In Argentina's south province of Santa Cruz in Patagonia, at the end of the Andes mountain range, is a small village known as the
"Capital of the Glaciers": El Calafate. The name of the town derived from a native Patagonian plant; a thorny bush that blooms with delicate yellow
flowers and deliciously addictive dark purple berries. In fact, there is an old saying: "‘Quien come el calafate vuelve por mas’ meaning ‘Whoever eats the calafate berry will return for more’.
The quaint, isolated village of El Calafate is situated 6 hours from Torres del Paine National Park in Chile and 315km away from Rio Gallegos,
the provincial capital of Santa Cruz. It sits on the south shore of the Argentina's largest lake, Lago Argentino which covers an enormous area of
1560 square kilometers also making it the third largest lake in South America after Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela and Lake Titicaca on the Bolivian and Peruvian
boarder.
El Calafate Highlights
The ancient village has a tiny population of only 6,200 inhabitants but figures have been rapidly growing in the recent years due to the
village's superb close proximity to Los Glaciares National Park and tourism to this natural reserve boomed only after the opening of the International Airport
(FTE) in 2001 located 22km away from El Calafate town. Since then, El Calafate has become as a tourist Mecca with
plenty of accommodation options and travel activities to help you discover the southern landscapes of Argentina.
El Calafate offers many activities to keep you entertained. There, you can discover the treasury for taxidermy and artifacts at Museo de
El Calafate, to learn about the biodiversity of Patagonia at the bird sanctuary Laguna Nimez Reserve
or keen anglers can take to Lago Argentino Argentino for a spot of fly fishing while during the winter, Redonda Bay of Lake Argentino becomes a huge
ice skating rink. If you would like explore the immediate surroundings it is possible to self hike Cerro Calafate, or to take a tour from El Calafate to reach the
romantic setting of Onelli Bay and some of the beautiful Patagonian Estancias (ranches) where you can relax, horse ride, sample some traditional ‘asado’ (Argentinean BBQ)
or simply experience the life of an authentic Patagonian Gaucho (Argentinean cowboy) whilst surrounded by the incredible nature.
Los Glaciares National Park
El Calafate town is the perfect doorway to the 2nd largest National Park in Argentina and the world's most accessible, jaw-dropping ice fields;
Los Glaciares National Park, which can be divided in two parts; Lake Argentino
in the south, that encompasses the most important glaciers and offers exceptional boat tours along Canal de los Tempanos (Iceberg Channel) and
Lake Viedma in the north, , home to a few minor glaciers and a number of mountain excursions popular among fans of climbing and trekking, including Mount Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre.
Lake Argentino is a freshwater lake therefore only 20% of its glaciers are above the water level, unlike icebergs found out at sea where a much higher percentage of the glacier is above the sea level due to the thick density
of salty sea water making the ice more buoyant.
Eager trekkers travel from all over the world to the Glaciares National Park in order to discover the exceptional rugged wildness and landscapes
of this 4459 square kilometers UNESCO World Heritage Site that offers a wonderfully broad selection of tours and circuits starting from
El Calafate where, after travelling only 80km, you can reach the beginnings of the national reserve and witness over 365 glaciers. Among the most important 13 floating ice giants are Bolados, Onelli and Spegazzini Glaciers; none of which compare to the notoriety of Perito Moreno Glacier.
Floating over 250 km2 of Lake Argentino’s surface, it is the most visited iceberg in the world as well as the planet’s 3rd largest reserve of fresh water.
Perito Moreno Glacier
Among the most important 13 floating ice giants you can see from El Calafate, are Bolados, Onelli and Spegazzini Glaciers; none of which compare to
the notoriety of Perito Moreno Glacier. Floating over 250 km2 of Lake Argentino's surface, it is the most visited iceberg in the world as well as
the planet's 3rd largest reserve of fresh water. Unlike many other important glaciers around world such the West Antarctic Ice Sheets, Perito
Moreno Glacier is not currently retreating due to global warming. In fact, it has been in an essentially stable state since 1992 with an advance
of nearly two meters per day, making for one of the most astonishing sights (and sounds) in the world of ice, as the impressive 60m ice wall
continuously cracks and collapses in one swift, breath-taking moment.
The Perito Moreno crack is produced periodically as the glacier advances to form a natural dam over Lago Argentino.
With no escape route, the water level on the Brazo Rico side of the lake can rise by up to 30 meters above the level of the main lake.
Due to the enormous pressure produced by dammed water, the ice barrier finally brakes in a sporadic and spectacular rupture event that naturally recurs between
once a year to less than once a decade.
The natural beauty of the Perito Moreno can be fully enjoyed either with a tour along the surrounding catwalks, allowing
remarkable views of the impressive glacier or if that’s not near enough, you can get up close and personal
with an exciting ice minitrek across the surface of the enormous iceberg!
Due to its southern location in the Patagonia, El Calafate is not the most easily accessible place in Argentina.
Bus journeys from Buenos Aires can take over 40 hours (with numerous stops along the way) while plane takes from 3 to 5 hours with limited routes,
mainly departing from Buenos Aires.
By Bus: Routes from Buenos Aires' Retiro station travel either to Bariloche (20 hours) or Rio Gallegos (38hours) to then connect to
El Calafate. Services are comfortable coaches that go from standard to sleepers. Meals and drinks are served on board, all have toilets and films
are also shown during the trip. Several bus companies cover this route: Andesmar, El Pinguino and Via Bariloche
By Plane: Aerolineas Argentinas has daily flights to/from Buenos Aires and Ushuaia. LAN also flies on Monday,
Wednesday and Friday from Buenos Aires. The airport also connects to Trelew, Puerto Madryn, Bariloche and Rio Gallegos, among other cities but these domestic routes usually are more expensive
than flying with a connection through Buenos Aires.
Before booking your flights take into account that most of the activities are full day tours and that you will loose half a day each way.
So, in order to get the most out of your itinerary if you have a tight schedule, it is recommended to book either the first or the last flight of the day to have full availability during your stay.
It is also possible to reach El Calafate by driving over the Chilean boarder at
Torres del Paine National Park and continuing along Route 40 (which incidentally covers all routes from the North to the South of Argentina).
For transfers from El Calafate International Airport to you hotel in El Calafate, click here.
El Calafate is located 50°20' southern latitude (equivalent to London in the north hemisphere).and like London, El Calafate experiences variable daylight hours from season to season.
During the winter the sunrise is at approximately 10am with sunset at 5pm while in the summer time, daylight breaks at 5am and disappears at 11pm.
The weather in El Calafate is generally the same throughout the year with dry and mild temperatures. However, the weather in Patagonia is extremely variable; from rain storms to hot sun to freezing high winds that can reach speeds of 100km
and winter snow, all in one day. It is recommended that you take suitable clothes, including waterproof clothing, sweaters, t-shirts and boots for a wide range conditions before leaving for your daily activity.
- Summer Season:The months December to March are sunny, dry with some wind factor. Average temperatures range from highs of 18°c to lows of 7°c.
- Winter Season: The months June to August can be very cold with a very strong wind force coming up from the Antarctic with possible rain and snow.
Wind-proof clothing and multiple layers are necessary for this time of year. Average temperature range from highs of 5°c to lows of -2°c.
- The nearby El Chalten provides excellent hiking possibilities. If you are travelling to El Calafate by bus you will most likely pass through
this town know as Argentina's "Capital of Trekking". Take advantage and break up the long journey while enjoying some other incredible scenery of Patagonia.
- Tourists who are vegetarians need to be prepared to eat a lot of pasta whilst visiting El Calafate. There are no fresh vegetable supplies in the area as the conditions of both the soil and weather are not suitable for agriculture.
All products including food are imported from the center of Argentina, meaning that the variety of food is narrow and everything is more expensive including souvenirs.
One thing you simply must ‘splash your cash’ on is a visit to one of the fabulous chocolate factories in El Calafate where you’ll find delicious homemade products made of the cocoa fruit such as tea, marmalade, cakes, and so on.
- Peak season officially begins in August and ends in April during the lead up the Easter. During this period, people from all over the globe come to view the spectacular
surroundings. Long weekends or high season can leave the ATM’s empty. Make sure you bring enough cash or get to the machines early to make sure you have enough money to
pay for your expenses.
- Occasionally El Calafate experiences some snow during the winter season, creating a very special atmosphere and a stunning location to visit. Winter vacations are in fact cheaper than summer, with more available accommodation.
However, a disadvantage is that not all the tour circuits are available due to icy/dangerous weather conditions.
- Rain in El Calafate is uncommon, however there can be some heavy down pours during winter. Be prepared for variable weather conditions by taking waterproof clothing and non-slip boots or shoes.
- When visiting the parks, do not forget to bring your own lunch pack and drinks for the full day tours It is also highly recommended to carry a thermos with a hot drink to warm yourself during your day excursion.
Coffee is expensive on the boats and in the cafeterias of the park.
- Renting a car is relatively affordable in El Calafate, even more so if you are a group of 4-5 persons. However, it is recommended to book from
Buenos Aires especially if you would like to collect the car from El Calafate airport. There are an abundance of amazing scenic routes which you
can drive and explore by yourself as well as Torres del Paine National Park across the Chilean border.
For three consecutive weekends in July and August El Calafate hosts Fiesta del Hielo (Festival of Ice).
True to its name, this individual festival pays tribute to ice skating, ice hockey, torch lights, sledges, ice sculpture and Fiesta Chueca… a very popular celebration from the Bahia Redonda region.
- On the 7th of December El Calafate throws a party called ‘la Fiesta del Pueblo’ to celebrate the anniversary of the founding of the city, which was officially born
in 1927.
- ‘Bautismo del Lago Argentino’ (Baptism of Lake Argentino) is a festival commemorated on February 15th. The founding father of the National Parks, Francisco P. Moreno
first celebrated this event on the same date in 1877. The 15th of February brings the inhabitants of El Calafate together to celebrate the annual occasion with barbecues,
horseback riding demonstrations, musical shows, vintage car shows, and a nautical journey emulating the same crossing sailed by Mr. Moreno, which follows the Santa Cruz river to Lake Argentino.
- El Calafate celebrates ‘Día de la Tradición’ (Day of Tradition) on the 10th of November and is celebrated in honor of José Hernández, author and poet of the book
Martin Fierro. Many tourists visit El Calafate to participate in the celebrations, which include gaucho parades and folk festivals with tame horse show events.
Click here for a great selection of tours in the El Calafate area.
