Patagonia Attractions

One of the great destinations in Argentina is the Beagle Canal, the climate is relatively consistent year-round, and it has some great activities for travels, as well as amazing landscapes for photographers. The best vacation along this area is taking a cruise from Ushuaia through the canal, bays, and islets, plus there are plenty of great animals, birds, and places to see.

Some of the sights and activities around the Beagle Canal include the following:

• One of the best activities to see the Beagle Canal up close is via a cruise. It also allows passengers to see many of the birds along the Isla de Los Pajaros and the Isla de Los Lobos.

• Seafaring travelers will have a great time sailing on the catamarans or sailboats that can be rented for experienced sailors, or three-hour tours are also available for those less experienced sailors who also enjoy being on the water. Be sure to watch for sea lions

• Hikers will thoroughly enjoy a long hike around one of the islands...

The Land of Fire – that is Tierra del Fuego, one of the hottest destinations in this side of Chile and Argentina. Tierra del Fuego is full of promise – its many islands entice you to their shores, into an adventure unlike any other. It really is a combination of fire and ice. It is near the Antarctic Polar Circle, while also belonging to the southern end of the American continent. Its great contrasts form part of its attraction – perfectly blending the desolate with the magnificent, the majestic with the lowly and ordinary. Its perpetually snow-capped mountains, waterfalls, cliffs and verdant valleys make it one of the destinations you should discover.

It was on 1520 when Magellan first sighted its shores. This became the start of Tierra del Fuego's introduction to the Western world. It was named as such because as Magellan passed these isles, he saw a number of fires along the coastline...

The Lake District of Argentina is in Patagonia's northernmost point, and has some of the most spectacular scenery with snow-capped mountains, and beautifully clear lakes. This area truly gets the traveler back to the basics of nature.

Some of the wonderful scenery and activities that travelers can participate in along Argentina's beautiful Lake District include:

• The Parque Nacional Nahuel Huapi is one of the most popular National Parks in Argentina and is perfect for hikers in the summer and skiers in the wintertime to see some of the most remarkable surroundings.

• The Arrayán is located in the Nacional Los Arrayanes Parque with exceptionally beautiful flora in the summer time and a great place for hikers who enjoy some challenging peaks such as Volcano Lanin.

• The beautiful city of Bariloche is quite picturesque and is located at Nahuel Lake and offers some great skiing for the outdoor adventurers as well as some great nightlife for those more inclined to the indoor activities...

The Nahuel Huapi National Park was set up in 1934 and is Argentina's oldest and largest national park. In the midst of the park stands the Nahuel Huapi Lake at the foothills of the Patagonian Andes. It spans an area of 7,050 sq. km and comprises three geographical zones—the Altoandino with perennial snow at an altitude of 5,200 ft, the Andino-Patagónico at lower levels and the Patagonian steppe. The dominant parts of this park are the Andes Mountains, lakes, waterfalls, rives, snowy peaks, glaciers and lush green forests. Chile lies on its west side.

The park has rich flora and fauna. You'll find species such as coihue, lengas, ñires, Chilean cedar, Myrceugenella apiculata, Winter's bark, Lomatia ferruginea, Lomatia hirsuta, Alstroemeria aurantica, Fuchsia megellanica, Patagonian cypress, ferns, arrayanes and caña colihue reeds, arvejillas and amancayes...

The Perito Moreno Glacier is located in the Los Glaciares National Park, south-west Santa Cruz province, Argentina. It is one of the most important attractions of the Argentine Patagonia. It has an area of 250 sq km, is 30 km long and is one of the 48 glaciers the Southern Patagonian Ice Field feeds from the Andes Mountains. This ice field is the world's No. 3 largest fresh water reserve.

Due to the accessibility and size of the Perito Moreno glacier, it is a really big tourist attraction in south Patagonia. It is the epitome of natural beauty and the magnificence of Argentina. It's a necessary stop for any tourist in this area due to the glacier's unique size, breathtaking sights, significance and easy accessibility.

Here, you can see its breathtaking sights and a glacier wall with several ice towers measuring 4km in length and 60m in height with several sounds of icebergs in the lake...

Near El Chaltén village is Monte Fitz Roy, located near the south Patagonian Ice Field, Patagonia, Argentina. It is known variously as Cerro Chaltén, Cerro Fitz Roy and Mount Fitz Roy. Though just half the sizes of the Himalayas, trekkers here find it extremely difficult to climb the granite faces of these mountains. It lies in the northern part of the magnificent Parque Nacional Los Glaciers, part of the largest icecap outside of the polar region, called Hielo Sur. Monte Fitz Roy is a trail that begins in the plains and rises gradually till it meets the Andes. It is located in the Los Glacieres National Park and takes about a week's trek to complete.

The highest mountain in the Los Glacieres National Park, Mount Fitz Roy is about 3,405 m in height while its closest competitor, Cerro Torre, is just 3,128 m in height. These mountains are best climbed between November and February...

On the Northeastern coast of Patagonia in Argentina, lays one of the most beautiful places in the world called the Valdez Peninsula and in 1999 it was listed by UNESCO as one of the World Heritage Sites. It is relatively close to Puerto Madryn, and for those who truly want to get away from it all, this is the ideal spot.

Nature lovers will absolutely love some of the things to see and do in this remarkable Valdez Peninsula include:

• For whale loves, this is one of the best (of the very limited places) to get a good viewing of the Southern Right Whales, as well as Orcas, between May and December. Make sure to have cameras ready and look for their babies during this time as well.

• Sea Lions, Elephant Seals, and Fur Seals are also abundant in Golfo Nuevo and Golfo San José.

• Bird watchers will thoroughly enjoy this area because it populated with Magellanic Penguins – they are fascinating to watch their antics, and there are around 181 other bird species found on this peninsula...