1. Patagonia is dominated by the Andes, the longest mountain range on earth, running the length of South America from Colombia to the Strait of Magellan and across to Tierra del Fuego. Patagonia covers about one third of the land area of both Chile and Argentina, but less than 5% of either nations' population actually lives there. 2. The Strait of Magellan is named after the Portuguese navigator and explorer Fernao de Magalhaes (Ferdinand Magellan) who landed there with his crew in 1520. At that time, the region was inhabited by native hunters who, according to Magellan's diarist, "were giants so tall that the tallest of us only came up to their waist." Magellan named them Patagonians (Pata-gon meaning "big feet") and the name Patagonia was eventually adopted for the land north of the strait. 3. Magellan also named the great island south of the strait Tierra del Fuego – or "land of fire" – after the multitude of glowing campfires he could see there during the dark and overcast nights. 4. If you look at this map of Patagonia, you'll see that the border between southern Chile and Argentina is probably one of the most irregular and peculiar in the world (the white line)! Originally a Spanish dominion, the first attempt to divide Patagonia between Chile and Argentina took place in 1881. In the 1881 treaty, the frontier line was defined as "the highest peaks which divide the waters," but this appeared to be easier said than done. Under British intercession, Chile and Argentina each established boundary commissions declaring their nations' territorial claims based on numerous expeditions in Patagonia, and in 1902, King Edward VII of England suggested a division of Patagonia by drawing a border across the summits of some of Patagonia's most famous peaks (such as Fitzroy and San Lorenzo). This was accepted by both Chile and Argentina. Left to divide was the gigantic Patagonian ice field, and according to the latest border agreement, about 81% of the southern ice field now belongs to Chile and 19% to Argentina. However, there's an area of the ice field just northwest of Fitzroy that is still currently in dispute, and tensions are still high around this issue. In Argentina, you will often see bumper stickers saying "Los hielos son argentinos!" (The Ice is Argentine!) and—as recently as the 1980s—Chile put landmines along a section of the border between Chile and Argentina. 5. Patagonia is divided into three distinctive environments: a stormbound Pacific coast with deep fjords, an enormous icecap (actually two icecaps separated by a few fjords), and the endless golden plains of the Argentine pampas. Along the 1,250-mile-long Andean mountain chain, more than 20 national parks have been established to protect areas of superb alpine and coastal wilderness. 6. Like all but one glacier in Patagonia, the Perito Moreno Glacier has its origin in the Patagonian Ice field. Studies of this glacier show that - contrary to the rest of the glaciers in the area (and most glaciers in the world) - Perito Moreno Glacier has not greatly changed its ice mass or current thickness for at least the past 1,000 years. 7. Patagonia's position at the most southerly tip of the continent produces a cool and temperate climate unlike the rest of South America's tropical to subtropical climate. Patagonia has four very distinct seasons – opposite to countries in the North by six months. Therefore, the best time to visit Patagonia is October through March. However, you should know that the weather in Patagonia is always wildly unpredictable and you may encounter sunny, rainy, and very windy South Atlantic conditions at any time. (Even within the same hour – but that's just one way to define "real adventure", isn't it?) 8. The Patagonian is the result of centuries of blending and intermixing. Waves of immigrants primarily from Northern and Central Europe have resulted in a society with a cosmopolitan flavor, unique among the countries in South America, and it is common to find people with light skin and blue eyes among the population. Compared to Argentina, the Chilean population has been modified relatively little by immigration and the Chilenos are typically modest, friendly, hospitable people with a sharp and ironic sense of humor. The Argentineans are considered a more outgoing and passionate people, with a strong artistic flair. Though the people of Chile and Argentina have two very noticeably different cultures, the continual contact between the two countries has left a greater homogeneity and sense of common destiny among Patagonians. 9. At some point in the 18th century, the vast central plains of Patagonia (the pampas) saw the birth of the gaucho, a tough Argentinean cowboy – possessing a horse, saddle, poncho, and knife – who prided himself on his strength, courage, and honor. The gauchos are excellent horsemen, famed maté drinkers, and today a myth of Argentinean culture. (Maté is traditional Argentinean tea, drunk through silver straws (bombillas) from beautiful little gourds (matés). You have to taste it when you go - more for the experience than the taste…!) 10. Both Argentineans and Chileans speak Spanish or castellano. The pronunciation in Argentine Spanish is heavily influenced by Italian immigration, which gives this dialect a kind of melodic sound. Chilean Spanish is spoken much more rapidly, and the Chileans have developed a great number of local expressions and slang. The two national forms of Spanish extend more or less right down into Patagonia, though certain words and phrases characteristic to Patagonia also exist. 11. The peaks of Patagonia are renowned in the climbing community for being the ultimate - but also some of the most difficult - peaks in the world to scale due to their vertical walls, falling rocks, the unpredictable weather, and incredible fierce winds. In 1952 a group of Argentine climbers made the first ascent of Patagonia's highest peak, Cerro San Valentin (13,310 feet) located on the central part of the Northern Ice Cap. French mountaineers Lionel Terray and Guido Magnone climbed Mount Fitzroy in Los Glaciares National Park the same year. 12. Los Glaciares National Park is also home to Cerro Torre (10,280'), the polished, vertical granite rock walls that for decades were considered impossible to climb. The Italian climber Cesare Maestri claimed that he and his partner, Toni Egger, made the first ascent in 1959. During this ascent Toni Egger died in an avalance and Maestri was found by the remainder of the team walking about bewildered on the glacier below the peak. The climbing world was split into two camps by this story: those who believed Maestri and those who did not. On Maestri's second attempt to summit Cerro Torre in 1970, he once again made an uproar in the climbing community when it became known that he and his team had used a portable compressor drill to fix a line of bolts to reach the summit. 13. Farther south in the Chilean part of Patagonia you will find the three famous majestic pink and white granite towers - Torres del Paine. Torres Norte (8,530') was first climbed in 1958 by an Italian, Pierino Pession, Torre Central (9,186') was climbed in 1963 by a British expedition, and the tallest tower, Torres Sur (9,350') was climbed the same year by an Italian expedition. 14. While climbers were competing to be the first to climb Patagonia's famous spires, others were keen to explore the two icecaps. The first complete traverse of the southern icecap was made by H. W. Tilman in 1956 and because of the stormy weather (typical of Patagonia), this fifty-mile journey took six weeks. (Guess they must have had headwinds!) For more information and reservations, please contact: Mountain Travel Sobek 1266 66th Street, Suite 4 Emeryville, CA 94608 USA Toll Free (USA and Canada): 1-888-831-7526 Phone: +1-510-594-6000 Fax: + 1-510-594-6001 Email: info@mtsobek.com