|
|
|
|
| |
|
 |
Chilean Patagonia – A lot of Patagonia is also in Chile, so be sure to check out more fun things to do, while you're in the neighborhood. |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
 |
Atlantic beaches – Not as famous as the dramatic
southern tip, dramatic Andean region, the Atlantic coast may be a perfect
start or end point to your Patagonia stay. Las Grutas on the San
Matias Gulf has only been around for about 30 years – but
that's enough for it to grow from a few beach houses to a beach
resort thanks to the warmest ocean water in Argentina. You'll find
all the typical beach resort things here. In the park, take a ride on
the miniature train. Along the beach, rent bikes, boogie boards, or a boat, go miniature golfing, or just laze on the
sand. |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
The Plateau – Sometime at the beginning
of the 20th century American outlaws rode into the wild west of Argentina
and made a fresh start in the Cholila Valley. The Wild Bunch tried to turn
become everyday cowboys, but legend has it that Butch Cassidy and the Sundance
Kid got restless, soon robbing banks in Argentina and Chile. You'll see
why they felt so at home; this is a land that still sees cattle drives and
singing cowboys. |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
 Go
gaucho – Stay at
an Argentine Ranch (called Estancias). Ask about Estancias that invite their
guests to ride with the gaucho’s on cattle round-ups. Finish the day listening
to soft guitar music under an endless sky filled with more stars then you
knew there were in heaven. To find out about Estancias, click
here. |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
Los
Glacieres Park – Famous
for its spectacular granite formations, the park stretches from Cerro Fitzroy
down to Cerro Stokes, with thirteen glaciers – including Moreno
– one of the world’s few “advancing” glaciers. Caution Tip: Be careful
where you walk – there's no way of knowing what's below the
ice and it can crack.. |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
Go
off the beaten path to Valcheta, a small village (population under
5,000) in the Valcheta Creek valley. Locally called "the oasis of Río
Negro" because it's fruit and alfalfa farms appearing so unexpectedly
on the plateau. The Fiesta de la Matra in late June features the loom
tapestries made by the Mapuches people. Visit the Regional Museum to
see fossilized dinosaur eggs. |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
Rent
an RV – Kids had enough of hotels and restaurants? Find time to strike
out on your own, rent an RV. Cruising Argentino and Viedma Lakes, two of
the largest in South America, you'll go from eastern desert to southern
tundra to western jungle. In the desert you'll wake to see armadillos studying
you; in the southern areas you’ll see blocks of ice floating in the impossibly
clear water of the lakes. |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
Ushuaia – The southernmost
city in the world, Ushuaia is a great place to arrange for tours or cruises
to the bottom of the earth. Since this is the southern hemisphere and
close to the south pole visits are best in the spring to fall: between
November and April. |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
Tierra
del Fuego National Park – Take The Train at the End of the World! A picture-book old-fashioned engine
pulls modern cars (first class, private, and second class) on a three-hour
loop. Originally built to take prisoners to Ushuaia, the Ferrocarril Austral
Fueguino leaves from the aptly-named End of the World Station in the River
Pipo Valley five miles west of Ushuaia. Running through the Cañadón del
Toro to Macarena Falls, get off in the Yamana (native) village for the beautiful waterfalls. Click here for schedules and fares: Tren
del fin del mundo
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
Take
a sleigh ride – What could be more magical then a sleigh
ride under a whole new sky of stars. Or rent a toboggan, go cross-country and downhill skiing or even ice skating. There are winter
sports for every age all over the place, with five resorts catering
to both locals and travelers. Several places offer night time excursions
during the long nights in the early Spring. When you're done, resorts
provide saunas and hot tubs to de-ice. |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
Get
on a horse – Patagonia in the warmer months (December, January,
February) sees many of the resorts switching from winter sports to summer
activities – including touring the region on horseback. |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
Get
on a horse – Patagonia in the warmer months (December, January,
February) sees many of the resorts switching from winter sports to summer
activities – including touring the region on horseback. |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
Go
birding – Spring in the southern hemisphere is November,
the best time to catch the nesting season. There's an astonishing variety
here – everything from finches and sparrows to penguins, parrots,
condors, giant black carpenert , falcons and geese, fishing martins, egrets,
and albatrosses. In short: better bring a birding book for the region because
you're sure to hear "What is that bird?" 101 times! |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Peninsula Valdes – Been to Sea World? Well, nothing you’ve seen there will prepare you for
this: immense colonies of elephant seals and sea lions compete for fishing
rights with gulls and cormorants on Valdes Peninsula. At the Bahía Lapataia
you'll see the concheros langhances, believed to be pre-historic shell
mounds created by Amerindians. Find a quiet beach of your own so the
kids can create their own mounds... |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
Walk
this way – Imagine you and your kids taking a stroll with hundreds
of thousands of penguins – it can be done on the island of Magdalena
(Isla Magdalena), off the southern tip of Argentina between November and
February. |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
Wales
in Patagonia – Not the kinds with spouts: the towns of Gaiman and Travelin were settled by
less than 200 Welsh shepherds and coal miners in the mid nineteenth century,
but the Welsh language and customs are very much alive. Have high tea with British pastries, come to an “eisteddfod”
the celtic song and poetry festivals held here.
You may hear Welsh spoken in the streets: half the people here speak the
language. |
