El Calafate Sports & Outdoors

  Guides attach spikes to dozens of feet
by Veghel
 
  • Guides attach spikes to dozens of feet
      Guides attach spikes to dozens of feet
    by Veghel
  • Self-explaining picture
      Self-explaining picture
    by Veghel
  • Looking down from the higest point of the hike
      Looking down from the higest point of...
    by Veghel
  • The horizon is our limit!
      The horizon is our limit!
    by andal13
  • Two wild animals
      Two wild animals
    by andal13
 

Most Recent Sports & Outdoors in El Calafate

Perito Moreno glacier hike
Veghel profile photo
Veghel 280 reviews
Self-explaining picture
3 more images

In many of the day tour packages to Perito Moreno, a one-hour hike on the glacier is included.
The tour on the ice is nice, but not exeptional. After a short boat trip, it starts with an easy 15-minute walk through woods along the toe of the glacier. At regular intervals, you hear (and sometimes see) ice of the Perito Moreno falling into the lake. The noise is impressive and makes you think that the whole glacier collapses. The walk on the ice takes about 1 hour, which is long enough for most people. The guides will definitely show you how good they are in ice-climbing. You're supposed to say "Ohhh" and "Ahhh"; which some people do indeed. Right after the tour, there is a stop at a day lodge. There is also a small restaurant with insufficient capacity for the amount of people. So you'd better bring your own food and drinks. After lunch, you make a somewhat longer boat trip and approach the huge ice walls pretty closely. They are really impressive, as their height is up to 60 m.

Equipment: The only ´equipment´ that you have to bring yourself are gloves and warm clothing. The tour package includes steel ´spikes´ that the tour guides will attach to your feet.

Updated Apr 28, 2006

Related to:
 Hiking and Walking

Was this review helpful?

Safari N?utico
sof76 profile photo

2.5 out of 5 starsHelpfulness

sof76 640 reviews

La excursi?n consiste en una navegaci?n por el Brazo Rico que permite apreciar los t?mpanos que se desprenden de las paredes de hielo del Glaciar Perito Moreno. Llegando hasta el extremo sur del Canal de los T?mpanos.

Esta excursi?n dura aproximadamente una hora y brinda la posibilidad
de observar con una perspectiva totalmente diferente las impresionantes paredes y picos del Glaciar al nivel del agua (60 metros aprox.) y sus continuos derrumbes.

Written Apr 5, 2006

Website: http://www.elcalafate.com.ar/hielo.html

Related to:
 Sailing and Boating

Was this review helpful?

Many options
sof76 profile photo

2.5 out of 5 starsHelpfulness

sof76 640 reviews

There many options of excursions in Calafate. Check the link I add at this page, and/or write to Horacio at puntocalafate@cotecal.com.ar. He is the owner of a tourism agency in Calafate.

Hay muchas ociones de excursiones en Calafate. Fijate el link que tengo en esta pagina y/o escribile a Horacio a puntocalafate@cotecal.com.ar. El es el due?o de una empresa de turismo en Calafate.

Updated Apr 5, 2006

Website: http://www.elcalafate.com.ar/excursiones.html

Was this review helpful?

After riding
andal13 profile photo

4.5 out of 5 starsHelpfulness

andal13 1287 reviews
The taming of the wild horse

The ride ends in a pulpería (a typical "bar"), where you can have mate and tortas fritas (fried cakes), and have a nice chat with the baqueanos.

La cabalgata finaliza en una pulpería (un "bar" típico), en donde se puede tomar mate con tortas fritas, y tener una charla distendida con los baqueanos.

Equipment: Hunger and appetite

Hambre y ganas de comer

Written Feb 7, 2004

Address: Av. Libertador 4315

Phone: (0054 2902) 49 32 03 - 49 32 78

Website: http://www.cabalgataenpatagonia.com/

Was this review helpful?

Petunia & Andrea: guess who is who
andal13 profile photo

4.5 out of 5 starsHelpfulness

andal13 1287 reviews
Two wild animals

Our group was integrated by four "expert" riders: an Argentinian young girl, a French couple, and the Uruguayan amazon who is writting these lines; the baqueano was Martín (he is not only a real rider; he is a showman!) Our horses were "Tigre", "Luna", "22" and "Petunia"; Martín's mare was called "Norma" (as his ex-wife!). For me, the most difficult activity is to "climb" the horse: I am really short, so the stirrup is almost inacessible for me! After that, everything was a piece of cake! The horses always go behind the baqueano, so you just follow him!

Nuestro grupo estaba integrada por cuatro "expertos" jinetes: una chica argentina, una pareja francesa y la amazona uruguaya que escribe estas líneas; el baqueano era Martín (no sólo es un verdadero jinete; es un showman!) Nuestros caballos eran "Tigre", "Luna", "22" y "Petunia"; la yegua de Martín se llamaba "Norma" (como su ex-mujer!). Para mí, lo más difícil es "treparme" al caballo; yo soy realmente baja, y el estribo me resulta casi inaccesible! Luego de ello, todo marchó sobre ruedas! Los caballos siempre van tras el baqueano, así que sólo hay que seguirlo!

Equipment: A hot bath after riding.

Un baño caliente luego de la cabalgata.

Updated Feb 7, 2004

Address: Av. Libertador 4315

Phone: (0054 2902) 49 32 03 - 49 32 78

Website: www.cabalgataenpatagonia.com

Was this review helpful?

Gauchos de la Patagonia
andal13 profile photo

4.5 out of 5 starsHelpfulness

andal13 1287 reviews
The horizon is our limit!

There are a lot of activities to do at El Calafate; there are so many options... I am not an expert rider... My largest experience comes from the carrousel horses... Despite this, I decided to make a 2 hours cavalcade aoround Redonda Bay, and it was a great experience!
There are different kinds of horseriding (two hours, six hours, five days...); it does not matter if you are not a good rider; the horses are tame, and a baqueano (guide) is always with you. The ride is really great: the landscape is amazing, you can hear the silence... You meet native birds, wild flowers, and the immensity of the Patagonian sky.

Hay un montón de actividades para hacer en El Calafate; hay tantas opciones... No soy una jinete experta... Mi mayor experiencia viene de los caballos de la calesita (tiovivo)... A pesar de esto, decidí hacer una cabalgata de dos horas alrededor de la Bahía Redonda, y fue una gran experiencia!
Hay diferentes tipos de cabalgatas (dos horas, seis horas, cinco días...); no importa si no son buenos jinetes; los caballos son mansos y siempre va un baqueano (guía). El paseo es realmente maravilloso: el paisaje es espectacular, se puede escuchar el silencio... Se encuentran aves autóctonas, flores silvestres, y la inmensidad del cielo de la Patagonia.

Equipment: Bring your wills; they give you the horse.

Traigan sus ganas; ellos ponen el caballo.

Updated Feb 7, 2004

Address: Av. Libertador 4315

Phone: (0054 2902) 49 32 03 / 49 32 78

Website: www.cabalgataenpatagonia.com

Was this review helpful?

Walking over the ice
perfectly_zen profile photo

4.5 out of 5 starsHelpfulness

perfectly_zen 185 reviews

Many tourists do some trekking over a safe part of the glacier Perito Moreno...i donýt know much about it since I have not done the trekking, but this option is offered in many travel agencies, including the hostel Del Glaciar. You pay for the equipment and the guide; for those more experienced, they can try some climbing as well.
Other place to walk over the ice is in the glacier of Lagoa Torre, in El Chaltýn.... you can also arrange that from El Calafate.

Written Dec 10, 2003

Related to:
 Skiing and Boarding
 Hiking and Walking

Was this review helpful?

Comments

Top 3 Hotels in El Calafate

Hotel Kosten Aike

 1 Review and 106 Opinions  El Calafate, small tourist town in the extensive and mysterious patagonian plateu, on foot of the... 

 Hotels in El Calafate

Show Prices

Solares Del Sur

 2 Reviews and 66 Opinions  We chose to stay in a cabin, we like the extra space and quiet. Solares del Sur is out on the edge... 

 Hotels in El Calafate

Show Prices

Hosteria Puerto San Julian

 4 Reviews and 38 Opinions  I stayed at this hotel recently for a total of 4 nights. The hotel is located in area which is... 

 Hotels in El Calafate

Show Prices
Map of El Calafate