Patagonia

V!VA User‘s Description

The Argentine Patagonia starts in central Argentina and stretches from the Río Colorado to the Straits of Magellan. It is a vast, desolate haven for naturalists with very few inhabitants outside of the coastal cities. The Patagonia Region is filled with unique animals like penguins and elephant seals, along with windswept and barren land, and lakes. From November –May fishing aficionados seek trout, salmon and native species like trahira in rivers and streams in the Andean foothills.

One of the main destinations is the Valdés Peninsula, best reached from the nearby resort of Puerto Madryn. This marine-life preserve for sea elephants, sea lions, Magellanic penguins, whales and much more, is between Viedma and Puerto Madryn, a good base while visiting the area.

Just south of the Valdés Peninsula at the Parque Nacional los Glaciares is one of Argentina’s most popular attractions: the Perito Moreno Glacier. At the base of Mount Fitzroy, this is one of the few places on earth where you can observe an advancing glacier and one of the best areas in Argentina for trekking and climbing. Hike around this UNESCO World Heritage Site or just stare in awe as the tremendous chunks of ice crash into the Canal de los Tempanos.

The Comodoro Rivadavia is nothing more than a passing point for most tourists on their way to the Patagonia region. This is a shame as there are a few worthwhile sites here including one of Argentina’s best museums, the Museo del Petroleo, paid for with money from the oil industry but featuring natural history and cultural exhibitions. In the southwest, find the magnificent Petrified Forest Reserve (Reserva Geológica Bosque Petrificado). Due south are some prehistoric caves, the Cuevas de las Manos, with 10,000-year-old paintings of hands, camels, reptiles and other animals