Patagonia with William Dissen

Day 1

¡Bienvenidos a la Argentina!

Our Patagonia adventure begins in El Calafate, a small gateway town on the southern shore of Lago Argentino. You’ll be greeted with fresh empanadas at El Calafate airport before we transfer to the hotel. In the afternoon, we’ll meet up with William for a private tour of Chacra Las Moras organic farm, where we’ll learn about the cultivation techniques required to grow fruits and vegetables in the Patagonian region. 

All that talk about food will surely lead us to our first dinner together—a welcome feast replete with classic Patagonian flavors and local wine pairings at award-winning La Zaina. Tomorrow, we’ll set off for El Chaltén where our outdoor adventures begin.

Day 2

This morning we’ll load up and head out on iconic Ruta 40, Argentina’s longest road, passing through the majestic Southern Patagonian desert as we make our way to El Chaltén. We’ll fortify ourselves with fresh lemon pies and local coffee before making for the Cerro Torre trailhead, where we’ll ascend for spectacular views of Cerro Fitz Roy (11,171′). Possibly the most photogenic (and famous) of Patagonia’s trademark mountainscapes, its towering granite peaks rise in jagged majesty high above a glacial lake. As we hike, we’ll be on the lookout for Magellan woodpeckers and soaring condors overhead. We’ll pause at the viewpoint to (literally) drink it all in, toasting our first trek of the trip with a fruit liqueur crafted by local producers. 

Returning back to Earth, we’ll have a locally sourced dinner at Hostería El Pilar, and don’t be surprised if William whips up a few scratch cocktails to celebrate.

Day 2 Hiking
4-5 hours, 5 miles, 566′ elevation gain/loss

Day 3

Today’s trail leads to Laguna Capri, a picturesque lake with sweeping views of glaciers and the massif of Cerro Fitz Roy. Our loop will take us above the De las Vueltas river valley as we hike through the heart of the Del Salto stream bed. After a moderate hour or two, we’ll encounter the fork to Laguna Capri, ambling down a trail with superb, panoramic lakeside views. After taking in the stunning beauty of the scene, we’ll descend for lunch (and beers!) at a local brewery. 

Next stop is an optional visit to the town’s famed chocolateria. After a few free hours to explore the town, we’ll head back to the hotel for a little siesta. Don’t call it a night because a truly special meal awaits.  At a remote refugio, immersed in the forest with beautiful views of Cerro Fitz Roy, we’ll sit down for a platter of grilled meats over a dancing fire.

Day 3 Hiking
4-5 hours, 5 miles, 1,300′ elevation gain/loss

Day 4

After breakfast we head out for our next stop, a stunningly situated estancia and fourth-generation working ranch nestled inside Los Glaciares National Park near El Calafate. Upon arrival, we’ll sit down to lunch and then have the afternoon open to explore the scenic estancia grounds by foot or on horseback, or simply to relax and unwind.

Just make sure you listen for William’s dinner bell as he’ll be preparing our evening meal, featuring select Patagonian meats with a complement of fresh seasonal herbs. 

Day 5

After a hearty estancia breakfast, we’ll head out to explore our working ranch and the daily rituals of gaucho culture: everything from sheep shearing to cattle wrangling, depending on the day. Our chores done, we’ll return to the hotel for a breathtaking lunch of lamb, salads and dulce de leche crêpe and ready ourselves for an iconic Patagonian excursion. 

After our meal, we set sail on a private adventure to explore Perito Moreno glacier in Los Glaciares National Park. This glacier, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is 19 miles long and covers a staggering 158 square miles. It’s an important part of the South Patagonian Ice Field, which spans both Argentina and Chile, and serves as the third-largest freshwater reserve in the world.

Hear that sound? That’s not thunder—it’s the cracking of those ethereally blue glaciers as they calve into the milky waters of the vast Lake Argentino. We’ll stand in awe before heading back to the ranch for another seasonally inspired dinner.

Day 6

After a hearty breakfast, it’s time to say farewell to Argentina. Today we’re headed across the Chilean border to Torres Del Paine for the next chapter of our Patagonian adventure. We’ll stop for lunch at El Ovejero, right on the border, before continuing through the high-mountain desert, vying for glimpses of guanacos and rheas, Patagonia’s answer to the llama and the ostrich.

We’ll settle in at our 100-year-old estancia, perched on the edge of Torres del Paine National Park, and enjoy a private tour of the grounds before feasting on a dinner inspired by traditional pioneer recipes and featuring ingredients from the estancia’s own greenhouse and orchards.

Day 7

Today, we hike again. However, in lieu of a burly summit hike, we’ll opt for a series of breathtaking jaunts all over Torres del Paine National Park. We’ll tackle various trailheads and be treated with scintillating views of iconic peaks and alpine waterways too. As a kind of savory motivation, we’ll be treated to an elaborate picnic prepared by Chef William, who’ll show us how to get a gourmet on with nothing but a camping stove and the freshest local ingredients. 

In the evening, after returning to our estancia, Chef William will take us on his own private tour of the estancia’s gardens and orchards, sharing the finer points of foraging before dinner.

Day 8

Our morning is devoted to the elusive puma, the largest cat in Patagonia. We’ll meet with professionals who study pumas through the Estancia Cerro Guido Conservation Project, whose mission is to bring traditional cattle-raising methods in line with conservation efforts. Pumas are largely solitary, nocturnal creatures, so spotting them is neither guaranteed nor easy.  That’s why we’ll team up with  professionals who will share their wisdom, insights, and the tricks of the trade. 

Our dinner hour tonight starts off with a crucial rite of passage for any visitor to Chile: a hands-on lesson in how to make the perfect pisco sour, the national cocktail of grape brandy and foamy egg whites that Chilean hosts tend to serve by the pitcher.

And then it’s onto the main event—a traditional asado dinner like the locals have been eating for centuries. ¡Salud!

Day 9

This morning we’ll take a gentle walk along the lakeshore to board our catamaran for Grey Glacier, one of Torres del Paine’s most spectacular. Much like Perito Moreno, Grey Glacier is part of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, the largest extension of continental ice in the world after Antarctica and Greenland, edged with fairytale-like billows of turquoise ice tumbling slowly, over the course of decades, into the waters below. We’ll wend our way past floating icebergs and imposing, 65-foot-high ice walls, followed by a truly special treat.

Our picnic lunch today is a typical picada—bread, cheese, charcuterie, olives, pickles and beer! Need a post-lunch pick-me-up? Our local guides will give us a mate demonstration before we head back to the estancia, with plenty of downtime before we reconvene for dinner.

Day 10

This morning we bid a fond farewell to Torres del Paine, and head to the frontier town of Puerto Natales for an afternoon and evening to relax in the sophisticated luxury of our accommodations at The Singular—and maybe take in a spa treatment or massage before reconvening for a private wine tasting.

Feeling revived and refreshed, we’ll sit together one final time. In true asador style, our farewell dinner will be cooked over fire in a space that features breathtaking views of the Señoret channel. Our time in Patagonia has been an unforgettable journey, and this celebration is well and truly earned.

Day 11

It’s time to say adios to Patagonia, to William Dissen and our fellow travelers. After breakfast, we’ll head to Punta Arenas for our connecting flights, our minds and hearts full of glaciers, pumas, gauchos, and the very special fairytale magic of this place.