Travel Tips. Patagonia, Argentina
January 2020
Patagonia. Home of jagged mountain peaks, mirror lakes, ice fields, and miles and miles of steppe under huge, ever-changing skies.
El Calafate
The main activity in El Calafate is a trip to see the Perito Moreno glacier. I was a little unsure whether to go as I feared it may be a tiny, tourist packed boardwalk with a glacier in the distance and a lot of standing around. I'm so glad I went as it was incredible, exceeding my expectations by far. Several kms of walkway at varying heights that get close to the glacier, and a beach with rocks, drift wood and miniature icebergs to explore meant a fairly active day. As one of the few advancing glaciers in the world, the anticipation builds as the afternoon sun beats down on the ice and you can hear the ice splitting and shifting. Then with a crack as loud as thunder, a huge chunk crashes in to the lake. It's an impressive sight and a thrilling experience.
El Chalten
The weather is very changeable in El Chalten and when it’s cloudy, the towering mountains are invisible. Most advise to stay for some extra days in case there are days when you can’t hike, however there’s not a great deal else to do, few cafes vibey enough for whiling the day away in, and accommodation is expensive and poorer quality than other places in Argentina. Trails get incredibly busy, hot and fly infested in January so consider setting off at dawn for peace and wildlife spotting (although I did get a little scared by all the cows and a skunk that ran at me when I was up there by myself just before sunrise). Then you can spend the afternoon napping and enjoying a well-earned beer.
Patagonia. Home of jagged mountain peaks, mirror lakes, ice fields, and miles and miles of steppe under huge, ever-changing skies.
The main activity in El Calafate is a trip to see the Perito Moreno glacier. I was a little unsure whether to go as I feared it may be a tiny, tourist packed boardwalk with a glacier in the distance and a lot of standing around. I'm so glad I went as it was incredible, exceeding my expectations by far. Several kms of walkway at varying heights that get close to the glacier, and a beach with rocks, drift wood and miniature icebergs to explore meant a fairly active day. As one of the few advancing glaciers in the world, the anticipation builds as the afternoon sun beats down on the ice and you can hear the ice splitting and shifting. Then with a crack as loud as thunder, a huge chunk crashes in to the lake. It's an impressive sight and a thrilling experience.
El Chalten
The weather is very changeable in El Chalten and when it’s cloudy, the towering mountains are invisible. Most advise to stay for some extra days in case there are days when you can’t hike, however there’s not a great deal else to do, few cafes vibey enough for whiling the day away in, and accommodation is expensive and poorer quality than other places in Argentina. Trails get incredibly busy, hot and fly infested in January so consider setting off at dawn for peace and wildlife spotting (although I did get a little scared by all the cows and a skunk that ran at me when I was up there by myself just before sunrise). Then you can spend the afternoon napping and enjoying a well-earned beer.
One other point to mention – the Chorrillo del Salto trail to the waterfall is definitely one to skip if you are short of time. The 3km trail is mostly a footpath along the side of the road and as there is a car park 200m from the waterfall, it is continuously packed with coach parties. A sign by the flat rocks at the waterfall base read ‘Contemplation Place’ but with around 300 squashed in, there was no room for contemplation.
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