Travel Guide: Patagonia
Questions This Article Answers
Where is Patagonia located?
In which countries is Patagonia located?
What are the best things to do in Bariloche?
What are the best things to do in El Calafate?
What are the best things to do in Ushuaia?
What are the best things to do in Torres del Paine?
Patagonia
Patagonia is a region located in the south of Sudamérica(South America). Most of the Patagonian territory is located in Argentina(Argentina). The Patagonian territory governed by Chile(Chile) lies on the western side of the Cordillera de los Andes(The Andes Mountains).
The pueblos originarios(native peoples) that inhabited Patagonia included tehuelches(the Tehuelche), ranqueles(the Ranquel), mapuches(the Mapuche) and onas(the Ona), among others.
Surrounded by the océano Atlántico(Atlantic Ocean) to the east and the océano Pacífico(Pacific Ocean) to the west, Patagonia is a large, sparsely populated extension of land home to diverse paisajes(landscapes), fauna(fauna), and flora(flora).
Patagonia is rich in bosques(forests), fiordos(fjords), glaciares(glaciers), lagos(lakes), volcanes(volcanoes), parques nacionales(national parks), the desierto(desert), and the estepa(steppe). The animals that inhabit Patagonia include ballenas(whales), ciervos(deer), guanacos(guanacos), lobos marinos(seals), pingüinos(penguins), and pumas(pumas).
Argentinian Patagonia
Bariloche(Bariloche) is one of the most popular destinations in the Patagonia argentina(Argentinian Patagonia). The city is located in the northwest of Patagonia, close to the Cordillera de los Andes, and at the edge of the lago Nahuel Huapi(Nahuel Huapi Lake). This large lake is allegedly inhabited by Nahuelito(Nahuelito), the Argentinean counterpart to Nessie, the Loch Ness Monster.
Bariloche is famous for its centros de esquí(ski resorts) and beautiful landscapes. Bariloche is also the destination where high school seniors from all over the country traditionally go on their viaje de egresados(senior trip).
If you drive around 80 kilometers northwards from Bariloche, you’ll find yourself on the segment between Villa La Angostura(Villa La Angostura) and San Martín de los Andes(San Martin de los Andes) known as Camino de los Siete Lagos(Road of the Seven Lakes). This road is famous for its scenic views of lakes surrounded by forests and snowy mountains.
Across the desert towards the oceáno Atlántico, on the northeast part of Patagonia, there lies Puerto Madryn(Puerto Madryn), a city founded by inmigrantes galeses(Welsh immigrants). Puerto Madryn is a great place for water sports, and the nearby península Valdés(Valdes Peninsula) attracts thousands of tourists who want to see wildlife, including ballenas, delfines(dolphins), elefantes marinos(elephant seals), lobos marinos, orcas(killer whales), pingüinos, and guanacos.
A popular destination in southwestern Patagonia is El Calafate(El Calafate). This small city, situated on the shores of the lago Argentino (Lake Argentino), serves as an access point for nearby tours and trips.
The Parque Nacional Los Glaciares(Los Glaciares National Park) is home to many must-see attractions in Patagonia. The glaciar Perito Moreno(Perito Moreno Glacier) is one of the top must-sees in Patagonia. The massive, awe-inspiring glacier is over 70 feet tall and covers an area of 250 kilómetros cuadrados(square kilometers). You can admire its beauty from the numerous pasarelas(walkways) in front of it, see it closer from a boat, and even walk on top of it. If you are lucky, you will get to see and hear the thunderous rupturas(ruptures). Other popular glaciers in the national park include the glaciar Upsala(Upsala Glacier) and the glaciar Viedma(Viedma Glacier). The animals that live in the national park include huemules(South Andean deer) and pumas(pumas).
Trekking lovers will enjoy a trip from El Calafate to monte Fitz Roy(Mount Fitz Roy), also known as cerro Chaltén(Chalten Mountain) in the language of the native people. A sacred place for the Tehuelche, Chaltén can be literally translated as smoky mountain, a name that describes how the clouds interact with the peak. The numerous trekking trails lead to the laguna de Los Tres(Los Tres Lake), a favorite spot to view the lake, the ridge, and the towering cerro Chaltén.
The city of Ushuaia(Ushuaia), located at the southernmost point of Patagonia, is another popular destination in the Argentinian Patagonia. Tourists enjoy riding through the valleys and mountains of the Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego(Tierra del Fuego National Park) on the Tren del Fin del Mundo(Train of the End of the World), a train that originally operated for the former local prison. An equally exciting attraction is the boat ride on the canal de Beagle(Beagle Channel) to see the picturesque faro Les Éclaireurs(Les Éclaireurs Lighthouse) and the local lobos marinos and cormoranes(cormorants). Ushuaia is also the departure point for the expedition cruises that cross the tempestuous pasaje de Drake(Drake Passage) and head to Antártida(Antarctica).
Chilean Patagonia
One of the top attractions in the Patagonia chilena(Chilean Patagonia) is the Parque Nacional Torres del Paine(Torres del Paine National Park), accessible from Puerto Natales(Puerto Natales).
Located in southern Patagonia, the park extends over forests, rivers, lakes, mountains, and glaciers, which attracts mountaineers and senderismo(hiking) fans alike. The main attractions are the Torres del Paine(Paine Towers), pointy rocky formations that dominate the landscape.
On the río Paine(Paine River) there are cascadas(waterfalls), such as Salto Grande(Salto Grande) and Cascada del río Paine(Paine River Waterfall). The glaciers that can be found in the Torres del Paine National Park include the glaciar Grey(Grey Glacier), glaciar Pingo(Pingo Glacier), and the glaciar Tyndall(Tyndall Glacier).
The animals that can be found in the Torres del Paine National Park include guanacos, huemules, pumas, ñandúes(rheas), and cóndores(condors).
A popular destination in the northern Chilean Patagonia is the Parque Nacional Laguna San Rafael(San Rafael Lake National Park), which contains the impressive glaciar San Rafael(San Rafael Glacier) on the lago San Rafael(San Rafael Lake). It is possible to board a ship and cruise through the témpanos de hielo(ice floes) on the lake to get a closer look at the glacier.
Vocabulary
Here is a word list related to Patagonia.
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