Hiking Patagonia’s iconic trails — from Torres del Paine to El Chaltén — through wind, wonder, and wild beauty is a journey of surrendering to nature while pushing the boundaries of endurance.
By Arathi Kashipathi
Learning about the Andes, the Atacama, and Patagonia—and carefully marking them on a world map—was part of our high school geography class. If someone had told that young girl then that she would one day tread those very landscapes, she almost certainly wouldn’t have believed it.
Over the past couple of weeks, we hiked the iconic Classic W Trek in Chilean Patagonia and explored El Chaltén, home to Mount Fitz Roy, on the Argentine side.
To think that I hiked, backpacked, and walked more than 100 miles through the rugged wilderness at the outermost edges of the planet still feels surreal. Patagonia is a landscape of lagunas and mountains, miradors and fjords, lakes and steppes, alive with a rich variety of flora and fauna. The Andes revealed themselves in all their glory—blessed with near-perfect hiking weather, golden sunshine, and the legendary Patagonian winds (though I do wish those 40-mph gusts had dialed it down a notch… alas, we can’t have it all).
It would be an understatement to say that every day was a challenge. Carrying a loaded backpack weighing nearly 18 pounds over trails dominated by rocks and boulders tested both strength and endurance. Most viewpoints demanded steep vertical climbs with no clear paths, turning each ascent into a full-on rock scramble. The saving grace was that every day ended at a communal refugio, complete with a hot shower, a flush toilet, clean drinking water, a fresh meal, and a warm bed.
Backpacking teaches you minimalism. You have to lug every ounce you pack. It forces you to optimize and think twice before stuffing anything into your pack. We packed, weighed, unpacked, and reweighed our gear multiple times to get it just right.
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Mountain weather is unpredictable, so we had to stay nimble—both mentally and in how we dressed. Weather-ready layers were non-negotiable: a base layer, fleece, rain jacket, poncho, and down jacket. We either had to wear them or carry them in the backpack at all times. We constantly switched between a sun hat for protection and a fleece hat for wind and cold. Comfortable hiking shoes with good ankle support, paired with wool socks and liners, made all the difference—I was grateful my feet held up even after relentless rock scrambles. Sunglasses and gloves completed the setup.
I loved using hiking poles to navigate the steep, rocky ascents and descents. “Use the poles and save your knees” is a well-known hiking mantra, and my knees were certainly grateful. Beyond balance and stability, the rhythmic clicks of the poles became a kind of music, setting the cadence for our steps.
On the W Trek, we traversed many streams. Water from glacial streams is generally considered safe to drink, so we didn’t need to carry large quantities. Still, to be cautious, we brought a LifeStraw—a personal, portable water filtration straw. Sipping electrolytes and snacking along the way gave us much-needed bursts of energy to sustain the long distances. The region’s extremely limited cellular service also gave me a welcome excuse to go off the grid, disconnect, and simply soak in the natural beauty around me.
Route 40 is the legendary highway that runs parallel to the Andes. It is one of the world’s longest highways connecting many regions in South America. We got to ride the section from Puerto Natales in Chile to El Chalten in Argentina in a double-decker bus and got to see the diverse landscapes of Patagonia. El Chalten, known as Argentina’s trekking capital, is a small cozy mountain village that is the gateway to several trails in the Andes. When we returned from the Mt. Chalten (Mt Fitz Roy) hike, this was the town where we raised toasts and celebrated the conclusion of the Patagonia adventure.
The cherry on top: experiencing it all with an equally adventurous spouse and an incredible group of friends — some old, some new, but all kindred spirits.
(Arathi Kashipathi is an avid outdoor enthusiast based in Richmond, Virginia.)