Patagonia: Where Arid Plains, Mountains, and Glaciers Converge
As I was planning my trip to Patagonia, many people asked: why Patagonia? The obvious answer: the beautiful landscapes. While the turquoise waters of Laguna de los Tres with its backdrop of the Fitz Roy peaks, and the imposing towers of Torres del Paine speak for themselves, I was also drawn to seeing a landscape that was entirely different from anything I had seen before. I have hiked dense forests in Canada and the United States and experienced the magnitude of the Himalayan mountains, but the Patagonian terrain is truly unique.
The Patagonian Region
Patagonia covers the southernmost part of South America, stretching across Chile and Argentina, and spans over a million square kilometres. The region has highly contrasting landscapes. The flat and arid windswept plains, known as the Patagonian steppe (and characterized as a cold desert) exist alongside immense mountain ranges, fjords, glaciers, and vivid turquoise lakes. The region is also home to the Southern Patagonian Ice Field (Campo de Hielo Sur), the second-largest contiguous extrapolar ice field in the world.
The Andes Mountains run through the region, effectively dividing it. On the Chilean side, the landscape is lush and green. On the Argentinian side, it is dry and arid. This dramatic contrast is caused by the rain shadow effect, where the Andes Mountains block moisture from the Pacific Ocean, leaving the eastern side significantly drier.
The Start to my Patagonian Adventure
Landing in El Calafate, I immediately caught a glimpse of the landscapes that brought me over 10,000 kilometres from home. From the airport, I could see the turquoise-blue waters of Lago Argentino surrounded by the immense flat lands. Stepping outside, I first experienced the strength of the Patagonian winds. I was almost blown away (literally and figuratively). After all, there is absolutely nothing blocking the wind across the thousands of kilometres or plains.
Next up, we headed down the iconic Route 40, one of the longest highways in the world stretching over 5,000 kilometres from north to south through Argentinian Patagonia. Within no time, we spotted guanacos (wild relatives of the llama) roaming across the plains. This was the start of my Patagonian adventure, and I couldn’t be more excited.
