Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Patagonia 2012 = El Calafate - Stay 1


After obtaining a new passport for Melissa in Buenos Aires, we were ready to get out of the city again and head South West to El Calafate a town in Patagonia, Argentina (6,540 miles from Denver, as the crow flies). It is situated in the southern border of Lake Argentino, in the southwest part of the Santa Cruz Province. Its name is derived from a little bush with yellow flowers and dark blue berries that is very common in Patagonia: the calafate. Its edible blue-black berries are harvested for jams, but are eaten fresh too — a legend tells that anyone who eats a Calafate berry will be certain to return to Patagonia ... so we did!

El Calafate is an important treking destination as the hub to visit different parts of the Los Glaciares National Park, including the Perito Moreno Glacier, and a jumping off point to the southern parts of the Patagonian Andes.

We checked into the Esplendor Hotel Boutique, toured the downtown area and had an amazing local lamb and fish dinner at Casimiro Bigua. We stayed one night and then headed further South to Ecocamp Patagonia. We'd be back after five days to stay for another two nights in El Calafate.


To view photos from El Calafate - Stay 1,
click the image below:


El Calafate - Stay 1