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Glaciar Perito Moreno
The Perito Moreno Glacier (Spanish: Glaciar Perito Moreno) is a glacier in Los Glaciares National Park in southern Argentina. The glacier is one of the biggest tourist attractions in Patagonia. If you are traveling in Argentina you really have to see the glaciers. The Perito Moreno is certainly worth a visit. After a long drive from El Calafate you will arrive at a hill at the head of the ice mass. From here you already have a nice view of one of the most impressive moments of the trip. Via a series of wooden stairs and paths you reach various balconies. From here you can hear the ice cracking (just like a thunderstorm) and see 'ice cubes' when houses so big fall into the water.
ice dam
What makes this glacier so special is the dam it forms and where it closes the outlet of Lake Lago Argentino. When the glacier has grown and shifted in such a way that it reaches the other side of the water, it forms a natural dam. Meltwater from surrounding glaciers fills the overlying lake until a height difference of about a few meters is reached. The pressure of the water becomes so great that the ice can no longer handle the force. BOOM!! The ice dam collapses under the enormous pressure and the lake flows to a level, carrying huge icebergs with it. This spectacle was initially to be expected once every 4/5 years, but due to recent climatic changes there is no longer much certainty. Nevertheless, this is so special, exciting and spectacular that it should not be missing on your trip through Patagonia
Field trips
It is also possible to on walk the glacier accompanied by an experienced guide. To do this, you take a boat to the side of the glacier, where the ice hardly crumbles and it is therefore safer. After you get off the boat there is an opportunity to go to the toilet and possibly leave your belongings at an office of the glacier guides. Then you go with the guide to a beach just before the glacier. Here are a few more things explained (in English) regarding safety and about the glacier itself. Then you go up the glacier. You get special irons tied under for maximum grip on the ice. Let the real work begin!
Although the glacier appears flat from a distance, it is absolutely not. You ascend and descend continuously and there are also deep holes, so it is important to follow the directions of the guides. Nevertheless, this is doable for someone with a normal condition. If you have the opportunity... this is an absolute must! At the end is a nice surprise to end the tour.
Clothing advice: dress in layers, because despite the cold it can get quite warm. Think of: sturdy shoes (eg mountain hiking boots), warm socks, thermal underwear, windproof jacket, fleece vest, hat, gloves and possibly a scarf.
For more information on this topic, search for walk on Perito Moreno[1] or Perito Moreno Trek[2].
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