November 1st
Perito Moreno Glacier! I was picked up by a tour bus at 10 am for the hour-and-a-half ride to the glacier. Along the way, we learned some fun facts about the wildlife, like the guanacos (kind of like llamas) that roam the area—and, apparently, are also eaten by Argentinians (our tour guide suggested trying guanaco empanadas). We also heard about the calafate berry, for which the city of El Calafate is named, and how it’s used in jams and chocolates. Surprisingly, though, there wasn’t much info about the glacier itself. I kept it budget-friendly and didn’t go for the boat ride or glacier trek—maybe that’s where you get all the detailed facts.
From what I searched on my own, though, the glacier is estimated to be around 18,000 years old, formed during the last ice age, and it’s hugeeee—about 100 square miles! It’s also the third-largest freshwater reserve after Antarctica and Greenland. Despite the rainy, windy, and cold ride over, the sky cleared as we arrived, with just some fluffy white clouds drifting across the mountains throughout the afternoon.
I wasn’t sure what to expect going to the glacier—maybe just a big sheet of ice? I thought I’d seen enough ice and snow back home, but the glacier honestly took my breath away. It’s just so massive and stunning with the mountains surrounding it. I loved listening to the loud crashes of ice falling off the glacier and spent the whole afternoon wandering the walkways, soaking in the view.
