When it comes to bucket list destinations, Patagonia pops up in conversation frequently and for good reason.
With towering peaks, intimidating glaciers, and windswept plains, it has a beauty and an end-of-the-world feel few places on Earth can match.
Want to plan a trip of your own? Below, we’ll list off some amazing places to visit in Patagonia you won’t want to miss.
1) Bariloche, Argentina
Start your Patagonian adventure by spending time in Bariloche. A stunning town set by picturesque Nahuel Huapi Lake, this is the place to go to get some turns in at Cerro Catedral during the winter months, and to hike trails and go boating during the summer.
When you aren’t pursuing these activities, walk the streets and explore its many chocolate shops, which produce some of the tastiest treats you’ll have while in Argentina.
2) El Calafate, Argentina
After spending a few days cruising down Ruta 40, base yourself for a few days in El Calafate. While its edge of the world frontier aesthetic is intriguing enough on its own, its main attraction is that it is within an hour’s drive from the Perito Moreno Glacier.
This awesome river of jagged ice is noteworthy for being one of the few glaciers in the world that is actually advancing rather than retreating. Spend hours walking the trails along its head, and keep a sharp eye out for calving ice.
Want to get even closer? Sign up for the boat tour and roll right up to the edge of the ice – if a slab breaks off nearby, get ready for the ride of a lifetime!
3) Puerto Natales, Chile
At this point, jog across the border into Chile and visit Puerto Natales. A small town on the edge of Torres del Paine National Park, it is the perfect place to stock up on supplies before trekking one of its famous routes that will lead through this blustery wonderland.
From some of the most gobsmacking mountains you’ll see in your life to hardy thickets of Magellanic trees, many consider this part of Patagonia to be the best in the region.
4) Ushuaia, Argentina
Your final stop will take you to the southernmost city in the world. Situated on the southern shore of the island of Tierra del Fuego, Ushuaia is an Argentine city of 50,000 people that serves as a shipping and transportation point for visitors to Antarctica.
However, you don’t have to be going to the final continent to justify a journey down here. The Marital Mountains have plenty of treks worth doing, geography nerds can drive to the southernmost point on a motorable road in the world, and in winter, nearby Cerro Castor provides the longest snow season of any ski resort in South America.
