PHOTO OF THE MONTH:

Photo gallery of pictures from our ACTIVE NEW ZEALAND adventure vacation
Iguana Jan 2010
Travelling on two wheels is a great way to meet the locals and slow down to smell the coffee.

MEET OUR GUIDES:

ACTIVE NEW ZEALAND adventure travel guide
Sebastian Hansen
"Sebastian did an incredible job. He was always professional and worked hard day in and day out to assure that this was a trip of a lifetime. I would definitely want Sebastian as a guide again."
Gordon Riha (Lake Oswego, Oregon, USA) Feb 2010 Condor
News Clips and Reviews
Patagonia - Day One
by Dan Cooperman

Just got back to my room from dinner after my first full day of the Condor tour. It was a lot of driving as we had to make our way from Punta Arenas, which is where I flew in to from Santiago, to Puerto Natales, the launching spot (well almost) for our W hike, a four day/three night, 70 km hike deep into Torres del Paine National Park. Dating back 12 million years, Torres is a hiker's delight located deep in Patagonia. Millions of years ago magma (insert Dr. Evil saying “liquid hot MAGMA”) intrusions failed to make their way to the earth's surface, cooling underground into resistant granite. In the interim, water, ice and snow eroded the softer surrounding terrain to liberate the massive spires for which the park is known. Read more...

Hiking in Patagonia
"Excellent trip! We were a little scared of taking a guided trip with a group because we heard that those sometimes restrict one's experiences. Our group was amazing, though -- largely composed of very like-minded people. And our guide, Sally Laurente, made the trip really exceed our expectations. It was the most amazing trip we have been on so far!"

Marc Lyman (Jersey City,New Jersey,United States) ,Irene Ayz Sep 09 Jaguar

About Patagonia: The Facts and More

Interesting facts and everything you want to know before you travel in Patagonia.

Where is Patagonia?

patagonia mapPatagonia is a distinct geographical region at the base of South America spanning the lower sections of Argentina and Chile. On the Chilean side it starts in the Araucanía region extending down to the extreme southern tip of the country. On the Argentine side it begins in the province of Rio Negro and carries on all the way to Tierra Del Fuego. The bottom of South America is also the closest landmass to Antarctica (New Zealand is the second closest), so it's a popular jumping off point for Antarctic voyages and cruises.

Check out more detailed maps in our latest brochure.

Area

The vast Patagonia region covers about 300,000 square miles (or 777,000 km²) of Argentina, which is about a third the country, and another 340,000 km², or nearly half, of Chile.

Government

Both Chile and Argentina are democratic republics.

Population

Many regions of Patagonia have very low population density. The total population of Patagonia is about 2 million, which is in Argentina and Chile combined, with the large marjority living in Argentina.

Time Zone

Argentina is three hours behind GMT. Chile is four hours behind GMT. From October to March both countries observe day light saving, putting their clocks forward by one hour. Basically this means that most of the time Patagonia is within 1 or 2 hours of USA Eastern Standard time.

Language

The official language of Patagonia is Spanish but there are small pockets of indigenous communities within Patagonia who speak Mapuche. In larger cities, you're likely to meet locals who know some English, but in rural areas this is rare, so knowing basic Spanish travel phrases (or travelling with a guide that knows the language) is very helpful.

Main Gateway Cities

Punta Arenas (Chile), Puerto Natales (Chile), El Calafate (Argentina), Ushuaia (Argentina - Tierra del Fuego)

Currency: Argentina

The local currency is the Argentinean Peso (ARS) which is divided into 100 centavos.

Currency: Chile

The local currency is the Chilean Peso (CLP), which is divided into 100 centavos.

Climate

The summer season in Patagonia runs from December to March. The highest rainfall is during the Patagonian winter (June to Sept) but days are changeable and can be hot and sunny one day to wet and windy the next year round. Summer season is definitely the best time to travel to this part of the world as winter months can be harsh and inhospitable.

Vaccinations

You should have Hepatitis A and Tetanus vaccinations as well as Chicken Pox and Measles if you've never caught them before. However, no vaccination certificate is required to enter either Chile or Argentina. Rabies and Malaria medication is not considered necessary in the areas that we travel, but may be required if you are doing further independent travel.

Electric Voltage

In both Chile and Argentina, electric voltage is 220 volts, 50 cycles (220v 50Hz). Most travel appliances, such as laptop computers, have an auto volt transformer (it will say "110v-240v" for example), but appliances or electric devices designed for 110v only will need a transformer and not just a plug adaptor.

Patagonia Travel

Experience Patagonia on the Condor, a 14-day Patagonia adventure.
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