The Perito Moreno Glacier in El Calafate, Santa Cruz, Argentina, have long fascinated me due to their radiance, ethereal-blue color, and unusual shapes and forms. I’ve always wondered what it’s like to hear and listen to the spectacular cracking sound of glaciers breaking. Sadly, those icebergs in Patagonia are always in danger of extinction due to climate change. Similarly, I am not getting any younger. Therefore, while the glaciers were still intact and my energy level matched my thirst for adventure, I went!
I celebrated my fifty-fourth year on earth with a solo winter adventure to one of the most enchanting glaciers thousands of miles away from home and almost on the opposite side of the pole. I have been to many places, but this trip is epic for me.
How To Get To El Calafate
There are a number of ways to get to El Calafate from Buenos Aires. Besides the bus and car, air transport is perhaps the best option. I decided to take the 3-hour flight to El Calafate via Aerolineas Airlines from Buenos Aires. Not only that, it is, of course, faster but cheaper also than long-distance bus travel. Cities, including Bariloche and Mendoza, have daily flights to El Calafate.
Getting There From The Airport – Take a taxi. Finding one is effortless. You’ll see these vehicles as you exit the airport building. Taxis in El Calafate are conventional ones with a big placard that reads “TAXI.” Fares range from 500.00 to 700.00 Pesos (about US$18.00 as of June 2018.) Transitioning and getting around FTE is remarkably stress-free insofar as a small airport. Moreover, with the distance central town of El Calafate is about twenty miles span from the airport.
Best Time To Visit El Calafate, Santa Cruz
he best time to visit El Calafate is in January and February, the summer season. But will you go in the winter? What if I tell you I did the atypical and went to El Calafate during winter time in June. Lo and behold, the weather was on my side! Not only that El Calafate’s sunrise and sunset look terrific in the lakes over the glaciers, but the skies were cloudless and the bluest I have ever seen. I was also blessed with a quieter and less touristy environment. I was having the best of my trip until the day I flew off to Buenos Aires. My flight was held back (and I had to spend another night in El Calafate) due to zero visibility brought on by fog. Be prepared for inclement weather.
Told to prepare for colder days and not a lot of daylight; I was pleasantly surprised that it was not as bitter cold as I expected. But, just the same, pack accordingly. I find it quite weird, but eight o’clock in the morning in Santa Cruz is like four in the morning back home.
Things To Do In El Calafate in Winter
El Calafate is your hub for Perito Moreno or the glacier parks. El Calafate differs from any town close to a major tourist destination serving just as a gateway. My first glimpse of the Patagonia Andes from the hostel more than debunked that assumption. I was happy with making El Calafate my base camp and not others. This town is very charming! Though small, its main strip Avenida del Libertador is a long-winding block dotted with all kinds of shops, restaurants, bakeries, hotels, tour companies, and monument park squares.
Taking a Stroll in the Town
The best way to discover El Calafate is a lazy walk along the Avenida del Libertador, peppered with quaint and cute shops. My favorite find is a bakeshop where I tasted the yummiest alfahores, Argentina’s “national” snack goodies. For a taste of heavenly delight, temporarily forget that you are a pre-diabetic. Make your day and spoil that sweet tooth!
Bird Watching and Sunset Viewing
Animal gazing or birding is not my cup of tea, but I walked to this part of the town because it is the best spot to watch the spectacular El Calafate sunset. For those bird lovers, the best place for bird watching is along the shore of Laguna Nimez Nature. Don’t forget to bring binoculars for a close-up view of those exotic birds. Although I wasn’t lucky to spot those pink flamingos teeming in Patagonia, getting a clear, broad panoramic view of the Patagonia Andes from this vantage point was still a real treat.
Ice Skating at the Frozen Argentina Lake
El Calafate’s position runs parallel along Argentina Lake, the country’s most massive body of fresh water and third in the world! During winter time, the lake is an ice field. Imagine a vast ice skating rink in front of you where locals show off their skating talent. It is immensely enjoyable watching them. Ice skater yourself? Bring your skating gear and join the community for fun-filled activity!
Visit Museo Centro de Interpretacion Historica Calafate
El Calafate is a young town founded only in the early 20s, yet it undoubtedly has a rich history. Thus, a museum is right anywhere you turn – whether it be ice-themed, a toy museum, or even a museum for dinosaurs. I learned that El Calafate was the home of wool traders, but the founding of the Perito Moreno National Park in 1937 made it one of Argentina’s most visited towns today.
Be enchanted by the Glaciers up Close and Personal.
Imagine how the glaciers would look when you can see them up close and within hand reach. One way to do that is to book a five-hour boat trip around the sprawling Lago Argentino, which will take you up to the creaking faces of three different awe-inspiring glaciers, including the famous Upsala Glaciers.
I booked my excursion through the hostel. The driver and the tour guide of Solo Patagonia picked me up at seven in the morning when it was still darkly and drove the icy road for twenty-nine miles (forty-seven km.) Arriving at Punta Bandera harbor, I paid for the 600.00 Pesos (cash only) entrance ticket to the national park (not included in the excursion fee.)
Visit the Perito Moreno Glacier in Los Glaciares National Park
What I like best about the 90-minute coach ride to Perito Moreno Glacier, (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) is the endless breathtaking view of the pale blue Lago Argentino and the majestic Andes coming nearer and closer. In between the 75-mile (120 km) drive, we took a break at a viewpoint for photo ops. Then the most awaited moment is on the boardwalks for a full view of the majestic ice landscape! The experience of watching the glaciers is magical let alone hearing the icebergs breaking in chunks is unlike any other. Totally will stir all your senses!
Remember the entrance fee (AR$600.00, US$21.00) to the park is not inclusive in your excursion. Best to bring your lunch and nibble on empanadas while resting on a bench overlooking the gorgeous ice landscape.
Last but not the least, you may also continue your trip to El Chalten, Torres del Paine or go on to Ushuaia (the town nicknamed “the end of the world.”) Have those tour operators in the town center help book your itineraries. I wish I have also participated in the glacier trekking, but this activity is only available during summer time. If you have experienced glacier trekking, please feel free to share any information in the comment box below.
Where To Stay in El Calafate
Owe it to America del Sur Hostel El Calafate low rates; budget travelers can choose a fantastic accommodation. Rooms are dormitory type, but I booked an entire room for $30.00 a night, with two double deck beds and a private toilet/bathroom. Parallel to the right price, the most beautiful views of the Andes Mountains as the building perched on a hill are also a plus! Conveniently, I booked my day trips to Perito Moreno and the catamaran cruise to Upsala Glaciers with their help.
Where to Eat
Parrilla Don Pichon – Parrilla Don Pichon – They take pride in their grilled lamb, Cordero Patagonico. According to them, their lambs eat the freshest and healthiest herbs found only in Patagonia. I tried their specialty with pebre. It was delicious, and not to mention the serving was very generous. It can feed an entire tribe! Although the restaurant is away from the town, they provide free of charge transportation drop off to your hotel! Cool!
La Tableta – – remains operational to this day as a food service icon in El Calafate since it opened in 1968. This steakhouse is the oldest in town, so if you are looking for a hearty meal and some element of history, be their guest! I tried their Milanesa Napolitana at this restaurant. Highly recommended!
Food To Try
My trip to different countries is incomplete without satisfying my taste buds with the local delicacies. El Calafate, or Argentina in general, not only makes meat rule, but the locals are sweet-tooth as well! There is a bakeshop in every five hundred meters along the street. And every block in town is their famous “parilla.” So, without further ado, here are some of the bests Argentinian soul foods I have tried:
Patagonia Chocolates
Did I hear you say chocolates are chocolates no matter which country made them? For the sake of food-tripping, indulge me. The preparation process is what makes the chocolates in El Calafate or Patagonia region unique. The melted chocolate is spread on a broad surface, usually on a marble slab, then scraped together to attain a ridge-like consistency, which looks like a rolled cinnamon bark. I tried the white chocolate, and it was so sweet that I could almost hear my dentist scolding me! But a bite is worth it.
Squash Soup
My trip to a chilly El Calafate is not complete without a delicious and stomach and soul-warming bowl of this Squash Soup. Not only is the soup delicious, but it is also comforting and nourishing. By the way, it is all about meat in Argentina. Thus, vegetarians quickly become out of place, but this Squash Soup is their best choice and a sure treat to them.
Milanesa Napolitana
The Milanesa Napolitana won my heart! It is a breaded fried beef steak squeezed with lemon juice. It was traditionally served with chimichurri. I had this dish at La Tableta Restaurant.
Patagonia Lamb-to-the-Post
El Calafate Berries
In this marshland, you will find the thorny Calafate bushes bursting with ripe blue Calafate berries during summer. This plant is how the town’s name came. I have the impression that this wild berry is not only an important food source for wild birds but also for human beings. Almost all shops in El Calafate offer a delicacy made of Calafate berries, from pie, jam, jelly, candies, and ice cream to liquor!
Things You Need to Know Before Visiting
Safety
The whole time I was in El Calafate, I never felt like I was treading on dangerous ground. Crime rates are low in this part of the world. A solo female traveler will feel safe here, but avoid walking alone at night and still keep your valuables safe. One more thing, I know you will not camp out in the middle of an ice landscape under zero degrees Fahrenheit, but hey, if you are visiting in the summer, be warned. Building a fire in campgrounds is illegal. In 2011, a hiker had to pay the penalty for starting a fire that destroyed over 40,000 acres of Torres del Paine National Park! It will take years and years, if not forever, for forests to recover.
Stray Dogs
The streets of El Calafate filled with dogs were a bit intimidating for me as I have a tiny bit of a phobia of stray dogs! If you share the same fear as mine, let me tell you there are a lot of them. Two dogs followed me, and although I was a little scared at first, eventually, they became my bodyguards! Some of them are cute and adorable.
Health
Remember to apply sunscreen cream. The sun is harsh down there, and even though the temperature is negative zero, our skin is still vulnerable to sunburn. Also, bring sunglasses that have full UV protection. Please also be informed that El Calafate is quite far and remote with limited health facilities, so I made sure my travel insurance covers emergency evacuation. Another good idea is to take vitamin C to combat the onset of colds.
Tour Operators
June to August is supposedly the off-peak season in El Calafate. The good news is there is no such thing as an off-season for the tour operators in this town. They don’t close in the winter. In fact, all businesses in El Calafate are open and thriving, regardless of the season. Either book your excursions or day-tour trip through the hotel or via the tour offices located along the main street Avenida del Libertador. Take note that there is only one company that has the license to operate ice trekking. The name of the company is Hielo y Aventura.
Power Plug Adaptors
Bring a power plug adapter and a voltage converter. The power sockets are of type C and I.
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