Patagonia

On South America’s southern frontier, nature grows wild, barren and beautiful. Spaces are large, as are the silences that fill them. For the newly arrived, such emptiness can be as impressive as the sight of Patagonia’s jagged peaks, pristine rivers and dusty backwater oases. In its enormous scale, Patagonia offers a wealth of potential experiences and landscapes.

Though now mostly paved, lonely RN 40 remains the iconic highway that stirred affection in personalities as disparate as Butch Cassidy and Bruce Chatwin. On the eastern seaboard, paved RN 3 shoots south, connecting oil boomtowns with ancient petrified forests, Welsh settlements and the incredible Península Valdés. Then there is the other, trendy Patagonia where faux-fur hoodies outnumber the guanacos. Don’t miss the spectacular sights of El Calafate and El Chaltén, but remember that they’re a world apart from the whistling solitude of the steppe.

Explore Patagonia

Glaciar Perito Moreno
Among the Earth's most dynamic and accessible ice fields, Glaciar Perito Moreno is the stunning centerpiece of the southern sector of Parque Nacional Los…
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Museo Paleontológico Egidio Feruglio
Showcasing the most important fossil finds in Patagonia, this natural-history museum offers outstanding life-size dinosaur exhibits and more than 1700…
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Glaciarium
Unique and exciting, this gorgeous museum illuminates the world of ice. Displays and bilingual films show how glaciers form, along with documentaries on…
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EcoCentro
Celebrating the area’s unique marine ecosystem, this masterpiece brings an artistic sensitivity to extensive scientific research. There are exhibits on…
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Portal La Ascensión
An outstanding addition to Parque Nacional Patagonia, this historic estancia on Lago Buenos Aires has an information center, lakeside car camping and a…
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Parque Nacional Los Glaciares
Among the Earth’s most dynamic and accessible ice fields, Glaciar Perito Moreno is the stunning centerpiece of the southern sector of Parque Nacional Los…
R
Reserva Faunística Península Valdés
Lying on Argentina's barren eastern Patagonian coast, this oddly shaped peninsula is home to some of the country's richest wildlife. Elephant seals,…
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Cueva de las Manos
The incredible rock art of Cueva de las Manos was proclaimed a Unesco World Heritage site in 1999. Dating from about 7370 BC, these polychrome rock…
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Reserva Los Huemules
This private 56-sq-km reserve protects the endangered huemul deer. There's 25km of marked trails. Stop by the visitor center to check in. It’s 17km beyond…

Glaciar Perito Moreno
Among the Earth's most dynamic and accessible ice fields, Glaciar Perito Moreno is the stunning centerpiece of the southern sector of Parque Nacional Los…
M
Museo Paleontológico Egidio Feruglio
Showcasing the most important fossil finds in Patagonia, this natural-history museum offers outstanding life-size dinosaur exhibits and more than 1700…
G
Glaciarium
Unique and exciting, this gorgeous museum illuminates the world of ice. Displays and bilingual films show how glaciers form, along with documentaries on…
E
EcoCentro
Celebrating the area’s unique marine ecosystem, this masterpiece brings an artistic sensitivity to extensive scientific research. There are exhibits on…
P
Portal La Ascensión
An outstanding addition to Parque Nacional Patagonia, this historic estancia on Lago Buenos Aires has an information center, lakeside car camping and a…
P
Parque Nacional Los Glaciares
Among the Earth’s most dynamic and accessible ice fields, Glaciar Perito Moreno is the stunning centerpiece of the southern sector of Parque Nacional Los…
R
Reserva Faunística Península Valdés
Lying on Argentina's barren eastern Patagonian coast, this oddly shaped peninsula is home to some of the country's richest wildlife. Elephant seals,…
C
Cueva de las Manos
The incredible rock art of Cueva de las Manos was proclaimed a Unesco World Heritage site in 1999. Dating from about 7370 BC, these polychrome rock…
R
Reserva Los Huemules
This private 56-sq-km reserve protects the endangered huemul deer. There's 25km of marked trails. Stop by the visitor center to check in. It’s 17km beyond…

Latest Stories from Patagonia

Hiking A massive rewilding project aims to put this under-visited part of Argentina’s Patagonia on the map
Feb 8, 2023 • 4 min read
Here’s an exciting to reason to visit the Argentine side of the Patagonian region.
Activities 10 of the best outdoor activities in Patagonia: amazing adventures in stunning landscapes
Jan 31, 2022 • 11 min read
Make the most of Patagonia's pristine wilderness with these amazing outdoor activities.
Road Trips 8 of the best road trips in Patagonia: explore remote and iconic landscapes by car
Jan 27, 2022 • 12 min read
With remote destinations at the end of scenic roads, road-tripping is the best way to explore Patagonia. Here are the top driving routes.
Wildlife & Nature Where to see wildlife in Patagonia
Jan 23, 2022 • 9 min read
Wondering which creatures should make your bucket list? Here’s our guide to the region’s most iconic animals and birds, and where best to find them.
Activities Patagonia's national parks feel like the edge of the world
Dec 13, 2021 • 11 min read
Split between Chile and Argentina, Patagonia and neighbouring Tierra del Fuego boast more than a dozen national parks. Here are the parks you need to know.
Hiking 12 unmissable hikes in Patagonia: wonder at the pristine wilderness
Nov 16, 2021 • 10 min read
The south of Chile and Argentina is a hiker’s dream. Here are the very best trekking routes in Patagonia.
Art 3 reasons to visit Argentina’s Patagonia National Park right now
Jul 16, 2019 • 6 min read
Along the wind-scoured Route 40, Patagonia looms large before the traveler. The Andes mark a jagged border with Chile and sparse settlements appear like…
Wildlife & Nature Argentina as muse: works of art inspired by Argentine landscapes
Aug 27, 2018 • 5 min read
Francis Ford Coppola found creative inspiration in the energy of Buenos Aires. Antoine de Saint-Exupéry appreciated Argentina’s mountains from an aerial…
Wildlife & Nature What to pack: hiking through Patagonia
Apr 3, 2017 • 5 min read
Patagonian treks are all about preparing for the elements. ‘I thought it would be summer down here,’ is a phrase that’s echoed off those majestic granite…
Hotels Stay inside a magic mountain at this incredible eco-friendly resort in Patagonia
Dec 8, 2016 • 1 min read
An eco-friendly resort under the Andes Mountain range is offering guests the opportunity to get back to nature while relaxing in a range of unique and…
Wildlife & Nature Highs on the Huemul circuit: Patagonia's lesser-known trek
Feb 26, 2016 • 7 min read
Torres del Paine's 'W' circuit is often touted as Patagonia's must-do trek, but there is a rising star in a far more remote pocket of Parque Nacional Los…
Wildlife & Nature Top walks around El Chaltén
Oct 14, 2014 • 6 min read
Trekking in Patagonia is a highlight for many travelers to South America, and it’s never been easier than from Argentina’s 'trekking capital', the village…
Sustainable Travel Walking amongst giants: dinosaurs in Patagonia
Jan 13, 2011 • 4 min read
In Patagonia, there are little towns with very big bones. The fossilized skeleton of the biggest dinosaur ever to roam the planet was discovered near…
Art The Dinosaur Route in northwest Patagonia
Nov 30, 2010 • 3 min read
It's a marvellous adventure, the Dinosaur Route in northwest Patagonia. The skeletons of the biggest dinosaurs ever to have walked the planet are,…

Planning Toolkit

Discover some of the most unique and fulfilling experiences your next destination has to offer.
Tips & Travel trends to help you pick the perfect time to visit this destination.
Put these must-see destinations on your next travel wish list.
Browse the various transportation options to make your trip that much easier when you arrive.
Ways to maximize the fun without spending a dime on your next great adventure.

Discover some of the most unique and fulfilling experiences your next destination has to offer.
Tips & Travel trends to help you pick the perfect time to visit this destination.
Put these must-see destinations on your next travel wish list.
Browse the various transportation options to make your trip that much easier when you arrive.
Ways to maximize the fun without spending a dime on your next great adventure.

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Patagonia.

See
Glaciar Perito Moreno
Among the Earth's most dynamic and accessible ice fields, Glaciar Perito Moreno is the stunning centerpiece of the southern sector of Parque Nacional Los…
See
Museo Paleontológico Egidio Feruglio
Showcasing the most important fossil finds in Patagonia, this natural-history museum offers outstanding life-size dinosaur exhibits and more than 1700…
See
Glaciarium
Unique and exciting, this gorgeous museum illuminates the world of ice. Displays and bilingual films show how glaciers form, along with documentaries on…
See
EcoCentro
Celebrating the area’s unique marine ecosystem, this masterpiece brings an artistic sensitivity to extensive scientific research. There are exhibits on…
See
Portal La Ascensión
An outstanding addition to Parque Nacional Patagonia, this historic estancia on Lago Buenos Aires has an information center, lakeside car camping and a…
See
Parque Nacional Los Glaciares
Among the Earth’s most dynamic and accessible ice fields, Glaciar Perito Moreno is the stunning centerpiece of the southern sector of Parque Nacional Los…
See
Reserva Faunística Península Valdés
Lying on Argentina's barren eastern Patagonian coast, this oddly shaped peninsula is home to some of the country's richest wildlife. Elephant seals,…
See
Cueva de las Manos
The incredible rock art of Cueva de las Manos was proclaimed a Unesco World Heritage site in 1999. Dating from about 7370 BC, these polychrome rock…
See
Reserva Los Huemules
This private 56-sq-km reserve protects the endangered huemul deer. There's 25km of marked trails. Stop by the visitor center to check in. It’s 17km beyond…

Guidebooks

Purchase our award-winning guidebooks

Get to the heart of Patagonia with one of our in-depth, award-winning guidebooks, covering maps, itineraries, and expert guidance.