Discover the Enchanting Beauty of Patagonia
If you are planning to visit Argentina, then we are sure that Patagonia is one of the items in your bucket list. With snow capped mountains, stunning landscapes, hiking trails, volcanoes, rivers, glaciers, forests and thousands of kilometers of remoteness, this is a true paradise for nature lovers and adventure travelers. But as the region is so vast, choosing where to go can be overwhelming. So we prepared this article with our recommendations to make your Patagonia travel as smooth as possible.
Patagonia: The End of the World
Patagonia is a region located in the south of the south: at the far end of Argentina. The provinces of La Pampa, Neuquén, Río Negro, Chubut, Santa Cruz and Tierra del Fuego are part of this area and offer stunning landscapes.
Nature left its indelible mark and blessed the area with unique and marvelous landscapes.
There are activities for every taste. Being a region that stretches from the Andes to the Atlantic Ocean and from the middle zone of Argentina to the Antarctic ice, you will be speechless in front of the mountains, lakes, glaciers, local fauna and much more.
Ready to decide on the itinerary for your Patagonia trip? Let’s go!
As we were saying, your Patagonia trip will be full of adventures: you can try hiking trails, archeology, skiing, astrotourism, rural tourism, diving, glaciers, navigations, museums, local cuisine, festivities, national parks and much more.
Bariloche, Provincia de Río Negro (Río Negro province)
On the west side, you can find the city of San Carlos de Bariloche, or just Bariloche. The word “Bariloche” comes from the Mapuche language and means “people from behind the mountain”.
From the outskirts of the city, you can navigate the Nahuel Huapi lake and thus enjoy an amazing view of the mountains and magical forests. The intense blue of the waters, the flora and fauna make this tour an incomparable experience.
During the winter season, you will find everything you need to practice skiing: instructors for all levels and rental of the necessary equipment.
Bariloche also offers several hiking trails. You need one day for some of them, but there are also shorter ones which are usually chosen by families with children. An expert mountain guide will make it a safe and unforgettable experience.
Puerto Madryn – Provincia de Chubut (Chubut province)
Do you lean towards the ocean? World-famous for whale watching, then Puerto Madryn is your choice.
Puerto Madryn is located on the eastern coast of Argentina, on the Atlantic Ocean. It is a protected area and was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1999. One of the most outstanding attractions is the southern right whales watching. They visit the area from July to November. There are also colonies of elephant seals, sea lions and Magellanic penguins (towards spring time).
So, some of the main activities include navigation for whale watching, navigation to go close to sea lions (you can even dive with them!).
Going 120 km (75 miles) south, to Trelew city, you can visit and hike the trails around the penguin colony (September to April). Punta Tombo is a protected natural area and it is the largest Magellanic penguin colony in the world. There are wide paths and boardwalks to enjoy the penguins in their natural habitat.
Trelew also hosts the “Museo Paleontológico Egidio Feruglio” (Paleontological Museum). You will find the largest dinosaur in the world in this museum. More than 180 bones were found in a perfect state of preservation, which represented one of the most important archaeological discoveries.
A few minutes from the city of Trelew, you will find Gaiman, a picturesque Welsh colony where you can learn about the history of that community and enjoy the traditional Welsh tea ceremony. Even Lady Di visited Gaiman and one of the tea houses! As you see, a Patagonia trip will leave you speechless more than once!
El Calafate and the glaciers – Provincia de Santa Cruz (Santa Cruz Province)
The province of Santa Cruz is a province located south of the Argentine mainland and the Patagonian region. Of course, it also offers an enchanting beauty to be discovered.
If you want to be dazzled by the imposing beauty of the glaciers, visiting El Calafate and the Perito Moreno glacier is a must. Flights arrive at El Calafate International Airport, located 80 km (50 miles) from Los Glaciares National Park.
There are different options to navigate within Los Glaciares National Park. Comfortable boats from which you can appreciate the different shapes that the glacier gives us at all times.
Another outstanding option is to carry out a navigation combined with a mini trekking. Can you imagine the feeling of peace when walking on a glacier?
There are other trekking trails to discover the enchanting beauty of Patagonia and Chubut Province. You will live experiences that surpass everything.
Ushuaia – The End of the World – Provincia de Tierra del Fuego (Tierra del Fuego province)
The end of the world! Ushuaia is the southernmost city on Earth and the perfect starting point to live many adventures after arriving at its international airport.
An option to explore the trekking trails in frozen valleys and forests is to discover the place using snowshoes/racquets. They are designed not to sink into the snow. These walks usually take place along the Tierra Mayor Valley. Night option is also available. Unforgettable!
Navigating the Beagle Channel is a unique experience. There are different options: going past the “Isla de los Pájaros” (Bird island) and the “Isla de los Lobos” (Sea Lions island), to then reach “Les Eclaireurs” (The Explorers) lighthouse. You can also combine this tour with a short trekking trail or get to a penguin colony and the Harberton Ranch, founded in 1883 by Anglican missionary Thomas Bridges.
Just 12 kilometers (8 miles) from the center of Ushuaia, you will find the Tierra del Fuego National Park. It was created in 1960 and it is the only National Park in Argentina located between the mountains and the sea. This park is home to many native species (flora and fauna). There are different options for trekking trails. There are low, medium and high difficulty trekking trails.
After more than 40 years out of use, the train to the end of the world covers part of the old itinerary that took with prisoners from the center of the city to a hill to get wood and stones to be used in the construction of the prison, which operated until 1947. The prison building was listed as a National Historic Monument in 1997 and it was transformed into a museum. Not to be missed!
If you are thinking that there are endless options to discover the beauty of Patagonia, then you are right!
These are just some of the suggested options to discover the enchanting beauty of Patagonia, Argentina. Still finding it difficult to make up your mind about your Patagonia travel? Don’t worry. We can help you with that!
You can book a free 30-minute call to talk to one of our travel experts who will help you with all the questions you may have:
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Please do not hesitate to contact us, we are just a message away, ready to help you and hoping to see you soon around here to say: “Welcome to Argentina. Enjoy your stay”.