What You Should Expect for the 2022/2023 Season in Patagonia

A much anticipated season in Patagonia brings new changes & a whole lot of new adventures. 

As the saying goes ‘change is good’…and although the iconic landscapes of Torres del Paine and Southern Patagonia haven’t changed much, the way to travel here has! Due to its remoteness and stunning beauty, Chilean Patagonia remains at the top of the list for many who are waiting to travel south during the upcoming 2022/2023 season. Like anything new – whether a new pair of hiking boots or upcoming trip of a lifetime – expect there to be things that make preparing a must. So what should you expect for the upcoming season in Chilean Patagonia? Here are our top 4 spoilers that you won’t want to miss!

Rincon Bonito, sometimes an overlooked destination in Northern Patagonia, is a newly added adventure getting lots of attention for the upcoming season.

An Increased Number of Visitors. But an Increased Number of New Adventures! When Chile had tightened its entry protocols during the pandemic, Torres del Paine alone saw a huge decrease in visitors in 2021 – more than 20% less than years before – which impacted the tourism sector significantly. During the past 2 years however, local operators in Chilean Patagonia had the opportunity to re-think and reactive in more responsive ways in order to confront some of the new challenges that arose from the shutdown. The main one being the creation of entirely new adventures! In an effort to not only disperse the number of visitors anticipated for the upcoming 2022/2023 season (which is expected to be at least 300,000 visitors to Torres del Paine alone or greater) – but to also encourage travelers to explore brand new, exciting trips. New adventures like the W Trek + were designed to help to divert travelers from the usually overcrowded W Treks trails to other sectors within the park while still being able to experience the iconic highlights that Torres del Paine and the W Trek offers.

Other adventures such as Kayaking Cabo Froward which explores the Strait of Magellan over 6 days of sea kayaking or Rincon Bonito which takes travelers to a remote corner Patagonia’s extreme North are just a few examples of brand-new multisport programs that focus on Patagonia’s diverse potential to experience adventure tourism. Alternative programs that offer mountain biking with the all new Giant eBikes are also on the radar of adventure-seekers. Chile Nativo is the only local operator in Puerto Natales – the gateway city to Torres del Paine – who offers these unique programs where travelers can mix up their activities and experience the thrill of an eBike first hand along single track surrounded by mesmerizing landscapes. With the number of visitors to Torres del Paine and Chilean Patagonia rising for the 2022/2023 season – there are certainly plenty of new and incredible experiences waiting!

All new Giant eBikes make for a unique alternative active adventure. Chile Nativo is the only operator in Puerto Natales who offer eBike excursions.

Relaxed Entry Protocols – But a Very Prepared Chile as a Destination. Chile remains as one of the top ranked countries in the world for it’s vaccination success and has been since the start of the pandemic. With more than 92% of of its population fully vaccinated, Chile is a destination that remains high on travelers’ lists. The country has recently relaxed its entry protocols for international travelers – perfect timing for the start of the 2022/2023 season in Chilean Patagonia. For those planning to travel to Chile, only a certificate of vaccination issued by the country where he/she was vaccinated is required. And for those who aren’t vaccinated or who do not have their vaccination schedule for their country, a negative PCR test within a maximum of 48 hours from departure is required upon arrival into the country. Anyone 18 and under do not have any requirements to enter Chile. With the new protocols now in place, this opens the doors for Patagonia to become a top destination yet again.

The Chilean government & health ministry, businesses, and tourism organizations have worked simultaneously to make sure that Chile is a safe and well-prepared destination ready to welcome tourists to all the incredible regions within the country. Creating tourism confidence and things such as the good tourist bible has put Chile on the top of the list for becoming a world-renowned tourist destination.

An Overwhelming Sense of Place and Extreme Beauty. With the success of the Adventure Travel Trade Association’s 2022 AdventureNEXT Patagonia Magallanes in September, this put Chilean Patagonia even higher on the radar for top travel destinations for 2022 & 2023. Southern Patagonia – and specifically the Region of Magallanes – was selected for this prestigious event as a way to reactive the tourism in this remote region of Patagonia. What participants got however, was a true experience of the essence of Patagonia. They connected with the locals and the value that their region and ancestry holds. The culture, the climate, the residents, and the landscapes are what make Chilean Patagonia so unforgettable. Anyone who visits Southern Patagonia leaves a little bit different than how they came. A strong sense of place is prominent throughout whether its the food shared together, the music that stirs your soul, the awe-inspiring views, or witnessing firsthand the love that local residents have for their pristine and dear Patagonia.

Gauchos who lead horseback excursion in Torres del Paine share their love and charismatic sense of place with visitors who come to Southern Patagonia.

More access to more remote destinations – But not necessarily overcrowding at these remote places. During the past two years, a destination renovation has taken place within Southern Patagonia. Many of those remote places that were previously hard to get to before are now much more accessible in responsible and sustainable ways. Places like the Estancia Bahia Esperanza Outdoor Park or Rupestre Patagonia offer highly unique private adventures including remote hiking trails and other activities that are otherwise inaccessible by the public or large crowds. Places like these offer very different experiences that are also an important part of the local history and culture of region. It’s for these reasons that these places should be explored and enjoyed by travelers, but in a responsible way – a way that educates travelers about the importance and significance of the territory and the diversity. And in ways that both sustain and protect the diverse ecosystems and landmarks that can only be found at places like these. Newer – not fewer – programs are becoming more and more available for the 2022/2023 season allowing guests the opportunities to access and experience remote destinations in big ways.

At the newly established Estancia Bahia Esperanza Outdoor Park, endless adventures await on a private and remote area located just outside of Puerto Natales.
SY Joyce Kan
SY Joyce Kan
2023-03-07
Amazing trip! We joined the Torres Del Paine 7 day O trek tour - note that this tour is not a complete O Trek but skipping the part from Camp Frances to Las Torres, which worked in our favour as our holiday is limited and we won’t miss much. Our guide, Debbie was knowledgeable and amicable, and very passionate about hiking. Unfortunately I fell sick during the hike and wished to leave a day earlier than planned. Debbie and Chile Nativo quickly rearranged transportation for us and was very helpful. Throughout the whole process Chile Nativo was very responsive. We had a memorable journey and I would highly recommend Chile Nativo.
Jim Garvin
Jim Garvin
2023-03-02
Fantastic experience! We were booked with Chile Nativo via Swoop and had a wonderful experience. Our guides, Tim & Lucile, were awesome. We really enjoyed their company. They were very knowledgeable about the region (the history, animals, landscape, etc). Highly recommend.
Olivia Evans
Olivia Evans
2023-02-15
I booked the independent, self-guided Torres Del Paine trek with Chile Nativo’s help and was so glad I did. When I looked to book on my own, everything was all reserved in Torres Del Paine and Chile Nativo was the only agency that could help me find a spot still. To still be able to go on the trip when I wanted to go, to not have to spend so much time planning all the logistics, to get a local’s recommendations on the best way to do the trek…but STILL get to do the trek on my own was amazing and worth every penny. In particular Paolina at the agency was incredibly helpful. I would recommend this agency to anyone looking to hike in Torres del Paine.
Chiloe Natural (chiloenatural)
Chiloe Natural (chiloenatural)
2023-02-10
Serious, professional, and friendly Tour Agency in Puerto Natales that will cater your needs in Patagonia and Torres del Paine.
Kevin Jobst
Kevin Jobst
2023-01-27
Hiking in Torres with Pepa is like walking with your smartest and wisest friend. She has an incredible depth of knowledge in everything from mycology to government, from geology to history. She is fiercely passionate about conservation and our planet and has dedicated her life to making our world a better place. Our two porters Filipe and Bastian were both incredibly strong and highly professional. Always in the know on where to set up the tent, they picked the best spot in every site we were at. Also, they were an absolute blast to hang out with after the long days hiking. I cannot recommend this particular team highly enough and if you are passionate about the environment, making the world a better place, learning everything there is to know about glaciers, mushrooms, Patagonia, the history of Chile, magma intrusions and edible berries request them by name. Thank you to all three of you for making our experience so special and I hope our paths cross again.
Brad Smith
Brad Smith
2023-01-15
Our Torres Del Paine Plus trip was fantastic! A great crew of newly-made friends, guided by Izabella “La Professora”, on a journey beyond expectations. What a great time, a balance of hiking and touring. DO NOT miss the pumas!!! I will definitely go with the Chile Nativo team again, and thanks to Nestor & Juan too!
Senga Simpson
Senga Simpson
2023-01-09
Excellent service. Thank you Vicky
Lukas Winegarner
Lukas Winegarner
2022-11-28
Camilo is ledged! Chile Nativo is extremely experienced and knowledgeable - I would highly recommend booking directly through them. We were a group of 8 doing the O 7 day hike and everything was great! Thanks to Camilo & Tomas and all of our porters!

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