Patagonia is picking up the pace in becoming a must go travel destination and might well be the most extraordinary, naturally beautiful and pristine destination we have been to.

It’s important to note that Patagonia is a large geographical region that is inclusive of the southern ends of both Argentina and Chile. The region is also bounded by the Pacific Ocean on the west and Atlantic Ocean on the east. Within this large area are beautiful glaciers, temperate rainforests, deserts and mountains such as the southern section of the Andes.

We visited the Argentinian side of Patagonia and specifically the major sightseeing destinations that were accessible from a major tourism hub city for Patagonia called El Calafate. There is so much to see in the Patagonia region, and we loved what we did get to see so much that we plan on going on another trip in the future to see Chilean side of Patagonia.

Our Top 5 Tips for Travel with kids to Patagonia (Argentina)

#1 Determine a suitable time to visit Patagonia

In South America, the spring/summer season is from September and March and that is when most tourists visit the region. During the summer, the days are warmer (highs range from roughly 50 to around 65 degrees), longer, and wildlife can more easily be seen. The drawbacks are dealing with larger crowds and even though it is warmer in the summer months, the wind can be a major a factor during the summer as the wind speeds can reach close to 75 miles per hour.

We went during June for a variety of personal reasons, but our experience turned out to be a great one even though it was during winter when the temperatures are lower, days are shorter and not everything is open for tourism. On the plus side there were far less tourists so booking activities was easy and wind speeds while we walked around different sites was not an issue.

Regardless of when you go, it is very important to pack appropriately for yourself and your kids. During the winter months, pack thick winter clothes, gloves and for the kids we kept their heads warm throughout by having them either wear jackets with warm hoodies or knitted hats. During the summer months you will still need warm clothes but not as thick as during the winter months.

#2 Stay in El Calafate as the sightseeing base

The research we had done before going on our trip recommended flying into El Calafate as an efficient and convenient hub to do day trips to major attractions in the area and that proved to be the case for us. El Calafate can be reached by road, but the distances can be quite long and challenging (weather conditions) depending on when and where in Argentina you are traveling. Our first stop in Argentina was Buenos Aires and to fly in and out of El Calafate, all flights go through Buenos Aires anyway. El Calafate has good lodging options. We stayed at a nice hotel called Rochester Hotel Calafate, their staff was friendly, rooms were cozy, and, in our rate, a nice breakfast was included. The only draw back to staying at this hotel was that it was on the far end of the main strip in El Calafate (Av. del Libertador), which is where most of the restaurants, cafes and shops are.

Our recommendation would be to find lodging that is closer to the middle of the main lodging/restaurants’ street. There are some good options for food and essentials off this main street, one restaurant we would highly recommend is La Lechuza, the pizza there was excellent (lamb is a specialty) and the empanadas were very good also. There is also a scenic and fun park for the kids to play in the area.

#3 Hire a private driver

Since we went during the winter season, our plan was to arrive in El Calafate and book tours through the hotel. However, on our taxi drive from the airport to our hotel, we got a chance to discuss our plans for sightseeing during our time in El Calafate and the nice gentleman who drove us offered to show us all the sights we wanted to see and more at a very reasonable daily rate.

Hiring a driver turned out to be the best decision we made because our driver knew the ins and outs of the area and most importantly, we never felt rushed (with kids) at any of the sights we went to. He even took a lot of great family pictures for us along with giving and gave us a very immersive experience with personalized details of the area that we wouldn’t have had a chance to get through a larger group tour. We highly recommend hiring a private driver, especially if you are traveling to the area with younger kids. One more tip for the sightseeing travel would be to load up on snacks for the family; there are not a lot of places along the way to grab food so having handy stuff to eat is crucial. We packed granola bars, chips, cookies, juice etc. for the travel time to sightseeing destinations and that worked out well to keep the kids happy.

#4 Los Glaciares National Park

In terms of must see/must do activities in the area, Los Glaciares National Park is easily #1 based on our experience. This area has an amazing display of magnificent natural beauty with enchanting glacial lakes like the very large and prominent Lake Argentino, breathtaking mountains all around and exotic wildlife that is easily seen in its natural habitat. The entire area feels like being inside a post card.

As beautiful as the entire park is, the crown jewel of the southern sector of Los Glaciares National Park is the Glaciar Perito Moreno. If you look at this glacier in pictures, it almost looks computer generated with how perfect and pristine it looks. Seeing this glacier with your own eyes is an unforgettable and signature moment, it is truly majestic. We recommend following the track to get to the central observation area, there are many angles and views along the way that give you a different appreciation and perspective of how magnificent this glacier truly is.

We also recommend booking a boat ride to see the glacier up close from water level. Another wonder about this glacier is that it is continuously advancing and as it advances, very large sized icebergs cave with thunderous sounds that can be heard and appreciated from afar. What is great about most of activities around Perito Moreno is that they can be done from a distance and are quite safe even with kids.

#5 Road trip to El Chaltén

Located in the Southern Andes, El Chaltén is also part of Los Glaciares National Park. It is a relatively young tourist village with a small but growing population. The village is famous because it is near the base of a couple of magnificent and imposing mountains (Fitz Roy and Cerro Chalten).

While El Chaltén is famous for it’s trekking, traveling to the area with young kids, our highlight was the 3 hours plus (each way) journey more so than the destination. The drive to El Chaltén from El Calafate was full of appreciation for natural beauty and wildlife we saw along the way. Once we got to El Chaltén, our driver knew some back ways to see the mountains and we got a chance to get out and see and drink from some freshwater streams/falls. Our kids really enjoyed the open space to explore through parts of it as well. The drive back was another amazing experience as we got to see the sunset around the mountains and colors was exceptionally unique and beautiful.   

Bonus tip: If you think you have taken enough pictures in Patagonia, take some more. You will appreciate and cherish them forever!