El Calafate & Torres del Paine. Glaciers in Patagonia

Patagonia at its rawest: wind that never quite stops, huge turquoise lakes, and glaciers that crack and calve in front of you. This trip is based in El Calafate, the gateway town to the region, and gives you five days to take in the landscape at your own pace.

You'll spend time face to face with the Perito Moreno Glacier, a genuine wall of ice that moves and groans, before heading south across the border into Chile for a look at the granite peaks of Torres del Paine. It's self-guided and private, so you're not tied to a group's schedule.

This is less about ticking off sights and more about sitting with the scale of the place — the empty plains, the pioneer towns, the sense that you're a long way from anywhere.

What you'll do

• Stand before the Perito Moreno Glacier as it cracks and shifts
• Cross into Chile for views of the Torres del Paine peaks
• Explore El Calafate, gateway town to Argentine Patagonia
• Take in the region's turquoise lakes and forested valleys