February 13-16 - El Calafate, Argentina

Parque Nacional Los Glaciers, Perito Moreno

Glacier Perito Moreno

Viewpoint from the Park

Perito Moreno

Viewpoint from the Park

Viewpoint from the Ferry 

From the ferry

Crampon Fitting

Showing off Crampons

Starting the hike

Standing on the Glacier

Ice Formation

Us

Our guide

Luminous skies

On top of Perito Moreno

Ice Formation

Whiskey served on Ice 

Cheers

We made it to Argentina and our first stop was El Calafate to see the famous Glacier Perito Moreno. Travelers warned us that the town was a tourist trap but strangely enough, we liked it. It had a very Swiss Alps feel to it that we enjoyed. The streets were alined with chocolate shops, boutiques, restaurants and tourist agencies. Most of the shops on the main street are built out of pine which only adds to the Swiss Alps feel. Yes, it was pricey but it didn't matter; the quality of service and the tour made it worthwhile. On the first day, we tried to book a tour with Hielo y Aventura (surprisingly, the only tour company that offers menitrekking on Perito Moreno) but it was fully booked for the next day so we scheduled it for the following. We figured it would be nice to enjoy a leisure Valentine's day. On the 14th, we treated ourselves to a "parillada" of vacio and sweetbreads, all grilled to perfection, at a popular restaurant called La Tablita. We sipped on local wine, walked the streets and enjoyed some artisanal beers before calling it a night.

Early the next morning we were promptly picked up by the tour bus and drove an hour to Parque Nacional Los Glaciers. It was spectacular, too stark and beautiful to be real, but there it was. Standing sixty meters high and thirty kilometers long, Glacier Moreno's grandeur left us speechless. Despite the heavy tourism and high cost, this is definitely a must do in Patagonia. We'll never forget walking with crampons, hearing the explosive sound of ice collapsing, and drinking a smooth glass of whiskey on this extraordinary glacier.