| El Calafate | ||
.jpg/250px-El_Calafate_-_centrum_-_panoramio_(2).jpg) | ||
Coat of arms and flag   | ||
| State | Argentina | |
|---|---|---|
| Region | Santa Cruz Province | |
| Altitude | 199 m a.s.l. | |
| Inhabitants | 6.410 (2001) | |
| Prefix tel | 54 2902 | |
| POSTAL CODE | Z9405 | |
| Time zone | UTC-3 | |
Position
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| Institutional website | ||
El Calafate is a center in Santa Cruz Province, Argentine Patagonia.
To know
El Calafate is located on the southern shore of Lake Argentino, in the southwestern part of Santa Cruz Province, about 320 km northwest of Río Gallegos, the capital.
The name derives from a small shrub with yellow flowers very common in Patagonia, with dark blue berries: the calafate (Berberis buxifolia).
El Calafate is an important tourist destination, being the starting point for visiting various points of interest in the Los Glaciares National Park, including the Perito Moreno glacier (one of the most visited in the world), Cerro Chaltén and Cerro Torre.
The best for:
- Tango (free lessons)
- Atmosphere
- Argentine steaks like "the double Argentine"
- The glacier Perito Moreno is one of the most beautiful landscapes in the world: massive 3-ton blocks of ice falling from 20m, you can't see it everywhere!
Background
The history of El Calafate began in the first decades of the 20th century. Originally, it was simply a refuge for wool traders. It was officially founded in 1927 by the Argentine government to promote population growth. But the small village, already supplied with electricity, did not grow until the national park was created, and better roads were built to reach it.
How to orient yourself
El Calafate: full screen map.How to get
By plane
- El Calafate International Airport (FTE). The airport is located 20 km east of the town. It was inaugurated in 2001 has daily flights on Buenos Aires is Trelew.
By car
The 220 kilometers that separate El Calafate from El Chaltén, at the northwestern end of Lake Viedma, within the national park, are paved, as are the 315 kilometers leading to Río Gallegos.
How to get around
What see
1 Perito Moreno Glacier. The Perito Moreno is a must. Different options, the organized tour, go alone by bus, or go there alone with your vehicle. The bus from the city costs 100 pesos round trip. Admission costs 100 pesos. Renting a car costs about 350 pesos per day (all prices are from November 2011), more profitable for 4 people than the bus. The advantage is that you can also stay longer and admire the glacier, after the wave of tourists has left the scene on the bus. Don't forget to check out the restaurant at the end, they show impressive videos of large chunks of ice breaking off the glacier.
Events and parties
What to do
Shopping
How to have fun
Where to eat
Where stay
Average prices
- 1 Cerro Cristal, Gregores 989, ☎ 54 2902 491088.
High prices
- 2 Rochester Hotel, Av. Libertador 3614, ☎ 54 2902 495595.
Safety
How to keep in touch
Around
Excursions
Other projects
Wikipedia contains an entry concerning El Calafate
Commons contains images or other files on El Calafate
