Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
It's easy to share metered taxis (AR$40) between the city center, the bus terminal and the
airport. From Av Kirchner, buses marked 'B' or 'terminal' link the city center and the
bus terminal (AR$5).
Car rental is expensive due to the poor conditions of the roads to most places of in-
terest. Despite exchange rates, rental deals are often better in Punta Arenas, Chile. For
local rentals, try
Riestra Rent A Car
(
421321;
www.riestrarentacar.com
;
Av San Martín
1508)
.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Around Río Gallegos
Visiting a working
estancia
affords an intimate glimpse into the unique Patagonian life-
style. These are not luxury hotels, but homes that have been converted into comfortable
lodgings. Meals are often shared with the owners, and token participation in the daily
working life is encouraged. For
estancias
in Santa Cruz province, contact the provincial
tourist office in Río Gallegos or see
www.estanciasdesantacruz.com
.
Named for gold once found on the coast,
Estancia Monte Dinero
( 02966-15522663;
www.montedinero.com.ar
;
s/d incl full board US$280/440; Oct-Apr)
is a comfortable, old-
world lodging with intricate hand-painted doors, billiards and well-appointed rooms. All
activities are included in the lodging rates. Dudes gor for the typical
estancia
activities -
dog demos, shearing etc - and can also take trips to nearby
Cabo Vírgenes
, where Ma-
gellanic penguins nest September through March at Argentina's second-largest penguin
rookery. History aficionados can appreciate that it's at Km0 of the historic RN40, as well
as the
estancia
museum's intriguing display of an assortment of goods salvaged from
shipwreck after the family Greenshyls sailed here from Ireland in 1886. Travel agencies
in Río Gallegos offer day trips here starting in mid-November.
INLAND PATAGONIA
Save for the travel hubs of El Calafate and El Chaltén, RN40 and its offshoots are bit of a
backwater. The ultimate road trip, RN40 parallels the backbone of the Andes, where
ñandús doodle through sagebrush, trucks kick up whirling dust and gas stations rise on
the horizon like oases.
Now that over two-thirds of the 1228km stretch between Esquel and El Calafate is
paved, travel is considerably easier, although the rough parts remain pretty rough. For
now, public transport stays limited to a few summer-only tourist shuttle services, and
driving requires both preparation and patience.
