The Highs of Patagonia

Chris Kavanagh, from our Latin America operations team, recently travelled to Patagonia.  For those that don’t know where this stunning area is, it’s right at the very bottom of South America and includes the Torres del Paine National Park in Chile and Los Glaciares National Park in Argentina.  We had a chat to Chris about her icy adventure:

The scenery in Torres del Paine is breathtaking.  Each day brings new but no less spectacular views than the day before.  The highlights of the area would have to be the Towers of Paine and the Perito Moreno Glacier.  Photos simply don’t do the Glacier any justice and I was completely unprepared as to how truly massive and spectacular it really is.

Favourite town on your trip?

Buenos Aires– in my opinion this is one of the best cities in the world.  There is so much to see and do.  All the neighbourhoods have their own personality and differ so much from the adjoining one.  There are fantastic markets, parks, museums, theatre and nightlife.  And of course, great food, wine and shopping!  It’s a city with so much personality it’s really hard to leave.

Favourite local experience:

Practicing Spanish with a lovely local in a bakery in El Chalten.

Funniest/weirdest/most unique thing you saw:

The Guanaco’s in Patagonia. They’re a member of the Alpaca & Llama family, but quite a bit smaller. They’re really quite striking when you encounter your first herd.

Best local meal and where:

Cab Er Net Restaurant in Palermo, Buenos Aires. It has beautiful décor & atmosphere and really great food and wine. The Malbec is a must to try. There are also fabulous restaurants in El Chalten.

Why should I go there?

This trip is a sample of the highlights in the south of Chile & Argentina. Patagonia is a pretty unique place to visit and there really aren’t many tourists that visit this area as people aren’t aware of how beautiful and unique it is. This trip is such a great mix of a vibrant city, relaxed quaint towns and stunning National Parks.

Any travel tips for anyone heading to Patagonia?

This trip operates in the spring/summer (September to April) but even at this time it can be very cold and windy in Patagonia & Tierra del Fuego. On any one day you can get a real mix of sun, wind and rain, so you need to take suitable clothes for all these conditions. In addition to a good windproof/waterproof jacket & beanie, a good sunscreen & a cap are also essential.

It is a good idea to book as early as possible as this is a very popular time to travel to Argentina.  Flights can sell out many months in advance so it can be difficult to get a good fare or a ticket at all if you leave it too late.

Thanks Chris!  We have a wonderful 14-day adventure in Patagonia – click here for all the details.

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