Ultimate Southern Patagonia Checklist
Patagonia’s untamed frontier is too big for most to see all in one trip so to maximise time spent adventuring, we suggest focusing on Southern Patagonia. With everything from horseback riding to river rafting, visiting penguins colonies to canoeing through icebergs, Southern Patagonia is an adventurer’s wildest dream. In Patagonia’s heartland there are a magnitude of postcard worthy national parks
Patagonia’s untamed frontier is too big for most to see all in one trip so to maximise time spent adventuring, we suggest focusing on Southern Patagonia. With everything from horseback riding to river rafting, visiting penguins colonies to canoeing through icebergs, Southern Patagonia is an adventurer’s wildest dream. In Patagonia’s heartland there are a magnitude of postcard worthy national parks and protected biospheres to explore across both Argentina and Chile.
1. Trek Torres Del Paine National Park, Southern Chile
There are many opportunities to explore the fiercely blue glaciers and lakes and view the picturesque mountains in Patagonia’s most popular park. Visitors come from far and wide to see ‘Los Cuernos Del Paine, a stunning range of granite peaks, and the park’s jaw dropping towers, ‘Torres Del Paine’. All can be seen from the two most popular trails ‘W Trek’ and ‘O Circuit’ that zig zag through and circumnavigate the park respectively. To take in the full beauty of the flora, fauna and terrain, the hikes shouldn’t be rushed. For another immersive experience, consider kayaking through icebergs across the aquamarine waters of Lago Grey, over 500 meters deep.
W Trek and O Circuit Differences Explained
Hike the W Trek
2. Explore Los Glaciares National Park, Southern Argentina
Los Glaciares National Park is the biggest national park in Argentina in addition to being a UNESCO world site. It’s characterized by imposing peaks dominating the skyline and views that stretch for miles like the wind across the pampas. Within Los Glaciares the most famous hike is to Mount Fitzroy, with views of Laguna De Los Tres that are nothing short of spectacular. Other notable hikes around El Chalten, include the trek to Laguna Torre at the base of Cerro Torre’s distinctive mile high ‘needle of granite’ set high in the snow capped Andes. Los Glaciares also hosts Argentina’s largest lake, the massive Lago Argentino, composed primarily of glacial meltwater from the park’s giant ice cap. Nearly covering half the park, the Southern Patagonian Icecap and its 47 glaciers are the park’s namesake. The centerpiece being the famous Perito Moreno. Read our blog post about El Chalten Treks for more information
