After you land on the airport in El Calafate in Patagonia, greater than 3.5 hours by aircraft from Buenos Aires, you’ve bought numerous decisions for what to do and the place to remain. Aside from our keep on the Explora El Chalten lodge that we had already arrange, we put our tour within the palms of Say Hueque Journey Excursions and made the pillars of it Perito Moreno Glacier and Nibepo Aike Estancia.
We not too long ago posted a function story about this El Calafate tour and if you happen to observe that hyperlink you may see the complete rundown and a few extra pictures. We simply put collectively some video highlights for our YouTube channel although, so maintain going to view the explorations in movement.
We bought picked up on the airport by our driver and information and made the scenic drive across the lake and small metropolis to reach at Nibepo Aike Estancia and Resort. Whereas it is a working farm that’s been working for round 120 years, it’s truly a part of Los Glaciares Nationwide Park, with a grandfather clause permitting them to maintain working, however with a restrict on the variety of livestock allowed.
We bought to see a little bit of the farm life whereas we have been there, becoming a member of some day guests to observe a sheep shearing after which having an enormous asado lunch ready by some gaucho grillers. Later we went on a horseback experience by the lake and over some hills, getting spectacular views alongside the way in which. I additionally hiked up the mountain behind the farmhouse-turned-hotel to get an much more panoramic vista with the lake and mountains.
Nibepo Aike is true on the sting of Lago Argentina and the mountains past. We have been there on the finish of summer season however the mountain tops have been coated with snow and when the clouds cleared we may glimpse a glacier or two. Should you took a hike from right here with an skilled mountaineer and loads of provides you can hike throughout one of many world’s largest icefields into Chile. Argentina and Chile share this nice expanse of wilderness and their border runs down the center. It’s a protected nationwide park on each side.
That border was truly negotiated by Perito (a nickname) Moreno, the explorer credited with discovering the large calving glacier now named after him. So after all we needed to dedicate a day to visiting that with Say Hueque. It’s considered one of Argentina’s most well-known websites and deservedly so. Try the video of the estancia and glacier right here:
It was good to go to the glacier with an skilled Say Hueque Argentina Journeys information who knew what he was speaking about. You see numerous conflicting data and stats about probably the most well-known glacier in Argentina once you go browsing and begin digging round. Plus he had been operating excursions there since earlier than there was a protected walkway to traverse, so he knew the ability and the hazards of big blocks of ice calving into the water.
We noticed the pure marvel from each angle doable, on the way in which finish, on each stretch of the suspended walkway, and right down to the top of it the place we had lunch (full with glacier ice cocktail) and took a sightseeing boat experience for a unique view.
On a visit to Patagonia, both on the Argentina facet or the Chile facet, it’s vital to keep in mind that experiences trump pampering numerous the time. If you wish to get into distant areas and do one thing in addition to hop on and off a van, you must drift a bit and never all the time anticipate high-thread-count sheets and a full spa. The explanation to remain at Nibepo Aike Estancia is to get a style of the farm life, experience horses, and have a glass of Argentine wine by the fireside after taking within the superb surroundings.
We did get somewhat pampering on the finish although, on our final evening at Los Panchos Resort. Many of the luxurious locations to remain on this area are nicely exterior of the town, however Los Panchos is an extended stroll alongside the lake or a brief taxi experience to the middle of city. We ate close by, however the nearer you get to the middle, the extra pubs and eating places there are to select from.
On the finish, our Say Hueque driver picked us up on the resort and took us out to the airport for a tragic goodbye to Patagonia. See the complete function story right here: A Multi-day El Calafate Tour—Perito Moreno Glacier and a Farm Keep.
Article by Timothy
Timothy Scott is the founder and editor of Luxurious Latin America and has been protecting the area as a journey journalist for the reason that mid-2000s. He has visited every nation we cowl a number of occasions and is predicated in a UNESCO World Heritage metropolis in central Mexico, the place he owns a house. See contact data right here.
