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Argentine Patagonia - a Trip to Another World
By Daniel Oscar Licata
For some reason the word “Patagonia” stirs up the imagination of people from all around the world. Possibly because it sounds distant and mysterious - a vast territory far away from large human centers and civilization as we know it. A place with nothing but emptiness, sheep, immaculate skies, clean air, mountains, forests, lakes, wood fires and yes, of course, incredible food.
Even for locals, distances involved are amazing, taking about five hours to fly from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia on a direct flight and about two days on a bus, if you are willing to try.
A visit to Patagonia could take a lifetime; in fact, many British went there one day and for one reason or another they never returned to their homeland. This was fortunate for us, since their influence can be easily found in many places - from those picturesque railway stations to traditional homesteads that are scattered throughout the region.
Penguins, Dolphins, Whales, Sea Lions, Birds . . .
Today you don’t need to spend so long here when you visit us. After recovering for a while in Buenos Aires, a reasonable itinerary would start with a two hour flight to Puerto Madryn, Chubut - a small city of around 50.000 inhabitants. The city is surrounded by hills and dunes and the long and windy shores of the wild Atlantic. You will have the opportunity to see whales, sea lions, penguins, dolphins, birds and a vast array of flora and fauna.
Curiously, this place with very cold waters, has become the national capital of sub aquatic activities. The crystal clear waters of Puerto Madryn invite you to dive and to find the amazing spectacle that one would expect to see in the warm waters of the Caribbean.
A short transfer from Puerto Madryn to Trelew Airport and you will board a plane for the two hour flight to Ushuaia, the southernmost city on the planet located on The Beagle Channel. This is the end of the world, the place that Julius Verne wrote about in his “Lighthouse at the End of the World”. Here you can actually see the lighthouse where Yul Brynner filmed the movie and ride a small train, aptly called The End of the World Train, that was used by prisoners back in 1902.
Sub Antarctic Coast, Forest and Mountains
The train will take you on to the Tierra del Fuego National Park. This park is situated 11km from the city of Ushuaia and was established in 1960 with the intention of protecting the southernmost portion of the sub Antarctic forest - an area of 63000 hectares. Different from other parks, it combines the coast, forests and the mountains.
From Ushuaia the circuit ends with a short flight that will take you to El Calafate, here you will visit the world famous Perito Moreno Glacier. The small town has superb hotels and lodges and provides a base for several excursions that include a full day visit to the Glacier with the possibility of trekking over the ice; to Bahia Onelli crossing several glaciers; visits to traditional estancias (ranches); 4 WD trips, horse riding, trekking and many more activities.
Unfortunately, air links available in our country only allows you to take a flight back from Calafate to Buenos Aires. There are no internal services to other cities from there.
You have, of course, the option of crossing to Chile and continue your visit there, or taking a bus to Bariloche. Another alternative is to take the Seven Lakes route, but if you are looking for more, then why not drive the Route 40 which unites La Quiaca in the north of Argentina with Cabo Virgenes deep in the south of the Santa Cruz Province - a magnificent 4870 kilometers drive through three very different regions of Argentina - from the hot deserts of the north to the freezing lands of the south. But that my friends, is a story for another time.
Please let us know how can we help you by sending enquires to info@tripsandtours.com.ar 7 days a week from 0900 to 1800 local time.
Daniel Oscar Licata
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