Perito Moreno

Before we decided to do this trip, we didn’t know this small village existed or even why it is important. But after researching and talking to different travellers, everyone said: “This is the most amazing thing I have ever seen.” We heard this again and again and somehow you can’t get enough of these Wow-moments.

The decision was made – we are going to Patagonia. We decided to fly from Buenos Aires because it’s the easiest and fastest way (and the flights aren’t that expensive).

Arriving at the airport, take the shuttle bus (120 pesos) into town and it drops you off right in front of your hotel/hostel. The village reminded us of mountain villages seen on TV – one main street, wooden houses, hotels, souvenir shops and sports equipment shops.

We booked a package: 2 nights + full day Perito Moreno excursion for 1050 pesos (officially=100€, unofficially=64€), which is a good price considered just the excursions cost around 500 pesos.

When we were driving towards the glacier the next morning, huge white tip mountains were emerging in front of us. We stopped at the National Park entrance, where foreigners pay 260 pesos (26€/16€) entrance fee. Since 1981 this park has been a Unesco World Heritage site and it covers around 600.000 hectares. The most famous sight of this park is the mighty white-blue giant Perito Moreno – 60 meter above and 120 meters under water standing proudly in the lake Argentina. The front is around 5 km wide and it’s constantly moving. Every 4-5 years it breaks, crashes into the lake and gives room for new ice.

First we went on a boat tour (250 pesos=25€/16€), where you ride by boat to the glacier and see it from close up. It was nice, but way too crowded on the deck. After that we went to the balconies from where you get to see the glacier right in front of you (we liked this view better) and here the action is happening – we saw giant chunks of ice breaking and falling into the water. What a spectacle! The colours, the sounds (yes, the glacier makes thunder sounds), even the cool feel from the ice something totally unseen und unknown for us. It’s a masterpiece of nature and we are thankful to have seen it.