This time yesterday, if you had told me that it was possible to stand in front of a glacier for 5-hours I would not have believed you. But today, that’s exactly what I did.
It’s a 2-hour bus ride from El Calafate to the most amazing glacier that I have ever seen in my life.
“Glaciar Perito Moreno was born to be a tourist attraction. The ideally located Península de Magallanes is close enough to the glacier to provide glorious panoramas, but far enough away to be safe. A long series of catwalks and platforms gives everyone a great view. Hanging around for a few hours, just looking at the glacier and waiting for the next great calving, can be an existential experience. And realize that since you’re 800m away from the glacier, which is the equivalent of a 20-story building, what may seem like a small chunk of ice falling could actually be the size of a car!”
“Few glaciers can match the suspense and excitement of the blue-hued Glaciar Perito Moreno . Its 60m jagged ice peaks shear off and crash with huge splashes and thunderous rifle-cracks, birthing small tidal waves and large bobbing icebergs – all while your neck hairs rise a-tingling. It measures 35km in length, 5km in width and 60m in height. What makes this glacier exceptional is that it’s advancing – up to 2m per day – and constantly dropping chunks of ice off its face. While most of the world’s glaciers are receding, the Glaciar Perito Moreno is considered ‘stable’.”
Excerpt From: Planet, Lonely. “Lonely Planet South America.”
This now ticks off two of my South America ‘must see’.
1. Iguazu Falls
2. Glacier Perito Moreno
Next stage: El Calafate to El Chalten.
