Final Thoughts: Patagonia Trip

If I did my job well, then the last few months' worth of dispatches from Patagonia have sold you on the region as a top-notch destination.

I had a blast, and I want to thank G Adventures for letting me join them on an End of the Earth tour. The itinerary met my expectations, and the actual locations exceeded them.

The trip began when we met Nadia in Buenos Aires. By early the next morning, we were meeting Christian, our mountain guide and Chief Experience Officer (CEO) for most of the trip.

The active stage of our trip began with a hike around Fitz Roy mountain, whose summit remained hidden much of the time. However, it did not distract me in the least from the day. You will be disappointed if you go to Patagonia expecting perfect weather for every hike.

The next day, I fulfilled a childhood dream by going ice climbing on Viedma Glacier. The morning started overcast, but the skies had cleared by the time we reached the glacier. The surprise ending to our day was something none of us saw coming.

Our next big adventure was a visit to Perito Moreno Glacier. The sheer size of the glacier left everyone in awe. It was one of the most spectacular natural sites I've ever had the pleasure to visit. Hearing and watching ice calve off the glacier only added to the excitement.

In addition to the physical activities, we also ate surprisingly well. I threw caution to the wind and dined on the best food in Patagonia with most of our 10-person group every night.

Upon reaching Torres del Paine National Park, we hiked to the Three Towers and, the following day, to the glacier in the French Valley. The signs of last December's wildfire did little to detract from the park's natural beauty.

The trip wrapped up in Ushuaia, where we walked amongst three species of wild penguins, and I flew my first plane over the skies above the Beagle Channel.

I can't recommend this region of the world highly enough. The key is to visit during the (South American) summer season. Otherwise, the typically unpredictable weather is even worse. Plus, you're less likely to see the mountain tops.

I've been overhearing travelers in hostels talk about their experience visiting Patagonia more recently, and I don't envy them. I get cold just thinking about the weather down there now.

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Disclosure: This Patagonia tour was in partnership with G Adventures. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.