Adventure & Inspiration in Patagonia

This year I had the wonderful opportunity to visit Patagonia in Argentina and Chile. Both countries have stunning landscapes and beautiful wildlife. The many shades of blue from glacier-fed lakes, lagoons, and waterfalls will stay with me always.

While in Patagonia, I visited one of the most beautiful natural structures – Glaciar Perito Moreno. It’s part of the southern Patagonian ice field and it is massive! Seeing it from both the water and land provided many different angles at which to marvel. With climate change posing such urgent threats and changing the way we live, Perito Moreno provided me a tangible visual of what we are at risk of losing.

While there, I heard the ice ‘groaning’ many times. The first time I heard it was very strange and it reminded me of thunder. I also witnessed the ice calving, which is when pieces break away and fall into the water below. All I could think of was how different this important structure could look years from now and the impacts of those changes. It emphasized the important work WWF is doing to tackle climate change and protect species, and the collective need for us as humans to play our part.

Being at the end of the world in this beautiful and critical landscape not only introduced me to new cultures and vistas, it also provided many opportunities to view local wildlife like guanacos, foxes, birds and pumas. Patagonia will be part of me always. Thanks for the inspiration.

By Jo-Anna Alie, WWF