Ride the Old Patagonian Express
Take a nostalgic trip on La Trochita, a narrow-gauge steam locomotive chugging through the Patagonian wilderness.
A voyage aboard the Old Patagonian Express from Esquel to El Maitén recaptures the bygone romance of rail travel. Riding the tracks of a historic narrow-gauge railway, this steam locomotive slices through typically desolate and treeless stretches of the Patagonian steppe.
Known locally as La Trochita, which translates literally as ‘the Little Narrow Gauge’, the train was immortalised by Paul Theroux in his book, The Old Patagonian Express.
The railway opened in 1945 to link this distant part of the country to the coast and the capital, and although there have been road improvements since, nostalgia on the part of both tourists and locals have kept the old steam trains chugging along the remote stretch of rail.
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Why choose Journey Latin America for your holiday
We’ve been planning trips to Central and South America for over 45 years, longer than any other UK specialist. Every holiday is built around you by a Travel Expert who has been to the places they recommend, with support from your first enquiry to the day you fly home.
Rosie embarked on a year-long backpacking trip across Latin America. She is excited to share her knowledge and experiences with others.
Finn discovered his passion for travel on an extensive 18-month trip to Latin America, experiencing the vibrant Carnaval in Rio, the end-of-the-world city of Ushuaia, trekking the Andes and volunteering on the Galápagos Islands.
Maggie visited Latin America on her first backpacking trip when she was 19. Since then, she has taken every opportunity to travel, and has managed to explore a lot of the region in subsequent trips.
Gary discovered what he had been missing with his first foray into the wilds of Latin America. In his role as Product Manager, he combines this personal obsession with years of industry experience to help ensure that travellers will fall for the region every bit as much as he has.
