Patagonia offers you whatever you are looking for in a vacation. You can marvel in the extreme adventure of trekking across a glacier in Argentina, visit the Patagonian Desert spanning Argentina and Chile, the world’s seventh largest desert, or absorb the year-round beauty of a temperate rainforest in Chile.
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Patagonia is not a country, city or village, but a triangular area covering approximately 540,000 square miles in the southern part of Chile and Argentina. It is divided with about one quarter located in the Andes Mountains of Chile and three-quarters in the plains and low country of Argentina. Some refer to it as one of the wonders of the world. Indeed, Iguazu Falls in the Argentine area of Patagonia was recently named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World and has been visited by more than one million people.
Patagonia is in the southern hemisphere making it summer from November to March when the days are long and warm and the nights are short and cool. Expect sunrise around 4:30 a.m. and sunset nearing 10:30 p.m. The winter months are June, July and August.
Different Activities to Explore
There are a lot of different activities to fill your days during your visit on board Australis Cruises. There are things to do whenever you visit, and different activities are recommended for different seasons. For example, hiking is best between November and April. Skiing and other winter sports are best between June and September. Here are a few other activities you may like to explore:
- Penguin watching: One of the best places to observe penguins is on the Argentine side of Patagonia at the Punta Tombo peninsula. It is a 500 acre preserve dedicated to maintaining the penguin population and providing penguins a safe place to nest. More than one million penguins arrive in September and stay until March. Visiting in November is an ideal time to observe the new babies. There are clearly marked paths and instructions to follow so you do not disrupt the penguins while walking with them and observing them up close.
- Glacier trekking: The Perito Moreno Glacier can be viewed by taking a ride on Lake Argentino. A short walk along the beach provides incredible photographic opportunities. You can take a trek along the edge of the glacier past ice formations and small lagoons. You can choose to take a more advanced hike across the glacier with experienced glacier guides.
- Road tripping: Ruta 40 is a highway encompassing more than 3,000 miles across Patagonia. It is described as a road trip like no other road trip that is “one long photo opportunity.” The highway goes by alpine lakes. Small towns in remote areas have the look and feel of film sets. You can spend a night or two at a local farm and help milk the cows or shear the sheep. You can find places to hike or climb.
If you are adventurous or just want to spend your vacation doing something completely different, Patagonia trips offers many opportunities to ensure you have a memorable vacation!
John Martell and his brother planned a really cool vacation trip this year. They will be traveling to Patagonia so he decides to research some of the best activities to do while they are there.
