Elite Traveler January-February 2019

EXPLORE PATAGONIA GUIDE T0 PATAGONIA

Patagonia, a vast triangle of wilderness straddling southern Argentina and Chile, is beguiling, breathtaking — and can seem overwhelming. Fly over the central steppe and the impression is one of emptiness, aridity — a windswept wasteland. Historic estancias (ranches) provide cozy, characterful lodgings and a window on the world, and criollo horses for those who want to play gaucho for a day. Along the Patagonian Andes are national parks where luxury lodges are situated close to towering glaciers, turquoise-hued lakes and some of the most dramatic peaks in the range. The coast is a marine wildlife wonderland, perfect for an out-there road trip. In Ushuaia, you’re as far south as you can go on land; Cape Horn is just a short cruise away. Choose your season: the austral summer is best for hiking and biking; winter is ideal for whale watching; spring sees the fly-fishing rivers in spate; come autumn the temperate beech forests turn wondrous.

by Chris Moss

THE LIE OF THE LAND

The Andes The world’s longest mountain range runs the length of Patagonia, the summits descending from north to south. The main gateways are national parks, notably Chile’s Torres del Paine and Argentina’s Los Glaciares in the south, and more than a dozen parks around the northern lakes. Hiking, mountain biking, rafting, climbing and, in winter, skiing are all well provided for. Horseback riders can do the Puelo ride via a low pass, crossing from Chile to Argentina. opentravel.cl/puelo-ride

The Pacific Chile’s coast is a rugged chaos of islets, bays, coves, channels and fjords. The soft options here include Chiloé Island, where the excellent Tierra Chiloé adventure lodge offers a base for active excursions, and, south of Palena, there’s a string of new national parks to explore — including Parque Patagonia, established by American philanthropists Doug and Kristine Tompkins. Local operator Skorpios runs three-night cruises out of Puerto Natales into the fjords. tierrahotels.com, skorpios.cl

The end of the world The landscape of Tierra del Fuego is a sparsely populated wilderness, dotted with large sheep-farming estancias , unexplored mountain ranges, lonely lakes and fly-fishing rivers. Herds of llama-like guanacos are routinely seen, as well as red fox and condor; there’s also a penguin colony on the Chilean side. Ushuaia’s national park is a wonderland of virgin forests. Australis, a Chilean company, operates four-night cruises from Punta Arenas to Ushuaia via Cape Horn. From $3,330 per person in Superior Cabin, australis.com

Photo www.viajandonaviaje.com, Pablo Saracco