Destination Guide Patagonia

This article is about Chilean and Argentinian Patagonia in general. Click here to read more about Torres del Paine National Park as a destination and click here click here to read more about Calafate Argentina.

Patagonia

Discover the magic at the end of the world! Patagonia is a vast and diverse region covering the south of Chile and Argentina, with dramatic mountain formations, smoky volcanoes, flat barren pampas and expansive ice fields. The region is home to some of the most impressive sights in the Southern Hemisphere and to some of the world’s most classic trekking routes. Patagonia encompasses ancient forests, glaciers, lakes, rivers and fjords, and fauna including guanacos, flamingos, condors, foxes and pumas. 

Patagonia Travel Stories

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Patagonia Quick facts

  • Patagonia covers 1,034,076 km2 of land in southern Chile and Argentina (the size of France and Spain together)
  • Principal attractions: Torres del Paine national park, Carretera Austral, Cape Horn, Grey Glaciar, Mount Fitzroy and Perito Moreno
  • The population of Patagonia is approximately 2,000,000
  • The main gateways to the region are Punta Arenas and Puerto Natales in Chile and El Calefate and Ushuaia in Argentina
  • The bottom of Patagonia is the closest landmass to Antarctica in the world
  • The Magellanic penguin found in the region was named after Fernando Magellan, Portuguese explorer who led the first expedition from the Atlanic to Pacific ocean, who documented seeing the species in 1519 on his first voyage around the Patagonian coast
 

Patagonia Geography, climate & weather

The vast unbroken stretch of ocean to the west and south of the South American continent leaves the Patagonian Andes very exposed to the saturated winds that circle the Antarctic landmass. Also, the influence from the strong marine currents and South Patagonic Ice field make the weather hard to predict.
 
In spring or early summer fine weather may deteriorate almost without warning, bringing rains and eventually snow. Even in summer (December to march) you should come prepared to find cold, strong winds (up to 130 km/hr) and rainfalls. The summer’s average temperature is 11ºC/52ºF (24ºC max, 2ºC min).  Rest assured, however, that just as quickly as the weather turns nasty, it can become pleasantly warm! Night-time temperatures will most likely range from –1°C to -5°C (30s and 40s F) depending on the weather.
 
Destination: 
Patagonia