In southern South America, there is a Land where immensity reigns, the contrasts amaze and people’s warmth is unsurpassed: Patagonia… the one place in this world. How to describe it?

Where is Patagonia?

First and foremost: Patagonia is not a country but a geographical region. It occupies the southernmost tip of mainland South America and sits between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. Patagonia is a huge territory of more than 400,000 square miles that belongs mostly to Argentina but includes a small part of Chile too. Here is a map of Patagonia.

Also part of the Patagonia region is the island of Tierra del Fuego and its capital city, Ushuaia. This is the best gateway to Antarctica as the distance between continents is only 600 miles here. Tierra del Fuego is also close to Cape Horn, the Magellan Strait and such names can only bring us back to old myths, adventure and legends.

The Andes mountain range constitutes the natural borderline dividing Chilean and Argentine Patagonia sectors.

What is Patagonia like?

It is mountains. The Patagonian Andes extend to the west like a huge wall. With landscapes of glaciers, lakes and trees, it has snow during winter and plenty of flowers and scents during summer.

It is Ocean. Towards the east we find the Atlantic Patagonia Region and its almost virgin beaches. A deep blue sea populated by penguins, whales and dolphins.

It is also a vast plateau in its central part, with high “steps” descending from the Andes region towards the Ocean. Most of Patagonia’s territory belongs to this area.

And finally the land of the extreme south or the “Uttermost End of the World”, Tierra del Fuego. Mountains and sea come together here like in no other place in the Americas.

Argentina’s Top tourist attractions

Perito Moreno Glacier

Los Glaciares National Park is a tourist destination in Patagonia that needs to be at the top of your list. It shelters the majestic Perito Moreno Glacier and a very well laid out runways system that allows magnificent views of it.

Other impressive glaciers you get to see once inside the National Park are the Upsala, Onelli and Spegazzini, to name just a few of the best looking ones.

Of course you can go beyond plain sightseeing and do some serious adventure stuff like kayaking in Lake Argentino among ice detachments or even walking on millenary glacier surfaces.

Open all year long, to access this UNESCO World Heritage Site you can fly direct from Buenos Aires to El Calafate (its airport code is FTE and total flight time is 2 hours 30 minutes). Plus, if you happen to travel from October to April, you also have convenient land access to Mt. Fitz Roy and Torres del Paine National Park which are two other major, much sought after tourist spots in Patagonia.

Ushuaia & Tierra del Fuego

One of the dreams of many tourists is to travel as far as it is possible to the south of the World. If you belong to this group and opt to include Ushuaia and Tierra del Fuego in your tour itinerary, you will get more than that however.

How about riding the mythical Train of the End of the World, sailing the Beagle Channel, skiing at the southernmost ski resort on Earth, or perhaps embarking on a cruise that reaches Antarctica? All these literally unique experiences take place in Tierra del Fuego, where you will arrive either on one of the many daily flights (airport code: USH) or on a cruise ship, as it is an island.

The best time to visit this corner of Argentina is directly related to your interests: Antarctica cruises depart from November to March, skiing is possible from June till October whereas the rest of the excursions, sightseeing and activities are available all year long.

Bariloche

Bariloche is the gateway to the Andean Lakes District

Bariloche surpasses all expectations from the moment you arrive till the very last minute of your stay. To begin with, there are impressive landscapes of the Andean Lakes district for sightseeing all around and a lot of thrilling activities to choose from (skiing, hiking, rafting, fishing… you name it). And then there’s the local food. The Patagonian craft beer. The chocolate. The people… When your stay in the area eventually comes to its end you will find it difficult to leave Bariloche, for memorable good reasons.

This city is very well connected with the rest of Argentina with many direct flights a day (airport code: BRC), intercity bus services, and a regional train that connects the Andes with the Atlantic ocean.

Each season of the year has its particular charm in this part of Patagonia. October to March is the best time for tours, navigations and excursions along with our Fall (mid March to mid June), when all colors and scents of Nature come alive. Finally the timeframe from June till mid September is the skiing season par excellence in Bariloche.

Puerto Madryn

Whales, Elephant Seals, Sea Lions, Penguins, Dolphins, Orcas and the list goes on. This area of Patagonia is a marine fauna paradise.

From Puerto Madryn you will have easy access to both Valdes Peninsula for Whale Watching navigations, and also to Punta Tombo Penguin rookery with its more than 1 million specimens where, as long as you do not make physical contact, you will be even allowed to walk among them!

For a trip to Puerto Madryn, fauna seasons determine the moment you will want to travel. Oversimplified, the perfect time would be the months of October and November but make sure you read the fine print before deciding your dates in firm.

This is a tourist destination in Argentina that is served by two airports: the one in the city of Puerto Madryn itself (code: PMY) with fewer frequencies but closer to hotels and the airport of Trelew (code: REL) located 50 km away, but with up to 4 daily direct flights to and from Buenos Aires.

Source: https://www.patagonia-argentina.com/en/