Who didn't read Jules Verne as a child? Children of Captain Grant and adventures in Patagonia. Then all this seemed completely unattainable; no one could have imagined that there would be tourist tours to Patagonia. But your wildest dreams have come true and now you can see everything with your own eyes. An exciting two-week trip will change the entire understanding of South America obtained from books.
Trip to Iguazu Falls
The trip to Iguazu Falls will involve flying from Buenos Aires to Iguazu Falls, recognized as one of the seven natural wonders of the world. Visit to the Argentine and Brazilian waterfall complexes. Visit to the settlement of the local Guarani Indians. Return to Buenos Aires in the afternoon.
Tours to Patagonia
The real journey that Patagonia tours promise includes all the most interesting places southern part of the continent of South America. Glaciers and unique colonies of Magellanic penguins, which can be seen in their natural habitat on Magdalena Island. The most beautiful lakes and pink flamingos on them. Mountain peaks and waterfalls. Amazing Tierra del Fuego. Tours to Patagonia include a visit to the Atacama, where you can see Moon Valley, the only place on earth where the surface follows the lunar surface. In addition, when traveling, conditions in 5-star hotels will not always be ideal.
Spending the night in campsites will make you feel not like an idle tourist, but a real traveler. An excursion to the Gray Glacier on a catamaran and a boat trip to the Perito Moreno Glacier will diversify your impressions. Tours to Patagonia provide a unique opportunity to watch the sunrise on Mount Fitz Roy and wash your face clean water from the mountain lake at its foot. The cultural part of tours to Patagonia includes visiting two national parks countries South America: Los Glacieros, Argentina and Torres del Paine, Chile. Iguazu Falls are a unique natural phenomenon located at the junction of the Parana and Iguazu rivers, on the border between the states of Argentina and Brazil. This is a cascade of many magnificent waterfalls.
A little about the history of the waterfall. Archaeological work has confirmed that the first settlers in this area were the Caingangs and Guarani. Beautiful legends about the waterfall, the words written by the inhabitants of ancient tribes have reached us. One of them says: God cut the river, forming many strong waterfalls in revenge on a beautiful Aboriginal girl who gave her love to another. The discoverer of a unique waterfall complex for Western world believe the Spaniard Cabeza de Vaca, who saw this natural phenomenon in 1541, traveling along the Parana River and described it in detail in his travel notes. Near the Arayagarai cascade, his name is carved on a slab as a sign of memory and veneration. At the end of the 19th century, the first map was created, which indicated Iguazu Falls.
Travel to Iguazu Falls
A trip to Iguazu Falls will leave a deep imprint and a lot of emotions in the soul of the visitor. No wonder this complex is a favorite place for tourists and the most visited attraction in South Africa. The area between the individual waterfalls is rocks covered with a carpet of vegetation. A trip to Iguazu Falls will allow you to see with your own eyes the most beautiful natural phenomenon, which is not uncommon here - a rainbow. An exciting and mysterious sight is a night rainbow. Droplets of moisture in the air and the play of light create a beautiful seven-color optical illusion. Individual waterfalls are connected by many small islands and bridges, from which it is convenient for tourists to view all the details of this grandiose natural phenomenon. There are also safe observation decks, tourists are provided with long waterproof raincoats with a hood. Numerous campsites and hotels are designed to make the trip to Iguazu Falls comfortable and enjoyable; you can get to this place on your own or as part of numerous excursions.
Key Facts about Iguazu Falls
- The height of water fall is up to 85 meters;
- More than 2,500 meters wide, it is the longest complex of waterfalls on the planet;
- 275 separate powerful stages;
- About 2 million tourists visit it annually;
- The total length of bridges for tourists is 2 km;
- The largest waterfall is the “Devil's Throat”, this is a grandiose cliff about 700 meters wide;
- 80% of the waterfalls are located in Argentina, and 20% in Brazil.
Patagonia is a country of glaciers, lakes, islands, canals, fjords, mountain rivers, thousand-year-old forests and knocking winds... All the most interesting things in Patagonia are located along the shores of the oceans - Pacific and Atlantic - and along the chain of the Andes. You can drive hundreds of kilometers and not see anyone or anything at all.
Even the marked settlements on the map do not give confidence that there is active life in these places. Often it's just a couple of houses plus single animals nearby. All of Patagonia is cut into pieces like a pie, surrounded by wire fences. Moreover, no one lives in these endless territories except rabbits, sheep and guanacos. In the best case, after 200-300 kilometers you will come across a lonely farm, and that’s it. The distance between gas stations can easily reach 400-450 kilometers... However, first things first. So, we decided to start our journey through Patagonia with its very southern point- Tierra del Fuego...
When you find yourself in this place, everything becomes clear without signs...
WEATHER TOTALIZER
...The small town of Ushuaia, a hotel overlooking the Beagle Channel, hot coffee with fresh pastries and the feeling that adventure is beginning. However, our determination was slightly weakened when it turned out that snow, rain and strong winds were expected throughout the next week. Forecasts in Patagonia are unreliable, so locals don't pay much attention to them. True, some still place bets in bookmakers: whether it will come true or not. The climate in these places is harsh not only in winter, but also in summer. There are, of course, some days at the height of the season when the temperature rises above 15 degrees, but this is rather an exception. In winter, there is almost a polar night here, with relatively light only 4-5 hours a day. Glaciers descend from the mountains to the ocean and 300 days a year are usually rainy and cloudy. This is understandable, because from here to Antarctica is less than a thousand kilometers!
Penguins make nests between the roots of trees or dig holes right in the ground
There are up to 100 wives in the harems of fur seals, and everyone is loved
From a primitive whaling station in Indian territory, Ushuaia turned first into a convict colony where Russian anarchists lived out their days, and then into a modern tourist centre. There are hotels here for every taste and budget. Shops selling high-quality camping equipment coexist with cheap electronics stores. Restaurants serve huge crabs weighing up to two kilograms with impressive claws. Once upon a time, Indian women caught them with their bare hands, but now production is carried out on a commercial scale. Every year, thousands of tons of these delicious beauties are exported to Europe, the USA and other countries. In the restaurants there, the price of delicacies rises to the skies, and in Tierra del Fuego they feed crabs almost at cost. Today, Ushuaia resembles the Klondike of the Gold Rush. There are travel agencies on every corner, ready to organize a trip to anywhere in Patagonia. Some people go to see penguins and seals, others take an SUV and travel far from civilization. Fishermen specially come here from Europe and Australia for a rich catch, and extreme sports enthusiasts are attracted by excellent ski slopes and Antarctic diving.
Mountains, glaciers, guanacos and wild mustangs - a classic picture of Patagonia
Note for travelers
The best time to travel to Patagonia is the Argentine spring or summer, that is, from November to March. Although even in summer the air temperature usually does not exceed 18 degrees. And the wind, of course. Warm clothes will not be superfluous.
There are no direct flights from Russia to Argentina; there are several options for flying from Moscow to Buenos Aires with a transfer in Europe. Most convenient: daily flights Air France via Paris, Iberia via Madrid and Lufhansa via Frankfurt. Alitalia routes via Rome and British Airways via London. The average flight duration, including connections, is about 23 hours. The official language is Spanish. The time difference with Moscow is 7 hours.
PETS' CORNER
The first point of our program was sea animals. A fairly large colony of seals and sea lions has chosen one of the islands near the lighthouse “at the end of the world,” described by J. Verne and replicated on local souvenirs. Despite their heavy build, the animals turned out to be active and very aggressive. Growling from time to time, the males gave each other a fair beating. The “young ladies” looked at this outwardly indifferently, turning first one side, then the other, but in their thoughts they probably imagined how they would make the winners happy.
Not far from the seals is the territory of the penguins. Magellanic penguins, and this is the most common species here, live in burrows, so the entire island is literally “mined” with pits, burrows and bird waste. There are a lot of penguins here, and you can watch them endlessly. Funny and clumsy, if they don’t like something, they start screaming hysterically and scurrying away at full speed. “Birds-people” are not at all afraid of people, and you can approach them at arm’s length. It was impossible to resist stroking the bird, but the attempt ended in failure: the penguin clearly did not like the familiarity, and, screaming heart-rendingly, he quickly and painfully pecked me. I had to limit myself to photography.
THE END OF THE WORLD
After getting acquainted with the animal world, it was time for auto adventures. Taking a Land Rover from one of the rental companies, we went to Tierra del Fuego National Park, where mountains, sea, forests and glaciers are amazingly combined. Much of the park is inaccessible to visitors, with only a few permitted trails. You can also take a ride on an exotic prehistoric train, which at one time carried... prisoners here. This road is considered the southernmost narrow-gauge railway in the world. Now the train has been converted into a tourist attraction, but until 1947 there was a huge prison here, and in the future national park, convicts cut down forest. In general, this is the official End of the World, as the sign nailed to the sign says. After walking all day in the snow and rain, cursing all kinds of trekking, we decided that we would continue to travel exclusively by car. And the next morning we set out towards the large lake on Tierra del Fuego.
PATAGONIA-TROPHY
The good asphalt road ended after 50 kilometers, after which a dirt road began, gradually becoming worse and worse. After three dozen kilometers it ended too. The road simply turned into a deep rut. Periodically slipping and sliding into holes and puddles, overcoming beaver dams, we moved in a lower gear. We stormed slippery slopes and fell into ravines. Our guide Ignassio tried his best to impress and asked to drive. Having sat down in the driver's seat, he turned on the gear, opened the door and... left the cabin. Putting on a carefree face, he walked alongside her, whistling. But after several “Ladogas” you won’t surprise us so easily! And we started telling him about Russian off-road...
The water temperature in the mountain rivers of Patagonia does not exceed 7-10 °C
Soon we found ourselves on the shore of the lake - the destination of the route. The beauty was extraordinary! The forest was amazing: evergreen beeches interspersed with conifers, shrubs adjacent to deciduous trees. And what were the unusual flag trees worth, which changed the shape of their crown under the influence of constant winds... Autumn painted everything in bright colors, slightly softening them with pastels. The lush crowns were set off by beards of moss and lichen fanning out from the branches and trunks, and freshly fallen snow covered the ground like eider down. After driving a little more, we came across a “piano in the bushes” - a hunting hut with a stove and a couple of canoes, where we could rest while Ignassio was preparing asado, a favorite national dish.
National Argentine dish - asado
A set of araucaria branches on fire drives away evil spirits
Port of Ushuaia. From here cruise ships leave for Antarctica
Note for travelers
Russians do not need a visa to Argentina. A Chilean visa for 90 days can be obtained directly at the border - within 10 minutes and free of charge (for comparison: in Moscow it will take a month and cost 75 dollars). Please pay attention to your luggage: any foodstuffs are prohibited, especially vegetables and fruits. All things are checked and x-rayed. When renting a car in Argentina, be sure to notify that you will be going to Chile - they will provide you with the necessary set of documents.
The best way to travel around Patagonia is by SUV
KINGDOM OF ICE
After driving around Ushuaia for a week, we flew to the middle of Patagonia, to El Calafate - a small settlement on the shores of Lake Argentino. The glaciers here are truly unique: they begin to form at an altitude of 1500 meters and descend to 200 meters. While in other parts of the world, ice masses are born at an altitude of no lower than two and a half kilometers.
After a long rain the sun came out...
There seems to be endless Brownian motion in Calafate. For everyone local resident there is a shop, a restaurant, a chocolate shop and a travel agency. This is a tourist Mecca with excellent infrastructure. People come here for the glaciers, Fitzroy Peak, icebergs and a convenient opportunity to visit Chile. By the way, Chilean and Argentine glaciers are declared by UNESCO as World Heritage of Humanity. In terms of scale, they are third after Antarctica and Greenland. In Los Glaciares National Park, which translates as “glaciers,” there are as many as 48 of these giant “refrigerators”! Perito Moreno is the most spectacular and unforgettable in Patagonia. Its age is more than 30,000 years. The ice here is in constant motion - it advances indomitably. And at a decent speed - about two meters per day. A giant glacier as tall as an 18-story building and a tongue six kilometers long crosses almost the entire lake. The pristine silence is broken by the roar of blocks breaking off and turning into icebergs. The feeling that you are standing next to the open door of a giant freezer, from which centuries-old cold emanates. The color of the ice is unusual and changes depending on the time of day and light. In the morning and afternoon it is blue, in the evening it becomes dark blue. A glacier excursion is only possible with a guide and wearing climbing crampons. An unforgettable walk! And as a bonus at the end of the route - a glass of whiskey with a thousand-year-old ice cube or a sip of the purest glacial water.
Baby whale skeleton as long as a large bus
RUTA 40
The best way to experience Patagonia is to cross it along the legendary and longest Pan-American Highway in the world. The length of this road is 48 thousand kilometers - more than the length of the equator! Starting in Tierra del Fuego and cutting through 15 countries, it ends almost in Alaska. Having once set off along this route from end to end, one American couple became so carried away that they rode for three years. On the way, their son was born and even managed to grow up a little. In Argentina, this road appears as Ruta 40. This is the ridge of the south from which the road “nerves” leading to cattle farms branch off. The Argentine part of “Pan America” is more than 5 thousand kilometers. It crosses 19 rivers, 27 passes, 13 lakes and salt marshes. Locals say that if you were able to drive it from north to south, then you saw the whole country. It must be said that Ruta 40 is not a highway at all: more than half of it is not covered with asphalt at all. Therefore, in almost every locality you will have three classes Pan American Highway passes through 15 countries: search for tire service, gas station and store. And most likely in this sequence - verified!
From El Calafate with glaciers to national park“El Chalten” and the legendary Fitzroy Peak (3405 m) can be reached along the 40th. At the very foot of Fitzroy is the town of El Chalten (translated as “smoking mountain”), the site of a settlement of the Tehuelche Indians. Before the Second World War, Fitzroy was considered one of the most inaccessible places in the south of the continent. Named after the captain of the HMS Beagle on which Darwin sailed, Fitzroy is one of the most difficult peaks in the world to climb. And either for reasons of increased extremeness, or from some other reason, there are no decent hotels or ATMs here. There are even problems with cellular communications. But there are campsites for 20-30 dollars and several bed & breakfasts for 50-80. Climbing was not part of our plans, and we limited ourselves to visiting several beautiful viewpoints in the mountains on the picturesque lakes Laguna de los Tres and Capri.
Note for travelers
In Chile and Argentina, American dollars are accepted for payment everywhere. Each store sets its own rate, sometimes it is unprofitable - pay attention. The dollar to Argentine peso ratio is 1 to 4. Credit cards They take it in almost all stores and restaurants, but they prefer cash. You can often ask for a discount when paying in cash. And vice versa - in some places, when paying by card, 10% is added to the amount. There are ATMs, but not everywhere and only a few; some have a cash withdrawal limit of $150. mobile connection works in cities, there is almost no connection on the prairies.
SCARY BUT CUTE
The further route took us to Chile. Along the same road 40 from Calafate to the border is no more than 400 kilometers, however, most of the highway turned out to be gravel. The territory of the Chilean state is sandwiched between the Pacific coast and the Andes chain and is divided into three parts that are not connected to each other. In order for residents of southern Chile to get to the central or northern part, they need to travel through Argentina, take a ferry or fly by plane. The Chilean part of Patagonia also has its own calling card and pride - the Torres del Paine National Park ( Parque Nacional Torres del Paine). This is an extraordinary Andean mountain region, a biosphere reserve and a real treasure trove wildlife. One of the most beautiful national parks protected by UNESCO. It owes its name to the granite “towers” of Torres, more than 2 thousand meters high. Here, among the mountains and dozens of lakes and rivers, almost all the landscapes of Patagonia are collected: scrub plains, rain forests, Magellanic tundra and high desert. Not to mention glaciers, waterfalls, rainbows and other beauties. Hunting has been prohibited here for half a century, and the animals are almost not afraid of humans. Such a variety of animals and birds is probably not found anywhere else in Chile. Here you can see the condor - the world's largest bird of prey with a wingspan of up to three and a half meters. According to the famous book, a condor carried one of Captain Grant's children into the sky. However, Jules Verne knew nothing about condors. In real life, they are very shy and usually sit quietly and wait for some small lame hare.
Traveling Patagonia began in Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina. I arrived here a day earlier than the group, checked into a hotel and went to wander the streets in search of food, exchange offices and a SIM card with the Internet. Everything turned out to be more difficult than I expected - almost no one speaks English in Argentina, the main language is Spanish, of which I only know one and a half words. I didn’t buy a SIM card, but I managed to eat and change money. It should be noted that in Argentina there are two courses: black and white. A few years ago the difference between them was really big, but now it is virtually invisible. If on the official one they give 15.7 pesos for 1 dollar, then on the black one they can give 16.5. I always changed on the black market. It’s not difficult to find money changers - walk along Florida Street and you won’t miss it.
Buenos Aires interesting city It's worth spending a few days here. Look tourist area La Boca and Recoleta Cemetery. In the evening, go to a milonga and learn tango; it was in this city that this beautiful dance originated. If you don't want to learn, you can just watch while enjoying great live music and Argentinean wine. That's exactly what we did)
Traveling Patagonia - Tierra del Fuego
From Buenos Airos we fly to the ends of the earth, to the southernmost city on the planet - Ushuaia. While going through security at the local airport, I was very worried that the lard would not be taken out. Where can you go on a hike without Ukrainian lard? The meticulous inspector searched what seemed like the entire backpack, but found neither lard nor sausage. Lucky. Happy, I go out into the street, immediately catch a taxi and go to the hostel. Ushuaia, although it is the southernmost city in the world, reminded me a lot of or. Same architecture, similar climate, long days. There is absolutely no feeling that you are on the edge of the earth, everything seems familiar and familiar.
We arrived early, we had the whole day ahead. Let's go eat, and then sail on a catamaran along the Beagle Channel.
After 15 minutes we see the islands completely covered with penguins. But for some reason they take off. This is alarming. We swim closer - these are not penguins, but cormorants! Well, it’s okay, I went on this excursion for the sake of sea lions and they didn’t keep me waiting long.
Small stone islands are slightly less than completely covered by bodies clumsy on land. It looks very picturesque against the background of the lighthouse.
We circle around them for half an hour and return. Satisfied. For me, traveling is valuable because of new experiences, new places and new acquaintances. The weather and difficulties don’t matter, if you see something new, then it’s worth it. Traveling through Patagonia gave me a lot of new things and the sea lion deposits were just the beginning.
We are spending December 31st as actively as possible - a long walk through the Tierra del Fuego (Terra del Fuego) park with an ascent to one of the peaks is planned. But first, a must-see destination is the southernmost post office in the world. I send a couple of postcards and put a stamp in my passport. The postman is very impressive; he has probably worked here all his life. He puts his photo in his passport along with the stamp)) Then we go for a walk through the forests, mountains, and lakes.
We return to the hostel by 21:00 - it’s light outside. It gets dark here around 23-24:00. I love it when it gets dark late.
We celebrate New Year's Eve at the hostel, the owners set a delicious table with grilled lamb. Let's get to know each other at the same time. The whole group is very interesting and has been to a lot of places. Most are around 30-40 years old. With Argentinean wine and tender meat, all the stories go off with a bang. Around 4 am we go to bed.
The plans for tomorrow are an excursion to penguin island, which, unfortunately, I am not going to - there are no free places and the local organizers are in no way persuaded to take another one. It was necessary to make a reservation in advance.
I didn’t grieve for long, but decided to run. This is very significant - jogging on the first of January in the very southern city peace. I borrowed some sneakers from Anton, somehow got up in the morning (wine in Argentina flows very easily and in abundance), did some sluggish exercises and ran. The climate here is ideal for jogging - temperature 10-15, clean sea air. Somewhere after the 5th km I got into a rhythm and didn’t want to stop, but I couldn’t let myself down - tomorrow we’ll move to Chile and start the walking part of the route. Total standard ten.
I spend the rest of the day walking around the city. Beautiful architecture, but I don't take photos. For some reason, I almost completely stopped photographing cities. Traveling through Patagonia was no exception.
The group returns from the penguins satisfied. The island is mainly inhabited by Magellanidae - they are small, knee-deep, but there are also a couple of royal ones.
Well, it’s okay, I’ll go to Antarctica or somewhere else for penguins.
Chilean Patagonia - Torres del Paine
From Ushuaia our route lies to Chile. Many hours on the bus most of which I overslept. I think you should always sleep when you have the opportunity)) The rest of the day I admire the beauty of the flat Patagonia. It is the plains (and not the mountains) that are the main relief of the area. Outside the window every now and then you come across funny animals - guanaques, ostriches, sheep.
The iconic crossing point is the Strait of Magellan, which we crossed by ferry.
Time flies by, we cross the border and soon arrive in the town of Puerto Natales. A pleasant town located on the banks of a fjord with the very romantic name “Last Hope”. We buy groceries, enjoy the last Wi-Fi - there are mountains and a hike ahead.
An hour and a half ride by bus and we are at the entrance to national park Torres del Paine. We buy permits, listen to instructions, sign the rules. Everything here is very strict; not long ago, an unpretentious tourist started a terrible fire that destroyed almost a third of the entire park. The wind is strong - the fire spreads instantly.
Closer to 5 pm we finally reach the trail. There are still about 18 km ahead... how good it is that it gets dark late, we can reach the parking lot before dark.
The first thing that strikes you about Patagonia is the abundance of daisies. There are millions of them. Otherwise, the landscapes of the first two days do not surprise me much. Cute, beautiful and familiar-northern.
Snow is falling in the morning. This is the height of summer in the southern south. But it is very beautiful - below there are fields covered with a white chamomile blanket, then a layer of green trees and snow-white mountains. Well, where else will you see this?
A surprise awaits us in this park - a new rule has been introduced and now campsites must be booked in advance. Nobody knew about this and we are trying to get through without reservation. But all the places have already been bought by the nimble Germans, the rangers are incorruptible. We have to change the route. We look at all the key points, but we don’t go through the entire O-trek. I'm not at all upset about this fact. We return to the Sharon campsite for the night.
Another transition that was not particularly memorable, but we got closer to one of the iconic points - the “Blue Towers” of Torres del Paine. This is one of the species for which I went to Patagonia. The towers are impressive. With an altitude of only 2500m, from close up they look real stone giants. We spend an hour and a half at the foot, here you can even hide from the omnipresent wind. I’m filming a couple of time-lapses, while the guys from the group even take a dip in the lake. I didn't want to.
The next key point is Gray Glacier. There were some adventures here too. There are no camping places in the planned overnight location; you need to rent rooms in a hostel, which also does not have enough room for a large group. What to do, what to do... The Chief Ranger calls Camp Gray, which is located under the glacier and finds 6 free sites there - just what we need. As a result, we divide the group: Roma stays with the main part, I take 5 more boys and girls and go 11 km to Gray. We left at 7 pm and were already there by 9:30 pm. The road is beautiful, we actually ran along it amid constant jokes, stopping only for photos and to refresh ourselves with berries. We wanted to be in time for the store to close and buy a bottle of wine or something stronger for the evening - as a reward for such a long day. Did not have time. As a result, we clink mugs of water and eat pasta. The mood is excellent.
In the morning we go out onto the radial path to the Gray Glacier. He is good. The ice fields extend further than the eye can see.
On the trail we meet a Magellanic woodpecker - this bird is undoubtedly cooler than ours.
We pack up the camp and go to Lake Pehoe, where a boat awaits us. More precisely, he must wait. But the boat breaks down on the way and we spend a couple of extra hours waiting. A line is forming. We find ourselves in the second run. We go out onto the upper deck, take a photo with the navigator and jokingly invite Katya to steer. Jokes aside, Katya is not at a loss and approaches the captain’s cabin with a bold request. And what do you think? Blondes clearly have an easier life and are given a place at the helm. For the next half hour, the boat, wobbling more than usual, sails under Katya’s not very attentive control. Closer to the pier, Katya is replaced.
Due to the delay of the boat, the last bus to the campsite leaves before our arrival. We will evacuate in four-person cars. Locals let you into the bar-canteen to warm up and hide from the bone-chilling wind. There is a guitar somewhere, the second Roma starts the concert. In general, in our group there are actually two names for everyone. And there are even Teskies who were born on the same day.
Behind the guitar there is a bowl of mate somewhere, I buy two bottles of wine. Roma gets tired of playing, the guitar goes to the local. It was a great evening! Nobody wants to go camping or tents anymore.
But here I am leaving in the last car, thanking the guys for the cordial welcome.
Tomorrow we move to Argentina.
ABOUT! I almost forgot about the clouds! But they were divine! The whole day after the Torres towers we walked along Lake Nordenskjoid (it is about 20 km long) admiring the lenticular clouds. You can photograph such a sky endlessly. Well, tell me, how can I choose just a couple of photos?
Argentine Patagonia - Perito Morene and Fitz Roy
Another 4-hour bus ride and we are in the lovely Argentine tourist town of El Calafate. Near the city there is one of the most famous and beautiful glaciers in the world - Perito Morene. We are going to him.
As in the city itself, the tourist infrastructure near the glacier is thriving: there are restaurants, boat trips are offered, and crowds of people walk along the metal paths.
Despite all this, Perito Morene is impressive. The wall, up to 70 m high and 5 km wide, extends into the distance for tens of kilometers, merging with the Patagonian ice sheet. “Winter is coming” - Game of Thrones immediately comes to mind. Meanwhile, we walk along the paths, of which, by the way, there are quite a few here, and we rise higher and closer to the ice. With every step the glacier opens up more and more beautifully. At first it was just an ice wall, but now an endless ice plateau is visible.
Every 5 minutes, with a deafening roar, large and small ice floes break off the wall and collapse into the water. There is a crowd of onlookers with cameras standing around - everyone dreams of catching the moment of the fall.
After walking on land, we went to the glacier by water - by boat. The boat does not approach the wall at all, but such a walk opens up new views and angles. Everyone liked it.
This glacier will remain in everyone's memory for the rest of their lives.
But enough of civilization and metal trails, it’s time for us to go to the mountains again! After all, the basis of our trip to Patagonia is trekking and living in tents. We are moving to Los Glaciares National Park, closer to famous mountain Fitz Roy.
They say it is often so cloudy that the stone giant cannot be seen for a week. We are lucky - all three days of trekking we admire the majestic peak.
The park takes an approach of minimal human intervention in nature, which is why the campsites are very modest. It's just tent sites and one toilet. This, of course, is a mistake. For hundreds of tourists, one is clearly not enough; you have to stand in a long line. This is a minor inconvenience that should not be ignored. There is virgin nature around, beautiful mountains and glaciers, but you can’t find a piece of paper on the trails during the day with fire! If only we had such cleanliness!
They went to Fitz Roy radially, they say it’s not a canonical look, but I like it. We met a fox and a bird. The animals here are not afraid of people and let you get very close. I won’t describe the mountain, which has become a Mecca for photographers all over the world. I would really like to get here at sunset and at night.
On this iconic places The main part of the program has been watched, another day in Los Glaciares Park, walks to the glaciers and return to Buenos Aires.
Traveling Patagonia - Iguazu Falls
During my youth, in the first years of KPI, when VKonktakte was still gaining popularity and I was visualizing my goals, an album was created with the title “My Goals, My Dreams.” Now he seems to me very naive and for the most part with stereotyped “goals/dreams” imposed by society and the environment. But one of the goals was formulated something like this: “Visit the greatest waterfalls in the world.” Well, it has begun.
17 hours in a very comfortable bus passed quickly. Jokes with the division into favelas (cama) and masters (supercama), the opportunity to sort through photos, food and free wine - and now we are already in the town of Puerto Iguazu. Without wasting time, we change buses and go to the waterfalls from the Argentine side. We are in a hurry, because the entrance to the Devil's Throat closes at 4 pm. A 700m walk through the park, 20 minutes by local train and a little more than 1km on platforms over the water, and here we are at our goal.
I have seen many beautiful waterfalls, but this was the first time I saw so much falling water, beautifully decorated with tropical flora. The scale cannot be conveyed in words or photos. Iguazu consists of 275 waterfalls, each of which can lay claim to the largest and most beautiful waterfalls I have ever seen. The total width of the complex is 3 km, and the Devil's Throat is the most interesting (but not the most picturesque) place. The path actually leads to the place where the water falls, and the spray from the waterfall is better than any shower. Within a minute you are completely wet. It’s very difficult to shoot without getting the lens filled with drops, but we try.
Among the interesting things in the park, besides the waterfall, are a lot of noses, which I saw for the first time. There were also crocodiles, monitor lizards, monkeys, beautiful birds and butterflies, and a turtle.
For dinner we go to the buffet - these are brilliant establishments. You pay about 20 dollars and eat without restrictions, from juicy meat to desserts.
We get up early in the morning, without even having time to have breakfast. Today we are going to Brazil - to look at Iguazu from the other side. The first thing half the group decided to do was fly in a helicopter, including me. It's not cheap - 10 minutes for 130 dollars. But none of us had flown on helicopters before, and the flight promises new views of the waterfall complex. We're flying.
Of course, it’s not enough time, but I liked it. And the pilot’s turns over the waterfall and the breadth of visibility leave only the best impressions. From the air you can see the entire complex, which is virtually impossible from the ground.
The queue to Iguazu Park on the Brazilian side is visible from afar - several thousand people are twisted in a large snake at the entrance. We got caught... But everything is not so bad, the line moves very quickly - the Brazilians have learned to cope with such a flow. After 20-30 minutes we get on the bus and drive through the park. We get off at the stop where the main one begins. walking route. There are simply countless tourists here, you have to somehow make your way between them, wait for a place at the railing for a photo. But they open great panoramic views to the waterfall, which were not on the Argentine side. There is also an opportunity to approach the “Devil’s Throat” in Brazil. It’s pouring even more here, and because of the water dust you can’t really see anything, so I decided not to go.
The Iguazu program was actually completely completed, we just didn’t have time to go boating. The waterfall left one of the greatest impressions in my life. This is truly an extraordinary place that everyone should visit.
By the way, the Iguazu Falls complex is one of the seven new wonders of the world.
The trip to Patagonia turned out to be very interesting and memorable. I'm sure I'll come back here again. And ahead of Mendoza and.
And tourism, of course. After all, the city is located right on the shore of the Strait of Magellan and is considered, as it were, a starting point for a variety of tourist routes in Patagonia. Magellan discovered these places in 1520, when his expedition tried to find a way out to Pacific Ocean from the Atlantic side. Initially, he christened it the Strait of All Saints, and called the lands around the strait the land of the Patagonians in honor of the local peoples, whose size reminded him of the mythical giant Patagon. Hence the name of these places - Patagonia. The Strait of Magellan has the shape of the Latin letter S, and separates the Brunswick Peninsula, on which Punta Arenas is located, from the island of Tierra del Fuego, which is very close to the mainland; its outlines are visible from the Punta Arenas embankment. And it is called that because Magellan saw fire from the fires from the mainland that were used to warm the Selknam tribes inhabiting the island. It turns out that all the names appeared in these places thanks to Magellan. Colonization of these lands really began quite late, in 1843, when President Manuel Bulnes ordered an expedition to be sent from Ancud (Island of Chiloe) to explore these remote territories. This is how the first settlement arose - Fort Bulnes, where we, of course, later went. A little later, sheep were brought here from the same island of Chiloe, which gave impetus to the development of sheep farming. At the end of the last century, active colonization of these places began, a huge amount of land was distributed, and large farms were created. If the region of lakes was mainly visited by German settlers, Croats and English prevailed here. The most famous and wealthy settlers were the Brown, Menendez and Nogueira families. Punta Arenas is still decorated with the palaces of these families. In fact, they essentially completely exterminated all the local tribes of the Yaganes and Selknam, seized their lands, naturally becoming fabulously rich in the process. This retreat is for general development and a better understanding of the history of this region.
Having thrown our things into the room, we went to have a snack and watch historical Center cities. The weather was surprising with its sharpness and contrast - the sun was shining with all its might, but the icy wind literally knocked us off our feet. The temperature was about 13 degrees, but it didn’t feel more than 5. We immediately felt how strong and cold the wind was here, it just chilled to the bones, we had to warm ourselves up a lot, and I immediately bought myself a woolen hat and thermal strips for my ears. The main attraction of the city is the monument to Magellan, located in the center of the square. The monument is very original. the figure of Magellan rises on the pedestal, and at the base there are lying figures of representatives of local tribes. According to tradition, all tourists must kiss the foot of the Selknam, it is believed that then you will return to Punta Arensa. Of course, we immediately completed this mandatory part of the program and moved on longer.
Journey to the ends of the earth. Patagonia.
Patagonia is an untouched wild land that did not belong to any country until the 19th century. Now it is part of two states: Argentina and Chile.
This is where we are heading in February 2020!
We will spend 13 days on an amazing journey through the most beautiful corners of this region! We will enjoy the landscapes that we read about as children, empathizing with the heroes of the story “The Children of Captain Grand.”
Get ready! This will not be just a trip! This will be a real adventure in the spirit of wild Patagonia.
Group: from 6 participants
Travel format: hiking
Difficulty: medium
14 days in Patagonia
WHAT EXPECTS US
ARGENTINA:
- Let's visit National Park Los Glaciares and the famous Perito Morena glacier, which is constantly in motion;
- Let's take a 3-day walk around Argentine Patagonia;
- We will meet unforgettable sunrises over the peaks of Fitzroy and Cerro Torre;
- Let's unite with world-famous Argentinean steaks;
- Let's get acquainted with the cozy mountain town of El Calafate, located on the shores of Lake Argentino - the largest freshwater lake in the country, with an area of 1.4 thousand sq. km.
CHILE:
- We will take a 4-day walk along the W-track route in one of the most beautiful parks in the world - Torres Del Paine, also called the Blue Towers;
- Let's enjoy the views of the Gray Glacier and the lake of the same name;
- We will see the most impressive panorama of these places at the famous “Torres Towers”;
- We will visit the world's southernmost continental city of Punta Arenas, where there is a view of Tierra del Fuego;
- Let's take a boat ride through the Strait of Magellan and observe the life of penguins and sea lions.
- Hiking experience: in order to visit these places, you do not need to be an avid hiker with great experience! We have guys taking part in our hikes who have never hiked in the mountains before and successfully complete the entire route, having tremendous fun!
- Physical form: The walking part of the route is possible for absolutely anyone with normal physical shape. You will find preparation recommendations
- What to take with you: We will send you a clear list of clothing and equipment that will be useful to you in Patagonia and will advise you on this matter more than once.
- During the walking part of the trip: We spend the night in campsites in tents. For guests there is almost always a cooking room, where you can also arrange evening gatherings, a shower and a toilet.
Program by day
If it were possible, would you be interested in traveling back in time, let's say, 3,000,000 years ago, and observing what our planet was like then?
So, this is real!
And we are going there in February 2020!
After all, it is by visiting Patagonia that you can see our Earth in its youth. After all, it is believed that for three million years its appearance has remained virtually unchanged.
Incredible, right?!
Join our journey and we will show you a truly amazing part of our Planet.
There will be something to tell your grandchildren someday, believe me!
We are waiting for you in our team! :)
14 days at the ends of the Earth!
DAY 1: Group meeting in Patagonia
El Calafate
Today is the day the group gathers in the city of El Calafate (Patagonia), which is located on the shores of the big lake in a country called Lago Argentino, with an area of 1420 sq. km! Just imagine these scales!
We will meet you at the hotel, the coordinates of which will be sent closer to the trip.
Having rested after the flight, we go for a walk around the city. We will spend the evening in a “delicious” restaurant, where we will get to know all the participants while enjoying the taste of famous Argentinean steaks.
We have a long and bright journey ahead of us together.
DAY 2: Argentine Patagonia
El Calafate - El Chaltén - Rio Blanco
In the morning we take a bus to the heart of Argentine Patagonia - the town of El Chaltén. All trails start from here mountain range Fitzroy.
We put on our backpacks and set off to the start of our walking journey. We will pass through an exotic forest along the shore of Lake Capri. On the way, we will have a view of the hallmark of Patagonia - Mount Fitzroy.
We will spend the night at the Rio Blanco campsite.
DAY 3: Dawn over Fitzroy
Rio Blanco - Capri
We get up at 4 am and go to the observation deck on the shores of Lago de Los Tress, which is right at the foot of Mount Fitzroy.
We meet the first fiery rays of the sun on the rocky surface of the mountain, absorb all the beauty of these places and descend back to the camp. Tomorrow awaits us there, our backpacks and a new day of interesting walking through Patagonia towards the Capri campsite.
DAY 4: Dawn on Cerro Torre
Capri - El Chaltén - El Calafate
Today we again begin our day by meeting the first rays of the sun. We enjoy an incredible panorama of the mountain range and one of the hallmarks of Patagoni - Mount Cerro Torre.
In the lagoon, at the foot of the mountain, calved icebergs often drift, which makes the view even more amazing.
DAY 5: Perito Moreno Glacier
El Calafate - Perito Moreno - El Calafate
Relaxation day! We take a bus to the largest glacier in Patagonia - Perito Morenay. Its area is about 250 sq. km
The speed of movement of this ice giant is about 2 m per day (700 m per year), but since entire icebergs break off from it every day, in fact, over the past 90 years, its edges have remained in the same place.
Closer to lunch, when the sun warms up the ice, we will be able to watch how, with an incredible roar, the blue ice separates with many fragments and falls into Lake Argentino. What a spectacle! Those who wish can even walk along the glacier and feel its grandeur even more. You must book a tour in advance.
In the evening we return to El Calafate.
DAY 6: Chilean Patagonia
El Calafate (Argentina) - Puerto Natales (Chile)
Our destination for today will be a small town on the western slope of the Andes mountain range - Puerto Natales (Chile). Which is located on the shore of a very narrow and long fjord, Ultima Esperanza, which translated from Spanish “ last hope" It is also one of the eight pairs of antipodean cities in the world.
We will live in a hotel. We check in and go for a walk.
DAY 7: Torres Towers
Puerto Natales - Torres Towers - Chileno Village
In the morning we take a bus to Torres del Paine National Park, which is also a UNESCO biosphere reserve. Finally, we put on our backpacks and set off on a 4-day hiking trip.
Today, the plan is to reach the Chileno campsite (5 km), where we will leave our things and from where our radial walk along the gorge to Lake Torres, above which rises the three rock peaks of the same name - the Torres Towers - starts. It is not for nothing that this main attraction of the park attracts so many tourists from all over the world.
We take a lot of photos, relax with a gorgeous view and slowly return back to the camp.
DAY 8: Turquoise lake Nordeskhold
village Chileno - village French
We set off further to explore Torres del Paine Park.
This region is rightfully considered one of the most beautiful places on a Planet with a unique combination of mountain landscapes, thousand-year-old glaciers, blue lakes, wild rivers, spacious valleys and green forests. About 118 species of birds and 26 species of mammals also live here. It will be interesting to meet a guanaco or an Andean deer along the way.
Today we are walking along the large lake Nordeskhold with incredibly turquoise water, the shores of which are strewn with small pebbles. If desired and the weather is suitable, you can relax here and take water treatments.
Towards evening we arrive at the campsite. Tomorrow is a special day.
DAY 9: B Ashni Los Cuernos
village French - village Paine Grande
After breakfast we go to the neighboring Italian campsite, where we leave our things and go on a radial walk.
We will walk through the French Valley - one of the most spectacular places on the track. Along the way, we will visit two 360° observation decks to enjoy views of the Cuernos Mountains, the Paine Grande peak, glaciers and the green expanse.
Patagonia will surprise you again with its wild landscapes! Then we return to our backpacks, have lunch and continue our journey along the shores of Lake Scottsburg. We will spend the night at the Paine Grande campsite.
DAY 10: Glacier Gray
K. Paine Grande
One of the most impressive days of the hike! We leave our things at the camp and set off by light pack to the Gray Glacier.
Its area is 270 sq. kilometers and it is part of the great Southern Patagonian Ice Field, the third largest reserve of fresh water on the Planet, after Antarctica and Greenland. In a word, a very spectacular place and one of the calling cards of the national park.
