Ever rich in myth and romance, long beloved of explorers and backpackers, Patagonia is now also establishing itself as a bona fide short- to medium-term holiday destination, with an infrastructure as developed as the landscape is wild. Foreign investment, a favourable exchange rate and the legendary local hospitality have united to turn once remote hamlets into burgeoning tourist centres, bringing comfort and luxury to what still feels like the frontier. Covering Argentina and Chile, Time Out Patagonia takes you across arid steppes to shimmering lakes, monstrous peaks to wind-leveled plains. Selective, independent and critical, Time Out contributors identify the best excursions, treks and tours - not just the most publicised. It also includes 2006 events and festival listings.