NATURAL ACTIVITIES

The vastness and beauty of the Los Glaciares National Park and the various points of interest hidden in El Calafate invite visitors to practice several activities in full contact with fertile nature. Here we present only a few outstanding tours and excursions to enjoy in the city and its surroundings.

Hikking
The possibilities to practice hiking in the area are quite varied and always across unforgettable sceneries.
Visitors may walk up to the Nimes Lagoons in the surroundings of town and practice birdwatching.
Another alternative is to border Lake Argentino and/or walk to Solitaria Island.
There are various itineraries and authorized camping sites at the Los Glaciares National Park.
Ice hiking may be practiced on the Perito Moreno Glacier in organized outings combined with lake rides.

Horseback Rides
With this kind of excursion, you will be accompanied by a local guide who will escort you along the chosen tour. There are two options:

Short horseback ride to “Redonda Bay”
You may enjoy various tours and rides around the Redonda Bay area, bordering the shores of Lake Argentino where you will watch Patagonian birds (such as flamingoes and black-necked swans) and get a panoramic view of El Calafate from the surrounding mounts. Duration: 2 hours.

Long horseback ride to “the Walichu Caves”
The other choice is a ride bordering the shores of the lake up to the Walichu Caves. Then, visitors will have lunch by the lake. On the way  back, a panoramic view of the city and the Nimez Lagoon is appreciated from the surrounding mounts. Duration: half a day.

Rides on  4 X 4 Vehicles
You may travel across the Patagonian steppe, accessing totally exclusive places with impressive sceneries that may only be enjoyed by people who use this kind of vehicles.

Option 1
One option is to tour the valley of the Calafate Creek passing by a sea fossil deposit where the group will stop for lunch. Afterwards, the base of Mount Centinela is reached and then the Centinela River will be bordered up to Provincial Route 5. Duration: 5 hours.

Option 2
Another option is to leave towards the Huyliche estancia, where the tour will start an ascent up to the “El Calafate Balcony”, from where the village may be obsrved for a few minutes. Crossing totally unspoilt places, visitors may enjoy beautiful sceneries of Lake Argentino from various terraces and, after passing by “El Laberinto de Piedras” (The Rock Labyrinth), the highest terrace is reached (over 1,000 meters of height), from where the Perito Moreno Glacier, Mount Pietrobeli, Torres del Paine, the Baguales Mountain Range and Mounts Torre and Fitz Roy may be observed.

Option 3
Leaving from El Calafate, the tour will go up to 850 m.a.s.l. along the eastern slope of the Huyliche Mountain Range, until the balcony is reached. From there, visitors may enjoy a panoramic view of town and the eastern area of Lake Argentino. After a small descent, the tour reaches a terrace from which the condors' flight may be watched. Then, the group sets out to El Calafate down the northern slope of the mountain range without losing sight of impressive Lake Argentino. Before reaching town, there is a stop to show the distance of the tour. Duration: 3 hours.

Option 4
One of the most beautiful spots in the area is located 50 km from El Calafate. Getting deep into a beautiful forest of lengas and ñires along the shores of lake Rico, the tour will get to the spot where lunch is served while they enjoy the stunning view of Mount Cervantes and the southern face of the Perito Moreno Glacier. Duration: 6 hours.
Fishhing
This zone is considered one of the most important Patagonian salmonidae fishing areas, where fly-casting, trolling and spinning are generally practiced. Large pieces of rainbow trout, land-locked salmon and lake trout, to name a few, are caught here..


Mountain Biking – Bicycles - Quads
Mountain bikes may be rented to tour the district and learn all its secrets.

Rural Tourism
Visitors may observe the typical ranch activities, cattle mustering, sheep shearing, hikes, horseback rides, and other attractions in the tourist estancias.
» Estancia María Elisa:
To the South of the Santa Cruz River, 45 km from El Calafate and 25 km from the airport, lies María Elisa estancia, which offers sceneries of deep ravines and large plateaus with beautiful panoramic sights of Lake Argentino and the main massifs of the South of the Los Andes Mountain Range. The pure fresh air, the quietness, the micro weather of the Bote River Valley protected from the Patagonian wind, a natural safe and quiet environment teeming with wildlife will be present in all the activities proposed by the estancia.
» Estancia Quien Sabe:
Typical Patagonian estancia, pioneer in the area in the growing of fine fruit and the management of modern agricultural techniques and high irrigation technologies.
Visitors will discover the history, the customs and the changes undergone by Patagonia in the last century.
They will visit the old sheep shearing shed, where a typical show will be presented. They will be surprised by the modern productive techniques and, to call it a wonderful day, exquisite Patagonian lamb with salads and desserts made with the fruit grown at the estancia will be served for dinner.
» Estancia Alice – El Galpón:
On the way to Punta Bandera, on paved Provincial Route 11, stands Alice-El Galpón. This is an ideal venue for the development of adventure and eco-tourism, with customized services according to each tourist. Activities such as sheep mustering with kelpie dogs, sheep shearing demonstration, horseback rides and birdwatching in the Los Pájaros Lagoon may be enjoyed there. Furthermore, the venue offers an exclusive inn from where Lake Argentino, Mount Cristal and the Andes Mountain Range may be admired.
» Estancia Huyliche:
In the Tehuelche tonge, it means: people from the South. In the core of the Patagonian steppe, 3 km from El Calafate along Provincial Route 15, located at the foot of Mount Huyliche lies the estancia that bears the same name. This is a ranch which operates with cattle and Creole horses. In consequence, it is the ideal site to enjoy life in the countryside beholding its sceneries of matchless beauty. The estancia offers accommodation and activities such as horseback rides, hikes in the surroundings and rides on 4x4 vehicles.
» Estancia Alta Vista:
It is located in the proximities of Lake Roca and reached through Provincial Route 15. It has a typical mountain range scenery and provides accommodation of exclusive category. The venue was built according to the models of the Patagonian estancias, but with all the imaginable comfort, in order to offer a shelter of peace and beauty.
The estancia offers its visitors the chance to practice activities such as horseback rides, hikes, birdwatching, flower watching, mountain bike rides, fishing and rides on 4x4 vehicles.
» Estancia Nibepo Aike:
Inside the Los Glaciares National Park, 55 km from El Calafate along Provincial Route 15, the estancia is dedicated to cattle and sheep raising. It is a typical Patagonian building, specially adapted to welcome guests. It serves typical dishes based on meat and vegetables, mostly produced at the venue. It also has a quincho to organize Patagonian barbecues. As it is immersed in such a beautiful mountain range scenery, activities such as horseback rides, sports fishing and hiking may also be practiced.
» Estancia La Franka:
The arid landscape that surrounds this pioneer agricultural venue -which is not open to the public- is typical of the Patagonian steppe. The road goes up to a height of 1,000 meters where there is a great view of Lake Argentino and the source of the Santa Cruz River, which crosses Patagonia from West to East to end into the Atlantic Ocean. In this stretch, it is usual to come across guanaco and rheas, which generally flee when they feel the presence of humans.
» Estancia Tapi Aike:
It was founded by German immigrant Mauricio Braun in 1904, and today is managed by his granddaughters. It offers lodging, excursions and homemade food. A paradigm of the Patagonian estancia, it occupies approximately 50,000 hectares, and is located in the middle of a large plain from where a panoramic view of Torres del Paine may be appreciated. The main activity at the estancia is the exploitation of cattle and sheep integrated with tourist activities. At the gate of the estancia, there is a gas station which is the last post before Río Turbio.
»Estancia Cancha Carrera:
It has a beautiful shell built in English architectural style where guests are lodged. The building is practically on the road leading to the Chilean border and the Torres del Paine National Park. Rural tourism activities, hikes along trails surrounded by snow-capped mountains and a hot spring water cascade may be enjoyed inside its boundaries. Its neighboring estancia, Ropal Pacha, which may also be visited, lies some kilometers towards the North.