The
little boat stops just a few meters from the huge silent white wall.
The Perito Moreno Glacier, seen from so near, looks like a gigantic
castle. Its impenetrable walls stand high in front of the little boat
and everyone is admiring it.
These
walls, the front of the glacier, are 5 km wide and more than 70
meters high.
The Perito Moreno Glacier is slightly higher than the Tower Bridge in London, to give you an idea, and it is three times the length of the Brooklyn Bridge in New York.
The Perito Moreno Glacier is slightly higher than the Tower Bridge in London, to give you an idea, and it is three times the length of the Brooklyn Bridge in New York.
It
is surrounded by the beautiful Lake Argentino, famous for the
particular shade of light blue of its water, the azul.
The same shade of light blue that colours the stripes of the
Argentinian flag.
Unexpectedly
an enormous thunder clap breaks the silence of the valley and huge
blocks of ice collapse into the azul water of the
Lake Argentino, emerging again as little icebergs a few meters
away. It is a unique experience.
The
Perito Moreno Glacier is rightly one of the most famous of the
natural world’s wonders. It is also one of the sights of Patagonia
you shouldn’t miss. It was my first sight of Patagonia and it is
maybe the one that will remain forever in my memory.
I
was impressed by the Perito Moreno Glacier from the moment my plane
started its landing manoeuvre to El Calafate, the nearest airport to the Glacier. I saw the Lake Argentino from the airplane’s window, a wonderful mirror of light blue water surrounded by the snow capped Andes all around.
Then from further away appeared an immense ice platform looking like a huge roof built above the water of the lake. I felt as if soon I was going to start some kind of polar expedition.
The
weather is very changeable in Patagonia and you should not miss the
chance to visit the Glacier on a sunny day. Under the sun the
reflections of the ice and of the water of the lake make the visit
truly unforgettable. Because it will be relatively warmer, there are
more chances to see a huge block of ice detaching from the Glacier
and splashing spectacularly in the water.
After
having seen the front of the Glacier I walked along the path to the
viewpoint in front of the Restaurant and Visitor Centre. From the
viewpoint you can see the Glacier from higher up and it is the best
way to appreciate its size. Seen from there the Glacier impresses for
its greatness: behind the ice wall a huge and immense uneven block of
ice extends till the horizon ends. This ice field is more than 30
kilometers long, but seen from the viewpoint it appears even longer
than that.
The
Perito Moreno is not the only glacier of Patagonia Argentina but it
is certainly the one more popular. In Patagonia there are around 30
glaciers, but on the whole only two can be easily visited: the Perito
Moreno Glacier and the Viedma Glacier. The Perito Moreno Glacier is
only two hours by bus from El Calafate Airport. In less than five
hours you can leave Buenos Aires and enjoy the fantastic views of
this amazing ice wall.
El
Calafate is situated in the southern border of Lake Argentino, in the
southwest part of the Santa Cruz Province and it is the main hub to
visit the Glacier and the highest mountain peak in Argentina: the
Fitz Roy Mountain. Along Avenida del Libertador, hotels, hostels and
restaurants offer plenty accommodation. But before leaving El
Calafate for the Fitz Roy Mountain, you should consider, as I did,
going back at the Glacier a second time, even better in the
morning.
I
wanted to walk on the Glacier. Walking on the glacier is an
enthralling experience. It feels like walking in an iced desert, in
front of you, you will see an endless white plain. So the following
morning I joined a guided trekking tour of the glacier, I dressed
with the crampons provided, and I walked for more than 5 hours in
surreal beautiful scenery. The big trek in fact lasted around 5 hours
and it was very tiring but it was also certainly hugely rewarding. If
you don’t feel up for that, you may opt for the shorter version a
mini-trek of an hour and half.
This
was my fantastic start of my travel in Patagonia Argentina, than I
travelled South, visited the famous Estancia Cristina and theless
touristy Viedma Glacier, before ending my travel at “The End of
theWorld”, at Ushuaia and La Tierra del Fuego where you can spot
sea lions andMagellan penguins in their own habitat. If you have
never been there Patagoniashould be your next destination.
Read how to get to El Calafate and visit Perito Moreno Glacier
Read more about my travel in Argentina and Patagonia
Read more about my travel in Argentina and Patagonia
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