Welcome to our new adventure, the 'Argentina Chapter'. Over three weeks, we have pre-booked our travels with Exploration Journeys for the highlights of Argentina. We have five destinations, and all transfers, flights, accommodations and excursions have been handled by the lovely Fred at Exploration Journeys. We only need to show up and enjoy; let's hope we don't get too used to this.
During our second week in Argentina, we explored El Calafate, a town near the edge of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field in the Argentine province of Santa Cruz. It's mainly known as the gateway to Los Glaciares National Park, home to the massive Perito Moreno Glacier (below), whose ever-shifting icy landscape is popular for hiking and sightseeing.
Day 1 - El Calafate, Argentina
You will need to bear with me as we describe our day. Today was honestly one of the best excursions we have experienced, and we are no strangers to excursions, especially after the last three months. The whole experience with Solo Patagonia was exceptional and flawless.
This morning was an early start; we were ready by 7.30 am to be whisked away by our private driver to a nearby port, Puerto Bandera, to board an all-day boat cruise on Lago Argentino, the largest lake in Argentina, up to 200 meters deep and to navigate the largest Patagonian glaciers.
About 40 40-minute drive from our hotel in El Calafate, we enjoyed the dramatic change of landscapes, surrounded by the Patagonian landscape, as we went alongside the great Lago Argentino.
We arrived at the port and jumped in the queue, as our driver kindly queued up inside to ensure we had been checked in. It's great to see tourism back strong; there were about 200 people ready to visit the glaciers today.
We approached the end, and as we were seated in the Captain's Club, we were escorted to the VIP cabin to see we were amongst 14 other passengers and the Captain, along with a spacious cabin with excellent views and a dedicated crew. Wayne and I were impressed and even more excited about the day ahead.
It was time to depart; we navigated the lake, taking in the awe-inspiring views of Patagonia, and were mesmerised by the volume. Everywhere you looked, it was so big!
We soon approached the scattered icebergs and flows as we inched closer to the glacier; we were incredibly spoilt with a morning cappuccino and local delights as we soaked up the majestic scenery.
The boat remained stationary for half an hour to enjoy the panoramic views of the massive icebergs from the Upsala glacier, the largest in South America (60 km long and 70m high).
The crew even fished out some 600-year-old ice from the glaciers. The bar opened at 11 am, never too early to enjoy a Johnny Walker black scotch or wine with glacier ice, accompanied by cheese.
The next stop was the Spegazzini Glacier, the tallest in South America, up to 125m high. We disembarked for lunch in Glaciers Bay, treated to a VIP service in a captivating panorama restaurant. Our backdrop was the Spegazzini glacier. We opted for the local cuisine and tried guanaco meat, part of the llama family, for the first time; it was tender and delicious.