El Calafate and the Perito Moreno Glacier

After 29 hours on the bus we were excited to stretch our legs and get some fresh air. During the bus ride we had several Police Control but with the stunning scenery of Patagonia everything seemed less troubling. The land is very harsh and the growth of vegetation consists mainly of bushes to resist the strong winds. But as soon as you see the lakes and white mountain ranges it is stunning.

The girls booked as usual a double room whereas we had been lucky lately with the four bed dorms. Most of the times we had been alone and lately the hostels even had ensuite bathrooms. Afterwards we checked out the prices for the Glacier National Park since we wanted to see the spectacular Perito Moreno Glacier.

Funny wise a tour with a guide was cheaper than the regular bus, so we found each other among older people, 60plus. Since we can do the different walks on ourselves it doesn’t really matter. Why is this glacier so special? The Perito Moreno advances daily about 2 m, ends up in a lake and you can have a close look at it. Every 4 to 6 years the ice touches the land and the two combining rivers form a tunnel through the ice. After a certain pressure the whole ice bridge collapses in the lake.

First we hopped on a catamaran to get close to the glacier and get a different perspective. Pushing to find the right spot with all those people on the small platform was a bummer but once everybody found its spot we could just enjoy this magic ice wonder land.

Up to 60 m it was towering above us and the different shades of blue where hallucinating. The ragged surface gave us an idea about the pressure of the ice and we could hear the thundering explosions here and there.

From land you could do four different routes and we can say we have done them all. You walk on balconies very close to the glacier and became different perspectives. Several times we could see big peaces of ice crushing down in the lake with a massive splash. This was just spectacular.

Another breath taking experience with wonder nature. We returned happy and smiling and were looking forward to explore some more of this fantastic landscape of Patagonia. The four of us left the next day for El Chalten, a small little town in the heart of the mountains. Our little group was getting accustomed to each other and it was nice to share the responsibilities, ideas and stories.

Accommodation: Hostel de Los Manos, 2 blocks from Lago Argentino , El Calafate

Price: $ ARG 120 p.P., 4 bed dorm, ensuite bathroom, incl. breakfast

Comment: very helpful and friendly staff. Big and clean dorms but comfortable seating area is missing
                 a bit.