Our Patagonia Holidays
The vast region of Patagonia straddles the border between Chile and Argentina, and it's hard to find anywhere else on earth that allows you to experience the sheer grandeur of nature in the same way. This is a land of adventure: colossal glaciers, snow-capped mountains, flower-filled meadows and crystal-clear lakes...
Much of Patagonia is covered by National Parks on both sides of the border, and although you can stick to either Argentina or Chile, you'll definitely get the best out of a holiday in Patagonia if you combine the two. In particular the Glaciers National Park in Argentina and the epic landscapes of Torres del Paine in Chile are easily combined in one trip and both are more than deserving of your attention.
![Map of Patagonia]()
Chilean Patagonia
On the Chilean side of the border, Patagonia is characterised by the high peaks of the Andes and the jagged fjords of the long Pacific coastline. This is a land of truly spectacular scenery, and it's also home to some amazing wildlife: condors, penguins, sea-lions and even the reclusive puma all make their home here in Chilean Patagonia...
People usually start their tour of Chilean Patagonia by flying into the town of Punta Arenas. From here you can drive north to Puerto Natales, which is the base town for trips into the incredible Torres del Paine National Park. This is arguably the most beautiful place in the whole of Patagonia: swift-flowing mountain rivers, glorious glaciers and glacial lakes, and crowned by the jagged granite peaks of the Torres del Paine themselves - it's no exaggeration to say that this is a place which will stay with you forever...
And if you want to do some trekking in the area, a well-marked network of trails and refugios allows a variety of routes, from day treks to the 5-day "W" route, or a full 9-day circuit of the Torres del Paine.
Patagonia Climate
No matter where you are in Patagonia, the climate has a pronounced seasonal difference in terms of temperatures. Summers (roughly from November-February) are very pleasant, with average daily highs approaching 20°C on either side of the border, but winters can be very harsh, with temperatures struggling to make it above freezing on many days in June and July.
![Patagonia Climate graph]()
![Torres del Paine Climate graph]()
The big difference between the climate in Chilean Patagonia to that of Argentina is that the Chilean side of Patagonia is noticeably wetter. This is because the prevailing winds come from the west, which means most of the rain falls on the western slopes of the Andes before the clouds ever reach Argentina.
That said, even Chilean Patagonia doesn't see a huge amount of rain, although if you can plan your Patagonia holiday for January or February, you should have sunny, warm days on both sides of the border!