Welcome to Run Patagonia!

Please see below for pretty much everything that you need to know in advance of your upcoming adventure. You can also click "My Trips" at the top of this page to access and edit your personal information, view/pay your remaining balance at any time.

 And of course, feel free to refresh yourself on the full itinerary and inclusions/exclusions any time at this link: https://www.roguexpeditions.com/patagonia/details/2025

Your main RE contact for any pre-trip questions or concerns is gabe@roguexpeditions.com.

Your Rogue Expeditions lead guide for this trip will be Alain Pernau; full contact info for your guides will be sent out prior to departure.

Note: Please do not book flights until you've received confirmation from us that we've hit the minimum group size.

Once you have booked your flight, please submit your flight details here.

For this trip you will need to arrive in Puerto Natales no later than 2pm on Sunday, March 16, 2025 and depart anytime on Sunday, March 23, 2025.  We will be there to meet you at the airport, and we will take you back there at the end of the trip. 

If you are looking at flights well in advance, options to PN may be limited; more flights will be scheduled later in the year. Regardless, the best way to find good flight options is to book two separate itineraries:

* Book your international flight to/from Santiago (SCL)

* Book a separate roundtrip from Santiago (SCL) to Puerto Natales (PNT) via LATAM or SKY airlines

We suggest giving yourself a minimum of 4 hours between your arrival in Santiago and your flight to Puerto Natales (you will have immigration, customs, luggage and then separate check-in for the domestic leg). If you want to play it super safe, consider arriving in Santiago one day early and spending the night at an airport hotel - this Holiday Inn is a convenient choice!

Please note that If you book flight times outside of these parameters you will be responsible for arranging your own airport transfers.

Want tips & tricks for landing flight deals? Check out this article.

READ THIS: Packing (light) tips for your next adventure

GENERAL THINGS TO CONSIDER 

*The climate in Patagonia is unpredictable. You can experience rain, wind, heat, cold & sun all in the matter of an hour. Being prepared with the right clothing will make your trip memorable for all the right reasons.

*This is an active trip with lots of time in rural areas and national parks. However, a set of nice-ish non-running clothes would be good for some dinners.

*Otherwise, think lightweight, quick-drying, interchangeable items/colors, and layers.

*Any type of luggage is fine, but backpacks or duffel bag with backpack straps tend to be the most durable, easy to move around with and can hold a lot. Don’t bring expensive luggage – it’ll likely be caught in the rain, set on dusty ground, etc.

*Have some sort of ‘day bag,’ whether it’s a small backpack, messenger bag, etc. It should be big enough to carry money, a camera, a water bottle, and a jacket – something you can keep with you in the vehicle.

*You don’t need a different running outfit for every day. You can easily re-wear a few items throughout the trip as you won’t sweat much, and a rinse-out in the shower keeps things clean enough – hang it outside your window for a quick dry! Don’t expect laundry opportunities during our time in Patagonia.

CLOTHES

*2-3 pairs running shorts + 1-2 pairs tights/capris

*2-3 short sleeve running shirts/tank tops + jog bras and 2-3 long sleeve running shirt

*3-4 non running shirts/tops

*1-2 pairs pants (lightweight travel-type are a worthy, fast-drying investment!)

*1 lightweight jacket / pullover

*1 rain jacket (ensure that it’s waterproof, not just water resistant)

* 1 pair rain pants suggested for the glacier trek

*1 warm down or fleece jacket

*Underwear

*1 set of sleepwear

ACCESSORIES + SHOES

*1 pair trail running shoes + 1 pair flip flops + (optional - 1 pair non-running shoes)

*6-7 pairs socks

*Running hat + warm hat

*Gloves

*Sunglasses

*Day bag

*Towels are provided by the hotels but you may want a small pack towel for sweat/rain/etc.  The refugios in the national park are remote and some are only accessible by boat and any inclement weather disrupts fresh towels...best to have a pack towel as backup!

*Hydration Pack – This is a requirement, and must have space to stash your rain jacket, snacks, and a minimum of 1L of water

*Day pack -There is one day with a point to point hike finishing at our accommodation; there is no vehicle access. You’ll need to carry water, lunch, rain gear, a change of clothes to sleep in, warm jacket, toothbrush/toothpaste, flip flops, etc (the refugio provides bedding, towels and soap).  I just use my carry-on day pack for this portion of the trip. There are many great pack options, though the best is the one that fits you well. If you don’t own one, take the time to go to an actual retail store and try some on.

*Reusable water bottle for general water intake. Please avoid buying/disposing of plastic water bottles; the tap water is just fine!

TOILETRIES

*Shampoo/soap/conditioner

*Toothbrush/toothpaste

*Brush/comb

*Few travel packages of kleenex and/or wetwipes (emergency/backup TP)

*Feminine products

*Razor

*Contacts/solution if needed

*Sunblock

*Dramamine (if you tend to get motion sickness – there will be a few winding roads along the way)

*Moleskin or bandaids – we’ll have some of this for the group, but blisters are a common problem and it’s good to have some of your own on hand

*Any other medication you may need (we will have a basic first aid kit for the group) 

DOCUMENTS

*Passport (must have 6 months validity when you enter Chile)

*1-2 credit/debit cards (make sure to call your bank the week before departure and tell them the dates that you will be in Chile, and include any other layovers/stops to avoid a security hold on your card.

*Contact info for your guides (to be provided prior to departure)

OTHER STUFF

*Camera + charger

*Reading / writing material

*Headlamp or small flashlight (optional, but useful for the refugio; power goes off at night)

*Ear plugs if you are a light sleeper/your roommate snores

*Phone + charger

*Ziplocs for waterproofing cameras and extra layers on the trail

*Electrical adapter with two round prongs, like this.

REMEMBER: PACK LIGHT. NO ONE EVER WISHES THAT THEY BROUGHT MORE STUFF!

Country: Chile

Language: Spanish

Currency: Chilean Peso ($1 USD = 805 CLP at time of writing)

Landscapes: Mountains, fjords, glaciers, open pampa, waterfalls, glacial lakes, forests, the sea

Food: Meat and potatoes! There are not a lot of crops that grow well in Patagonia, so you’ll find that the locally sourced dishes focus on lamb, fish and potatoes. That said, Chile as a whole grows a wide variety of crops and the growth of tourism means that much of it makes its way south these days. You'll enjoy a wide variety of very nice meals, and those who don't eat meat will be well-taken care of. Chileans eat dinner very late - sometimes as late as midnight - though we’ll have our evening meals around 7:30 or 8pm most nights.

Drinks: Chile is known for its wine, and you’ll be offered many a pisco sour cocktail. Coffee is hit or miss in the Patagonia region; it’s quite good at upmarket hotels, but often of the instant variety elsewhere. Most locals stick to drinking mate. Tap water is perfectly safe to drink.

Weather: Patagonia is known for unpredictable weather, and it’s not uncommon to experience all four seasons in a single day. February and March are late summer/early autumn, and you’ll generally find pleasant daytime temps between 50-70 F / 10-20 C and chilly nights around 40-45F / 5-7C. Although the worst of the wind is usually tapering off by this time of year, you’re still guaranteed to experience those famous gusts - which sometimes hit more than 100mph / 160kph! Rain is always a possibility, as is warm sunshine. Follow our packing list and bring an adaptable attitude and you’ll have a great time!

Connectivity: Patagonia is waaaaaay down there, and for as popular a destination as it has become it is still in the middle of massive wilderness. You can expect good wifi nights 1, 2 & 7, but otherwise don’t expect much. There is no cell signal in Torres del Paine. You will be able to get online a few times, but don’t make promises to anyone about exactly when - it’s not reliable enough. We find that after about 24 hours of being cut off people tend to settle right in and actually enjoy it!

The National Park: There are certain trails within the national park where running is discouraged, mostly due to the popularity of those trails. This really only affects us on the way to Glacier Grey, on which day we ask you to please hike rather than run. It’s a technical trail with jaw-dropping views that is much better suited for a hiking pace!

Fun Facts: Geographically speaking, the country of Chile is long and skinny, measuring over 2600 miles in length with an average width of just 110 miles. It’s bordered by the Pacific ocean on one side and the Andes – the longest mountain range in the world - on the other.

Patagonia refers to a region at the bottom tip of South America that spans two countries – Chile and Argentina – and a loosely defined land area of around 400,000 sq. miles. It is also one of the most sparsely populated places in the world, with just 2-3 people per sq. mile.

The name Patagonia comes from the word patagon, which Magellan used to describe the natives – the Tehuelche. He described these tall people as giants and “Patagonia” came to reference “Land of the Big Feet.”

50% of Chilean Patagonia is protected wilderness.

Wildlife that you’re likely to encounter throughout the week include guanaco (wild llamas), condors, flamingo, foxes, whales, sea lions, seals albatross and penguins. There are also pumas, but sightings are incredibly rare. Domesticated animals include horses and LOTS of sheep.

The largest dinosaur fossil ever discovered was recently found in Patagonia. The Patagotitan mayorum is estimated to have measured about 120 ft. long and weighed 69 tons.

Most everything is already paid for, so you shouldn’t need much in the way of cash. There are unreliable ATMs at the airport, and reliable ones in town.  If you have time in Santiago you can just take care of getting cash there - that's what we recommend. Things you will need to allot for:

> Alcohol and other drinks/snacks that you might find along the way. There are bars everywhere that we stay, and prices are pretty similar to what you’d pay in the US. Most places technically take credit card, but safer to have cash on hand in case of bad connections.

> Tips. There are no strict tipping customs, but if you are happy with your experience and would like contribute a gratuity then it is certainly appreciated! Any tips will be split equally amongst the team.

If you have the time, we encourage you to come early or stay late.   We don't offer an early arrival package for this trip but are happy to answer any questions you have about travel in Patagonia.

Flying early into Punta Arenas would allow the chance to take a whale-watching excursion or visit a penguin colony; comfortable, inexpensive buses run daily between Punta Arenas and Puerto Natales, where our trip begins and finishes.

If you are interested in staying later and hiking with a guide to the iconic Base Towers in Torres del Paine National Park, we are more than happy to connect you with a local operator who can arrange that for you.