El Calafate is located 320 km northwest of Rio Gallegos and it took us 4 hours by bus to arrive. We were sitting in 1st place on the 2nd floor of the bus and were able to admire the scenery at leisure the famous Route 40 which starts just down to Rio Gallegos in Patagonia and back up al extreme northern Argentina. C is the road we'll go back step by step. No relief, extreme aridity of the steppe, a few tufts of grass or bushes buffeted by the wind. From time to time an arrow sign indicating the presence of an estancia, at the end of a dirt road unlikely, with a wooden gate in the middle of nowhere, flying with the wind. Quite small Patagonian ostriches with their thin legs hopping on both sides of the road. And after 3 hours behind a hill, suddenly appears the Andean Cordillera, whose snowy peaks cut into the blue sky. And in the foreground, the Lago Argentino. We are getting closer ... here is the small town of El Calafate on the shores of the lake.
El Calafate is the gateway entrance to the National Park Los Glaciares, in the south-in which is situated the famous Perito Moreno glacier. We meet in Rio Gallegos Jacinta and Adam, a couple of Australians who travel from Sydney for a year and visit Chile and Argentina by car. No way they were not necessary papers to cross the border with Chile and get the vehicle as provided in Ushuaia, they were found here in El Calafate. So, we went to see them yesterday with the glacier Perito Moreno. Los Glaciares Park is located about 60 km west of El Calafate. The road to get there is wonderful. It follows that the Lago Argentino rolls up around the Peninsula Magallanes. With its 1600 km2, the lake is the largest in Argentina and the 3rd of South America. We are amazed by the glacier Perito Moreno in that we start seeing al the road. A series of walkways and balconies allows several levels of s to approach closely. What about this show was breathtaking ... It has picnic front of the glacier and it is still whole after noon al ecouter et al observed (the after noon c is the best time because the bus tours come in the morning, after noon there is no longer big world). For the Perito Moreno lives: ice forms 2000 m in altitude but it is not growing, its mass remains stable because large sections of ice regularly fall of the wall in a deafening roar. Sometimes, the ice melts from below and c is extraordinary to see back to the surface like a huge whale, huge chunks of ice that then go adrift, like icebergs. The Perito Moreno belongs to the Patagonian Icefield 900 km long, divided between Chile and Argentina, which has 48 glaciers, Pio XI which we had seen since the boat Navimag during our crossing between Puerto Montt and Puerto Natales (see section on the crossing in 15-Navimag Chile) . As to the Perito Moreno, it is 15 km long and 5 wide and height above sea level Sea can reach 60m. A wonderfully simple.
On the Lago Argentino at the foot of El Calafate, many birds and flamingos. This March 18 we will walk in El Calafate. There is only one main street, very quiet with shops, restaurants ...
We will continue to go up the Ruta 40 to go tomorrow until March 19 to El Chalten, located this time in North Park Los Glaciares.
0 comments:
Post a Comment