El Calafate

El Calafate grew from a wool-trading stop into the tourism capital of southern Santa Cruz, strung along the shore of Lago Argentino with a main street of restaurants, outfitters and shops selling lamb, chocolate and calafate berry preserves. Almost everyone here is passing through to the ice: the Perito Moreno glacier is around eighty kilometres west, boats run from Puerto Bandera to the Upsala and Spegazzini faces at the northern arm of the lake, and El Chaltén is three hours north. In town itself, the Glaciarium museum explains Patagonian ice, and the Laguna Nimez reserve on the lakeshore is a flat walk among flamingos, swans and waders within minutes of the centre.

History

Early in the 20th century the spot was simply a shelter for wool traders, and the government founded the town in 1927 to encourage settlement, but growth and better roads came with the creation of the national park nearby in 1937; over the rest of the century international travel, ecotourism above all, raised the population by tens of thousands (Wikipedia, El Calafate).

What's there

• The glacier excursions - departures for Perito Moreno and the lake's ice faces.
• Laguna Nimez - the lakeside bird reserve with flamingos and swans.
• The Glaciarium - the museum of Patagonian ice outside town.
• The main street - restaurants, lamb grills and outfitters along Libertador.

When to go

October to April for full services and reliable excursions; December to February is peak and expensive, with accommodation booked far ahead. Shoulder months are cheaper and quieter with shorter days. Winter reduces boat trips sharply.

What to expect

The town exists for tourism and prices reflect it, from meals to park fees to transfers. It has little character of its own beyond the setting. Wind is severe, and boat excursions are cancelled by it with some regularity.

Nearby

Perito Moreno glacier lies west; El Chaltén is three hours north on the RN40.

Key facts