Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post. G Adventures compensated me for a portion of the Patagonia Multisport trip.
Although I felt uber prepared for my trip to Patagonia due to the epic packing list I made there were a few things I wish I had known before heading down to the end of the world.
- Do not call their cowboys “cowboys”, they are referred to as “Gaucho” and I think it’s a great idea to go into their world respecting their culture.
- Don’t count on the plane actually stocking your gluten-free, dairy-free meal that you ordered. Bring all the granola bars you can find and definitely save some for the trip home.
- I wish I had invested in an uber-comfortable day pack with great hip straps and side pockets. While I adore my MEC AlpineLite 24 Backpack was awesome I definitely could’ve gotten something meant for day-tripping vs. ice climbing.
- I downloaded Duolingo last year but never made learning Spanish a priority. I wish I had known much more than where is the bathroom, please, excuse me and thank you.
- I was offered yerba mate after mountain biking from one of the bike techs. This is a native tea drink but I for sure thought they were smoking a pipe the first time I saw it and said no until our CEO shared with us how to make it and drink it after teasing me for thinking they were offering me drugs.
- Although it mentions tipping while on the trip it would be great to receive tips on how much to bring ahead of time. When we saw the packs that the Porters carried our things in, we definitely were eager to help them out. I tipped our driver, CEO, guide, porters and tent boys who kept our tents from flying away at each campsite.
And no that’s not one of the Porters. That’s Chris Hall from the UK who I don’t think stopped smiling the entire time we were down there.
Finally, while there were instructions on the website on what to bring it wasn’t super clear how best to pack while in the National Park for the 6-day W trek. Here is what I did so you can figure out what would be best if you ever choose to go on this trip.
What I Wore:
These are the clothes I wore for 6 days straight. Oh, they smelled wonderful when we got back!
Base Layer: I wore the Lolë Women Lynnew Top in Green, 2XU Compression Tights, 2XU thermal compression socks (which Rogue, the puppy ate the minute I arrived back in Ottawa) and one of my favourite UnderArmour bras.
Technical Pants: Fjallraven Keb Trousers – I had bought these in Banff and waxed them for more waterproof and wind resistance and they performed amazingly! I’m obsessed.
Top Layers: Lululemon pullover, MEC climbing jacket, North Face Rain Coat, a Buff (very much needed with the wind!) and a G Adventures hat they had sent me ahead of time.
What I Packed in the Dry Sack:
We were allowed a total of 5kg. Since our sleeping bag weighed 2.5kg we were allowed an extra 2.5kg in our dry sack. Since I wasn’t sure I’d be able to eat everything they served in the park I brought a substantial amount of freeze-dried food in case. Since they were lightweight but bulky I threw them in the dry sack so they wouldn’t take up space in my day pack.
- Sleeping Bag – Provided by G Adventures
- Sleeping Bag Insert (extra warmth)
- Freeze-Dried Food
- 2 pairs of socks & underwear in a ziplock bag (extra dryness)
- Long Underwear & Wool Socks to sleep in
- A towel (to use as a pillow or in case I needed to shower)
- A brush (to brush out the bird’s nest every morning before braiding it again)
- A collapsible lantern
What I Packed in my Day Pack:
- Rain pants
- Hiking poles
- Granola bars & trail mix
- I may have taken some extra hard-boiled eggs from the hotel breakfast room for extra protein
- Toilet Paper
- Deodorant (I think I put it on once – sorry to whoever smelled me)
- Flip Flops for around the campsite
- Feet Warmers (just in case it got cold)
- Mitts
- First Aid Kit & Swiss Army Knife
- All My Supplements
- Go Pro
- Headlamp & Extra Batteries
- Toiletries
- Sunglasses
- Chargers for Phone & GoPro & Adapter
- Yoga Tune Up Ball
- Tampons (For You Know)
- Advil, Midol & Lactaid
- doTERRA OnGuard & Peppermint Beadlets (I swear the OnGuard beadlets & taking my supplements daily kept me in tip-top health shape the entire trip)
- Money Belt
- Extra Ziplock
- Ear Plugs (My roomie was a quiet, cute snorer but still snored)
- Passport, Photocopy & Health Insurance
After a month of being back home, I’m still on a high from the trip. I definitely wished it was a bit longer. I need to go back and see the Argentinian side now!