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A
frozen song with the magic
of the wildest and most stunning place
you have ever imagined |
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Perito Moreno Glacier |
This trip is one of the most stunning of the Patagonian region. There are experiences that leave and indelible mark in life; seeing the Perito Moreno Glacier is one of these experiences.
At the beginning of the journey, you will skirt round Redonda Bay of Lake Argentino and you will have the opportunity to see the Solitary Island. You will travel through the Patagonian steppe, the natural habitat of species such as guanacos, rheas, foxes, etc.
This journey also presents other interesting spots: mount Comisión or De Los Elefantes, Centinela River, mount Frías and many Patagonian farms, among them the most known is “Alice”. Crossing river Mitre, you will get to National Park Los Glaciares.
Then, you will have to travel 22 miles by the shore of Rico Channel of Lake Argentino going through exuberant vegetation. You will find that this abrupt passage from the steppe to the forest is incredible. There are huge specimens of trees such as ñires, lengas, notros and guindos. In the Curva de los Suspiros (Sigh’s Bend) you will find the first panoramic view of the Perito Moreno Glacier. Later on you get to the glacier’s viewpoint.
An ice sheet, or glacier cap, covers this Protected Area of 1,482,000 acres. Among the 356 glaciers, the Perito Moreno is the most stunning, with a front of 3 miles and a height of more than 60 m above sea level.
World-famous just because of its breaking processes, the front of the glacier, reaching to the coast margin, closes the way to the waters of Rico Channel and creates a sort of reservoir where water exceeds in drop some 20 m, originating the filtration that culminates with the desired breaking. You can watch closely the detachment of ice blocks of different sizes, hear the roar they produce and then watch them turning into wonderful floating ice floes.
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Moreno Party |
| The trip sets off from the Perito Moreno spring, situated in the National Park Moreno Glacier Section at 1 mile from the viewpoint; you go sailing in front of the north wall of the Perito Moreno Glacier. The trip can be hired in the port, with daily frequencies. |
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Nautical Safari |
You embark on the port located in Bajo las Sombras Bay (under the shadows), approximately at 4 miles from the Glacier viewpoint. The trip consists of navigation through Lake Rico, having the possibility to watch the ice floes that come from the Perito Moreno Glacier.
Reaching to the south point of Témpanos channel, the boat places at a prudent distance from the glacier’s wall, traveling along its extension and watching the breakings.
This trip offers the possibility to watch from a totally different perspective the amazing walls of the Perito Moreno Glacier and its breakings on the waters of Rico channel. |
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Walichu Point |
This archaeological site presents a very original geological formation, formed by sedimentary rock and steppe vegetation. Here you can see natural eaves and caves that the prehistoric man used to manifest his art, a sacred and mysterious art of almost 4000 years (BC)
You can see these notable pictorial engravings walking through an “interpretation” path, in which the visitor will discover an impressive culture in a fantastic environment. |
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City Tour |
| The Calafate city tour offers a visit to all of these charming places in comfortable vehicles. Your guide, who will tell you the history of the first settlers, will show you the flora, fauna and other interesting details that hosts this little tourist village. The circuit mainly goes through the roads of the old part of the town, showing you the typical first constructions of the pioneers. |
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Municipal Regional Museum El Calafate |
In the Municipal Regional Museum El Calafate you will find the archaeological material, such as boleadoras (a stone artifact from the Charrúa culture, made up of three balls held together by leather thongs and used to trip up and catch game or cattle), carved stones, arrow points, etc, and also paleontology samples, geological material, flora and fauna.
You will find out about an important part of the city’s history, for example, old pictures of the first settlers. |
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Historical Interpretation Center (Centro de Interpretación Histórica) |
A trip through time, traveling 14,000 years of human and environmental history. From the glaciations to the Patagonia, passing the mega fauna, cave painting art, the Tehuelche culture, the first encounters, the sheep peak, the Patagonian strikes and the origin of El Calafate city.
Self-guided excursion. |
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Nimez Lagoon – Municipal Ecological Reserve |
At only 1 mile from the city center, in an area near Lake Argentino, you will find the birds reserve Nimez Lagoon, where you will watch almost 80 different species of birds. Some of them are: flamingos, gooses, black-necked swans, bandurrias, ducks, teros, etc.
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Petrified Forest La Leona |
Millions of years ago, the Patagonian steppe was a warm environment with leafy vegetation. At 68 miles from El Calafate, La Leona Petrified Forest is one more of the remains of those times.
During the walk through this forest you will see petrified fossils and trunks. |
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Big Ice: A Trip to the Center of the Glacier |
| This is an excursion that requires physical strength. Apt only for people between 18 and 45 years with a good health condition. Leaving from Bajo de las Sombras Port, you take the boat “Tehuelche” and cross Rico channel. After sailing for 10 minutes, you disembark on the west coast. Together with the mountain guides, you begin the approach walk through a path getting to a wonderful viewpoint. After putting on the crampons, you go to the ice. Once in the glacier, you make a walk of almost 4 hours, where you will find incredible blue lagoons, deep crevices, never-ending cesspits and amazing caves; all these will make you feel that you are in the center of the Glacier. You will enjoy a unique picnic surrounded by the most beautiful landscape of the world; this is one of the most spectacular trekking worldwide. |
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Mini-trekking: A Long Walk over the Glacier |
During the walk over the glacier you will find a variety of ice formations such as crevices, cesspits, little pools, etc.
The walk is moderate. The icy surface where you walk is irregular but safe and firm. While walking, the tourists will receive information as regards the fauna, flora and the glaciers of the region and its history as well as the explanation of the glacier breaking phenomenon. |
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Overflying |
You can make circuits of different duration that goes from 60 to 120 minutes. According to the circuit chosen by the passenger, different places will be over flown, such as the area of El Chalten, where you will see mounts Fitz Roy, Torre, Huemul and Condor Lagoon.
Other options are: Glaciers Moreno, Spegazzini, Upsala, Onelli, Mayo, Ea. Cristina, among others. |
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Cruise Trips |
The most outstanding trip of the area lasts two days (one night), starting in port Bandera up to Punta Avellaneda through Norte channel of Lake Lacar. Then to Upsala channel sailing among ice floes getting near to the Glacier that gives the name to the restaurant where the passengers have lunch.
In the afternoon, it goes to Spegazzini Glacier to enjoy it at dusk.
Then you reach to Puesto Vacas to spend the night there. At night the passengers have dinner with a view of the imposing glacier.
The following day after breakfast, you sail through Los Tempanos channel up to to the Perito Moreno glacier and watch the ice breakings.
Then you go back to Punta Bandera, where the passengers disembark and are taken to El Calafate. |
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Horse Rides |
The horse rides in the area of Bahía Redonda, in the urban area of El Calafate, are well known. While riding, you can enjoy the aridity of the landscape, the wide variety of birds that visit the area year by year and the different views of this tourist village.
Also, there are horse rides to the different farms. |
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All Glaciers/Ice Rivers |
This trip goes sailing to Spegazzini, Onelli and Upsala glaciers, entering into the bays that these glaciers form. After two-hours sailing, you get off in Onelli Bay to have lunch and/or walk through the forest up to Onelli Lake, formed by the ice floes of glaciers Onelli, Agazzis and Volado. The tourists are picked up in the hotels from 7:15 am, coming back between 5 and 9 pm, depending on the season and the type of boat used for the trip.
During the winter, the area of Spegazzini glacier turns inaccessible, that’s why the trip may be shorter. |
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Upsala Explorer |
This trip combines the navigation to the Upsala glacier area with a day spent in a farm called “Cristina”, located on the right border of the glacier.
In the farm you can do different activities, such as horse rides, walks or 4x4 trips, and you can also taste a delicious roast lamb and various sweet delicacies.
You can do this trip only in December, January and February.
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Farms |
This activity brings the tourist closer to the activity that populated this area for the first time by white people, mainly European. The farms that open their doors to the tourists today are the ones that developed the sheep rear during the fifties and nowadays show this activity as a typical occupation in the area.
In the farms you can taste delicious roast lambs. Besides, one of the most interesting activities to see in the farms is an exhibition of the shearing.
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4 x 4 Trips |
There are some circuits to travel in double-wheel ride vehicles, due to the difficulty of the ground. The trips go to the following circuits:
Mount Frías
From its summit you can see, in clear days, mounts Fitz Roy and Macizo del Paine.
Calafate Vantage Point (Balcón del Calafate)
Located at 900 m from the city, this spot is surrounded by wonderful rocky formations from where you will admire the geological evolution.
Vuelta de la Colonia
Mount Huiliche – Lake Roca |
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Sport fishing in Rivers ¨Calafate Fishing¨ |
The most precious specimen of the area is the Rainbow Trout, challenging the fisherman in the crystal-clear waters.
There are outings from dawn returning at noon or when the trip finishes.
The timetable is adjusted to the tourist needs. |
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