The Adventures of Jess and Nick: The Real Patagonia

We were due to fly from Bariloche to El Calafate at 9.30am and, as requested, we diligently arrived two hours before departure time (this didn't seem unreasonable as boarding was due to start one hour before departure), only to find all the airline desks were closed and the lights in the departures hall were off. Once things finally opened up we set off on time.

A slither of the turquoise lake from the airport tarmac

From the air we could see that El Calafate is surrounded for miles around by arid hills and valleys with the occasional turquoise lake. The town's main street consists of restaurants, tourist agencies, hotels, hostels and tourist shops. We had a quick stop at a local microbrewery for some beer and pulled meat sandwiches and then headed off to explore the lake. This was our first experience with the Patagonian wind and it was strong (this will be a reoccurring theme) and then returned for an afternoon nap!

We found some wild flamingos hanging out in the shallow waters around the edges.

The main attraction near El Calafate is the Perito Moreno glacier which is located in the Los Glaciares National Park. Whilst anyone can pay to go into the national park only one company has a license to take people on to the glacier. The following day we joined a coach full of other tourists to head to the viewing platforms of the glacier. The initial drive to and into the national park along the edge of the lake was nothing outstanding, then you drive round a corner and suddenly the lake stops and turns into a wall of ice 70 metres high! It almost looks like a scene from Frozen.

We had nearly two hours to walk along strategically placed viewing platforms opposite the glacier where we took photos from every angle and sat watching the glacier as the sky changed and the sun caught different ice peaks. At the same time there were almighty crashes with echoes as parts of the glacier broke off and fell into the lake. We were told that the glacier is currently a constant size and is not shrinking as so many glaciers are. It is hard to describe the glacier with its irregular shapes and different shades of blue, it is quite mesmerising.

These are just a few of the many photos we took!

Can you spot the ice falling into the water?

We were then driven back to the small harbour and boarded a boat which took us across the front of one the glacier's faces and on to the other side of the lake where we would prepare to walk on the glacier.

The view from the boat

On the other side we had crampons strapped on and we walked on the glacier in small groups going up and down the ice humps. The ice appeared a deeper blue in the cracks and crevices. Unfortunately, the rain decided to appear at this stage and conditions became a bit damp, but they brightened up at the end when our group leader provided us with whiskey poured over ice freshly hacked from the glacier.