Argentina - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 134

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Rancho Grande San Martín 520 T 02962 493005,
W ranchograndehostel.com. This less-than-ideal hostel will
probably be your only option if you come in June or July. The
indifferent owners shut down the main building and house
visitors in dorms in the small cabin next door, which has the
benefit of some rustic charm. Breakfa st is not i included, but
use of a tiny kitchen is. Dorms AR$100 , doubles AR$390

El Muro San Martín 948 T 02962 493248. Steak with
peppers and bacon, sweet and sour ribs, and salmon
sorrentinos are just some of the tempting creations dished
up at this restaurant (mains from around AR$50). There's
a climbing wall out back to help you work up an appetite.
Daily 12.30-3pm and 7.30-11.30pm.
Patagónicus Güemes, at Madsen T 02962 493025. The
best pizza in town (starting at AR$26) is served to hungry
diners at big wooden tables. There's a good range of beers
too. Daily 12.30-3pm & 7-10.30pm. Closed Wed.
Ì La Tapera Av Antonio Rojo s/n T 02962 493138.
When the menu is recited in person by the chef, you know
you're in for food prepared with passion. House staples
include tapas plates, lamb and lentil stew, and vegetable
crepes, and the decor features a wood-burning stove. Mains
start at around AR$50. Daily 12.30-3pm & 7.30-11.30pm.

GUESTHOUSES
Cabaňas Aires del Fitz Ricardo Arbilla 124 T 02962
493134, W airesdelfitz.com,ar. Friendly, family-run set of split-
level cabañas sleeping up to six people; each has a bedroom,
bathroom, kitchenette, small dining area, an d a TV an d DVD
player. Open year-round. No breakfast. Cabaña AR$440

Latitude 49 Güemes, at Madsen T 02962 493347,
W latitude49.com. A justifiably popular B&B with spick-
and-span en-suite rooms, plus a couple of self-contained
apartments; for t he latter, breakfast costs extr a. Closed
June-July. Double AR$290 , apartment AR$420
Ì Nothofagus Bed & Breakfast Hensen at Riquelme
T 02962 493087, W nothofagusbb.com.ar. A bright and
homely B&B with wooden furnishing and a rustic country
feel; three rooms are en suites, while the other four share
a bathroom. There' s a small l library and book exchange.
Closed Easter-Oct. AR$250

EL CALAFATE
If global warming were suddenly to
lay waste to the Perito Moreno glacier,
EL CALAFATE would promptly fizzle out
in its wake. The brazen tourist town,
whose population has tripled to more
than 22,000 over the last decade, exists
primarily to absorb the huge number
of visitors who come to gawk and walk
on one of the world's natural wonders.
Luckily, Perito Moreno is the only glacier
in the nearby Parque Nacional Los
Glaciares to show no signs of receding.
Beyond El Calafate's main drag, Avenida
Libertador, heaving with tourism outfits,
restaurants, supermarkets and a huge
casino, the roads leaving the city centre
become more and more authentic, leading
to wooden farmhouses and pastures where
horses graze. But new hotels are going
up all the time, each one vying for views
of snow-clad Andean peaks and the
milky-blue 1600-square-kilometre Lago
Argentino . High season reaches its crowded
peak in January and February.

EATING AND DRINKING
El Chaltén has a good range of restaurants, but prices are
on the high side. The opening times given below are for
the high season, and should only be taken as a rough
guide; many places close between Easter and October, and
those that stay open have reduced hours.
Ahonikenk Güemes 23 T 02962 493070. An unassuming
diner that serves huge portions of milanesas , pizza and
home-made pasta (including a tasty lasagne) at fairly
low prices (mains from AR$32). Daily 11.30am-3.30pm &
7-10.30pm.
Ì La Cervecería San Martín 564 T 02962 493109. At
the end of a hard day's hiking, you have to fight for a seat
in this snug, driftwood-adorned microbrewery. They'll
bring over popcorn and breadsticks even if you're just
sampling the excellent pilsner (from around AR$25).
There's good grub on offer too, including empanadas . Daily
12.30-3.30pm & 7.30pm-1am.
Domo Blanco San Martín 164 T 02962 493036. The
town's finest ice cream (from AR$15) is served here, as well
as an inventive range of panini, sandwiches and wraps.
Daily 11am-9/10pm.
Estepa Cerro Solo, at Antonio Rojo. Among the upscale
restaurants in town, this is one of the best deals, with Fitz
Roy views thrown in. Go gourmet with dishes like roasted
Patagonian lamb or your choice of wood-fired pizzas or
calzones. Mains from around AR$50. Daily except Mon
noon-3.30pm & 7.30-11.30pm.

WHAT TO SEE AND DO
There are few attractions in El Calafate
itself, although the Centro de
Interpretación Histórica on Brown, at
Bonarelli (daily 10am-8pm; AR$40;
T 02902 492799, W museocalafate.com),
does a dramatic job of recounting the
area's natural and cultural history in
Spanish and English, complete with
re-creations of Patagonian megafauna.