El Calafate

El Calafate, a small town located where the Santa Cruz plateau meets the Andes, is the gateway to the Perito Moreno Glacier, and features all the services required by worldwide travelers in order to enjoy a beautiful stay. Learn all about what there is to see, know and do, guided as usual by Patagonia-argentina.com's experts.

The El Calafate town

The tourist circuit in this region begins at this small town in Southwestern Santa Cruz province, on the south bank of Lake Argentino. If you would like to read a historical brief about El Calafate, please click here.

El Calafate has all the facilities needed to satisfy an ever growing tourist influx: there are hotels from 1 to 4 stars, as well as warm and charming "Hosterías" to stay at. And during summer there are also campsites.

What to see in town?

The design of El Calafate can be divided in two, starting from Libertador Avenue: one half runs from this Avenue up to Lake Argentino, and the other one, southbound, extends up to the hillsides of nearby mounts.

All the commercial activity takes place in this main avenue: here, along six blocks there are shops, restaurants, gift-shops, bars, internet access, etc.

You can take a walk or ride a horse up to the shore of Redonda Bay. There is a wide beach where you can spot cauquenes, black necked swans and flamingos. But El Calafate's main attraction is undoubtedly its proximity to the Glaciers National Park.

This National Park, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1981, gathers many glaciers that once belonged to southern Patagonia's Ice Cap. Among all of them, the most important is the Perito Moreno Glacier. Access to the National Park from El Calafate is via provincial Route 11. It is a 80 Km. road, half of it paved and the rest, inside the Park, gravel.

The climate

At El Calafate the climate is dry, with only 300 mm. rainfall in a year. But inside the Park, which is located towards the west, the situation changes and rainfall easily gets to 1500mm./year. Average temperature is 18ºC (64.4F) in summer, and -2ºC (28.4F) in winter. As a matter of fact, El Calafate is situated at the equivalent latitude of the city of London, Europe, so keep this in mind when packing.

There are not any shops where you can rent special winter clothing, so make sure you bring warm and wind-proof clothes with you.

It is also important to take into account the variation in daylight hours, according to the season: in summer, sunrise is 5.30AM and sunset at 11PM, while in winter sun rises at 9,30AM and sets at 5,30PM.

How to get there?

There are two air transportation routes; one goes directly to the El Calafate airport, but frequencies to Buenos Aires might not be daily. The second route gets first to the city of Rio Gallegos. From there, along National Route Number 5, completely asphalted, 316 km have to be driven to get to El Calafate. There are several regular and tour bus services that go this way, taking about 5 hours to arrive.

If going by car, then the way is first to Rio Gallegos, along Route 3 and afterwards Route Provincial 5.

Distances from El Calafate to:

Bariloche 1449 Km. (via Route 40)
Bahía Blanca 2075 Km.
Buenos Aires 2727 Km.
Córdoba 2732 Km.
Neuquén 1979 Km (via Route 40)
Puerto Madryn 1388 Km.
Ushuaia 863 Km.
Viedma 1785 Km.

Where to stay ?

There are multiple lodging possibilities in El Calafate, from complete five-stars hotels to small and cozy inns. You can also rent a cabin or, during summer, simply camp. Finally, going a few kilometers away from the village, you have the chance of staying in some of the traditional Patagonia Estancias that offer lodging service.

It is also necessary to take into account the season of the year in order to avoid surprises (fully booked hotels). In peak season (october to april) it is absolutely important to make reservations in advance, not only for lodging, but also for excursions. If you don't, you will probably find yourself without a place to sleep, or without vacancies at the excursions. In low season, during winter, some hotels close so, although not mandatory, it is also a good practice to find out in advance if there is availability. Also, certain excursions like Minitrekking on the Glacier and Estancia Cristina (ex Upsala Explorer) do not run during low season.

Excursions from El Calafate

The "must-see, yes-or-yes" excursion is of course the classic visit to Perito Moreno Glacier . You can also take relaxing strolls or ride horses in the surroundings of El Calafate, and get to Nimes Lagoon or reach the shore of Redonda Bay. A bit farther ahead, along the route that leads to the National Park, you can also access Lake Roca. Other option, not always available, is to visit the Rock Paintings at Punta Walichu, but for this you must be always escorted by a guide.

As for the lacustrine excursions, besides the impressive Upsala Explorer, you can opt for a tour to Lake Argentino's North Branch, to discover the Glaciers Onelli and Spegazzini.