The Energy of the Perito Moreno Glacier
El Calafate, Patagonia, Argentina
From El Calafate, you need to travel about 40 kilometers along Route 11 until you reach Los Glaciares National Park. After paying the entrance fee or showing the ticket you have already bought, you must travel 30 kilometers more, along a winding road inside the park, until you reach the "Mirador de los Suspiros". A phrase I often repeat is: "There is no second chance to make a first impression". From this viewpoint you will find a great first impression. This is the beginning of many exclamations: "Wow!", "Aah!", "Gee!" It is a must stop to appreciate the immensity of the Perito Moreno Glacier and listen to the rumbles of ice falling into Lake Argentino in the distance. You’ll feel the urge to get closer to see it better.
Further on, there is a second viewpoint: the Perito Moreno Glacier Viewpoint, perfect for taking a second photo or simply admiring it up close. Then the road won’t allow you to see it for a short while, until you reach the parking lot and go up to the buffet; and yet, you know it’s there, nearby, you’ll hear its roar and its silence. The glacier is waiting for you.
When you approach the catwalks, all its splendor is finally revealed. The imposing Perito Moreno not only impresses the eye, but all the senses. The following image doesn’t do justice to such beauty:
Excursions usually last about two hours, you’ll be taken to the walkways, and then to a boat. My recommendation is that you get an excursion (or rent a car) to go in the morning, bring your food/mate and spend the whole day there. Imagine you are in a square, in a park or on the terrace of your house, in the sun listening to the cracks in the background. If you are in good company, all the better; although everyone usually remains silent most of the time, entranced by the energy of the ice.
Follow the walkways from end to end. If you are lucky, you will be able to see large icebergs due to the calving of the glacier, and some birds from the area. The following days you can take another boat trip on the Perito Moreno Glacier, walk on top of it and end the day toasting with a glass of whiskey (and ice from the glacier), or leave from the port of Punta Bandera to see other glaciers, such as Upsala and Spegazzini, also recommended for their hugeness. In the latter, there is a coffee shop with a view of the glacier in the background, something unforgettable!
If you’re really lucky, you will witness the moment the glacier, due to its constant and imperceptible advance, touches solid ground blocking the connection between two arms of Lake Argentino. The erosion caused by the water creates an arch below the glacier. This event happens every two or three years approximately and the fall of this arch is a world attraction highly expected by tourists.
El Calafate is a city far from any location, except Ushuaia, where you can go by plane. Therefore, my recommendation is that you spend at least three days visiting glaciers, so that the flight is worth it and return recharged despite the long trip. The city of El Calafate offers gastronomic experiences and confectioneries, gift shops and artisanal products, and on the main street you will also find a small casino.
Tips:
- If you travel to El Calafate, go and see the Perito Moreno Glacier before any other glacier.
- Bring your favorite food and drink –Argentinians would bring mate. Important: take your rubbish with you so it’s not left in the National Park. Bring sunscreen too.
- Start your excursion early. The longer you spend on the glacier, the more energized you will feel.