Patagonia. The name conjures images of impenetrable wilderness; rugged and daunting. It is a huge area encompassing parts of southern Chile and Argentina that's divided by countless channels, fjords, ice-fields, glaciers and the southern end of the mighty Andes mountains, making large parts of the region quite inaccessible. The wind is a dominating factor in Patagonia: through the course of millions of years, it has determined where forests grow, where the glaciers flow and how the vegetation is shaped. All these elements make Patagonia a remote and wild region that is fascinating, awe-inspiring and often bewildering.

patagonia

Lago Grey, Torres del Paine NP

Punta Arenas, with its airport and port, is the main gateway to the Chilean side of Patagonia. Located near the southernmost end of the American continent, it is a pleasant town that's certainly worth a stay of a few days. The houses are painted in bright, cheery colours and there are a variety of interesting spots such as the town's main square, with its statue of Magellan, the impressive cemetery, the Sara Braun mansion and various museums. From here, visitors can make their way across to Tierra del Fuego; travel north (about a three-hour drive) to Puerto Natales, near the entrance to the stunning Torres del Paine National Park; or hop on a cruise through the impressive fjords. El Calafate, on the other hand, is the primary gateway to the Perito Moreno glacier and the Los Glaciares National Park, both of which are located on the Argentine side. It is also possible to travel by road from Puerto Natales to El Calafate (about five hours).

The drive from Punta Arenas to Puerto Natales takes visitors through the massive wind-swept desolate Patagonian steppe. Low, thick shrubs as far as the eye and midget-like trees are the primary vegetation in this desolate region. In this area, the branches of the trees all face one way: the direction of the wind. The wind here is indeed unrelenting and incredibly dry (after having dumped all its moisture in the Andes). On the way, visitors can opt to stop at the Magellanic penguin colony just north of Punta Arenas.

Puerto Natales is located on the shores of the breathtaking Seno Ultima Esperanza (Last Hope Sound) and is the best base for a visit to the Torres del Paine National Park and other excursions to the nearby Balmaceda and Serrano glaciers. The scenery is truly magnificent: huge snowy mountains rise steeply from the sound's edge to heights exceeding 2,500m, their flanks littered with gorgeous waterfalls and cascades. If you choose to stay in Puerto Natales, I can certainly recommend Hotel Indigo, a beautiful design hotel on the water's edge with a spectacular spa.

The Torres del Paine National Park is one of those few places on Earth that will absolutely blow your mind away. The park is located about an hour's drive from Puerto Natales and it is possible to go on a day-tour that takes visitors on a loop through this magnificent park, or visitors can choose to spend a few nights in the park (in hotels or campsites) and do the famous 'W'-trek that curls its way around the many lakes, rivers and mountains. The park boasts truly awe-inspiring scenery: huge, imposing mountains, with granite faces that rise vertically almost 3,000m high; magnificent jagged peaks that resemble the tips of fountain pens; immense turquoise and dark blue lakes, some littered with gigantic icebergs; eery moss-covered forests; gorgeous alpine meadows; impressive volcanos; massive glaciers; crystal-clear rivers full of salmon and trout; and dozens of beautiful waterfalls. One of the many highlights of a trip to this park is the trek along the shores of Lago Grey (Grey Lake). It's one of the many lakes in the park but the scenery is simply mind-blowing. The Grey glacier feeds the lake with huge chunks of ice (the pure blue colour of these icebergs is unforgettable) and on a clear day, the impressive Torres del Paine peaks can be seen looming in the distance. Superlatives are not sufficient to describe the beauty of this crown jewel of Chile's national parks.

Another popular excursion from Puerto Natales is the boat trip to visit the Balmaceda and Serrano glaciers. The boat takes visitors on a stunning journey through the Seno Ultima Esperanza, past towering snow-capped mountains and countless waterfalls on both sides, and offers a close-up view of some of the local wildlife such as cormorans, condors and sea lions. The glaciers themselves are breathtaking. The Balmaceda glacier is slowly retreating but the Serrano glacier still flows into a lake, disposing large chunks of ice in the process. Visitors can trek through the forest to various lookout points to view the Serrano glacier.

El Calafate in Argentina is a touristy town at the edge of Lago Argentino, a huge turquoise glacial lake The town has a big variety of hotels, restaurants and shops lining its main street. The biggest attraction in this region is undoubtedly the Los Glaciares National Park, a massive park that includes the Patagonian ice-field, the origin of several huge glaciers, among which the world-famous Perito Moreno glacier. This glacier is located about 80 kilometers from El Calafate and is a major tourist attraction as it is one of the most active glaciers in the world. The glacier is four kilometers wide at its end and towers 60-80 meters above the lake. The glacier is so huge that it literally divides the glacial lake in two: it flows down from the mountain into the lake and hits the opposite shore of the lake, thereby creating a dam. Every so often, the pressure on one side of the lake builds up to such a tremendous level that it breaks through the glacier in a spectacular display of exploding ice - that's what most people hope to see when they come here but this phenomenon only happens once every few years. The most bewildering thing about this glacier: you can hear it move!! It doesn't creak or squeak, when it makes a move (you can hear something every few minutes), it releases a thunderous roar that you can hear from miles away. Visitors can opt to take a boat ride to the front of the glacier's wall and on a good day can be witness to a phenomenal show as pieces of the glacier (sometimes large sections of the wall) break off and crash into the lake. It is also possible to go on a trek along and across the glacier. Visitors are provided with spikes under their shoes and are taken on a relatively easy trek across this magnificent ice mass. There are other glaciers in the national park that are also worth a visit including the Upsala and Onelli glaciers but the Perito Moreno is by far the most spectacular.

From El Calafate, visitors can drive three hours north to El Chaltén, the gateway to the northern sector of the Los Glaciares National Park. The northern sector features one of the most majestic areas in the Andes, the Fitz Roy mountain range. The Fitz Roy mountains are another highlight that can certainly be categorised as mind-blowing. The range boasts spiky 3,000m+ peaks that seemingly puncture the clouds. From El Chaltén, a variety of excursions can be organised, including easy treks around the park, ice-climbing, ice treks and boat tours. Whichever you choose, the stunning scenery will be something you'll remember forever.

The weather is unpredictable and can be quite extreme in Patagonia. Wherever you go, make sure you have sufficient warm, wind and water-proof clothing. In the spring, slather lots of sunscreen to avoid severe sunburn.

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