I´m sure you will visit Patagonia if you´re traveling to Argentina and/or Chile. Why? Because Patagonia is, and I have no doubt, a must-see in our countries. A vast place full of amazing unique attractions like Perito Moreno Glacier, Peninsula Valdes, Ushuaia, Torres del Paine… So, the first question you can make yourself when you´re organizing a trip to Patagonia is… Where to go? Patagonia is enormous, to be exact 1.043.000 Km2. Yes, it´s basically a country, but Patagonia is not a country, it´s shared by two: Argentina and Chile. So, where to go in Patagonia? It´s our first question.
Patagonia:Â Where to go?
Well, if you have time enough, a good idea is to visit complete Patagonia. It´s amazing. But of course it´s also vast so sometimes it´s not possible to visit all the destinations that Patagonia offers. For that reason, you can focalize in any of the different areas you can find in Patagonia. I would like to show you a map, because we can divide Patagonia into four or five areas, depending things to do and to see there.
Patagonia:
What to see and where to go in Patagonia?
Puerto Madryn and Peninsula Valdes
As you can see, we can divide Patagonia in five different areas (also in four). In red, you can see Puerto Madryn and Peninsula Valdes, a wonderful place to enjoy whales, penguins, sea lions and elephant seals, dolphins, orcas, all the incredible sea life and also birds and other mammals.
Bariloche, Puerto Varas and the Lakes District
Another amazing area is the lakes district, which you can see in blue. A place of national parks with incredible landscapes full of lakes, mountains, forests, mountains, and volcanoes. This area is shared by Argentina and Chile and can be linked with the incredible Lakes Crossing, a combination of bus rides and boat navigations going from Bariloche to Puerto Varas or vice-versa.
The Aysen: Balmaceda, Coyhaique, and the Carretera Austral
The Aysen is also beautiful. From Balmaceda Airport you can go to Coyhaique and start from there the famous Carretera Austral. You can find it in yellow. This area also can be combined with the Lakes District if you have time enough. There are flights from Puerto Montt in the Lakes District to Balmaceda, so a good idea would be to arrive to Bariloche, cross to Puerto Varas via the Lakes Crossing and fly down to Balmaceda to enjoy the Carretera Austral and the incredible Marble Cathedral.
El Calafate, El Chalten and Torres del Paine
Then, you find in a green, one of my favorite places in the region. It´s Perito Moreno Glacier and all the glaciers in Los Glaciares National Park, places you can visit from El Calafate which is the gate to this amazing area. From El Calafate, you can reach El Chalten, a small village from where you can enjoy incredible trekking trails to the Fitz Roy Massif. Then Torres del Paine in Chile, a highlight in Patagonia. And Puerto Natales is the city head from where you can visit the park. You also can overnight in the park, there are many great hotels, some of them very nice! From Puerto Natales, and from Punta Arenas, the other important city in the area, you can embark in a wonderful cruise to visit the southern fjords and glaciers in this remote area.
Ushuaia and the end of the world
Finally in brown, we have Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, and all the magic of the end of the world. From there, you can visit Tierra del Fuego National Park, navigate the Beagle Channel and embark in cruises to the mythical Cape Horn or the incredible white continent of Antarctica. The brown area and the green area are usually combined when people decide to visit the southern portion of Patagonia and visit Ushuaia, El Calafate, El Chalten, and Torres del Paine.
Now, you know what you can find in each place, so depending on the number of nights you have to visit the area, you can visit the whole Patagonia or just one portion of this amazing place. And what about activities? What to do in Patagonia. Well, again it depends of the area you choose.
Tours to Patagonia? Check some interesting itineraries:
Patagonia offers a great variety of outdoor activities that are different depending on the places you visit.
Patagonia: What to do in Peninsula Valdes?
In this area, activities are basically focused on marine mammals watching. It´s Whale watching, a visit to penguin reserves, sea lions and elephant seals colonies and also some adventure activities like diving and snorkeling with sea lions. From Peninsula Valdes, you can visit the welsh colony of Gaiman and taste the typical welsh tea and learn more about the Welsh culture. In Trelew, you can visit a wonderful museum of dinosaurs, the MEF (Museo Egidio Feruglio).
Tours to Patagonia? Check some interesting itineraries:
The area is beautiful, and great of typical sightseeing to visit the different national parks, but also for adventure activities such as trekking, rappel, canopy, paragliding, rafting, kayaking, horseback ridings, and more. There are different boat navigations to enjoy the incredible landscapes full of forests, lakes, mountains, and volcanoes.
Patagonia: What to do in Ushuaia?
Ushuaia offers all the magic of the end of the world, and Tierra del Fuego National Park and the Beagle Channel Navigation are the highlights in the area. So, a visit to the park with the Train of the end of the World, and navigation in the Beagle Channel is a must. There is a great penguin colony in Martillo Island that can be visited, and combined with the Harberton Ranch. From Ushuaia, you can embark in a cruise to Antarctica, or also to southern fjords and glaciers, and including disembarkation in the mythical Cape Horn.
Patagonia: What to do in Torres del Paine, El Calafate and El Chalten?
It´s an amazing area to enjoy the Perito Moreno Glacier, unique and wonderful and many other glaciers in Los Glaciares National Park. A place full of trekking trails in El Chalten and Torres del Paine, to discover some of the most beautiful places and enjoy exciting experiences in this remote area of Patagonia. Outdoors activities are a must. Not only traditional trekkings. You can enjoy ice climbing, ice walking tours, boat navigations, horseback ridings, rides in 4×4 vehicles and kayaking.
Tours to visit Patagonia: Patagonia Travel Packages
We have many. Because as I told you many times in my article, Patagonia is a must-see when you visit Argentina and Chile. Check one of my favorite tours to visit Buenos Aires and the Complete Patagonia in two amazing weeks.
More tours to visit Patagonia?
We have a complete list of tours including Patagonia. Take a look to our complete list of tours to visit Argentina and Chile and enjoy the incredible region of Patagonia!
 
 
