Michał

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PARALLEL 42

When it comes to the Southern Hemisphere, the 42nd lets say 43rd parallel has so far been the southern boundary what untill now is still I just have no desire to crossed. I know nothing about south however, that I’ve already explored nearly everything north of it...

and north of 42nd In South American terms means Patagonia! - where pretty much every little Andean village feels like a gateway to discovering something magical. The town of Esquel leads to Los Alerces National Park; the village of Lago Puelo wraps around the national park of the same name. El Bolsón is a super chill, hippie town surrounded by nature reserves like Arroyo Motoco, Río Azul, Lago Escondido, or Piltriquitrón, home to the open-air forest gallery El Bosque Tallado.

Wharton! —and here’s something beautiful. In a microscopic settlement hidden among the Patagonian woods, there’s a place called (surely named after me 😉) El Polaco, where dozens of kilometers of trails begin—leading through landscapes of mountain peaks, lush green forests, and crystal-clear turquoise rivers, so pure you’d want to sink right into them. Fifteen hours of solid sunshine a day, refreshingly crisp mornings and evenings, usually in good company with a glass of wine— it all adds up to a pretty complete picture. Plus, the tourist infrastructure fully satisfies the needs of any minimalist-minded traveler: campsites and shelters with food, right in the heart of nature!

Bariloche is like Argentina’s version of Zakopane—only prettier. And although it’s over-commercialized and not exactly warm in spirit, people here aren’t nearly as shamelessly greedy as in Poland’s Podhale region. Nahuel Huapi National Park plays the role of the Tatras here. Farther north, you can safely skip the rather kitschy Villa La Angostura and San Martín de los Andes. But the nature between them? Undeniably stunning—especially along the Seven Lakes Route. The half-passable roads around Pichi Traful Lake, campsites with beaches, a lake, river, waterfall, and surrounding mountains—thankfully without internet or electricity— or the Nivinco waterfalls... are just a few examples of how something wildly popular can still be truly amazing. North of San Martín, the Lanin National Park stretches along the Chilean border all the way to the peaceful little village of Aluminé… Along that whole border, you’ll find countless campsites hosted by the Mapuche—people who truly see nature for what it is.

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