Patagonia – Los Glaciares National Park

December 2, 2024

A spectacular sunrise began the day then we headed out for a full-day excursion to Los Glaciares National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. During our ride to the park, we learned about glaciers and the park’s geology from our local guide.

Along the way we stopped to honor “gaucho gil” who is an urban legend. Who is believe to have been a saint. You poor beer on the site and request safe travels. A fun way to honor the legend.

Created in 1937, Los Glaciares is the second-largest national park in Argentina, and comprises more than 1,700 square miles and nearly 50 large glaciers. These glaciers are fed by a giant icecap (the largest continental ice extension after Antarctica) that begins in the Andes and occupies well over a third of the park’s total area. As I discovered during our visit, the glaciers here are unique. Unlike other glaciers, which typically formed roughly 8,200 feet above sea level, the icy marvels at Los Glaciares formed much lower, at nearly 5,000 feet. The lower points of origin are a boon to visitors, as they offer unique access—visually and physically—to glaciers. Very different than I glaciers I saw in both New Zealand and Switzerland!

We learned just how important this difference is when we encountered Perito Moreno Glacier, a pristine marvel towering nearly 200 feet above Lake
Argentino. It is named after Francisco Moreno,a 19th-century Argentine explorer who helped resolve his country’s border dispute with neighboring Chile.

During our adventure, we may saw the natural phenomenon of a glacier “calving.”This means that smaller chunks of ice fracture and break off from the glacier—a “birthing” of icebergs is accompanied by thunderous noises. After the “calving the nearby icebergs began tipping and rolling! What an incredible site

Just east of the ice fields are areas of southern beechforest and windswept Patagonian steppes. As we journed overland to and from Perito Moreno,
we passed through scenic forests composed of lengas and ñires (Patagonian beech trees) along with cherry trees.

We stopped for one last view of the glacier and shared a toast to our shared experience! We Had a liquor made from the berries of the calafate bush—locals say drinking the juice of its berries will ensure your return to this mystical region!! As we toasted Condors wireless the area.

After our return we walked to town and came upon an Ice bar,of course I had to visit the atmospheric, neon-lit bar!! It was so much fun smashing my ice glass onto the ice floor!!

The day ended with a yummy dinner followed with a chocolate tasting accompanied with Irish Coffee!!

Absolutely a “Best Day Ever…so far”!!!