Santa Cruz Province, Argentina

Rio Gallegos is the capital of the province.

Santa Cruz is the southern province of the Patagonian continental territory.
Santa Cruz Limits to the north with Chubut, and to the west with the Atlantic sea to the south and to the west with Chile.
The first European who arrived to these lands was Hernando de Magallanes in 1520. Until then, it was an exclusive land of Tehuelches and Choiques tribes.

In 1884, Santa Cruz was founded and three years later, Puerto Gallegos was founded too.

Its economical power is based on the exploitation of oil and stone coal as well as the existence of great farm houses where millions of sheep produce great quantities of wool and meat.

The glaziers are the main characteristic of the mountain range. Its main rivers are: the Desado, the Chico, the Santa Cruz, the Coig and the Gallegos.

The weather is cold. The temperature is 8ºC. On the coastline zone, the rainfall reaches 250 mms. The best period of the year to visit this zone is in summer.

It is interesting to visit:

Gallegos River
The Calafe
Glaciares National Park
Perito Moreno National Park
Deseado Port
Santa Cruz Port

Santa Cruz Beaches

· Caleta Olivia
· Deseado Port
· Julián Port
· Comandante Luis Piedra Buena
· Santa Cruz Port
· Punta Quilla Port
· Coig Port
· Gallegos River
· Punta Loyola

De las Manos Cave

De las Manos Cave is an archeological site that has cave paintings, located in a deep ravine on Pinturas River, to the west of Santa Cruz Province, Argentina.

The interest in the are is due the beauty of the paintings as well as for its age, calculated as  7.350 años adC in the oldest paintings.

It is one of the most artistic and antique artists expressions of the south American towns it has been declared Humanity Culture Patrimony by the UNESCO.

Perito Moreno National Park

Perito Moreno National Park is located in the west center of Santa Cruz province, limits with Chile. It has a surface of 115.000 hectares approximately, in a mountain area cut by valleys, some of them are located at 900 m.a.s.l.

Los Glaciares National Park

Los Glaciares National Park, is located in Santa Cruz province, Argentina, comprehend a 7.240 km² surface
It was designated National Park in 1937 and is the second in size in Argentina.

Monte León Nacional Park

The Monte León National Park constitutes a representative sample of Patagonia Coast Biodiversity, it has Paleontology value. It has a coast of 36 km on the Santa Cruz Litoral.

Desierto Lagoon

Desierto Lagoon is a lake located in Argetino Lake in Santa Cruz province close to the Chile border.

Argentino Lake

The Argentino Lake is the biggest and most austral among the big Patagonia lakes in Argentina. Located in Santa Cruz province, 187 m.a.s.l covers a 1.466 km² surface and has a medium depth of 150 meters, reaching in some points the 500 meters; its volume ascent to 219.900 millions of m³. In its west arms many glaciers pour its waters, among them Perito Moreno and Upsala Glacier. By its shore it is located part of the Los Glaciers National Park, and the El Calafate city, tourist base and departing point for the excursions and the area exploration.

Viedma Lake

The Viedma Lake is 80 km. long and it is situated in the southwest extreme of Argentina, is the longest lake of the lakes formed by glacier abrasion. The lake is feed basically by the Viedma Glacier located in the west.

O'Higgins/San Martín Lake

O'Higgins/San Martín Lake is located in Patagonia and it is shared by Chile and Argentina. The lake is known in each country with the name of “Los libertadores” in Argentina is known as San Martín in honor to José de San Martín, while in Chile is known as O'Higgins Lake to Honor Bernardo O'Higgins. Both names are correct in a International level.

Buenos Aires/General Carrera Lake

The Buenos Aires/General Carrera Lake is located in Patagonia and is shared by Argentina and Chile. In Argentina is known as the Buenos Aires Lake, while in Chile it is known se General Carrera Lake, being both names correct and recognized internationally.

Petrified Woods

The natural monument «Bosques Petrificados» was created by the Argentinean Government in order to preserve the Patagonia woods submitted to the petrify process.