In 2017 our expedition will take us to Torres Del Paine National Park, where we will undertake our trekking phase.
Have a look at this short time-lapse video taken from across the National Park to find out lots of the places the Patagonia team will be visiting. I’m sure you’ll agree that the locations are quite stunning!
Inspired by what you’ve seen? Drop the leadership team a line at Patagonia@hsx.org.uk to find out the how you could get involved with this once in a life time expedition!
Follow us on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/HSXPatagonia
Interested in the HSX Patagonia 2017 expedition but never heard of Hampshire Scout Expeditions before? Why not join us on our annual trip to the Lake District this Easter.
Hampshire Scout Expeditions invite you to Ad+Venture our annual trip to The Lake District, March 24-28, leaving Thursday evening from various locations around Hampshire. There will be lots of activities available providing introductions to; rock climbing, scrambling, hill walking, gorge scrambling, and many more. Anyone is welcome, whether you are a seasoned mountaineer or have never been on the hills before. A great chance to meet the leadership team, find out about our expedition and many more!
If you are interested please contact us on patagonia@hsx.org.uk and we will get back to you.
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
Since its foundation in 1986, Hampshire Scout Expeditions (HSX) have successfully run over 20 international expeditions for Hampshire Scouts across the globe. In 2017 we’ll be breaking new ground and heading to the Patagonian Andes!
Patagonia is a sparsely populated region located at the southern tip of South America, shared by Argentina and Chile. The region comprises the southern section of the Andes, characterised by granite pillars, deserts, steppes and grasslands.
Over the course of this six-week expedition the participants will experience Chile’s unique culture, incredible sights, stunning scenery and a fascinating history. All elements that we will explore as we work with its warm and welcoming people as part of a community development project. The expedition will draw upon participants from across Hampshire who, with the support of an experienced leader team, for this once in a life time experience over the winter of 2017/18.
Prior to the expedition the participant will undertake an 18 month training programming focusing on teamwork, personal development and leadership skills to ensure that members gain as much as possible from the experience. The hope that as well as being a life changing experience for those involved, such experiences and contacts will bring greater understanding and tolerance, of the multi-cultural society in which we live today.
The expedition aims to continue the HSX tradition of being a life changing experience for all involved and inspiring the next generation of expedition leaders.
If you’d like to know more about the expedition please feel free to contact the leader team (Patagonia@hsx.org.uk) or stay tuned to the blog for more details.
