Patagonia, Part 2

Buenos Aires to Ushuaia through Chilean Fjords


 

We fly LAN Airlines from Buenos Aires to El Calafate, where we spend the night and take a nice hike in a nature preserve. From Calafate, we take off overland the "back way" so we can see more wildlife on our way to the glacier.

There are 7 parts to this photo tale, and all seven show up as links on the left. If your browser doesn't show those links, use the footer.


1. Buenos Aires

2. El Calafate/ Pereto Moreno Glacier

3. Torres del Paine National Park

4. Puerto Natales/ Puerto Arenas

5. Chilean Fjords/ Tierra del Fuego 1

6. Chilean Fjords/ Tierra del Fuego 2

7. Ushuaia/ Buenos Aires



A nature preserve in Calafate, nice hike.


Mountains in the distance now and we are heading towards them.

One of the recurring themes for me is how much parts of Patagonia look like the sandhills area of Western Nebraska. Then the mountains reappear and I'm not in Nebraska anymore!


One of the R&R stops has a lovely view of the mountains - and some super friendly animals!

Our first "WOW" view of the Pereto Mereno Glacier!

Yes, everyone has to pose in front of it, even at this distance.


This glacier is huge! The ship looks like a toy before it.

There are convenient ramps that allow us to easily walk close to the glacier.



I couldn't stop taking photos - if you want to see more, I have so many!


On the left of this photo but out of sight, the glacier is blocking two parts of the lake from connecting. The side we are on keeps getting deeper partly because of the frequent calving of the ice into the lake. At some point, there will be enough pressure to break through and the two lakes will equalize, referred to as the "great rupture." We didn't know whether to wish to see it or not!

View along the top - would be impossible for most humans to traverse this.

A final view and one more "WOW" on our way out.

Drive to Torres del Paine and the Blue Massif


We see perhaps the most famous mountain peaks in Patagonia now, the Blue Massif. (Paine is local language for "blue" and is pronounced PIE-nay.)



As we move on, a herd of guanaco graze near the road. These animals are camelid and related to the Llama, but can't be domesticated.

The male (above) is on the other side of the road on a high spot watching for danger, while the females graze peacefully (below).


It wasn't as cold as I expected, but it was often quite windy.

The natural beauty is overwhelming, as we stop over and over to photograph some beautiful scene.



NEXT

1. Buenos Aires
2. El Calafate/ Pereto Moreno Glacier
3. Torres del Paine National Park
4. Puerto Natales/ Puerto Arenas
5. Chilean Fjords/ Tierra del Fuego 1
6. Chilean Fjords/ Tierra del Fuego 2
7. Ushuaia/ Buenos Aires