We entered glacier Argentina from Chile for the first time in the Lakes Region. As the name says the region is punctuated by lakes. While we drove the motorbike along the Route of the Seven Lakes we swear we counted many more!
(View over one of the many blue and quiet lakes in the Lake region.)
The region is also home to the beautiful alpine villages of San Carlos de Bariloche and Junin de los Andes but we did not feel the need to stay in any of those charming places. Our tent offered us the best views over the glacier lakes and the pecking of the woodpeckers the best entertainment in the evenings.
(Very often we had the lakes just for ourselves. No hotel offered such views as wild camping.)
Our adventure on the motorbike continued direction south, to the immense Patagonia, through the famous Ruta 40 whilst constantly being slowed down by the infamous Patagonian wind. We kept advancing against all adversities because we knew which treasures would welcome us soon.
(The legendary Ruta 40 is now mainly tarred but the strong winds make it still a tough road to drive)
A constant and ice cold wind followed us until we finally reached Los Glaciares National Park. We went straight to a hostel where a hot shower and the tastiest empanadas ever brought us back to the state of happy travellers. The kitchen was packed with trekkers and climbers and we had tea with an English guy who had climbed to the summit of the Fitz Roy the day before. We were new there and did not know then that his was indeed a great achievement since there is an average of one successful climb a year… We were dumbstruck and couldn’t help shivering when he told us the macabre experience of passing the dead body of one of the climbers which remains frozen into the wall.
(View of the mount Fitz Roy in the Los Glaciares National Park and one of the most technical climbs in the world.)
Climbing the Fitz Roy with its vertical walls is a task for experts which we would not attempt. Instead we were delighted with the trekking possibilities around the famous Fitz Roy. A 22 km long round trek to Laguna Torre and 25 km long walk to Laguna de los Tres allowed us to go as near as possible of its base and it satisfied our need to absorb this natural environment. For lunch we took those same delicious empanadas we had eaten the day before, and we don’t know exactly why but they tasted better than any Michelin starred meal!
(Having a deserved rest on the trek to Laguna de los Tres, a 25 km walk in the Los Glaciares Park.)
Once we reached the lagoon we were tired but immensely touched by the beauty of the superb views that surrounded us. We had such a strong feeling of accomplishment, as if we had climbed the mount itself.
A couple of days later and still within the Los Glaciares we drove to another wonder of our world: an immense glacier and the most famous of all glaciers – Perito Moreno. The park built panorama platforms at different levels so it is nowadays possible to see the glacier from above, below and eye level. Whichever the perspective, this huge glacier always looks immense. The rumbling noises caused by the calving of the glacier followed by the ice splashing into the water is a unique experience that reminded us of how small we are when compared to nature…
Photo 6: Perito Moreno remains one of the last three glaciers that is not retreating.
We surrendered to the beauty of ice. Being so close to Ushuaia – the departure point of expeditions to Antarctica – we decided we would try to find a place for us in one such expedition to enjoy some more icy landscapes…
You can read this article in French on RTL 5minutes.
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