Patagonia

Patagonia, a region at the southern end of South America which is shared by Argentina and Chile, possesses some of the most extraordinary landscapes on Earth. This region comprises the southern end of the Andes Mountains to the southwest towards the Pacific Ocean, and in the east it follows the Colorado River south towards Carmen de Patagones in the Atlantic Ocean.

Argentinian Patagonia is mostly a region of arid steppe like plains, rising in abrupt terraces of approximately 330 feet, and covered with a large bed of shingle and almost bare of any vegetation. Towards the Andes, animal and vegetative life becomes more abundant, with some of the largest ice-fields in the Southern hemisphere outside of Antarctica being found here.

Chilean Patagonia stretches from Valdivia to Cape Horn, and includes the western side of Tierra del Fuego Island and the Strait of Magellan. In the west are the Chilean Fjords; which can be explored by kayak, a maze of islands, glaciers and a variety of wildlife including humpback whales, rare Chilean dolphins plus a variety of seabirds.

For the adventurous traveler and outdoor enthusiast Patagonia is a trip which offers tremendous diversity including wildlife, landscapes, history and outdoor activities.

Regions to visit include: Torres el Paine National Park, an expansive World Biosphere Reserve and one of the most unspoiled nature preserves, with its glaciers, turquoise lakes, thunderous waterfalls, and an array of animals including the beloved guanaco; Cape Horn, where you can experience the view from the top of the southernmost point of South America; the Beagle Channel and the Straits of Magellan, two of history’s most storied and significant discovery routes; Magdalena Island, home to the over 100,000 colony of Magellanic penguins; the Peninsula Valdes, the main breeding ground for the endangered Southern right whale (a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site) and the iconic Tierra del Fuego, home to incredible wildlife, unique forests and Karukinka Natural Park.