traversing the walkways, you and your partner board a boat to experience the remarkable cliff up close. The boat keeps a safe distance from the edge of the glacier. The icebergs floating in the water are reminders of how the ice separates from the impressive precipice.

In the morning, the scent of medialunas (half-moon pastries) drifts out of the quiet bakeries around town. Locals sip on yerba mate, the preferred herbaceous and slightly bitter tea of the gauchos (South American cowboys). Horses graze on the plains in view of the inspiring mountain peaks in the background. After breakfast, your private transfer leads you away from El Calafate en route to Cerro Castillo. The small village stands on the border between Argentina and Chile. Outside of town, you can see the lush plains and small forest framed by the Castillo mountain peak. The mountain reserve is nearly 695 square miles, protecting the stunning environment of ancient beech forest and the rugged triple-tiered peaks of Cerro Castillo rising 8,858 feet above sea level. You pass into Chile and arrive at your luxurious, all-inclusive style accommodation located inside Torres del Paine National Park. The majestic landscape outside your hotel adds to the tranquil ambiance of your experience.

The day is yours to experience Torres del Paine National Park as you and your partner desire, from venturing to Lago Grey, ascending the foothills of Las Torres, or viewing the stunning tower peaks up close. At breakfast, you indulge in the scenic view of your hotel while sipping a rejuvenating fresh espresso. Your guide meets you after your meal, eager to lead you into the marvelous landscape. For a unique experience, you can have a full day Chile tour, first horseback riding before continuing onward to the Towers. The horses are calm and regal. Your gaucho guide leads you along the trails rolling over the hillsides.

The horses easily overcome the rugged terrain. Pebbles and rocks overtake the pastures. You can hear the rushing water of a river before you see its stunning turquoise color. The horses kick up water as they pass through the current. After lunch, you continue onwards to the Base Las Torres. At the tower base, you ascend to an altitude of 3,280 feet. The rocky mountain scenery overtakes the skyline. A glacial lagoon glows in the drifting sunlight. You can see the granite towers of the famous Torres del Paine National Park reaching a height of 8,204 feet above sea level.

The riches of the Patagonian landscape are endless. You can’t help but feel giddy after your romantic excursion through Torres del Paine National Park the previous day. You experienced the drama of the natural mountains and the romance of horseback riding like the celebrated cowboys of the region. The day is once again yours to enjoy the wealth of activities offered by your accommodation. Traverse the French Valley to the Paine Massif or discover the stunning viewpoint at Grey Glacier.

Your guide meets you at the hotel and escorts you to the Puma Encounter. The puma is also known as the “Andean Lion.” The center is located inside the borders of Torres del Paine National Park and was established to help researchers protect the flora and fauna of Patagonia. Your excursion takes you from the research center to the park, following the paths of the park and adjacent private estancias (Argentinian ranch).

The puma has a golden coat that blends into the grasslands. The largest concentration of pumas is near the northern coast of Sarmiento Lake, Laguna Amarga, and Laguna Azul. From February to May, females actively pursue food for their growing cubs and are more likely to be seen. When your guide spots one, you become silent. The large cat can grow to around nine feet long. It lounges in the grass, undeterred by your arrival. Seeing a puma in the wild is a majestic experience that connects you more deeply to the landscape.

The morning sky is filled with a beautiful amalgamation of clouds and sun. In the valley, the clouds expand across the skyline in a relaxed manner, until passing over the towering mountaintops. The sky provides an endless variety of images similar to the beauty of Torres del Paine National Park. After breakfast, the day is yours to explore the landscape once more, choosing one of the various options that provide you with a unique and unforgettable experience. You make your way to a traditional family-run estancia founded in 2002. The ranch pays homage to the celebrated gaucho culture of the region, combining the soothing pleasures of horseback riding with the adventurous excursions of traversing the Paine Massif.

The ranch is located near the shores of Eberhard Fjord. Turquoise waters brush against fern and beech trees. Your guide leads you into the water for a kayaking adventure beginning at the hamlet of Puerto Prat. Time slows during your time on the water, allowing you and your partner to enjoy the remarkable scenery all around you. You can hear the water lapping at the banks. Windswept hills line the fjord and lead to the sloping snowcapped peaks of the protected mountainside. Your time on the water is a perfect romantic getaway for the day, finding warmth in the embrace of the secluded landscape of Patagonia.

The morning light washes over Torres del Paine, illuminating the glacial lakes and dramatic peaks of the national park once more. The waters of Salto Grande rush through the narrow pass of the cliff and cascade into Lago Nordenskjold. The water tumbles nearly 50 feet, creating an elaborate thunder as it splashes into the lake below. After breakfast, your private transfer meets you at the hotel and takes you on a scenic drive south to Punta Arenas. The stunning landscape continues to border the highway en route to the southern Chilean city. The water of colorful channels laps at the shoreline. Incredible mountain peaks tower into the air. You arrive at Presidente Carlos Ibáñez del Campo International Airport, where you board your flight home.