Before You Travel
What to bring to Patagonia
Between November and March you can expect 15–25°C during the day and 5–10°C at night, often in the same afternoon. The wind is the part most travelers underestimate: it is what turns a mild day cold, and the reason nobody here owns an umbrella.
This list is built for what we actually run — a day at a working estancia, riding, walking, boats and highland nights. It is not a trekking kit list, and you will not need one with us. Once your dates are confirmed we send the version for your exact week.
The short version
Why each of these, and what you can leave at home, is below.
The one rule: three layers, always
Everything else on this page is detail. If you bring only one thing, bring the ability to add and remove layers without going back for them.
Next to the skin
A quick-drying base layer, long or short sleeved. Not cotton — it holds the damp and cools you down.
In the middle
A fleece and a light down or synthetic jacket. The jacket is what you put on the moment you stop moving.
Against the weather
A waterproof jacket with a hood that stays up in wind, and waterproof pants. Both, not one.
The List
What comes with you, and why
On your feet
The one place where the right choice changes the whole day.
Waterproof trekking boots. Broken in, with ankle support. We recommend boots rather than sneakers: the ground is stony, often wet, and a light shoe leaves your ankles doing the work.
Wool-blend socks. Two or three pairs. Cotton stays wet and takes the warmth with it.
A second pair of shoes. Something light for the evening, the cabin or the boat.
Against the wind
Wind, not cold, is what gets people here.
A hood that holds. A waterproof jacket whose hood stays put in a gust is worth more than a heavier coat.
Two pairs of gloves. Light windproof ones for most of the day, and a waterproof pair for when rain and wind arrive together. You will be glad of the second pair even in January.
A buff or neck warmer. Small, and the single most used item in most bags.
A warm hat and a sun hat. You will use both, sometimes within an hour.
Sun and eyes
The ozone layer is thin this far south, and the light off the water doubles it.
High-factor sunscreen. SPF 50, and on cold days too. This is not a warm-weather item here.
Sunglasses, plus a strap. The strap is not a joke. Ask anyone who has lost a pair over the side.
Lip balm with sun protection. Wind and sun together are harder on lips than either alone.
For the day itself
What lives in your day bag while everything else stays behind.
A 20–30 liter day pack. Enough for layers, water and a camera, with a hip strap so it does not pull.
A refillable water bottle. One liter. Streams here are clean and you will refill from them.
A dry bag or liner. For the boat crossing and for camera gear. Rain covers on the outside of a pack are useless in this wind.
A camera and a spare battery. Cold drains batteries faster than you expect. A power bank earns its weight.
What you can leave at home
Things travelers bring here and never open.
Camping gear. Beds, bedding and towels are provided on every night of every program. No sleeping bag, no mat, no tent.
Riding gear. Long pants and boots are all you need. Chaps, helmets and breeches are not required, and helmets are available if you want one.
An umbrella. It will not survive its first gust. A hood does the job.
A hard case, if you can avoid it. A soft bag or duffel is easier on every leg of the logistics. And whatever you are not taking into the territory stays with us in Puerto Natales while you travel — one of the quieter advantages of having a concierge here.
Trekking poles. Nothing on our routes requires them, and they cannot travel in carry-on luggage — they have to be checked in. If you end up wanting a pair for something else on your trip, we can find them in Puerto Natales.
Papers and small things
The items people remember only at the airport.
Passport and entry form. Keep the tourist card with your passport; you hand it back on departure.
Travel insurance documents. Required to travel with us, with medical evacuation coverage. Bring the policy number.
Your own medication. Plus blister bandages and anything you normally take. Pharmacies are in town, not where we are going.
Chilean pesos in cash. A modest amount for tips and small purchases. Cards work in Puerto Natales, not beyond it.
A type C or L plug adapter. Chile runs 220V. Most European plugs fit; North American ones do not.
By Program
What changes depending on where you are going
One day · The Rhythm of the Estancia
A day out and back
You leave Puerto Natales in the morning and sleep there the same night, so a small day bag is all you carry. Layers, waterproofs, trekking boots, sun protection and a camera cover it.
If you are riding, wear long pants and boots. Nothing technical is needed, and nothing loose around the neck.
See the program →Multi-day · The Last Hope Crossing
Four nights, two territories
Bedding, towels and hot showers are provided at both the cabin and the dome, so there is no camping gear to think about. Pack for three or four days and leave the rest of your luggage in Puerto Natales.
Bring a soft bag rather than a hard case: it travels better by boat and by pickup. Out in the territory there is rarely any signal during the day, so download what you want to read or listen to before you leave.
See the program →If you are unsure about something, ask us
A jacket you already own may be perfectly good, or it may be the one thing worth replacing. Send us a photo or a link and we will tell you honestly, for the week you are actually traveling.
Once you have booked a program we stay on hand for exactly this kind of question, up to the morning you leave. It is a better answer than a shop assistant three continents away.