Location:
Patagonia is located in the south of the American continent stretching from the Atlantic to Pacific ocean through the Andes covering both Chile and Argentina.

Why traveling to Patagonia?

Patagonia still remains one of the wildest and most unspoiled regions of the world. A combination of boundless yellow scrubland, breathtaking mountain ranges, among them the famous or infamous Cerro Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre, mountain giants such as San Lorenzo or the Paine Massif, countless glaciers rolling down from the Patagonian icecap, huge lakes in every imaginable hue of green and blue, a very special fauna and, last not least, immense, isolated sheep farms (estancias).
The intense colours, the crystalline purity of the air, the vast distances, rugged nature and of course the Patagonian wind leave every visitor with the strong feeling of "I must return to this place"… and we, the actual inhabitants of the place, are fascinated every day anew..
We would like to introduce you to these manifold attractions and in doing so enable you to experience nature in a way that has become rare on our planet.



A little history- the native population

Man's existence in America and Patagonia is contemporary compared to other places on Earth. The most ancient indicators of primitive cultures have been found in the Magellan region, Tierra del Fuego and the extreme south of the continent, which date back to over 10000 years B.C. On the one hand, there are the indigenous canoe natives, the alacalufes and yamanes of the canals, on the other hand, the hunters on dry land, the onas in Tierra del Fuego and the patagones or primitive tehuelches on the continent. Given the nomadic nature of the Patagonian cultures, no remains of dwelling places or of writings have been found, however paintings and engravings abound. Both the Tehuelches in the South and the Puelches of central Patagonia were of a tall and robust stature. They survived by hunting guanaco and ñandú and by collecting wild fruit. They sheltered in simple windshields and later in huts made from guanaco hides. Only upon white man's introduction of the horse in the XVII century. did they begin to use this animal for transport and as a supplement to their diet.
In northern Patagonia there dwelled another ethnic group known as the Pehuenches, less robust, slimmer and somewhat more advanced. They would make a type of bread with araucaria seeds, they would use snow racquets to walk through the snow in and their basket making was well developed. Toward the end of the XVII century a clear advance of the Araucano or Mapuche Indian from Chile toward the east began and along with this, a profound peaceful ethnic transformation began to take shape in Eastern Patagonia. The Mapuches belonged to a more evolved, stronger and overbearing culture and upheld a very courageous attitude in light of the Spanish invaders. They produced weavings and ceramics of an excellent quality, as well as a rich array of silverware. Their language was very complete, characteristic of a people of orators. In 1879, indigenous rule was brought to an end with the Desert Campaign, with which the massive advance of the white man to northern Patagonia began.



Topography:

Geographically, the Patagonia is found on the southern cone of South America, covering vast regions of Chile and Argentina. Within these enormous limits, at least five different and clearly defined eco-regions can be observed: 1- The Patagonian Scrubland: in northern Patagonia, it is known for its bushy vegetation in arid scrubland. 2- The Patagonian Atlantic covers the continental platform and its narrow coastline strip along the coast which is mostly bordered by cliffs that stretch for over 3000 kms. A warm current from Brazil encounters a cold current from the south, which provides the environment for an extremely rich variety of marine fauna throughout the whole region. 3- The Patagonian Andean Forests cover only a strip of no more than 80 kms, parallel to the Andean Mountain Range, on its eastern and western sides. These forests are humid rainforests and temperate-cool forests. 4- The High Andean Region consists of scrub covered steppes in the high mountain region. 5- The Patagonian Steppe is the most archetypal eco-region of Eastern Patagonia (Argentina), covering its plateaus almost completely along approximately a third of the entire Patagonian territory. This diversity of eco-regions provides the basis for extremely rich flora and fauna. Thus there are endemic species (that are only found in one particular place on the planet) and species that are transformed into Patagonian singularities.

Climate:

The climate is of a moderate type, the four seasons being clearly defined and with a great thermal range between winter and summer. Toward the south the almost constant West winds which produce a strong unloading of humidity in the mountain range, dominate and cause the eastern Patagonia to have an extremely arid climate.
A very special phenomenon is the Northern and Southern Continental ice cap, from which a great amount of glaciers flows into the immense lakes of the Eastern foothills and toward the Chilean fjords in the West. This provides a unique attraction for tourists from all over the world.




Economic activities:

The current activities in the Patagonia are based mostly on tourism, but the exploitation of petroleum continues to be of importance and on the hugely vast farms of the region, sheep breeding is gradually re surfacing, given the raise in wool prices during the last months on a global scale.




Means of Payment:

It is convenient to change currency in Buenos Aires or Santiago, in order to get better value for the Dollar or the Euro. However, credit cards are also widely accepted, except in smaller and more isolated towns and villages.
In Chile, (especially in hotels) tourists may be required to pay in dollars, in order to exempt them from the Value Added Tax. It is not advisable to carry travelers' checks as it is costly to use them.




Special Requirements:
It is convenient to take along the following items (equipment list) for a trip around Patagonia and Argentina:

Light rain-and-wind-proof clothing
Good sun glasses and sun cream filter protection,
A hat, a warm cap
Gloves for mountain areas
Small backpack for daily walks
Batteries for cameras and video recorders, rolls of film
Binoculars and a flash light (if is headlamp better)
Strong and comfortable footwear for high mountain regions and warm clothing.


Note:
Even though the hikes and horse riding excursions are for all levels, it is convenient to be reasonably fit and healthy, given that only in this way will the different activities be enjoyed to the fullest. During the rides in vehicles one must understand the distances involved, be prepared for any possible difficulties that may arise along the way and also be willing to cooperate in a group.

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