Think of nature’s breathtaking wonders and one of those names that come to mind is Patagonia. Patagonia is a treat for any holidaymaker; the perfect destination to explore away from the maddening hustle-bustle of daily life. Set in the southern half of South America, Patagonia has the enormous Andes mountain peaks that outline its magnificent landscape. Apart from offering you some breathtaking cruises, this city is also the southernmost city on the globe. Your vacation in Patagonia is guaranteed to be etched in your memories for years to come.

The enriching history of Patagonia dates back to the 1520’s when it was explored by Ferdinand Magellan during his European expedition. Although there have been vague references to explorers visiting the Patagonian plains earlier, there is no authentic data to prove it either.

It would be interesting to note that the earlier expeditions of Patagonia had the sailors branding the locals as “giants” as they were much taller than the Europeans known at that time. The name Patagonia, bestowed to the land by Magellan, is also due to this fact – “Patagao” means “the land of big feet”. Patagonia’s Punta Tombo Reserve also has the privilege of being the world’s largest Magellanic penguin colony. According to historical evidences, Rodrigo de Isla is supposedly the first European to pass through the land of Patagonia in 1535.

Later years saw Pedro de Mendoza found Buenos Aires, but he refrained from extending his exploration to the southern lands. The western coasts were explored over the years by Alonzo de Camargo, Juan Ladrilleros and Hurtadi de Mendoza, and Sir Francis Drake helped explore the eastern coasts in 1577 and then north via Peru and Chile. However, in spite of the numerous travelers on this awesome land, no one contributed in understanding the geographical dynamics like Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa. He explored the south west Patagonian regions in great detail and made invaluable contribution in understanding the geography of this land.

Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa founded settlements on the area, but they were forsaken by the Spanish government. Later in 1587, when the land was visited by Thomas Cavendish, he nicknamed the land “Port Famine”, owing to its austere state. The Spanish government sustained its entitlement on the land being theirs by law, but lost interest in consecutive invasion down south after the route across Cape Horn was founded.

The land of Patagonia is divided into two parts constituting the ArgentineanPatagonia and the Chilean Patagonia. The Perito Moreno Glacier is one of the most dazzling places to visit. Experience walking through ice and witness ice blocks rupturing and floating away right in front of your eyes. The milieu is simply astounding. For fishing fanatics “Outfitters Patagonia” is a pure delight. They have an interesting fly fishing day trips that assure you a wholesome fishing trip. Patagonia has numerous such attractions for all. Plan a trip this year to this lovely land of mystique and grandeur and have a vacation of your lifetime.