Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
it exceptional in the world of ice is its constant advance - it creeps forward up to 2m per
day, causing building-sized icebergs to calve from its face. Watching the glacier is a
sedentary park experience that manages to be thrilling.
The glacier formed as a low gap in the Andes allowed moisture-laden Pacific storms to
drop their loads east of the divide, where they accumulate as snow. Over millennia, under
tremendous weight, this snow has recrystallized into ice and flowed slowly eastward.
The 1600-sq-km trough of
Lago Argentino
, the country's largest body of water, is evid-
ence that glaciers were once far more extensive than today.
While most of the world's glaciers are receding, Glaciar Perito Moreno is considered
'stable.' Regardless, 17 times between 1917 and 2006, as the glacier has advanced, it has
dammed the Brazo Rico (Rico Arm) of Lago Argentino, causing the water to rise. Sever-
al times the melting ice below has been unable to support the weight of the water behind
it and the dam has collapsed in an explosion of water and ice. To be present when this
spectacular cataclysm occurs is unforgettable.
Glaciar Perito Moreno is as much an auditory as a visual experience when huge ice-
bergs calve and collapse into the
Canal de los Témpanos
(Iceberg Channel). This
natural-born tourist attraction at PenÃnsula de Magallanes is close enough to guarantee
great views, but far enough away to be safe. A series of steel catwalks (almost 4000m
total) and vantage points allow visitors to see, hear and photograph the glacier. Sun hits
its face in the morning and the glacier's appearance changes as the day progresses and
shadows shift.
There is a free shuttle from the parking area to the catwalks. A closed
refugio
with
glass walls allows for glacier viewing in bad weather; there's also a snack bar and two-
story restaurant Nativos, serving cappuccino and sandwiches to sightseers. If you bring a
picnic, remember that it is difficult and costly to remove trash from the area - please
pack yours out.
For student rates, visitors must have a student ID. The main gateway town to the
park's southern sector, El Calafate, is 80km east of the glacier by road. It's where you'll
find most operators for tours and activities.
Activities
Glaciar Perito Moreno
Beyond a short walk that parallels the shoreline at the boat dock and climbs to the
lookout area, there are no trails in this sector of the park accessible without boat trans-
