Argentina>ElCalafate>Perito Moreno Glacier
Visiting the Perito Moreno Glacier was always got to be a memorable day. We’d seen the photos of the glacier itself and had a good idea of what to expect. What we didn’t know was that the bus ride the would be so scenic, as they say – getting there is half the fun.
As Patagonia was only part of a wider trip our timelines were tight on our visit to El Calafate. All we’d come to town to do was take a trip to the glacier, though we did enjoy our time in town and were sad to leave in the end.
A tour? Or not.
Anyone who knows me or has read this blog would already know that I avoid tours wherever possible, not just due to cost, but I to prefer to create my own unique experience, not something led by a tour guide.
That said, for those that prefer an organized tour there was plenty of choice, even in winter. Patagonia Dreams and Patagonia Chic both appeared well run and were priced at 35,000-45,000 pesos plus the National Park entry of 10,000p. Don’t forget about the rampant inflation in Argentina!
Our Independent Adventure
We walked to the El Calafate bus terminal to find a bus to take us to the glacier. On arrival we found there was plenty of companies to choose from, we went with Marga Patagonia, and the cost was 9,000 pesos. Departure time was 9 am which is about half an hour before sunrise this time of year (June), though I expect they probably leave earlier in the warmer months.
Riccardo, our friendly driver, had us on our way on time and the sun as soon as it was on its way up in the relatively blue skies, a good sign for this time of year. Like the ride to El Chalten, superb mountain vistas were everywhere. My partner, Natsasi, managed to convince Riccardo to let her sit in the solo seat up the front of the bus and she managed to get some great video from her smartphone out the windshield.
There’s something about snow covered mountains that I always find breathtaking, not including my lifelong asthma, and the mountains on the roads leading out from El Calafate are as good as anywhere.
A quick stop along the way to pay a small, but fair, 10,000-peso fee to the National Parks Authority will see all the tour operators doing exactly the same as people traveling independently, the same goes for when you reach the Glacier car park.
What to expect
By 10:30am we alighted the bus at the glacier visitor center, and we were told to be back on board by 2:30pm. The visitor center had a small souvenir shop and a reasonably priced restaurant, great if you forgot to bring something to eat or drink.
Not more than a few steps away is the entrance to the extensive series of raised boardwalks which get you up close to astonishing sight. It really is a credit to the government of Argentina that such a facility has been created which opens up this world class site to everyone, those people who are wheelchair bound need not miss out due to the lengthy ramps installed.
n many ways we felt lucky to be here in winter, sure, the sun was in relatively short supply when we visited but so were the crowds. It was easy to find miradors (lookouts) with only a person or two nearby.
Spoilt for choice
It’s not an exaggeration to say there are kilometers of boardwalks. We spent much of our time wandering the east path to the area where the icebergs go to die and the only thing that could have made our experience any better would have been a little more sun.
We had a great time wandering and didn’t feel we missed anything by not electing to take up a cruise close to the glacier, they need to stay well clear anyway due to safety reasons.
On the bus back I struck up a lengthy conversation with an affable Chilean guy, Jose, who was visiting from Santiago. We talked at length about his life in that city and some of the incredible places he’d visited in Chile, some of which I’d never heard of. Meeting people like Jose reminds me that, to me at least, the essence of travel is as much about the diversity of people you meet as the stunning places you get to enjoy. That’s why I like Independent Adventures.