Set at the base of the Andes Mountains in northeastern Chubut Province, the town of Esquel was the southernmost stop on the La Trochita railway route. The line once connected stops along 400 kilometres of Patagonia via steam locomotives and was dubbed ‘the railway almost at the end of the world’. While most of the railway has long since been discontinued, some of the original trains still operate in Esquel, taking visitors the 20 kilometres to the hamlet of Nahuel Pan. This tiny village rests the below the mountain of the same name and has a visitor centre where you can engage with locals and learn about traditional customs and handicrafts. Another cultural attraction in the area is the Leleque Museum, located just outside Esquel and housing a vast collection of native relics. The town also serves as a kick-off point to the Los Alerces National Park, with its primeval forests and sparkling lakes, and the dazzling San Rafael Glacier, located just across the border in Chile.
