Cruise among icebergs in Argentina
PATAGONIA WONDERS: Town of El Calafate serves as jumping-off point to explore breathtaking region
LAGO ARGENTINO — A crew member captures a floating mini-iceberg with a grappling hook, hauls it onto the deck and carves out chunks to pop into the drinks of the two dozen passengers taking a luxury one-day cruise of Argentina’s largest lake. There are much bigger icebergs on Lago Argentino, some at least six metres high, that the cruise ship dare not approach, fearful of what lies beneath the surface. The icebergs, some floating solo, others in small groups, have broken off one of the 50 or so majestic glaciers that flow down from the Andes and spill out into the lake.
On this cruise operated by Cruceros MarPatag, we see several glaciers from afar and one, the behemoth Spegazzini Glacier, while anchored a safe 50 metres away. It’s 1.3-kilometres wide, 17-kilometres long, juts more than 100 metres above the surface and extends another 130 metres below it to the lake bottom.
MarPatag’s 20-metre-long boat is one of a handful that visit these glaciers, leaving from docks located outside of El Calafate, the main jumping-off point for this region of Patagonia, more than one-third of Argentina’s land mass.
Other larger vessels carry many more passengers and are quicker, but do not offer gourmet food, let alone the ship’s ambience and the services of a knowledgeable guide and accommodating wait staff. Lunch alone, a four-course feast featuring local ingredients such as lamb and salmon accompanied by unlimited wine, makes for a memorable voyage. Later in the afternoon, guests are offered chocolates and sparkling wine.
Propelled by the opening of a new airport, El Calafate’s population has more than tripled in the last decade to nearly 25,000. The city has few attractions, but its wide selection of accommodations provide a base for adventurous day trips ranging from kayaking among the icebergs to whitewater rafting in nearby rivers to horseback riding on sheep farms.
Another glacier, Perito Moreno, is about two hours away. From a close lookout, visitors can watch huge chunks of ice separate noisily from the still-advancing glacier and splash into the lake. Guided tours, including treks on the glacier of up to three-plus hours that include lunch on the ice, are available.
Meanwhile, a little less than a three-hour drive from El Calafate is a mountainous wonderland that has become one of the world’s leading trekking destinations.
When the town of El Chalten was established three decades ago, there was no thought to its tourist potential — it began as a military outpost created as part of a border dispute with Chile. Now, with the boundary settled, an estimated 50,000 people visit El Chalten (population 2,000) every year between November and April, late spring through early fall in the southern hemisphere, to experience the well-designed trails in Argentina’s Los Glaciares National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site bordering the town.
For the casual walker, these treks generate maximum pleasure — breathtaking views of glaciers, jagged mountain spires and endless valleys — for minimum effort. With several trailheads starting directly from town, one can choose from a variety of treks lasting from 30 minutes to eight or nine hours. Most are moderate, with some scrambling bits.
Patagonia winds are famously high and squalls are not uncommon so visitors must dress wisely and pay attention to local forecasts. But the rewards are worth it. With condors soaring above, one can drink safely from the pristine streams and picnic beneath the pointed granite towers.
Experienced climbers looking for more challenges can backpack and/or enlist a guide for multi-day excursions to scale the mountains. The highest, and most spectacular, peak is Mount Fitz Roy at an altitude of 3,405 metres. Despite being a little more than one-third the size of Mount Everest, it was not conquered until 1952. Fitz Roy’s granite face is also considered more difficult to climb and averages only one successful ascent annually.
One of the most popular day treks is to the foot of Fitz Roy on the shores of Laguna Torre. After a relatively steep but brief climb out of town, the rest of the 11-km trek is quite gentle. Walkers stop in their tracks as they turn a bend and view the striking Fitz Roy and its slightly shorter companion spire, Cerro Torre for the first time. The view is even more spectacular at the lake just below the mountains.
The round-trip takes about six hours, ending back in the comforts of one’s hostel or hotel. The thought of a glass of Malbec with slow-roasted rack of lamb or steak to end the day is enough to propel even the most weary.