Argentinian Patagonia – Los Glaciares
Leaving Ushuaia felt confusing.
I felt I “belonged” there, whatever that’s supposed to mean! It’s a feeling. It’s probably due to the locals and the hostel crowd I met. The city is a melting pot, with Argentinians from all over Argentina living there. Traveling up north to possibly the most recognizable mountains in all of Argentina, required crossing the border with Chile, taking a ferry over the Strait of Magellan, and then back to Argentina. The trip took 2 different buses, and some 17h of travel.
Sceneries changed from towering mountains to pampas – a low laying bush-like grasslands on rocky/sandy lands. I had a chance to see a Magellanic dolphin, a penguin-looking dolphin that followed our ferry over the strait. I am wondering, after seeing (non-penguin) birds and dolphins looking like penguins – in black and white colors, why is that adaptation there? Surely it is something that nature deems the best for these antarctic animals!
Back to the trip – the next destination was El Calafate. A small town near the mountains, the main stop to see one of the most fascinating and easily accessible glaciers of the world – the Perito Moreno. What’s fascinating about Perito Moreno is that the ice wall (40-70m high at the cliff-edge) is so close to the land from which you can observe it, that it allows for spectacular views! The glacier is not receding, it is stable – which is not too common nowadays given climate change – and it moves about 2 meters per day. The ice crashing into the lake happens very often, though you have to be lucky to see a big one.
El Calafate as a town is cute, the central strip gives a feeling of Scandinavian and Alpine towns, but not interesting enough to stay for longer. So our next destination was El Chalten. The village that was somewhat artificially made to further Argentinian claims to that part of the border. Chile and Argentina have the 3rd longest border in the world, and many places are still unresolved. El Chalten is a touristy village giving access to Mount Fitz Roy. A beautiful rock formation seen from afar, and looking somewhat like dolomites in Europe – which I haven’t seen but on photos.
As I was in week 3 of walking, after 2 months of keeping my leg in the air, trying to heal it. I was somewhat limited in what I could do. Hike to Fitz Roy lake – the place with the best view of the mountain – is 11km long one-way trek (22km in total), with the last 1.5km being really steep. I managed 9 km (18km), and I left my group to do the hardest part while I headed back.
The weather was merciless. Wind was so strong that it pushed us backwards straight at the entrance of our hostel, before we even started. But sun was up so we were hopeful despite the forecast saying rain in the afternoon. And God did it rain, it was whipping drops into our faces, and it was hard to look even with sunglasses on. But this shifty Patagonian weather always gives you something back for the effort. The rainbows, sunshine breaking through the clouds on those beautiful landscapes… It’s a joy to feel alive in those moments!
Evenings were filled with beers, cooking together and dancing in hostels. Even my broken leg was holding on despite my slightly masochistic approach to recovery.
I mentioned my group – we numbered 4 people at this point. Sarah and I met a German girl called Isabelle, and US American guy Zack. We met in a hostel in Ushuaia (Zack) and in a long bus ride (Isabelle). Oh yeah, Argentinians are somewhat allergic to Americans being called that, as everyone in Americas is American. According to them, there shouldn’t be a hegemonic entitlement to a name American, which seem understandable. So suitable wording in Argentina is Estado Unionense (“United State-er”).
Sarah, Zack and Isabella freezing at sunrise, waiting for pink colors that didn’t show up much that day
While Parque Nacional los Glaciares is immense, and part of El Chalten was just a fraction of it – there are so many treks one can do there. I had to chose carefully, based on how my leg feels, so I did only one other big one – hike to the Cerro Torre – another gorgeous peak.
Upon arriving to the lagune below it, I had to do what I wanted to do for a long while.
A swim among the ice-bergs! 😀
I practiced cold showers for a few months now as they are great for mental and physical well being, so entering ice-cold water was not as hard as I thought it to be at all. I did scream a bit inside. The feeling of being between the ice-blocks was amazing!
After some 5 days in El Chalten, my next stop was Neuquen.
