Luxury Tours in South America: Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Uruguay, Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador. Deluxe Hotels in Buenos Aires. Find luxury accommodation in Buenos Aires. Alvear Palace Hotel Deluxe Tours, your luxury tour operator in South America
EL CALAFATE:
The Gate to Perito Moreno Glacier and Los Glaciares National Park
El Calafate is located at the base of Calafate Hill on the shore of Argentino Lake, 315 km from Río Gallegos, the capital of the Provincia of Santa Cruz.
There are different ways to reach El Calafate. By land, along paved roads (National Route N°3, Provincial Route N°5, National Route N°40 and Provincial Route N°11). By air: The new International Airport of El Calafate services nonstop flight to Buenos Aires, Ushuaia, Trelew, Bariloche, Puerto Natales and other cities.
Moreover, El Calafate is communicated with
Río Gallegos via a 50' flight or a 4 hour bus ride at daily frequencies.
The doubled pitched roofs of the houses, the colorful vegetation - rose bushes and a great variety of flowers and trees - mildly blend in this charming tourist town of 8,000 inhabitants, whose friendly attitude make tourist feel at home.
TOURS ON THE CALAFATE AREA Short tours on the town outskirts:To Laguna Nimes, located 1.000 metres from the town center, where 50 different bird species can be watched.A panoramic view of El Calafate, Lago Argentino and Isla Solitaria (Lonely Island) from the town highest point. It taes 1 hour.
PERITO MORENO GLACIER at the Glacier, the visitor is overwhelmed by the impressive spectacle and can appreciate the many unforgettable vistas of the glacier from the walkpaths.
EXCURSION TO PERITO MORENO GLACIER El Calafate is 80 km from Perito Moreno Glacier along a paved road (50 km.). The last 30 are within Los Glaciares National Park.
From de very beginning, the trip brings you many pleasant surprises. Upon leaving El Calafate, to your right, you encounter Redonda Bay, in Argentino Lake teeming with a great variety of fowls: black neck swans, flamingos, flying steamer ducks, Southamerican coots and upland geese. The distinctive yellow hue of the country side is due to a course grass that grows in this area called the broom sedge.
During the first 40 km you travel through the Patagonian steppe. Then, once you enter the National Park there is a noticeable change in the vegetation, now basically formed by nires (nothofagus antartica), guindos (nothofagus betuloides) and lengas (nothofagus pumilio); some isolated canelos (drimys winteri) and many colored flowers, among them the intense red colored notro (embothrium coccineum), the typical flower of the Andean Patagonian Forest.
Once at the Glacier, the visitor is overwhelmed by the impressive spectacle and can appreciate the many unforgettable vistas of the glacier from the walkpaths.
There are two restaurants, a snack bar, restrooms and a pay campsite within the Moreno Glacier area. This is a full day excursion.
MINITREKKING OVER PERITO MORENO GLACIER One of the most interesting activities carried out at the Glacier is the tour that starts out at Bajo las Sombras Bay, 8 km before getting to the Glacier. There you board a boat to cross the Rico Arm, and sail for approximately 20 minutes along the Glacier front.
You debark on the opposite shore and walk 30 minutes through the forest till you reach the Glacier. Special spikes are adjusted to your footwear before starting the hour and half trek on the ice.
This is a specially attractive hike because it puts you in direct contact with the glacial ice, the glacier peaks and the interior lagoons of a unique blue color and the spectacular view of the glacier walls and the lake as well.
Later on, you walk for about 30 minutes through the lush Magallanic forest up to the shelter where you have an hour's time for lunch. At 4.00 pm you sail to Bajo de las Sombras Bay.
PERITO MORENO GLACIER: NAUTICAL SAFARY This tour starts off at the pier of Bajo de las Sombras. The boat sails along the lateral wall of the Glacier at about a 300 meters distance.
Since the Perito Moreno is viewed from water level, this enables an accurate idea of the real height of its peaks or towers (60 meters above lake level).
This hour long excursion is a good complement to the Perito Moreno Glacier excursion
BETWEEN EL CALAFATE AND PERITO MORENO GLACIER: ESTANCIA ALICE (EL GALPON) Touristic state located 21 km from El Calafate on route 11. An ideal place for different activities, such as Ecotourism and Agrotourism, offers lodging as well as varied tours: horseback ride to P. Moreno Glacier (takes several days) or to Río Mitre (half a day); bird watching in Laguna Los Pájaros; historical explanations at Picadero Indio; trekking in the surroundings; watching sheep driving with helpie dogs and sheep shearing; talks about Patagonian farming and animal husbandry.
MINITREKKING ON THE PERITO MORENO GLACIER One the most interesting activities carried out at the Glacier is the tour that starts out at Bajo las Sombras Bay, 8 km before getting to the Glacier.There you board a boat to cross the Rico Arm, and sail for approximately 20 minutes along the Glacier front. You debark on the opposite shore and walk 30 minutes through the forest till you reach the Glacier. Special spikes are adjusted to your footwear before starting the hour and a half trek on the ice.This is a specially attractive hike because it puts you in direct contact with the glacial ice, the glacier peaks and the interior lagoons of a unique blue color and the spectacular view of the glacier walls and the lake as well. Later on, you walk for about 30 minutes through the lush Magellanic forest up to the shelter where you have an hour´s time for lunch. At 4.00 pm you sail back to Bajo de las Sombras BayNOTICE:This tour should be booked in advanced at the tourist agencies , and it is advisable not to take it on the same day you visit the Glacier front from the walkpaths.
We invite you to take part of an inforgettable, unique and exciting adventure, walking with us on the Perito Moreno Glacier.
The excursion begins in the embarking pier located in "Bajo de las Sombras" bay- about 6 km before the glacier Balconies- where you embark for a 20 minutes navigation across the Rico Arm, enjoying breathtaking views of the glacier's front walls and Icebergs Channel.
You debark on the opposite shore, where specialized mountain guides wellcome you and lead you to a small shelter. After cheking the last details, groups of 20 follow their guides along the lake's shore towards the edge of the glacier. Once on the ice the guides put each participant a pair of crampons on, and explain how to use them.
The two hours circuit that follows introduces you to the fascinating landscape of the glaciers: strems, small lagoons, gullies, cravasses and plenty of ice formations of the most incredible blues.The trekking is moderate. The ice surface over which you walk is irregular, but firm and safe. You will receive explanations about flora, fauna and general glaciology of the region and also about the particular phenomenon that happens in the Perito Moreno Glacier and eventually produces its rupture.
After the walk, a stroll through the forest brings you back to the shelter. Land transportation from El Calafate is available if required, and it includes a one hour visit to the glaciar Balconies.
All these services are provided daily. Activities are permanently supervised by bilingual mountain guides.
Recomendations:
a) Footwear: Sport shoes or trekking boots, with warm wollen or cotton socks. Rubber and apres ski boots, as well as high heel shoes are not advisable.
b) Outfit: Confortable sports wear, long troussers, warm sweater or pile, water or windproof jacket, sun glasses, sun block, gloves.
c) Lunch: Passengers must bring their lunch boxes.
d) Age: Between 10 and 60 years old. Other ages, consult in office.
ARGENTINO LAKE NORTH ARM EXCURSION This excursion parts from Punta Bandera Port, 50 km from El Calafate, and sails along the north arm of Argentino Lake. The ship travels among enormous sized icebergs of diverse shapes.
Upsala and Spegazzini, the largest and the tallest glaciers in the National Park respectively, can be seen from the craft.
Usually, passengers debark at Onelli Bay, and after an 800 meters walk through the forest, they arrive at Onelli Lake, a small body of water populated by countless icebergs that have broken off the three glaciers that converge there: Onelli, Botado and Agassiz.
There is a restaurant at Onnelli Bay and there is also a snack service on board.
Excursion return to the port late in the afternoon.
Notice: According to demand, the sailing company offers alternative excursions to these and other glaciers.
ESTANCIA CRISTINA Sailing is among enormous icebergs and impressive views, on board a comfortable craft that takes you to Cristina Estancia.
Once on land, that excursion continues on 4 x 4 vehicles up to the Upsala viewpoint, where you can appreciate the magnificence of the largest glacier within the National Park. For those visitors inclined to more activity, there are programmed hikes that vary in duration and difficulty, to different spots of this historical estancia and its surroundings. Lunch, tea and onboard services are included.
PROGRAM THE SPIRIT OF THE GLACIERS: 2 DAYS / 1 NIGHT
DEPARTURES: Monday, Wednesday, Friday
SEASON: July to May
LIFE ON BOARD
An ideal program for those who are willing to discover remote corners of our land, while enjoying all the comfort that world travelers seek.
Life on board Leal Cruise is the highlight of the day. A selected group shares the wonderful experience of sailing on Lago Argentino, in search of the "Spirit of the Glaciers".
From the quiet and warm inside it is possible to bask in the harmony of nature at its best.
Our boat was designed to host passengers in utmost comfort while they enjoy the spectacular views around in its seven cabins, all of them with private bathroom. A broad external bridge allows our passengers to enjoy the pure air and feel the vibes of the glaciers. In the inside, sheltered from cold and wind, the wide windows in the main cockpit provide an ample view of the magnificent surroundings.
The activities on board include lectures on the history of the region and the evolution of the glaciers, interpretation of the navigation charts, a course on nautical knots, table games, patagonian literature and the possibility of trout fishing on the lake.
ITINERARY
Embark: Mon - Wed - Fri
Transfer from El Calafate to Puerto Bandera (50 km) at 8 AM. After boarding the crew is introduced and an informative talk is given. At 9 a.m. the boat departs heading north to Punta Avellaneda across the "Brazo Norte" of "Lago Argentino". The first icebergs to appear indicate the closeness to Upsala Glacier, one of the largest in the national park, with a width of almost 7 km. In the Canal de las Americas, lunch is served while enjoying a beautiful view.
Night aboard: Framed by the colors of the sunset, passengers will admire the Spegazzini glacier, a large ice river that descends through a rocky slope falling over the lake, emphasizing its high walls.
At "Puerto Las Vacas", we anchor and passengers can gather around the fire to share a drink before dinner. A clear night can be ideal to observe the stars.
Disembark: Tue - Thu - Sat
After a delicious breakfast, passengers cruise across the "Canal de los Tempanos" up to Bahia Alemana where lunch is served. The craft continues its navigation until it reaches Perito Moreno Glacier, where awe-inspiring chunks of ice of all shapes and sizes crumble, causing amazement and delight. The exclusiveness of being there at the right moment, with no other audience than the passengers of "Leal", is the greatest reward.
Return to Puerto Bandera. Disembark at 5 p.m. and transfer to El Calafate.
THE PROGRAM INCLUDES
Two days navigation on "Lago Argentino" enjoying the spectacular Upsala, Spegazzini and Perito Moreno Glaciers
Night on board in a cabin with private bathroom
Full board and coffee service during the trip
Activities on board with a bilingual guide
Transfers upon arrival and departure from El Calafate
National Park entrance
MAYO-MORENO TREKKING EXCURSION The boat parts from Punta Bandera Port. After sailing, passengers disembark and trek up to the base of Mount Negro. Negro Glacier and both Mayo Glacier and Mount Mayo can be viewed from this site. Once on board, the next stop is Perito Moreno Glacier where passengers can get off and walk the footpaths opposite the glacier front, to finally return to Punta Bandera
FROM EL CALAFATE: LAGO ROCA AREA Starting out from El Calafate, along Route N° 15, in your own car, a rental car or an Agency tour , you will enjoy the distinctive Patagonian steppe landscape at full (shrubs such as mata negra and calafate) and view important estancias (E. Anita, E. Alta vista, E. Chorrillo Malo, E. Lago Roca, E. Nibepo Aike) on your way.
Once within Los Glaciares National Park, you will travel through a transition Patagonian forest, with its characteristic ñire trees.
In this area, there are some very peaceful sites, protected from the wind, perfect for hiking in the surrounding hills or visiting the rupestrian paintings.
Roca Lake, is also an ideal spot for fishing, where you can catch some good Canadian trout, rainbow trout or perch specimens. The fishing season is from November to April.
FROM EL CALAFATE: HIKING TO NIMEZ LAGOON This fauna reserve only 1 km from El Calafate, harbors a great variety of fowls: flamingos, silvery grebes, black necked swans, ducks, etc.This is an ideal spot to enjoy sunrise or a nostalgic Patagonian sunset.
EL CHALTEN: TREKKING TO FITZ ROY MOUNT
INCREDIBLE LANDSCAPES IN GLACIERS AREA
You can either get to El Chaltén by car or by bus. First you take Route N° 11 (30 km.), then you turn on Route N°40 up to Route N° 23 that leads you to El Chaltén.
The trip takes approximately 4 hours, covering 220 km of virgin landscape in the midst of the vast Patagonian steppe. During the trip, there is a fantastic view of the cordillera and specially of the Mount Fitz Roy and Mount Torre.
El Chaltén is a small tourist town of 200 inhabitants and it can bed 400 visitors.
The tourist facilities provide for a broad range of tourist needs: hotels, inns, hostels, campsites, restaurants, bungalows, trekking guides, horseback rides, snack bars and tourist information center.
El Chaltén is a fascinating experience, specially for trekking lovers. The hanging glaciers and millennial forest make this a must for those visitors looking for ecological and adventure tourism. To fully profit of the area, a trekking guide is strongly recommended. It is also advisable to spend more than a day, to undergo the many alternative activities El Chaltén offers.
