EL CALAFATE
This city located in the province of Santa Cruz is the gateway to Los Glaciares National Park designated as a UNESCO World Heritage natural site in 1981.
The park is home to some of the 48 outlet glaciers of the Continental Ice Field, the largest drinking water reserve of the Earth and the third largest ice mass in the world following the Poles.
The city stands on a small plateau between the Calafate Mount and one of the banks of Argentino Lake, whose surface is the largest of the country. This is the point of departure for the tours to the glaciers, footbridges, trekking programs and boat rides.
In addition to experiencing the Park, tourists can visit Patagonian ranches, take the 4×4 rides or the horse rides, and see cave paintings, among other attractions.
El Calafate: At least once in a lifetime.
Climate in El Calafate
The climate is dry with a maximum average temperature in summer of 19 ºC / 66 ºF and minimum average in winter of -2 ºC / 28 ºF.
In summer the sun rises at 5:30 a.m. and sets at 10.30 p.m. Daytime in winter is only 8 hours.
Highlights
Hiking across the Perito Moreno Glacier (seasonal, with restrictions). It is said if you eat the calafate berry, you’ll come back to Patagonia.
Clothing
Comfortable clothes, trekking shoes and boots, sunglasses or sunscreen and sunblock protection.
Distances
to National Park walkways 80 km / 50 mi
to El Chaltén 215 km / 134 mi
to Torres del Paine 270 km / 168 mi
to Ushuaia 880 km / 547 mi
to Bariloche 1430 km / 889 mi
a Buenos Aires 2760 km / 1715 mi