Glacier Perito Moreno (25 K)

Glacier Perito Moreno
From El Calafate take the Provincial Route 11; skirt Lago Argentino (Bahía Redonda, Isla Solitaria).
You travel along the Patagonian steppe, the natural habitat of guanacos, ñandúes and foxes. During the journey one can see the Comisión Mountain, or De Los Elephants, Río Centinela, the Cerro Frías (gaunacos), several typical Patagonian farms and crossing the river Mitre one enters the National Park Los Glaciares. Travelling 35 km along forests, skirt the Brazo Rico of Lago Argentino.In the Curva de los Suspiros (Bend of the Sighs) (panoramic point), one has the first front view of the glacier.
The glacier or snowdrift is 250 km long and the water enters along a very narrow strip Brazo Rico, in front of the Península de Magallanes where it has 5 km and is 50m high. The Perito Moreno is one of the few glaciers in the world that still grow (approximately 1m a day). The front part of the glacier moves forward to meet with the land in front and thus cuts a part of the lake. Every 4 or 5 years, depending on the movement of the glacier, the Canal de los Témpanos (Channel of the Floes) is closed and the water of the southern arm cannot drain. The level of the water in this sector starts growing. Due to the immense weight of the water, the barrier breaks and the two sectors are united once again.

Glacier Perito Moreno (28 K)

This happens every 4 or 5 years and a great quantity of tourists and reporters from all over the world meet to see the barrier give way to the weight of the water. The big pieces of ice fall into the lake and they become icebergs. The noise of this demolition is heard from El Calafate, 80 km away. Unfortunately, nobody knows when this will happen, and one has to be very lucky or be very patient. The glacier is always on the move, one can almost see how pieces of ice break and then fall into the lake. Floes of 20-30 m fall into the water and then they disappear because of their enormous weight, appearing very slowly again in some remote place, as if taken by a slow motion camera.
It is dangerous to be near the ice since the waves and the pieces of ice that fly can hurt the tourist. The glacier is very impressive at sunset, it is the best moment to hear the floes cracking. The glacier is never in silence. Gangplanks have been built to make it easier and safer for the tourist. It is also possible to see the glacier from the water, since one can take a trip on a boat.
One can make a "nautical safari" which consists of sailing in a catamaran for one hour to see the front wall of the glacier (Brazo Rico of the Lago Argentino), leaving from Bajo de las Sombras (Under the Shade), place located 8 km from the Mirador (Viewpoint).
There are trips every hour in high season. From this pier one can cross the Brazo Rico and walk during 40 minutes until one gets to the glacier. There the tourist is provided with "grampones" special footwear used to walk on the ice. This trip on the ice lasts 1 hour and a half. The use of trekking boots or slippers, gloves, and sun glasses are recommended.