EL CALAFATE - New Year at the Glacier

Accommodation

Our budget accommodation was located far outside the center. To get there, we either had to walk for an hour or take a taxi for 2500-3000 Pesos. But since we were the first inhabitants: Everything was so clean and new! We only had a microwave and a mini oven, but no stove, so we had to get creative:)

Attractions

A walk on the Bahía Redonda (round bay) or the Paseo Costanera Presidente Nestor (promenade) is really relaxing. Sometimes there are even flamingos here! I only looked at the Reserva Laguna Nimez from outside, but even from there I saw many of the birds that live in the lagoon reserve. Hopy Beach is also very beautiful. You can watch many water sports athletes taking classes on Lago Argentino and enjoy nature. But it was very windy there, so I didn't stay long. In the town, you can visit the Info Centre for Los Glaciares National Park, where there are also great works by the artist Palo Antimi on display. Finally, we saw the viewpoint over the town, which was not particularly rewarding. We did not visit the Glaciarum because you can only view the museum with a combination ticket (an ice bar) and the price was too high for us. Now to the actual highlight: the Perito-Moreno Glacier. On January 1, 2024, we took a bus from Marga Taqsa for 27000 Pesos per person to the Perito-Moreno Glacier. Because we had had a few drinks the day before, the panic was very great. Will we make it to the bus terminal on time?! Taxis were scarce that day. On our way walking to the terminal, we finally managed to get a taxi. Otherwise, we could have forgotten the glacier, we definitely wouldn't have made it there on time on foot. Also on board were Judith (from Ecuador; we met her on New Year's Eve in a bar) and Anastasia (from Germany; sat in front of us on the bus). In about 1 1/2 hours (with a delay), we first went through 40 km of Patagonian steppe and then another 40 km through the national park with the Magellanic forest. Our bus also let an armadillo scurrying across the road pass, which caused a lot of interest in the bus. At the entrance of the national park, as a foreign tourist you then have to pay the park ranger another 12000 Pesos. I have rarely felt as ill in my life as I did on this bus ride (by the way, it didn't get any better on the way back). The bus driver drove the corners so fast that I would have loved to throw myself out of the bus. But when we finally saw the glacier, it was really impressive. We also had great weather. With our two companions, we then walked along the wooden paths: first the blue route, then the yellow and black ones. The free path system was really great for getting different views of the glacier. On different levels, you could watch the glacier "calve" and see chunks of ice falling into the water. For lunch, we had homemade pizza from the day before, which was super delicious. We saved ourselves the boat trip for 30000 Pesos per person, it was a great experience as it was and we didn't miss anything. We went back with the free shuttle bus. We had to wait a while for our bus, which was to take us back: this one also had a delay. And then, while waiting, someone suddenly came up with the idea that he could jump into the Iceberg Channel for a quick swim. Thanks for that! The journey home was therefore further delayed;) We didn't really care, we didn't have anything else planned. Judith, however, had to fly back to Buenos Aires that day and unfortunately missed her transport to the airport. But luckily this could be solved with a taxi and she arrived in BA well.

Getting Around

As there is no bus in El Calafate, we walked around or treated ourselves to a taxi.

Eating and Drinking

On New Year's Eve we wandered through the city for a long, long time in search of a restaurant. Unsuccessfully. At the Black Sheep we were finally able to sit down at a table with a nice local taxi driver gang, only unfortunately the kitchen had already closed;) But we didn't let that keep us from drinking! On the recommendation of Héctor, the head of the taxi group, we drank Fernet with cola - very delicious! When the four of them were gone, another group joined us at the table: Judith and her friends. With the four of them we then drank in a bar nearby and danced a bit. A very nice evening! By the way, I also went for ice cream, but shhhh, don't tell Pascal! ;) At Helados Tito it was still okay in terms of price (two scoops for 2450 Pesos) and it was also delicious:D Pascal celebrating New Year's Eve in a bar.

Cafes and Restaurants

Oveja Negra and Helados Tito

Plants and Animals

Armadillo

Number of Germans in the City

One

Contact with Locals

Héctor and his taxi gang

People Met

Anastasia, Judith and her friends

Expenses

We treated ourselves to stickers, the drinks on New Year's Eve, ice cream and the trip to the glacier. Plus, I bought an alpaca wool sweater for 36000 Pesos. (Postscript, February 2024: In Buenos Aires I saw the same one again at the market and a grandmother said to me: "Normally it costs 65000 Pesos, but because you are so pretty, I will sell it to you for 60000 Pesos!" - Aaaaaha:D That's how much you earn on such a sweater;)

Typical Stand Offer

Teas, stickers, wool products, incense sticks, bands

Laundry

We washed laundry twice (4700 and 4300 Pesos for about 3 kg each).

Unsolved Mysteries

Why are there only expensive menus (from 80000 Pesos per person) on New Year's Eve and no restaurants that have the normal menu?

Currency

Argentinian pesos

Bus to Puerto Natales

The bus company Marga Taqsa took us to Puerto Natales (Chile) for 29000 Pesos per person. But since you are not allowed to import animal and plant food into Chile and we somehow forgot that: PANIC EATING. We tried to eat as much as possible of our food items on the six-hour journey. We did not always succeed (raw potatoes, raw garlic), but we ate a large part (1 kg of potato salad). Among other things, we unfortunately had to leave the cheese behind, but there was apparently no problem with bread. Well, too bad... At least the sniffer dog was cute. With a big delay we finally arrived in Puerto Natales, where we found our campsite thanks to Pascal's offline map.

Postscript

If you want to see pictures of the glacier and other encounters in El Calafate, you can find them at the following link: https://hoenisch.eu/photo/mo/sharing/qo34fwxvq