27 Top Patagonia Packing List Items for 2024 + What to Wear & NOT to Bring

What to Pack for Patagonia – 27 Essentials

• 1. Packing Cubes

  Especially if you’re backpacking, you’ll want to keep your pack light and only bring the essentials. The best thing to keep you organized and prevent overpacking is a good set of packing cubes! These colorful cubes come in a variety of sizes and even include separate cases for dirty laundry and shoes.

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• 2. Waterproof Hiking Boots

  If you’re planning on hiking anywhere in Patagonia (I can’t recommend Torres del Paine National Park enough!), packing hiking boots is an absolute must. Make sure that they are waterproof, come up to your ankles, and are suitable for scrambling over jagged rocks and crossing streams. Your hiking boots will become your best friend once you break them in. These ones are my all-time favorites.

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• 3. Virtual Private Network (VPN)

  Cybercrime rates are rising in Latin America, and you should always protect yourself against data breaches. Whether you’re connecting to public Wi-Fi networks at hotels, airports, or in Patagonian lodges – it’s smart to use a trusty VPN.

  With the touch of a button, you’ll keep yourself secured from potential hackers aiming to steal your sensitive information, such as passwords and credit card numbers. This will also help you access websites from your home country if there is censorship in the country you’re visiting, so you’re able to use YouTube, Facebook, and other favorites.

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• 4. Neck Wallet

  A neck wallet will come in handy on long days of trekking when you want to keep your essential belongings secure, organized, and accessible. This one’s great because it can easily fit your phone, passport, wallet, and anything else you might need and tucks conveniently beneath your clothing. This one also has RFID-blocking material to stop modern thieves from scanning your credit cards in crowded places.

  Available on HeroTravelSupply.com with an exclusive 15% discount using the coupon code “HERO”.

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• 5. Weatherproof Jacket

  The wind in the Patagonia region can be so strong that it can literally push you over, let alone give you a chill! Bring a totally waterproof windbreaker jacket with a hood, preferably with some padding, to keep you warm. This one is just what we were looking for and it’s served us well through many winters!

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• 6. Travel Insurance for Patagonia

  Because Patagonia is so remote, travel insurance is absolutely crucial. It was formerly mandated by Argentina, but now it is strongly encouraged because you never know what kind of emergency can strike in an area that is less developed with extreme conditions and a proclivity for unpredictable weather.

  Your domestic provider will not follow you overseas and you will need coverage against flight delays, cancelations, evacuations, and most importantly – medical care and transport (which would cost a fortune if paying out-of-pocket).
  Our friend broke her wrists while hiking, thankfully she had medical insurance to foot the bill. A simple medivac from Patagonia to the nearest hospital starts at $7K and that’s before receiving treatment.

  Faye is always our number one choice, as they offer plans that will cover you for a variety of adventure activities. They’re modernizing insurance to make the process less miserable. Everything is handled through their mobile app and we were reimbursed when it mattered most! While it isn’t mandated anymore, it should be treated as a requirement.

  Get a quote in less than 60 seconds with Faye ➜

• 7. Jet Lag Relief

  Flights to Patagonia range from 13-25 hours from the U.S. (and there are generally not many direct flights). With drastic time changes and layovers, these jet lag relief supplements make a huge difference! We like this brand because it uses chamomile and gentle botanicals to help you feel more rested.

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• 8. Universal Power Adapter

  If you’re not visiting from South America, you’re going to need a good universal power adapter. This one’s amazing because it works in 100+ popular countries so you can use it for most international travel. It allows you to plug in your electronics safely with a built-in fuse protector and has USB outlets so you can charge multiple devices at once.

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• 9. Warm Hat and Gloves

  It can get extremely cold and windy in Patagonia, especially if you visit during June or July. Make sure you bring a warm hat and a good pair of gloves for your adventure. They will make you a million times more comfortable while walking around town, hiking, or ice-trekking among glaciers. I highly recommend adding some hand and foot warmers that feel just heavenly on a cold day!

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• 10. Trekking Poles

  Long hikes and trekking trips in Patagonia definitely call for heavy-duty trekking poles. The notoriously jagged, steep uphill and downhill sections of trails will have your knees aching and thighs burning. The use of trekking poles will help distribute your weight, give you some extra balance, prevent you from falling, and overall make hiking a lot easier.

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• 11. Affordable Waterproof Camera

  Whether you get caught in the rain or snow, or decide to take a dip in one of the many glacial lakes (season and weather permitting), it pays to have a reliable, waterproof action camera. This one is ideal because it’s affordable and waterproof for up to 30 meters. You’ll definitely want to capture the best of your experience in Patagonia and this one is not so delicate that it can’t withstand some adventure too!

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• 12. Quick-Dry Travel Towel

  Between the temperate rainforests and staggering glaciers, there are countless activities in Patagonia where a towel would be useful. Instead of bringing a big, fluffy one from home or dealing with a potentially unclean one from the hotel – bring your own travel-sized option. This one is light as a feather but dries 10x faster than cotton, making it perfect for swimming, working out, hiking, and more.

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• 13. Waterproof Phone Pouch

  One of our favorite things to do in Patagonia is river rafting! Patagonia offers top-notch kayaking, horseback riding across rivers, and boating. Since water activities are almost inevitable here, you’ll need a waterproof phone case to protect your lifeline from moisture. This one can work as an underwater camera and film epic videos for your social media (with sound!)

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• 14. Universal Portable Charger

  In case you need your phone for navigation, photos, or general internet access – keep a portable charger on-hand for emergency charging. When enjoying the incredible scenery, you may not have access to power outlets or reliable electricity in Patagonia. You can throw your devices (like your phone, kindle, or tablet) in your backpack next to this charger, and let it handle the rest as you explore hands-free!

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• 15. Warm Jacket

  Bring all the clothing essentials that you would pack for a multi-day hiking trip. This means leggings, water-resistant pants, base layer tops, fleece pullovers, and a shell jacket. With Patagonia’s ever-changing weather conditions, you may find yourself getting warm while trekking and want to peel off a few layers, or vice versa when it gets chilly in the evening. Try to bring moisture-wicking or dry-fit clothing. This warm insulating jacket is the perfect layer for a Patagonian trekking adventure.

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• 16. Wool Socks

  For a hiking trip in Patagonia, pack medium-weight wool socks with cushioned soles like these ones. Wool socks are great for regulating your temperature, dry quickly, and won’t slide down into your boots like most socks. Try to avoid cotton socks as they don’t dry quickly and will not keep your feet warm. These ones are my tried and true favorite wool socks and come in a variety of colors.

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• 17. Travel Toilet Paper

  Not all of the hiking trails have toilets in Patagonia and the ones that do, may not have toilet paper supplied. We highly recommend bringing your own toilet paper to easily dispose of. This brand is biodegradable so it will work for any parks with regulations against waste. You don’t want to be caught without this when you need it most!

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• 18. Long Underwear / Thermals

  Since this base layer will be in direct contact with your skin at all times, it should be made from synthetic fabric. Long underwear is perfect for keeping your body warm and your temperature regulated. This pair of long underwear is perfect for your adventure in Patagonia.

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• 19. Daypack

  If your plans in Patagonia have you staying in town and embarking on day treks, or if you have a base camp and plan to hike a daylong circuit, you’ll want a good day pack to hold all your essentials (phones, wallets, an umbrella, water bottle, snacks, etc.) This daypack is great because it’s lightweight, reliable, and large enough to hold anything you may need during the day.

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• 20. TSA-Approved Luggage Locks

  Luggage locks are multi-purposeful and we never travel without them. When camping once, we actually had someone try to open our tent at night. For sleeping and when you leave the campsite to explore, secure your items with these locks. They are TSA-approved so your checked luggage will be secure without slowing you down through security. We also use them on our backpacks in crowded areas, public lockers, and more.

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• 21. Filtered Water Bottle

  While the tap water can be safe to consume in Patagonia, it is purified with chlorine. Locals will tell you that bottled water is more commonly used since the tap has such a strong chlorinated taste. Instead of wasting plastic, bring a reusable water bottle that you can refill over and over again. You can get it directly from the source with ice-cold glacier water since this water bottle filters out harmful bacteria, viruses, sediment, and many other dangerous organisms to prevent water-borne illness. While the glacier water is relatively clean on its own, it’s better to be safe than sorry!

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• 22. Discounted Tickets on Patagonian Tours

  From hiking through Perito Moreno Glacier to canoeing through Tierra del Fuego National Park – Patagonia has some world-class nature experiences that will set the bar high for your itinerary. Since it is a vast landscape spread between Argentina and Chile, you can get the best of many worlds while escaping to the unknown.

  Get Your Guide is our favorite booking service for flexible excursions. They have options for every type of traveler – the adventure-seekers of Patagonia can snorkel with sea lions near an abandoned shipwreck, and calmer travelers will love driving around the beautiful Road of the 7 Lakes.

  See all Patagonia attractions at GetYourGuide.com ➜

• 23. Windproof Travel Umbrella

  Rain is more common in the Spring months in Patagonia, and while it doesn’t rain a ton, it’s always wise to pack an umbrella. Since this one is windproof and more resilient than the average travel umbrella, you can use it for anything from sudden downpours to creating some shade on a sunny day. It’s lightweight and made for travel, but still covers two people.

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• 24. Convertible Hiking Pants

  We recommend using quick-dry hiking pants for Patagonia and this pair is excellent when worn with some thermal layers. It has a silver-fiber lining that traps heat in to keep you warm, but if a pant leg gets wet or heavy, you can simply unzip it to create a shorts-style. They are comfortable and have tons of hidden pockets to work with.

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• 25. Hanging Toiletry Bag

  Whether you’re camping in Torres del Paine or staying in a boutique hotel – this hanging toiletry bag will help you maintain your self-care routine (and your sanity!). Instead of trying to organize tons of little toiletry bottles or have them sprawled all across your accommodation, use this bag to stay organized – it has 4 giant pockets for skincare, haircare, makeup, and more. It actually can hold our entire family’s liquid items (which is quite a feat!) and we haven’t had a luggage spill since consolidating our toiletry items in this bag.

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• 26. First-Aid Kit

  A lot can go wrong on any trip, even if it’s a quick out-and-back day hike. Be prepared for blisters, splinters, cuts, and other blunders with a well-stocked mini first aid kit. Keep this lightweight one in your daypack so that you can whip it out in case of emergency.

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• 27. Headlamp

  Hikes during the early morning hours (and moonlit night hikes) call for headlamps. If you’re on an overnight hike, there will be times when you’ll need to put up or take down your tent in the dark, and you’ll need light (and both hands) to get it done. Even for trying to find a place to use the bathroom in the pitch dark is WAY safer with a reliable headlamp. You’ll use it more than you think, and it will keep you hands-free to explore.

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