Argentine Patagonia

Patagonia needs little introduction – a vast swathe of grasslands, ice fields, towering mountain peaks and turquoise glacial lakes that speak eloquently for themselves. It straddles both Chile and Argentina, but Argentina’s share, encompassing almost all of the southern half of the country, is one of endless open steppe, towering walls of glacial ice and some of the most fairytale mountain landscapes in the southern hemisphere. Not to mention Tierra del Fuego, the island at end of the world – well, the end of South America anyway – where dense rocky forests give way to the Beagle Channel, once travelled by Darwin to round Cape Horn.

These landscapes are also a haven for some mighty wildlife. Southern right whales join resident orcas and elephant seals around the arid Peninsula Valdés, where whale watching from the land is some of the best in the world. Further south, Andean condors soar on mountain thermals on three metre-wide wings while herds of curious guanaco survey you as you pass.

Despite its size, this is a wilderness best explored on foot. So, whether you’re on a self-drive tour, a small group escorted trip or something in between, if you try to see too much, you’ll end up seeing nothing. Instead, lace up your walking boots and give yourself plenty of time to stop, stare and simply feel the raw power of Argentine Patagonia.

Home to some of the world’s only advancing glaciers, including Perito Moreno, Los Glaciares National Park offers some of Argentine Patagonia’s most dramatic mountain scenery. This is hiking heaven – strenuous multi-day trails lead to hidden hanging lakes and glorious miradors around Cerro Torre, while the nine-hour round trip on foot from El Chaltén to Laguna de los Tres offers breathtaking views of fairytale Mount Fitz Roy.

The island at the end of the world offers a stark contrast to the arid Patagonian Steppe, with dense forests lining a network of lagoons and rocky channels. Hikes here are scenic, and surprisingly gentle, while sailing trips along the Beagle Channel reveal colonies of Magellanic penguins, seals and a plethora of sea birds. Trips here begin in the frontier city of Ushuaia, the most southerly city in the world.

With well signposted, mostly paved roads, self-drive vacations are a popular option in Patagonia. Quality car rental services are available at all of the region’s major hubs, including Bariloche and El Calafate, and a vacation company organising your bespoke self-drive tour will provide you with detailed route maps and instructions to ease your journey. If your itinerary includes a few different Patagonian regions you’ll likely fly then pick up another hire car at your next destination.

For a similar sense of independence, but without the worry of driving yourself then Argentina’s excellent bus network offers reliable and high-quality services, between all of Patagonia’s highlights. And with services well used to tourists, buses will generally always stop for passengers to purchase entry permits, or to complete border formalities where needed.

If you prefer everything to be organised for you, and to have a local guide on hand all the time to lift the lid on Argentine culture, point out the best asado restaurants and point you in the direction of the most spectacular miradors then small group tours are an excellent, sociable way to explore this region. And given how well the more popular trails in the region are marked, you’re likely to still have some free time to hike independently on most small group tours to Argentine Patagonia as well.