Our Patagonia tours offer dramatic landscapes, challenging treks, and stunning wildlife. Because most include multi-day treks and/ or adventurous whitewater journeys, these tours are generally recommended for teens and adults, though we do have a couple of boat-based tours that can be managed by younger children.
Boat Based Tours: Minimum age = 6
Our boat based tours include the Stella Australis and the Mare Australis tour. Both options focus on experiencing Patagonia's unique ecology and offer limited entertainment options onboard for kids. The Patagonia by Sea tour is culturally focused, providing a unique view of the folklore and cultural center of the Isle de Chloe. Due to the confined space and sea conditions, it is a good idea to try your family's seaworthiness before heading off! This is a great tour for a family charter. If joining other groups we require a minimum age of 12. The excursions are educational and give families the chance to try new foods, see a living example of a different culture, and experience boat living.
The Mare Australis cruise is on a much larger boat so children as young as 6 are welcome. However, the focus is primarily on experiencing Patagonia's incredible scenery. Onboard lectures add an educational component and glacial hikes help satisfy your wanderlust. Because of the limited child centered activities, families with young children are still relatively rare. Make sure to bring plenty to entertain your young one.
These tours are not a good choice for young children who can be easily bored, crave high intensity activities, have rigid schedules/ food preferences, are prone to motion sickness, or are not able to swim, etc.
Trekking Tours: Minimum age = 12
These Patagonia tours include multi-day treks, glacier walks, and our most challenging desert trek where temperatures can vary upwards of 60 degrees in a 24-hour period. They can be great choices for older children and active families. Prepare your family for trekking tours by planning weekend day hikes or overnight camping trips before you go. Keep in mind that some days the distances hiked each day may feel much further due to the rugged terrain and altitude variance. Each traveler should bring a daypack with essentials such as a camera, waterproof jacket, water bottle, and snacks. Tours with the Perito Moreno Glacier have a maximum age of 65 and a minimum age of 12 because ice-hiking equipment is not available for smaller children.