Glacier capital – El Calafate
Our plane touched down at what felt like 6 am, but in reality, it was closer to 8. Argentina operates on a single timezone, and due to El Calafate’s western location, the sun rises quite late during the winter. However, this also meant that witnessing the sunrise became an effortless daily ritual. I had a memorable introduction to this spectacle upon landing.
Alongside the glorious sunrise that greeted me that morning, I couldn’t ignore the inevitable consequence of being so far south in late autumn—the persistent chill that seemed impossible to escape. Or perhaps, I just can’t seem to escape it. Considering my travel itinerary for the past two years, one might think I’m perpetually chasing winter. From South African winter to European winter, and now, Argentinian winter.
Although I had underestimated the cold and made the mistake of leaving my winter clothes behind in Europe, firmly believing I wouldn’t need them, I still held the unwavering conviction that visiting Patagonia was absolutely worth it. I instantly fell in love with the vast, expansive landscapes adorned with majestic mountain ranges on the horizon. The dry, semi-arid appearance of the surroundings reminded me greatly of South Africa. This had its advantages and disadvantages. On one hand, there was a sense of familiarity and nostalgia for my home country. On the other hand, when travelling halfway across the world, one tends to harbour a subtle preference for novelty. However, let me be clear—the familiarity was only fleeting. Everything else about Patagonia was utterly novel and mind-blowing. There is no other landscape on earth quite like it.
Speaking of mind-blowing experiences, the primary reason both I and everyone else found ourselves in El Calafate was to witness the phenomenal Perito Moreno Glacier. While Patagonia’s fame often stems from its remarkable hiking opportunities, El Calafate revolves entirely around the glacier. Accessing the glacier is easy via a paved road, but unless you have your own car, the only way to get there is through a tour bus. As soon as we were checked into our hostel, I promptly arranged a tour for the following day, coincidentally my birthday. I saw this detour into Patagonia as a present to myself.
The rest of the day was spent leisurely strolling around town with Arielle and visiting a nature reserve by the lake. Due to the considerable wind, we didn’t linger at the reserve for long before returning to the hostel and calling it an early night to prepare for the early rise awaiting us.
I had read about the glacier’s frigid temperatures, which concerned me as I didn’t pack for freezing temperatures. So, I frantically loaded my daypack with as many extra clothes as possible. I packed two additional pairs of socks—one in case my feet got wet while walking in the snow, and the other to serve as makeshift gloves if needed. I also wore my neck warmer as a hat for added warmth and used a thin beach shawl as a scarf. I employed every trick I had learned from backpacking through Europe with only a carry-on sized backpack during winter.
The following morning was predictably cold, with temperatures hovering around zero degrees Celsius. Although the weather seemed bearable in town, the glacier was about 80 kilometres into the mountains, so I had to anticipate far worse conditions.
The tour began early, and the tour bus arrived at my accommodation to pick me up. It was still before sunrise, and as we hit the road, the sun started its ascent. It was a truly beautiful moment to witness the sun rising over the breathtaking Patagonian landscape. “Happy birthday, Werner!” I thought to myself, basking in the warm embrace of the sun on my face, while gazing out of the bus window at the jaw dropping scenery.
A few kilometres before reaching the designated parking area, we made a stop at a viewpoint to catch our first glimpse of the glacier on the lake. What an incredible sight it was! I had seen glaciers before, but nothing quite like this. This one descended directly from a mountain and rested on top of the lake. A plateau of ice stretching several kilometres over the lake. Its highest point reached about 70 metres.
At 11h30, the bus dropped us off at the gate to the park, and we were free to explore at our own pace until 15h30. The park featured numerous walkways, providing multiple vantage points to admire the glacier. As I wandered through the park, I could frequently hear the thunderous sound of ice boulders breaking off and plunging into the water. It was an awe-inspiring sensory experience.
By the time we had to depart back to town, I was thoroughly satisfied with how my birthday was spent. What a truly remarkable day it had been.
Feeling somewhat rushed before winter arrived in full force, upon returning to the hostel, I promptly booked my bus ticket to the next destination – the renowned Patagonian mountains.
