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Posts Tagged: patagonia

travel — No Comments
24
Dec 07

Dec 24th Patagonia

Today we signed up for the Big Ice Glacier Tour with Hielo y Aventura. Their bus picked us up at our hotel and drove us about an hour to see the glacier. The first stop was at an overlook at the front of the glacier.

Perito Moreno glacier Perito Moreno Glacier

Then we took the bus down to the edge of the glacial lake and boarded a boat.

boat to Perito Moreno glacier

Once on the other side, we met up with our guides, got fitted for crampons, and began the hike to the glacier. The Mini Treking groups had only a few minutes walk before getting to the glacier, but since we were on the Big Ice tour we hiked for about an hour along the side of the glacier before stepping onto the ice.

Big Ice trek on Perito Moreno glacier Big Ice trek on Perito Moreno glacier

Mid way through the glacier hike, we stopped for lunch next to this beautiful blue pool of glacial melt water.

glacial water pool Perito Moreno Perito Moreno glacier

After we hiked back, turned in our crampons, rode the boat, rode an hour in the bus, we were exhausted. Definitely nap time. At 9:30 our hotel had arranged a Christmas Eve dinner for all the guests. We had lots of food and wine and then champagne at midnight. There were lots of interesting people staying at the hotel – Jorge, the Spanish police officer from Zaragosa, a guy headed to Iraq with the national guard when he got home, Lisa, an Irish girl teaching in Colombia.

travel — No Comments
23
Dec 07

Dec 23rd Patagonia

Breakfast at El Pilar – ham and cheese.

Augustino from El Pilar gave us a ride back to the Hostel where we caught the bus back to El Calafate.

El Calafate

From the bus station, we walked around a little on the main street of El Calafate before heading to the taxi stand to get a ride to the hotel. We ate dinner at all you can eat meat place.

Just as the sun was setting, the full moon started to rise.

full moon el calafate patagonia

travel — No Comments
22
Dec 07

Dec 22nd Patagonia

Breakfast at El Pilar was again ham and cheese. This must be the national food.

laguna de los tres laguna de los tres

After the hike yesterday, our legs were feeling a little tired but being in such an amazing place we couldn’t just sit around. From El Pilar, a short hike up the road will put you on the trail to Laguna de los Tres. If you make it all the way to the end, the owner will ask you to pay a fee of 20 pesos per person. We turned around before that point because it started raining.

Another delicious dinner and bottle of wine at El Pilar.

travel — No Comments
21
Dec 07

Dec 21st Patagonia

Breakfast at El Pilar was typical Argentinian – bread and butter with rolls of ham and cheese. The hotel packed box lunches for us to take on our hike – more ham and cheese.

el pilar hotel el chalten hike to Fitz Roy

At 9:30am we started off on the hike to Fitz Roy. The wind was whipping along the river and we were wearing winter hats and windbreakers. The first part of the hike is along the shore of the river through forest and over rolling hills. The trees provide shelter from the wind and made for a comfortable and much warmer hike. Then the trail crosses a flat plain in the central valley between mountains. Between the plain and the river lies a campground. After crossing the river via a small bridge, we the trail turned up. At the top, we were treated to an amazing view of Fitz Roy, the glacier, and a beautiful glacial lake.

Fitz Roy Fitz Roy Fitz Roy

We were very happy when dinner time came at El Pilar. We had a great 3 course meal and bottle of wine.

travel — No Comments
20
Dec 07

Dec 20th Flight to El Calafate – Patagonia

We got up early to fly from Buenos Aires to El Calafate in Patagonia. The Lan Airlines flight left from the Aeroparque and not the international airport so the taxi ride was a quick one.

After arriving at the El Calafate airport, we arranged for a shuttle bus to take us to the downtown where we purchased our bus tickets to El Chalten (from Chalten Travel). While waiting at the bus station we talked to another couple about their travels. They were English and were traveling for 5 months.

The ride to El Chalten circles a lake. The roads are a mix of paved and gravel. Halfway through the trip, the bus stops at an estancia that offers bathrooms and snacks. It’s also the first opportunity to experience just how windy it is in Patagonia. Just before arriving at the final destination, the bus stopped at the entrance to the national park. Rangers talk to everyone who enters the park and make an appeal to keep the park as it is. The bus arrives at the Rancho Grande Hostel, a lot of peoples’ destination. Our destination is an additional 10 miles outside of El Chalten at Hostería El Pilar. The day was cloudy and rainy and the mountains that make this a popular place were not visible at all.

bus ride to el chalten bus ride to el chalten

bus ride to el chalten