Holidays to Patagonia

There are also two penguin colonies which can be visited on day trips from Punta Arenas. We have based our programme around Torres del Paine National Park, which fully deserves its worldwide acclaim. No other park in South America can boast the amazing combination of breathtaking scenery, wildlife and interesting walking trails and hiking. As a result, during the peak summer months, it can get a little crowded. However, to put it into perspective, it receives fewer visitors in a year than Yellowstone does in a single day! The winds in the park can exceed 120km/hour during the summer months. Wildlife in the park includes some 25 species of mammals, most notably pumas, guanacos and foxes. There are over 115 species of resident and migratory bird species including flamingos, coots, geese, raptors and the nandu (South American ostrich). Several glaciers cascade off the ice field and into the various lakes. Also worth a visit are the immense caves of Cueva del Milodon some 30m high, 70m wide and 200m deep.

There is choice between staying in Puerto Natales and travelling into the park or alternatively staying in the more expensive lodges actually inside the park.