Welsh Patagonia; Wales beyond Wales

Located at the Southern end of South America, Patagonia is a sparsely populated region shared by Chile

and Argentina. The region is made of grasslands, steppes, deserts and the southern section of the Andes

Mountains. Patagonia has two coasts; an eastern one that faces the Atlantic Ocean and the one on the

west that faces the Pacific Ocean.

Welsh Patagonia Statistics

Region population is around 2 million (including Chilean Patagonia). The most common language spoken

are Spanish and Welsh. Money currency is Argentine peso (ARS). There is an unofficial ‘blue dollar’ market

– it is not legal but is widely used. Tipping is customary for good service – about 10-15% in restaurants

and for tour guides.

Getting Around

A hire car or car with driver are ideal if you want to

explore the backroads and stop to see historic sites.

The main companies are widely available; petrol is

relatively cheap. It is possible to explore Welsh

Patagonia using public transport. Don Otto operates

regular services east-west across Chubut. A single

ticket from Trelew to Esquel starts at around 488ARS

($40); journey time is around nine hours. Check times

and prices at busplus.com.ar. There are regular

minibuses from Puerto Madryn to Peninsula Valdés

operated by Mar y Valle. Puerto Madryn to Esquel

takes around nine hours; fares cost from 549ARS ($45)

one-way. See terminalmadryn.com/horarios.html for

an overview of services in the region.

Food and Drink

Across the region, barbecued lamb (cordero patagónico) is a much-loved specialty; the sheep in

Patagonia graze pretty wildly, giving the meat an aromatic herby quality. Snack food is superlative,

especially the empanadas and pizzas. In Andean regions, trout and wild boar are popular. El Bolsón is

known for its microbrew beers.

Where to go and what to do?

Southern right whales, Golfo Nuevo. Whether you do a trip from Puerto Madryn or from the Península

Valdés, these big, beautiful beasts will be the most memorable friends you make on a trip to Chubut.

Visiting on the months of August-October is ideal.

Museo Paleontológico Egidio, Feruglio,Trelew. Unmissable collection of bigfossils from the Cenozoic,

Mesozoic and Paleozoic eras; bilingual labels and infographics explain the evolution of Patagonia’s

dinosaurs.

Gaiman. Tea and cake will never seem so quirky as in the themed restaurants of this small, Wales-

obsessed little township.

Valle delos Altares. Much of Patagonia’s interior is flat and almost feature less, but these impressive rock

formations provide a photogenic stop over on a road trip.

Quadbiking,Trevelin. Several local firms, including Rincones del Sur hire out quadbikes–ideal vehicles

forgetting around the steep gravel tracks that lead out of Trevelin.

Visit Vacation-now.com for more travel tips and destination.