In 2017 a team of Hampshire Scouts and leaders, will take to South America to embark on a 6 week expedition to Patagonian Chile. here are some facts about the area, that you may not know, Enjoy!
The area of Patagonia spans a massive 1,043,076 km2, occupying almost half of Chile and Argentina, and yet is only home to less than 2 million inhabitants.
Until 180 million years ago, South America was knows as the super continent Gondwanaland, a combined landmass that also included India, Antarctica and Australia. The continents split, and South America drifted some 4800 kilometres westwards, to its current latitude.
There are 31 national parks located in Patagonia, each with their own unique charms: Torres Del Paine is the largest, and one of the most visited parks in Chilean Patagonia. The park is an extremely popular hiking destination.
All of Patagonia is in the Southern hemisphere, so summer is from December- March
In Chile you can find the driest place on earth- The Atacama Desert. At 7500 feet, some parts of this region have never received a drop of rain. The desert is a 1000km long strip between the Andes Mountains and the Pacific Ocean, spreading over an area of 363,000 square km. Why not ask Rich – our deputy leader more about this amazing landscape?
Penguins live in Chile- penguins don’t only live in Antarctica or at the zoo, they can be found in several areas of southern Chile. They usually lounge on the beach and commute to nearby nests. Humboldt penguins, named after the current that they swim in, are also found on the north coast of Chile.
The slopes of the Andes, provides Patagonia with about 120,000 square kilometres of temperate rainforest. Home to the giant Alerce tree- the second longest living thing on the planet, similar in size to the Giant redwoods of North America, the Alerce trees are home to the rare little hill monkey, and the Patagonian toad.
The capital city of Chile is Santiago which has a population of around 7 million people, about 36% of the total population.
Travelling around in Patagonia can be quite challenging, unless you are willing so swap a bus for a hike, but this challenging aspect is what helps the region to retain its charm. Sometimes you are more likely to see more wildlife than people, and that makes this landscape 100 times more picturesque.
Most people visit between November and March, which are the warmer months in Patagonia. Warm is a relative term. Within Torres Del Paine National Park, the summer (Jan-Mar) average temperature is 41°F to 68°F (5°C- 20°C). The weather is still unpredictable. Four seasons in a day is entirely possible. Wind, rain and cold can challenge you any time of the year.
If you want to know more about the Expedition, please feel free to contact the leadership team on patagonia@hsx.org.uk
Keep Watching This Space! – The Leadership Team #Pat2017