Wolfgang Reinelt - Patagonian Loc Glaciares pictures (2003)

outdoor @ wolfgang-reinelt.de	Los Glaciares, Patagonia 2003

What else is there to do in Patagonia apart from visiting Torres del Paine? Well, go to the national park with the glaciers. One highlight for sure is to do some walking in the Chalten area. If you're lucky (i.e. the weather is nice) you get to see both Monte Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre. One week can easily be spent in the area, strting off in Chalten. Some basic shopping can be done in Chalten (you won't starve), but it is recommended to buy the stuff you need in Calafate. Tent is mandatory.
The other thing to do is visit the glaciers. Unfortunately you can't really visit them on your own but have to rely on the bus and boat trips, organised by some travel agencies. They go quite often and can be booked everywhere in Calafate. Calafate also makes a quite good home-base for your stay in the Los Glaciares area. Just make sure to book accomodation well in advance since the bed fill up pretty fast once the buses from Rio Gallegos or Puerto Natales have arrived. Calafate hostel is a nice place to stay (english speaking, internet access) in Calafate. They also organise glacier trips. Usually quite well-booked, make an early reservation at calafatehostel@cotecal.com.ar or 02902/492450.

Fares & prices where like this in January 2003 (exchange rate: 1Euro = 700CH$ (Chile pesos) = 3.5AR$ (Argentina pesos)):

Bus Puerto Natales - El Calafate: 13.000CH$
NP Los Glaciares entrance: 20AR$
Bus El Calafate - NP Los Glaciares (return): 80AR$

Maps to have for the Chalten trip: El Chalten trekking map Fitz Roy - Torre (Inst Geo Militar, Exp. GG02 1437/5, scale 1:100.000, has a black cover) or: El Chalten trekking map - Monte Fitz Roy. Cerro Torre (scale 1:50.000, has brown cover). The huge amount of more details one would expect from the 50.000 scale of the second one is simply not true, both maps are not comparable to European map standards for instance. Take any of the two. For some overview of the national park, the following one is available in all shops: Parque nacional Los Glaciares - ecomapa (scale 1:250.000, Zagier & Urruty, Buenos Aires). One of the Chalten maps also has an overview on the back side. Don't bother about maps too much, they are more "art" than navigation instruments.

The trip was scheduled like this (with quite some time to relax in Calafate):

2003-01-10: Bus from El Calafate to El Chalten.
Hiking up to Campamento Maestri.
2003-01-11: Campamento Poincenot.
2003-01-12: Lago Electrico / Piedra del Fraile
2003-01-13: bad weather
2003-01-14: Campamento Maestri.
2003-01-15: Mirador Maestri/ Cerro Torre lookout
2003-01-16: down to El Chalten
2003-01-17: Bus back to El Calafate
2003-01-19: trip to Perito Moreno Glacier
2003-01-21: trip to Glacier Upsala