Argentine Patagonia
These landscapes are also a haven for some mighty wildlife. Southern right whales join resident orcas and elephant seals around the arid Peninsula Valdés, where whale watching from the land is some of the best in the world. Further south, Andean condors soar on mountain thermals on three metre-wide wings while herds of curious guanaco survey you as you pass.
Despite its size, this is a wilderness best explored on foot. So, whether you’re on a self-drive tour, a small group escorted trip or something in between, if you try to see too much, you’ll end up seeing nothing. Instead, lace up your walking boots and give yourself plenty of time to stop, stare and simply feel the raw power of Argentine Patagonia.
Our Argentina Vacations
Chile and Argentina tour
Santiago, Lake District, Patagonia, Glaciers & Buenos Aires
Small group adventure vacation to Patagonia
Explore the spectacular wilderness and mountains of Patagonia
Patagonia & Torres del Paine vacation
The best of Patagonia and Torres del Paine National Park
Argentina tailor made vacation, Buenos Aires to Patagonia
10-days: Buenos Aires, Iguazu Falls, El Calafate & Glaciers
Tour of Patagonia, El Calafate & Torres del Paine
Patagonia's best - Torres del Paine and Perito Moreno Glacier.
Patagonia tailor made tour, self guided
Self-guided vacation in stunning Patagonian mountains.
Cycling the Lake District of Chile and Argentina
Amazing cycling through Argentina and Chile
Patagonia luxury adventure vacation
Luxury hotels and adventure in Patagonia
Paine and Fitz Roy trek, trekking vacation
Spectacular Andes scenery from glacial lakes to towering granite peaks
Argentina highlights vacation, 9 days
Discover Buenos Aires and Patagonia's glaciers and whales
Patagonia self drive vacation
Showcases three contrasting regions of Patagonia in Argentina and Chile
Patagonia tailor made vacation, 14 days
Be awed by beautiful Patagonian wilderness on this trip
Patagonia trekking tour
Natural beauty, dramatic vistas and cosmopolitan cities.
Patagonia overland truck tour, South America
From the Chilean Fjords to the Magellan Straits
Patagonia trekking vacation, Patagonia Eco-camp
Camp & trek Los Glaciares & T. del Paine Parks, Patagonia
Highlights of Argentina, Buenos Aires & Southern Patagonia
Walk Patagonia's trails and explore Torres del Paine
Patagonia self-drive vacaton
10 days - Torres del Paine, Calafate & Perito Moreno
Patagonia trekking vacation
Trek the third largest single expanse of ice on earth
Patagonian adventure vacation in Chile and Argentina
Discover stunning Patagonia
Patagonia trekking vacation Fitzroy and Paine
Dramatic scenery and the trekking world-renowned
Patagonia highlights vacation
Explore the wild, mountainous south of Argentina and Chile
Patagonian adventure vacation
Explore the highlights of Argentine and Chilean Patagonia
Bariloche kayaking vacation in Patagonia
Enjoy guided kayaking and hiking in Bariloche, Argentina.
Argentina vacation, Buenos Aires to Patagonia
Argentina's Highlights Buenos Aires, Calafate & Iguazu Falls
Patagonia national parks vacation
Glaciers, icebergs, lakes, rivers and granite peaks
Argentina & Chile Patagonia vacation
Zigzagging along glacier lakes surrounded by virgin forests
Self guided Patagonia vacation
Explore stunning landscapes on this Patagonia itinerary
Argentina private tour with self drive
Sand dunes, glaciers, waterfalls and wine in Argentina
Best of Argentina vacation
Discover the beauty of Buenos Aires and Patagonia
Best of Patagonia tailor made adventure vacation
For adventurous types who wish to experience Patagonia
Argentine Patagonia highlights
Los Glaciares National Park
El Calafate
Unprepossessing but perfectly pleasant, El Calafate, sat on the edge of the Southern Patagonia Ice Field is an almost ubiquitous stop on vacations here. The town is within easy reach of the boardwalks, boat rides and ice hiking around Perito Moreno glacier with its 60m high wall of constantly calving turquoise ice. Alternatively, visit a nearby estancia for a taste of Patagonian gaucho life. El Calafate airport serves flights to and from Buenos Aires, Ushuaia and San Carlos de Bariloche, and is a convenient place to hire a car on self-drive trips.El Chaltén
Argentina’s trekking capital, El Chaltén has a somewhat frontier, end-of-the-world feel that is countered by a plethora of epic hiking trails and smattering of welcoming micro-breweries. Some of these trails lead directly from the town into the heart of the enchanting Fitzroy Massif, making short, self-guided day walks to beautiful miradors as feasible as longer multi-day adventures to more remote glacial lakes and mountain viewpoints.Tierra del Fuego
The Lake District
San Carlos de Bariloche is the pretty, Germanic-style gateway to the Argentine Lake District – Argentina’s answer to Switzerland. It’s a region of glorious alpine lakes, mountains and virgin forest in the northern Patagonian reaches. Hike, bike, horse ride or kayak your way around a string of deep-blue lakes before rewarding yourself with an ice-cream at one of Bariloche’s legendary heladerias. If you’re on a self-drive trip, the route north via the Seven Lakes to San Martin de los Andes is particularly beautiful.Peninsula Valdés
Rugged and wild, UNESCO-listed Peninsula Valdés is Argentina’s wildlife Mecca, and one of the best places to go whale watching in the world – alongside visiting huge colonies of Magellanic penguins and elephant seals. Southern right whales are seasonal visitors to the coast – coming so close they can be seen easily from the shore as well as by boat – while resident orcas launch themselves out of the surf to snatch seals off the beach.Our top Argentina Vacation
Chile and Argentina tour
Santiago, Lake District, Patagonia, Glaciers & Buenos Aires
This trip can be tailor made throughout the year to suit your requirements
How to travel around
Argentine Patagonia
If you want to limit the amount of flights you take – don’t underestimate the scale of this region – you’ll need to pick one area and stick to it. From El Calafate, for example, Perito Moreno glacier, the trails into the Fitzroy Massif from El Chaltén and Chile’s spectacular Torres del Paine National Park are all within a few short hours’ drive, either by car or public bus.
For a similar sense of independence, but without the worry of driving yourself then Argentina’s excellent bus network offers reliable and high-quality services, between all of Patagonia’s highlights. And with services well used to tourists, buses will generally always stop for passengers to purchase entry permits, or to complete border formalities where needed.
If you prefer everything to be organised for you, and to have a local guide on hand all the time to lift the lid on Argentine culture, point out the best asado restaurants and point you in the direction of the most spectacular miradors then small group tours are an excellent, sociable way to explore this region. And given how well the more popular trails in the region are marked, you’re likely to still have some free time to hike independently on most small group tours to Argentine Patagonia as well.
Best time to visit Argentine Patagonia
In the far south, some accommodations and restaurants will close, and some hiking trails will be inaccessible during the Patagonian winter months of June to August. Tierra del Fuego is particularly cold and wet at this time but it is possible to ski in the Lake District around San Carlos de Bariloche.
If wildlife is your rasion d’être, Peninsula Valdés is surprisingly warm during the December to February high season. Visit between September and April and you might be lucky enough to spot a resident orca surging out of the surf to snatch a seal from the beach. From June to December pods of southern right whales arrive in the Golfo Nuovo to breed, bringing with them outstanding opportunities to watch them relax in the safe waters from the shoreline.
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