Once you made it down there, it's just enjoying the nature. Yes, it is quite full some times, which also means that going alone is no problem since you always meet people to hook up with. Besides, I really never felt unsafe at those places. For travel details there are plenty of homepages or books around (see below), we did well using Lonley Planet. The known trekking bases are well equipped, for instance getting some shellite for the stove is no problem at all. In Puerto Natales or Calafate it is also possible to buy some equiment. A sleeping bag in that you feel comfortable at 5 deg celsius below zero is good to have, along with a strom-proven tent. Although the Patagonian wind is not as impressive as its rumours, Scandinavian winds can impress as least as much, but still: it can be very windy. Warm clothes, hat and gloves should also be in you pack. But, you could get started. We spend roughly five weeks there (which is quite a lot I think), the only annoying thing being that you meet quite some people on "around the world in one year" or "southamerica on six months" trip. Those guys always felt sorry with us " ooooh, only five weeks". But it pays off to go there for five weeks (only :-), like this:

• 2002-12-27 to 29: Plane to Buenos Aires (overnight stay there).
  Continuation flight to Rio Gallegos (Argentine east coast).
  Bus to Puerto Natales (with change of bus in El Turbio)
• 2002-12-30 to 2003-01-07: Bus from Puerto Natales to Torres del Paine National Park.
  Torres del Paine circuit (see seperate page).
  Bus back to Puerto Natales
• 2003-01-08: Bus from Puerto Natales to El Calafate (day trip)
• 2003-01-10 to 17: Bus to El Chalten.
  Fitz Roy & Cerro Torre Lookout (see seperate page).
  Bus back to El Calafate.
• 2003-01-18 to 22: Several day trips for iceberg watching (see seperate page).
• 2003-01-23: Flight from El Calafate to Buenos Aires.
• 2003-01-24 to 25: Flight from Buenos Aires back home.

• Clem Lindenmayer: Trekking in the Patagonian Andes. Lonely Planet Publications. 2nd ed, February 1998. - Gives you all the information needed for walking ang getting around there. Be careful with the prices quoted there since south american countries have very vivid currencies.
• Bruce Chatwin: In Patagonia. Vintage, 1998. Not really for practical information, but nice to get warm with the landscape, either at home, during the flight or already on the way.
• B.F. Bourne: The Captive in Patagonia. Or: Life among the Giants. Zagier & Urruty, 2002.
• W.H. Hudson, C.M.Z.S.: Idle Days In Patagonia. London: Chapman & Hall, 1893. Reprint by: El Calafate Editores, Buenos Aires, 2000.
• E. Shackleton: South, the Endurance Expedition. Zagier & Urruty, 2002. A little bit off-topic, I admit. Nevertheless, the last three books in this list give nice reading that is somewhat related to Patagonia.

Check the Torres del Paine Circuit or the Los Glaciares NP Trip.