Patagonia Holidays
Patagonia
Holidays
Jagged granite towers, advancing glaciers, condors and the end of the world — Patagonia is the most dramatic wilderness on earth
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Flight Time
13–14h to Buenos Aires, then 3h internal flight to El Calafate or Ushuaia
Best Time
November–March (southern summer); peak trekking season December–February
Country
Argentina
Suppliers
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Patagonia Holiday Guide
Patagonia is one of the last great wildernesses on earth — a vast, wind-scoured region at the southern tip of South America shared between Argentina and Chile, stretching from the Andean peaks of the west to the Atlantic coast of the east, from the Lake District in the north to the Tierra del Fuego archipelago in the south. It is a landscape of extraordinary drama: jagged granite towers rising from the Patagonian ice fields, vast glaciers calving into turquoise lakes, condors riding thermals above the steppe, and the constant, howling wind that defines life at the end of the world.
The Argentine side of Patagonia is centred on two national parks. Los Glaciares National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, contains the Perito Moreno Glacier — one of the few advancing glaciers in the world, a 30km-long, 60m-high wall of blue ice that calves house-sized chunks into Lago Argentino with a thunderous crack. The park also contains the trekking mecca of El Chaltén, a small village at the base of the Fitz Roy massif that offers some of the finest day hiking in the world. Tierra del Fuego National Park, at the very tip of the continent, surrounds the city of Ushuaia — the world's southernmost city, gateway to Antarctica and the end of the Pan-American Highway.
Patagonia is best visited November–March (southern hemisphere summer) when the weather is most stable and the days are longest. Even in summer, weather can change rapidly — layers and waterproofs are essential. Internal flights from Buenos Aires to El Calafate (for Los Glaciares) or Ushuaia take approximately 3 hours.
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Average Temperatures
Jan
14°C
Feb
13°C
Mar
11°C
Apr
8°C
May
5°C
Jun
2°C
Jul
1°C
Aug
3°C
Sep
5°C
Oct
8°C
Nov
11°C
Dec
13°C
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Call 01282 960 460Top 8 Things To Do in Patagonia
The glaciers, granite towers, wildlife and wilderness that make Patagonia the most extraordinary destination in South America.
Perito Moreno Glacier — Ice in Motion
The Perito Moreno Glacier is one of the most spectacular natural wonders on earth — a 30km-long, 5km-wide, 60m-high wall of blue ice that advances at up to 2 metres per day into Lago Argentino. Unlike most glaciers in the world, Perito Moreno is advancing rather than retreating, and periodically dams the lake until the pressure causes a dramatic rupture. The walkways and viewing platforms of Los Glaciares National Park put you directly in front of the glacier face; ice trekking on the glacier surface is one of the great adventure experiences.
El Chaltén — Trekking Capital of Argentina
El Chaltén is a small village of 1,500 people at the base of the Fitz Roy massif in Los Glaciares National Park — and the trekking capital of Argentina. The Laguna de los Tres trail (22km return, 8–10 hours) climbs to a glacial lake directly beneath the 3,405m Cerro Fitz Roy, one of the most dramatic mountain faces in the world. The Laguna Torre trail (18km return, 6–8 hours) leads to a lake beneath the needle-like Cerro Torre. Both trails are free, well-marked and among the finest day hikes in the world.
Ushuaia — The End of the World
Ushuaia is the world's southernmost city — a small port of 80,000 people on the Beagle Channel at the tip of Tierra del Fuego, with the snow-capped Darwin Range behind and Antarctica 1,000km ahead. The Tierra del Fuego National Park, accessible by the world's southernmost railway (the Tren del Fin del Mundo), offers excellent hiking and wildlife. Ushuaia is the main departure point for Antarctic cruises. The Beagle Channel boat trips offer close encounters with sea lions, cormorants and Magellanic penguins.
Valdés Peninsula — Wildlife on the Patagonian Coast
The Valdés Peninsula, a UNESCO World Heritage Site 1,400km south of Buenos Aires, is one of the world's great wildlife destinations. Southern right whales come to breed in the sheltered bays between June and December — the whale-watching from Puerto Pirámides is among the best in the world. Magellanic penguins nest in their hundreds of thousands at Punta Tombo. Elephant seals and sea lions haul out on the beaches. And at Punta Norte, orcas hunt sea lions in the surf in a behaviour seen nowhere else on earth.
Torres del Paine — The Most Iconic Landscape in South America
Torres del Paine National Park, just across the border in Chile, is the most iconic landscape in South America — three granite towers rising 2,800m above the Patagonian steppe, surrounded by glaciers, turquoise lakes and ancient forests. The W Trek (4–5 days) and the O Circuit (8–10 days) are among the world's great multi-day hikes. The park is accessible from Puerto Natales (Chile), a 3-hour drive from El Calafate (Argentina). Most Patagonia itineraries combine both sides of the border.
Estancias — Gaucho Culture on Working Sheep Farms
The estancias (ranches) of Patagonia offer an authentic insight into the gaucho culture that has defined the region since the 19th century. Working sheep farms — some covering hundreds of thousands of hectares — welcome visitors for horse riding across the steppe, watching sheep shearing and dog herding demonstrations, and eating asado (barbecue) cooked over an open fire. The estancias around El Calafate and Puerto Madryn are the most accessible; some offer overnight accommodation in historic farmhouses.
El Calafate — Gateway to the Glaciers
El Calafate is the main base for exploring Los Glaciares National Park — a small, tourist-oriented town of 20,000 people on the shores of Lago Argentino, 80km from the Perito Moreno Glacier. The town has excellent hotels, restaurants and tour operators offering glacier treks, boat trips and 4WD excursions. The Glaciarium museum provides excellent context for the glaciers of Patagonia. El Calafate is connected to Buenos Aires by direct flights (3 hours) and to El Chaltén by a 3-hour bus journey.
Patagonian Lamb — Asado at the End of the World
Patagonian lamb is among the finest meat in the world — raised on the vast open steppe on a diet of wild herbs and grasses, slow-roasted on a cross (al asador) over an open wood fire for 4–6 hours until the meat falls from the bone. The tradition of the asado is even more important in Patagonia than in Buenos Aires — a social ritual that brings communities together in a region where distances are vast and neighbours are few. The best estancias and restaurants in El Calafate and Ushuaia serve exceptional lamb.
Explore Patagonia on the Map
Key areas, beaches and attractions across the island.
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