Patagonia

Patagonia: a beautiful region of Argentina and Chile, and a proud mainstay of travel bucket lists all over the world. But what makes this spectacular area of natural beauty so famous? What is it exactly that attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year to Patagonia? Read on and discover more about the magnificent and sometimes treacherous feat of nature that is Patagonia.

 

The name Patagonia is derived from the term 'patagón', the Spanish name for the indigenous Tehuelche people, who still inhabit the towns and cities of Argentine Patagonia today. Patagonia is the southern tip of South America, and is home to the stunning Andes mountain range, as well as arid deserts, scrubby plains, raging rivers, rugged coastlines, and even volcanoes. These geographical marvels are one of the main reasons that tourists flock to the region year on year. Another reason is the wildlife, as Patagonia is home to some unique animals, including South American cougars, Patagonian foxes, crested Caracas, Magellanic penguins and Darwin's rheas. 

 

The Andes mountain range runs most of the way down Argentina - including overlooking the polo fields and pampas that inspired pampeano - but there is nowhere better to see the Andes than in Patagonia. There are ice fields and glaciers, lakes and lava plateaus, hiking trails and rock climbing all to discover. 

 

The famously treacherous Cape Horn is at the southern tip of Patagonia, and has been legendary among sailors for centuries. Modern sailors will often take the challenge of rounding the horn today. The Cape is part of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago, and part of Cabo de Hornos National Park. Nature lovers everywhere visit this park for its unique and lesser known beauties. Intrepid visitors to Antarctica will often come via Tierra del Fuego before setting off. 

 

There is also a rich local culture that attracts visitors - the farming tradition of the area gives rise to delicious cuisine and hand crafted goods to sample, as well as the equine tradition of the whole of Argentina giving horse lovers the chance to ride the most beautiful trails in the world. Patagonia is truly a multicultural melting pot, with Criollo, Mestizo, Indigenous, German, Croat, Italian and Welsh influences.

 

Patagonia is also famous worldwide for being the namesake of the popular outdoor clothing brand. The brand is so named due to its origins in mountain climbing equipment, and Patagonia is home to some of the most beautiful mountains in the world. Patagonia isn't the only clothing brand taking inspiration from the Andes mountain range; here at pampeano, our signature pampeano diamond is also inspired by the breathtaking vistas of the peaks and valleys of Patagonia.

The pampa diamond is actually an ancient Aztec motif that is inspired by the rises and falls in the landscapes of Argentina, and has been emblematic of South American heritage ever since. It has endured through generations as an everlasting symbol of the beauty and history of the region. When polo belts were first created by the local craftspeople in Argentine villages to denote their polo team's colours, they chose to decorate them with pampa diamonds as a show of pride in their country and heritage.

As a polo belt specialist company, pampeano took inspiration by this timeless pattern for our logo which we stamp on all of our luxury leather accessories. It is a sign of our appreciation of the ancient culture of Argentina, our infusion of the spirit of adventure, and a promise that we will uphold the traditional values of artisanal hand crafting in all of our products.