Southern Argentine Patagonia

Imagine sailing across a blue lake full of icebergs, or traversing an advancing glacier in the shadow of the end of the Andes mountain range, watching a valley being formed before your eyes. A trip to southern Patagonia is like a trip back to the Ice Age. Above all it is that glacier, Perito Moreno, that is bringing tourists to Patagonia in unprecedented numbers. In spite of El Calafate's brand-new airport, experiencing southern Argentine Patagonia still means crossing vast deserts to reach oases of isolated population centers. It means taking deep breaths of mountain air and draughts of pure stream water in the shadow of dramatic snowcapped peaks. Most of all, it means being embraced by independent, pioneering souls just beginning to understand the importance of tourism as traditional industries—wool, livestock, fishing, and oil—are drying up. More »