Southern Patagonia

Unfortunately for us, the direct route south through Patagonia from Bariloche (along Argentina's legendary (partly unpaved) Route 40) was closed due to winter snows. This, however, did not put us off making the trip as we were determind to get to Glacier National Park somehow.

It took 2 nights and 2 days by bus (with 12 hour stop over at idyllic sounding Comodoro Rivadavia and 6 hour stop at Rio Gallegos on Argentina's east coast) to reach our wilderness destination, El Calafate, in Southern Patagonia. We arrived at our southerly outpost tired but happy.

As it turned out, it was well worth the trip :-)

2 days, 2 nights on the bus is not as bad as it sounds. We've never experienced such luxurious road travel - this was our view through the upstairs front window just before dinner was served :-)

Cold beach front Comodoro Rivadavia (Oil mecca of Argentina) - not everywhere here is set up for tourism!

Outside the Albergue Mochilero hostel in El Calafate - our home for 5 nights and base for exploration.

Hostel living at Albergue!

Sunset views of unfinished hotel over the road.

Ahh, at last we arrive at the Moreno Glacier.

The bobbing iceberg producing glacier didn't dissapoint - was amazing too see the glacier move like this.

Some of the 60m tall, 5km wide iceface.

...was pretty commercial here!

We crossed the lake by boat for a better view....

...then hiked through the forest for an even closer view....

...before sporting some dangerous looking foot accessories.... the "crapon" :)

...then ice hiking above the crevasses.

Cold views from the glacier - would not want to fall into this icy pond.

Would not want to be up here unsupervised with all these newly opened crevasses!

Even the sun came out - happy daze!

Careful self timer shot here with camera hanging from a tree.

Awaiting our boat ride back after the ice hike.


Its was difficult to imagine the sheer size/volume of this glacier. It took 350 years for this ice to reach the lake.

Mountain cloud scenes.

Next day fishing trip - suvi getting creative with one of the many carcasses littering the lake side - must have been a harsh winter out here :-(


Possibly the worlds best fishing spot at the Moreno Glacier lake.

Suvi hoping for the lucky cast!

....no fish this time...try again!!

This WAS the best fishing 'swim' in the world - one of the wilderness rivers flowing into the glacier lake.

This was one of 3 Rainbow trout taken at sunset from the above bend in the river - does not get much better than this.

Paulo and his dad with us - we stopped at this remote bar for a beer / coffee and too warm up before returning home with our catch.

No need to visit the supermarket after todays fishing :-)

Suvi and Martin (hostel manager) preparing dinner.

Doesn't get fresher than this glacial trout :-)