As the legendary U.S. Route 66, the Southern Route 40 is an emblem of Patagonia and South America. Travel the country from north to south, connected by mountain passes, crossing numerous parks and natural reserves, areas of northern and southern ice, stunning mountains, rushing rivers, lakes, forests and the vastness of the steppe.
It run parallel to the Andes mountains, in the Province of Santa Cruz (Argentina) and the region of Aysen (Chile), the link between the tourist destinations of southern Patagonia, and El Calafate, El Chalten, Cueva de las Manos, Perito Moreno, Los Antiguos, Chile Chico, Puerto Bertrand, Cochrane, Tortel, Villa O'Higgins, the Lake Argentino, Carrera / Buenos Aires, Cochrane, O'Higgins / San Martin, Viedma, Cardiel, Guest, and
is connected through Paso Roballos, Los Antiguos-Chile Chico, Pallavicini-Huemules Balmaceda and others.
These territories are still in the times of exploration, is common watch abundant wildlife like the foxes, guanacos, eagles, condors, rheas (ostrich American species), hares, wild horses and trout in many rivers and lakes.
A spectacular new circuit is to start from El Calafate, on Route 40 north, cross the steppe, visit the “Cueva de las Manos, Los Antiguos and cross to Chile Chico, take the Carretera Austral and go south along the lake Carreras visiting Puerto Guadal, P. Bertrand, Cochrane, Tortel, Villa O'Higgins O'Higgins across the lake, visit the glacier O'Higgins, Candelario Mancilla and explore on foot, bicycle or on horseback - 24 km to reach Lago del Desierto, cross by boat and get to El Chalten and then to El Calafate.
