The Perito Moreno Glacier is located in the Los Glaciares National Park and about 80km from El Calafate where we are staying. Famous for the large pieces of ice falling into or rising out of the Lago Argentina with a great thunder. (very difficult to photograph unless you happen to be taking a picture in that direction at the time, as you see the ice fall before the sound). The glacier is said to be moving at about 2m per day at its fastest point, but unlike many glaciers, the glacier is said to be in a stable condition, neither growing nor reclining since 1917.
At the glacier front, the ice rises about 50 to 60m above the level of the lake, with another 100 – 150m hidden below the lake surface.
We decided to take the mini hiking excursion which includes a visit to the 4km of viewing galleries and 1.5hr walk on the glacier with crampons. The tour on the glacier ends with a whiskey on the rocks, where the rocks are provided by chipping off a part of nearby glacier ice 🙂
This was our last stop on the Ruta 40, and tomorrow we head back to Buenos Aires, and then onto Iguazu the following day.
As with all good routes, you need to have a sign, and here in Argentina the windy tree sign wins….
Round the World 2012 / 2013 