El Calafate: Ancient Glaciers

• You will be met at the airport and transported to your comfortable hotel.
• You will have the evening to enjoy the town at your leisure.

• In the morning you will be transported the 40 or so miles to the Perito Moreno Glacier, where you will have time to enjoy this 200 foot tall river of ice by walking along the footbridges and trails overlooking it, or by taking the optional cruise tour that takes you close to the front of its southern face. Read our newsletter article to find out more about the Perito Moreno Glacier .
• Perito Moreno Glacier, the most important of the 13 glaciers in Los Glaciares National Park and a worldly known attraction for the incredible breaking of the ice, is located at 85km from El Calafate and was declared World Natural Heritage by UNESCO. On your way to the Park, you will pass by Cerro de los Elefantes and then arrive to the access gate from where you will be able to see the Brazo Rico of Lake Argentino and the first woods of lengas, cypresses, guindos, calafates and alerces. Some local fauna such as grey fox, guanaco, armadillo, red fox or puma may be seen during the tour. At the Curva de los Suspiros, the 70-meter high ice wall of a thousand blue tones can be seen for the first time during the tour. You will reach the glacier following the signs on the trails. Nature here offers a unique experience of infinite peace, unpolluted air, and the silence of immensity only interrupted by the movement of the glacier when its immense blocks of ice fall in the Canal de los Témpanos in an astounding clamor.
• In the late Afternoon you will return to your hotel.

• Transfer to Airport or Bus Station for your flight/bus back to Buenos Aires or your next destination.

*Prices listed are seasonal; please consult a Travel Advisor for further details

PLEASE NOTE:
As of 1 January 2010, an entrance fee (Reciprocity Fee) is chargeable for citizens of the United States, Canada and Australia visiting Argentina. For further details, please read this article on the Latin America For Less Travel Blog.

• Hotels based on US. Standards.
• All tours stated in the itinerary.
• 2 hotel nights in El Calafate.
• All transfers and entrance fees.
• All breakfasts.
• English speaking tour guides.

Prices Valid April 10- August

Prices Valid September- March

You will board at the floating dock located in Bajo de las Sombras Bay, 7km from the glacier lookout point. You will enjoy 40-min cruise on Lake Rico which will bring you closer to the southern wall of the Perito Moreno Glacier.

The excursion will take you to Bahia Bajo de las Sombras, 7km from the glacier, from where you’ll take a 30 minute boat ride to the southwestern edge of Lake Argentino, and a view to the southern wall of the Perito Moreno Glacier and Canal de los Tempanos. Once on land, a guide will welcome you and give a brief introduction about the park and some security measures while ice-trekking. Then in small groups (max. 10 people) you will start the 20-minute walk to the glacier previous. From here you’ll enjoy a wonderful 2-hour walk on the surface of the ice. Return to the hut for lunch (you can take your own box lunch or request it as an additional service). Return to the hotel.

Early morning departure from your hotel in El Calafate for a ride to Punta Bandera where you will board the yacht. After a beautiful cruise over Lake Argentino, you will reach the Upsala Glacier, the largest one within the continental Patagonian ice-field. The height of its walls ranges from 197 to 262 ft (60-80m) and it is 37 miles (60km) long, and 3-4 miles (5-7km) wide. The tour will then continue before landing in Onelli Bay, from here you’ll find yourselves surrounded by typical Patagonian forest where lenga and guindo trees are found all over, covered by the ‘old man's beard’ usnea (lichen). After crossing the forest, you will reach the Onelli Lagoon, where glaciers Onelli, Bolado and Agassiz meet. The lagoon is usually full of icebergs. Depending upon the season, you’ll continue to the Spegazzini and Seco Glaciers. Late return to Calafate.

Estancia Cristina welcomes you to a day in Patagonia filled with unique sensations and experiences. Starting off with a cruise amongst impressive icebergs you’ll have imposing views of the Upsala Glacier. Our modern and comfortable boat Upsala Explorer will take you towards the estancia. The excursion has two different mutually exclusive options. Depending on weather conditions, the guides will prepare different activities: walks or hikes of different difficulties and lengths to explore the historical estancia and its surroundings.  Full lunch including beverages is included in price.

4x4 Exploration
08.00 am Departure from Puerto Banderas.
10.30 am Cruise amongst icebergs in front of Upsala Glacier.
11.30 am Arrival to Estancia Cristina, Unimog ride to Upsala Glacier lookout point.
02.30 pm Lunch (Patagonian Lamb).
05.00 pm Visit of the historical estancia and its surroundings.
05.30 pm Departure towards Puerto Bandera (snack on board).

Horseback Riding Exploration
08.00 am Departure from Puerto Bandera.
10.30 am Cruise amongst icebergs in front of Upsala Glacier.
11.30 am Arrival to Estancia Cristina, Horseback riding through forests, hills and valleys to Lake Tannhauser panoramic lookout point.
02.30 pm Lunch (Patagonian Lamb).
05.00 pm Visit of the historical estancia and its surroundings.
05.30 pm Departure towards Puerto Bandera (snack on board).

This excursion gives an insight into the lives of the area’s first inhabitants, the regional flora and fauna and other interesting secrets of El Calafate. On board of a comfortable bus, you’ll visit different sectors of the village and its surroundings, such as Redonda Bay and the Nimes Lagoon. The trip starts in the Historical Interpretation Centre, close to the shores of Lake Argentino, where the visitors learn interesting facts about the area’s past and its former inhabitants. You’ll enjoy breathtaking views of the town from different lookout points and finally be guided to the painted rocks in the Gualicho Caves, just 9km from El Calafate, where paintings dating back to 4,000 years BC can be seen. This archaeological site is located in an outstanding geological formation of sedimentary rocks and steppe vegetation.

Just 20km from El Calafate you will find the Estancia Alice where the kind staff welcome you with delicious home made jams, cookies, scones, bread and hot tea or coffee. The adventure starts at the antique sheep shearing shed where the walking tour follows trekking paths that lead to the lagoon ‘Laguna de los Pajaros’ and the lake ‘Lago Argentino’. The expedition to the nature reserve includes bird watching of over 40 migrating species. The tour continues to an ancient Indian camping ground where archeologists have been involved in excavations and studies of the local culture. In the shearing shed you will learn how sheep are shorn and how wool is baled. The tour ends with a delicious Patagonian lamb barbecue, fresh salads and homemade desserts at the cozy restaurant overlooking ‘Lago Argentino’ and the 'Cordillera de Los Andes'.