The best luxury Patagonia tour operator in 2026 is Abercrombie & Kent, at 86/100: a 10-day small-group journey for up to 18 guests that crosses from Argentina into Chile, 24/7 on-call support while you travel, and full marks for financial protection, followed by Extraordinary Journeys (84), Cazenove+Loyd (83), Audley Travel (82), Scott Dunn (82), Original Travel (70) and Artisans of Leisure (60). Each score is the number on the operator’s own record on this site, so a company carries one number wherever it appears; an operator enters this index only if it publishes a Patagonia trip. Four more companies are assessed, not ranked, and the three lodges that sell direct, Awasi, Tierra and Explora, are compared separately. Below the ranking: which operator suits a honeymoon, a family, a solo traveller and a budget of $10,000, $25,000 or $100,000.
| # | Operator | Patagonia trip read on 2 October 2026 | Price per person | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Abercrombie & KentBest for: travellers who want a guided group with a tour director | Patagonia: The Last Wilderness, 10 days, small group of up to 18, Buenos Aires to Santiago | 2025 departures from £11,230; the December 2026 to December 2027 season is on sale | 86 |
| 2 | Extraordinary Journeys PartnerBest for: a private trip of both sides at a published price | Ultimate Patagonia Adventure across Chile and Argentina, 16 days; Argentine Patagonia Trip, 13 days | $12,000 and $11,000 | 84 |
| 3 | Cazenove+LoydBest for: a private, fully bespoke trip from a specialist | Tailor-made only; suggested routes include a 19-day Chile and Argentina journey | Not published for Patagonia | 83 |
| 4 | Audley TravelBest for: first-timers who want both sides at a known price | Grand tour of Patagonia across Argentina and Chile, 16 days | From £12,100 (UK); Antarctica and Patagonia, 18 days, from $17,835 (US) | 82 |
| 4 | Scott DunnBest for: travellers who want prices by month before they call | Epic Highlights of Patagonia, 10 nights, Argentina then Chile, four nights at Patagonia Camp | $10,500 (September to October 2026, May 2027) to $14,400 (December 2026 to March 2027) | 82 |
| 6 | Original TravelBest for: combining Patagonia with an Antarctic cruise | The Ends of the Earth: Patagonia and Antarctica, 24 days | £24,155 to £38,580 by season | 70 |
| 7 | Artisans of LeisureBest for: the top lodges with private touring throughout | Patagonia Adventure: Argentina and Chile, private | $24,270, double occupancy | 60 |
How the score works (100 points). Planning depth 25: specialists with stated first-hand experience, founders’ experience, destinations with their own pages, day-by-day itineraries with named hotels, years trading. On-the-ground cover 20: a published 24-hour number, own offices or staff inside the destinations sold, own guides or hosts. Pricing transparency 20: priced sample trips, inclusions, currency and dates, published booking terms. Review evidence 20: the best independent review platform, a second platform, and how recent the newest review is. Financial protection 15: numbered ATOL and ABTA or ABTOT in the UK, USTOA in the US. Six of the seven are scored on these five criteria, in company records of 25 and 26 September 2026. Extraordinary Journeys’ 84 is the score on its review, which uses six criteria: expertise 24 of 25, review evidence 15 of 20, destination breadth 14 of 15, pricing transparency 12 of 15, service model 11 of 15 and ownership transparency 8 of 10. A company carries one number across the site. Pass mark 60, fixed before scoring.
| Operator | Planning /25 | Ground cover /20 | Pricing /20 | Reviews /20 | Protection /15 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abercrombie & Kent | 19 | 16 | 20 | 16 | 15 | 86 |
| Cazenove+Loyd | 25 | 10 | 20 | 18 | 10 | 83 |
| Audley Travel | 23 | 6 | 18 | 20 | 15 | 82 |
| Scott Dunn | 23 | 10 | 20 | 14 | 15 | 82 |
| Original Travel | 20 | 6 | 13 | 16 | 15 | 70 |
| Artisans of Leisure | 24 | 6 | 13 | 9 | 8 | 60 |
Among these six, the order turns on two criteria. Abercrombie & Kent leads on on-the-ground cover (16 of 20), where every other operator here scores 10 or less; it is the only operator here selling a Patagonia group journey with its own resident tour director. Cazenove+Loyd scores the full 25 for planning depth but loses five points on protection, with one numbered scheme where four of the others publish two. Audley Travel has the best review record of the six (20 of 20) and the weakest ground cover (6). Artisans of Leisure passes at exactly 60, held back by a thin review record (9) and protection (8).
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Artisans of Leisure, for a trip that is private from start to finish: its Patagonia Adventure costs $24,270 per person and stays at lodges such as Awasi, where each villa has its own guide and 4x4. For a route designed from a blank page, Cazenove+Loyd plans Patagonia tailor-made only. At a lower price, Quasar Expeditions sells private overland safaris by Jeep, a honeymoon safari among them, with seven days in Torres del Paine and El Calafate from US$8,150 per person.
Abercrombie & Kent: a ten-day small group with a resident tour director and a choice of horse, foot or kayak in Torres del Paine, so teenagers and parents can split up for the day. For a private trip, Scott Dunn prices ten nights month by month from $10,500 per person, which makes the school-holiday premium visible before you call.
Cazenove+Loyd, because three generations need a route built around the slowest walker and the keenest one, and it scores the full 25 for planning depth. Extraordinary Journeys Partner is the alternative with a published price: 16 days across Chile and Argentina at $12,000 per person, from a planner often chosen for family and multigenerational trips, by its own description.
Abercrombie & Kent, again for the small group of up to 18: company on the road and one person in charge. None of the operator pages read states a single supplement for Patagonia, so ask for the figure in writing. Swoop Patagonia also sells small-group trips.
Swoop Patagonia sells only Patagonia, from Bristol, and its founder has trekked, ridden and paddled the region. Among the ranked six, Cazenove+Loyd has the deepest planning score and Abercrombie & Kent the most people on the ground.
| Budget | Closest published trips | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| About $10,000 per person, two weeks | Scott Dunn, 10 nights, $10,500 in September, October and May. Extraordinary Journeys, Argentine Patagonia Trip, 13 days, $11,000. Quasar Expeditions, private overland safari, 9 days from US$9,500 or 11 days from US$12,500. | Only Extraordinary Journeys’ 13 days comes close to two weeks at this price. Scott Dunn’s figure rises to $14,400 from December to March. |
| About $25,000 per person, two weeks | Artisans of Leisure, Patagonia Adventure, private, $24,270 double occupancy. | This is the price of private touring throughout and the top lodges: Awasi, Tierra, Explora or The Singular. Original Travel’s £24,155 buys 24 days with an Antarctic cruise. |
| About $100,000 for a family of four | Artisans of Leisure’s private journey for four comes to $97,080. Four places on Extraordinary Journeys’ 16 days come to $48,000, and on Scott Dunn’s peak-season 10 nights to $57,600. | None of these pages publishes a child’s price. At the lower figures there is room for a private guide every day and the better rooms. |
The two parks touch: Los Glaciares borders Torres del Paine to the south, and the road crossing between them takes most of a day.
| Side | What is there | Gateway | Map |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chilean Patagonia | Torres del Paine National Park, the Cordillera del Paine and its granite towers of about 2,500 metres; Awasi, Tierra and Explora are all here | Puerto Natales or Punta Arenas | Torres del Paine on Google Maps |
| Argentine Patagonia | Los Glaciares National Park: the Perito Moreno Glacier, and El Chaltén at the foot of Mount Fitz Roy | El Calafate, outside the park on Lake Argentino | Los Glaciares on Google Maps |

| Operator | Order of travel | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Abercrombie & Kent | Argentina first: Buenos Aires, Ushuaia, El Calafate, then Puerto Natales and Torres del Paine, ending in Santiago | A&K itinerary via RACQ |
| Scott Dunn | Argentina first, then Chile for four nights at Patagonia Camp | Scott Dunn |
| Audley Travel | Chile first: three days in Torres del Paine, then El Calafate | Audley |
Allow a full day for the border. On Audley’s Chile and Argentina’s Patagonian highlights itinerary the coach leaves at 9am and reaches El Calafate’s bus station at 3pm. Within Chile, the all-inclusive lodges send their own guides to meet you; Audley’s itinerary notes a four-hour drive from the airport into Torres del Paine with the lodge’s guide.
| Trip | Length | Price per person | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quasar Expeditions, Patagonia Select Safari | 7 days | From US$8,150 | Quasar Expeditions |
| Scott Dunn, Epic Highlights of Patagonia | 10 nights | $10,500 to $14,400 by month | Scott Dunn |
| Extraordinary Journeys, Argentine Patagonia Trip Partner | 13 days | $11,000 | Extraordinary Journeys |
| Extraordinary Journeys, Ultimate Patagonia Adventure: Chile and Argentina Partner | 16 days | $12,000 | Extraordinary Journeys |
| Audley Travel, Grand tour of Patagonia | 16 days | From £12,100 | Audley |
| Quasar Expeditions, Patagonia Immersion Safari | 11 days | From US$12,500 | Quasar Expeditions |
| Journey Latin America, Luxury Chile and Argentina: Simply Patagonia | 13 days | From £12,800 | Journey Latin America |
| Artisans of Leisure, Patagonia Adventure: Argentina and Chile | Private journey | $24,270, double occupancy | Artisans of Leisure |
| Original Travel, The Ends of the Earth: Patagonia and Antarctica | 24 days | £24,155 to £38,580 | Original Travel |
Season moves the price most. Scott Dunn’s 10-night journey costs $10,500 in September and October 2026 and $14,400 from December 2026 to March 2027, and Scott Dunn notes that many hotels in southern Patagonia close from May to September.
| Company | What it publishes for Patagonia | Evidence read |
|---|---|---|
| Swoop Patagonia | Tailor-made, small-group and luxury Patagonia trips; says it helps over 1,500 people a year | Founded in 2010 and based in Bristol; its founder has trekked, ridden and paddled the region; Trustpilot 4.5 from 132 reviews; ATOL and ABTOT badges shown, numbers not read |
| Journey Latin America | Luxury Chile and Argentina: Simply Patagonia, 13 days from £12,800 | Describes itself as the UK’s number one specialist in Latin America travel |
| Quasar Expeditions | Private overland safaris by Jeep of 6 to 11 days, guided or self-driven: 7 days from US$8,150, 9 days from US$9,500, 11 days from US$12,500; a puma tracking safari from US$7,850 | Family-owned, founded in Ecuador in 1986, by its own description; read 6 October 2026 |
| Blue Parallel | Private, tailor-made journeys in Argentina and Chile with its own hosts and private guides throughout | A Virtuoso tour operator; no Patagonia price found; read on its Virtuoso profile, 6 October 2026 |
Extraordinary Journeys
Tailor-made planner · Washington, D.C. · founded 2008 · 84/100, second on this index
Extraordinary Journeys plans private trips in Patagonia and prints a price on each itinerary. Its two Patagonia routes sit at the lower end of the prices on this page for the longest trips, and a destination specialist for Africa and South America on its team is named a Condé Nast Traveler Top Travel Specialist for 2026. It publishes office hours and no 24-hour line.
Prices read on its own site on 2 October 2026. Read its review.
The lodges that make a luxury Patagonia trip are the same whoever books them. Artisans of Leisure’s private journey offers Awasi, Tierra Patagonia, Explora’s Hotel Salto Chico or The Singular, Scott Dunn uses Patagonia Camp, and Abercrombie & Kent’s group stays at The Singular. The operator’s value is the routing, the border day and the support when weather closes a road. For Patagonia with Antarctica, see our Antarctica expedition operator index and fly-cruise vs Drake crossing.
| Lodge | Where | What booking direct gets you | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Awasi Patagonia | Private reserve on the edge of Torres del Paine; 14 villas | One private guide and 4x4 per villa; fully hosted rates in US dollars per room for the whole stay; three-night minimum; high season November 2026 to February 2027; USD 150 conservation contribution per person per stay; transfers from Puerto Natales airport | Awasi 2026 to 2027 rates, MICHELIN Guide |
| Tierra Patagonia | Shore of Lake Sarmiento, just outside Torres del Paine | An all-inclusive lodge stay; used by Artisans of Leisure and others in their itineraries | Swoop Patagonia lodge guide |
| Explora Torres del Paine | Inside Torres del Paine National Park, facing the Paine Massif | Described as the original luxury lodge in Patagonia; Artisans of Leisure books its Hotel Salto Chico | Swoop Patagonia lodge guide |

Awasi is the lodge that publishes the most: a 2026 to 2027 rate sheet in US dollars per room for the whole stay, a three-night minimum, and one private guide and 4x4 per villa. The MICHELIN Guide awards it three MICHELIN Keys. If only Torres del Paine is on the list, booking the lodge direct is simple; for both sides of Patagonia, an operator earns its fee on the crossing.
10-day small group of up to 18 · resident tour director · 24/7 on-call support
Abercrombie & Kent’s Patagonia: The Last Wilderness runs from Buenos Aires to Santiago through Ushuaia, El Calafate and Puerto Natales, with a stay at The Singular Patagonia and a choice of horse, foot or kayak in Torres del Paine; its UK page priced the 2025 departures from £11,230 per person, and the December 2026 to December 2027 season is listed by RACQ. It scores highest on on-the-ground cover (16), and its weakest criterion is planning depth (19). Private travellers can ask for its tailor-made Journey to Patagonia. See the Abercrombie & Kent company record.
Washington, D.C. · founded 2008 · two priced Patagonia itineraries · Partner
Extraordinary Journeys publishes two Patagonia trips with a price on each: the Ultimate Patagonia Adventure across Chile and Argentina, 16 days at $12,000 per person, and the Argentine Patagonia Trip, 13 days at $11,000, plus Patagonia and Antarctica combinations. A destination specialist for Africa and South America on its team is named a Condé Nast Traveler Top Travel Specialist for 2026. Its 84 is the score on its review, where it is strongest on expertise (24 of 25) and weakest on service model (11 of 15): it publishes office hours and no 24-hour line. See the Extraordinary Journeys review.
Founded 1993 · tailor-made only · full marks for planning depth
Cazenove+Loyd plans Patagonia privately, with suggested routes on its Patagonia page including a 19-day Chile and Argentina journey, and one client quoted there credits it with handling the border crossing faster than other travellers managed. It scores the full 25 for planning depth; it loses points on on-the-ground cover (10) and protection (10), and no Patagonia price appears on its Patagonia page. See the Cazenove+Loyd company record.
16-day grand tour from £12,100 · 24-hour support while you travel · review evidence 20 of 20
Audley’s Grand tour of Patagonia across Argentina and Chile runs 16 days from £12,100 per person, with guided excursions in Torres del Paine before crossing to El Calafate, and its US site combines Patagonia with Antarctica in 18 days from $17,835. It has the strongest review record of those scored on the five criteria; its weak score is on-the-ground cover (6). See the Audley Travel company record.
10 nights, Argentina then Chile · priced by month, $10,500 to $14,400 · four nights at Patagonia Camp
Scott Dunn’s Epic Highlights of Patagonia prints a price for every month from September 2026 to May 2027, the most open pricing of any Patagonia trip read, with four nights at Patagonia Camp in Chile. It scores 20 of 20 on pricing transparency; its weakest criterion is review evidence (14). See the Scott Dunn company record.
24 days with Antarctica · £24,155 to £38,580 · 4x4 and horseback in Patagonia
Original Travel’s The Ends of the Earth explores Chilean and Argentine Patagonia by 4x4 and on horseback before a luxury Antarctic cruise, priced from £24,155 to £38,580 per person by season. It scores 15 for protection and loses most on on-the-ground cover (6) and pricing (13). See the Original Travel company record.
Private journey, $24,270 per person · Awasi, Tierra, Explora or The Singular
Artisans of Leisure’s Patagonia Adventure is a private tour of both sides with the top rooms at the region’s leading lodges, priced at $24,270 per person, double occupancy. It scores 24 for planning depth and passes at the mark because of its review evidence (9) and protection (8). See the Artisans of Leisure company record.
In July 2026 Awasi published its 2026 to 2027 fully hosted rates, with a USD 150 conservation contribution per person per stay and a three-night minimum (Awasi). Scott Dunn prices its 2026 to 2027 Patagonia season month by month, from $10,500 in September 2026 to $14,400 at the December to March peak (Scott Dunn). On 25 and 26 September 2026 the company records behind six of these scores were verified; each is linked from its profile above.
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