Exploring Patagonia on Ruta 40

Welcome to El Calafate, the perfect starting point for your adventure in Patagonia. If you’ve got time after travelling, you can go birdwatching at Laguna Nimes or visit the ice museum, perhaps with a drink at the ice bar included.

Start today with one of the park’s most-visited sites, the Perito Moreno Glacier. Drive to the port where you’ll take a boat to the glacier, giving you a unique view of its icy blue sheer sides. Keep an eye on the sky for condors and eagles!

Continue along the Canal de Los Témpanos to the northern face of the glacier. Pass Bahia Toro, a unique black sand beach, where you can disembark from the boat to enjoy a walk around this amazing area. A thundering waterfall is your endpoint, and here your guide will tell you all about the glacier you just saw. Grab a hot drink at the nearby cafe and spend some time adventuring on your own before departing the Perito Moreno area.

Savour breakfast before departing for El Chaltén, a gorgeous drive with the mountains flanking the highway. After a post-arrival lunch, it’s on to the home of Andreas Madsen, a Danish man who lives in the valley with his family. Their unique history paints a picture of local life in this less-hospitable region.

After tea at his own dining room table, you’ll drive back to town to try out the assortment of restaurants and bars in the evening.

Today you’ll take a hike to explore the geological fault of Pliegue Tumbado, with very old fossils embedded into the rock. Watch for ammonites and belemnites from 100 million years ago as you walk! You’ll enjoy panoramic views of the park while you walk as well, so you’ll have plenty to snap photos of. Your guide can tell you about the unique flora and fauna of the area while you enjoy the gentle uphill climb.

At the end of the day, you’ll be able to enjoy the town and pick a spot for dinner.

This morning, depart for the Piedras Blancas Glacier viewpoint for a beautiful start to your day. Continue to the Poincenot Campground, where mountaineers from all over the world camp between their adventures. After a break here, you’ll take on the most difficult part of today’s route, gaining elevation as you approach Laguna de los Tres. This is the closest you can get to Mount Fitz Roy without any technical climbing, and the view of the distinct jagged peaks atop the impossibly blue lake is truly one of the best in Patagonia.

Descend via Laguna Capri, another scenic spot. Celebrate your hike tonight at a local restaurant.

Cross another park off your list as you drive into Perito Moreno National Park, watching the vast expanse of the land fly by as you go. You’ll pass a few far-west style towns, where time seems to stand still and nothing modern has interfered with the original spirit.

Crossing over a gravel road on the final stretch, you’ll park in Perito Moreno and head to your hotel for the evening. Take some time to chat with the rangers about the park, which was founded almost 100 years ago.

Today, tomorrow, and the next day will be spent hiking within the park. You’ll wake each day and choose a route with your guide. The trails here receive fewer visitors in a year than Los Glaciares does in a day, so enjoy the peace and quiet on undisturbed trails.

Some of the routes you can choose from include the Peninsula Belgrano (easy loop featuring a turquoise lake), the Via Láctea (a challenging trek to Mount San Lorenzo), and Cerro León (day trek up to a panoramic viewpoint over the park).

After three great days of hiking in Perito Moreno, you’ll hop in the car and head to Lago Posadas, enjoying the view of the steppe fading into the horizon. Stop in the hamlet of Bajo Caracoles, where you can meet a few locals and grab a coffee.

Continue along a gravel road to Lago Posadas, where a small town of about 500 people welcomes you. There are two beautiful lakes here, both of them bright turquoise against the ochre landscape.

Hit the gravel roads again this morning, driving along Route 41. You’ll wind along neat geological formations, cross rivers, and gain elevation as you go. You can see the Andes to the west and the Buenos Aires plateau to the northeast.

The evening sees you arrive in Los Antiguos, where a cherry festival is held every January. Take a walk along the shore of Buenos Aires Lake and enjoy tapas in a local restaurant.

After eating breakfast at the hotel, you’ll drive into one of the newest national parks in Argentina, Parque Patagonia. This park used to be a vast swath of private land, but it was recently handed over to the parks association after being restored in the wake of the eruption of the Hudson volcano.

You’ve got a few options for hiking routes, so chat with your guide to pick the best one. Wherever you go, keep an eye out for native wildlife like guanacos, similar to llamas. You’ll end the day in Perito Moreno.

Drive down Ruta 40 to Cueva de las Manos today, a UNESCO World Heritage site. This area is filled with caves that contain hand-painted scenes and prehistoric footprints. These paintings and prints are over 9000 years old!

After exploring the caves, you’ll spend some time in the Pinturas River valley, where the contrasting red earth, blue water, green trees, and bright skies paint a gorgeous scene.

Adios, Patagonia! After traversing the region on Ruta 40, it’s time to continue on elsewhere. You can either fly out of Comodoro Rivadavia or El Calafate.