El Calafate

The Lake and Glacier Region

The Southern Patagonian Ice Field is the largest continental ice field in the world after Antarctica and Greenland and is the birthplace of hundreds of glaciers in Argentina and Chile.

In Los Glaciares National Park, the ice rests on enormous lakes created by glaciers, nestled between turquoise waters and thick Andean Patagonian forests. Owls, eagles, hawks, woodpeckers, parrots, swans, flamingos and the majestic flight of the Andean condor are all delights for the eye to see.

Perito Moreno, Spegazzini, Upsala and Viedma are the most impressive and the most photographed glaciers but there are others that reveal themselves to those willing to find them.

Close to El Chaltén, Cerro Fitz Roy raises its granite walls to a height of 3375 meters, secreting away unspoiled lakes and landscapes. The beauty and variety of the trails around the area has given El Chalten a big name among trekkers.

All around the lakes, the vast Patagonian steppe stretches out towards the horizon. Large llamas, foxes and pumas live there alongside the traditional ranches of huge extensions. Some have opened their doors to tourism while continuing to raise cattle, offering horseback excursions and authentic life-in-the-countryside experiences.