Patagonia conjures up images of vast open spaces where gauchos roam on horse-back and dusty roads stretch forever to the horizon. Patagonia has no real border but is rather a term that encompasses all of southern Argentina and Chile until the continent and the Andes peter out into the Southern Ocean and islands. Its northern reaches could be considered to be Bariloche and the Lakes District, along with Peninsula Valdes out on the Atlantic Coast. The two could hardly be more different as you find dazzling blue lakes, alpine style lodges and superb hiking, fishing and even skiing among the stunning landscapes of the lakes. Meanwhile the vast wild and rugged remoteness of the coastal peninsula is a magnet for wildlife lovers who want to see huge colonies of marine mammals, birds and other unique Patagonian mammals.

Its southern reaches take to azure blue icefields, granite peaks, rolling steppe and the furthest reaches of South America, with Cape Horn on the last archipelago of islands around Ushuaia & Tierra del Fuego as the final landfall before you reach Antarctica. Pilot whales, penguins and elephant seals ply the dark waters of the Beagle Channel which meander around sheltered channels and uninhabited fjords & glaciers. Just above it lies the stunning Glaciers National Park of El Calafate & Southern Patagonia, a mecca for riding and hiking among some breath-taking scenery from wilderness lodges or traditional farming ranches. Wherever you choose to visit in Patagonia, the wide-open skies, exhilarating outdoor adventures and authentic hospitality that await are completely captivating.