Southern Patagonia

Boasting jaw-dropping sights—including Perito Moreno Glacier, Mount Fitz Roy, and Cueva de las Manos—Southern Patagonia attracts culture-hounds and nature-seekers alike. Sitting beneath the Lake District and Atlantic Patagonia at Patagonia's southernmost tip, this rustic district sits to the east of the Chilean border, sprawling downward to the verge of Antarctica.

Most visitors descend upon El Chaltén or El Calafate to experience Patagonia's rugged backcountry. From El Calafate (a remote desert town that serves as the base to journey across Perito Moreno Glacier), you can relish the towering ice fields and far-stretching verdant forests. Daring hikers trek up jagged peaks and trek across the area's immense ice fields. Near El Calafate lies El Chaltén, a small town neighboring Mount Fitz Roy. From El Calafate, you can take an excursion to survey the Cave of the Hands' ornate and enigmatic cave arts.

The best ways to reach El Calafate and El Chaltén are by plane, bus, or car. A variety of plane services, including LAN and LADE, operate from Buenos Aires and other major Patagonian cities to El Calafate. El Chaltén is just a two-and-a-half-hour drive from El Calafate. For more information on how to reach El Calafate and other sites in Southern Patagonia, consult our guide to Getting Around Argentine Patagonia.