Page 260 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Argentina

258  ARGENTINA REGION B Y REGION

Exploring the Southern Sector } Lago Roca
34 miles (55 km) SW of El Calafate.
The southern sector of Parque Nacional Los Glaciares Tel (02902) 492-797. @ from El
is characterized by the magnificent glaciers that spill Calafate.  Camping Lago Roca,
downward from the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, the (02902) 499-500 ∑ losglaciares.
great frozen plateau of ice that sits atop the southern Andes. com/campinglagoroca/indexe.html
These glaciers are remnants of the Ice Age, when they A hidden gem, Lago Roca is
stretched far beyond their cur rent boundaries, reaching the a turquoise lake fringed with
forests and over looked by
Patagonian steppe and gouging deep U-shaped valleys as snowy peaks. It offers excel lent
they advanced. On the glaciers’ retreat at the end of the camping and trekking
Pleistocene era, 10,000 years ago, these huge troughs were opportunities. For hikers, the
filled with meltwater, forming the region’s great lakes. highlight is the 3-hour, medium-
level trail to the 4,220-ft
(1,286-m) summit of Cerro
} Glaciar Perito Moreno } Glaciar Upsala Cristal; from the top there are
53 miles (85 km) W of El Calafate. 75 miles (120 km) NW of El Calafate. tremendous views of Glaciar
@ from El Calafate. g from g from Puerto Punta Bandera. Perito Moreno, Lago Argentino,
Península Magellanes. n Ave n Fernandez Campbell, Ave and the Torres del Paine
Libertador 1302, (02902) 491-005. Libertador 867, (02902) 491-155. mountain range in Chile.
∑ parquesnacionales.gob.ar ∑ patagonia-argentina.com At the foot of Cerro Cristal and
Glaciar Perito Moreno is a Although less accessible than by the lake is Camping Lago
spectacular sight at 19 miles Glaciar Perito Moreno, this Roca, which offers plenty of
(31 km) in length and 2.5 miles glacier is far bigger, stretching outdoor activities including
(4 km) in width. Its ice flows to a mammoth 31 miles bicycle hire.
down from the cordil lera into (50 km) in length and covering
the milky, mineral-rich waters a sur face area of 230 sq miles Hostería Helsingfors
of Lago Argentino. (595 sq km). Once the big gest 112 miles (180 km) N of El Calafate.
The most popular way to glacier in South America, it is Tel (02966) 1567-5753. Open Nov–
observe the glacier is from now fast disap pear ing at a rate Mar. ∑ helsingfors.com.ar
the catwalks on Península of 656 ft (200 m) per year and Located on the beautiful
Magellanes, 492 ft (150 m) has lost its title to Glaciar southwestern shore of Lago
across Lago Argentino from the Viedma. Scien tists attri bute this Viedma is Hostería Helsingfors.
glacier’s face. Descending the to global warming. Founded in 1917 by Finnish
catwalks is an auditory and Full-day catamaran excursions pioneer Alfred Ranstrom, the
visual experience height ened to Glaciar Upsala depart daily ranch was named for his
each time a huge chunk of ice from Puerto Punta Bandera. country’s capital Helsingfors
breaks off the glacier’s face and The outward journey sails the (Helsinki in Swedish).
tumbles into the Canal de los Brazo Upsala (Upsala Arm) of At the estancia, guests
Témpanos (Iceberg Channel) Lago Argentino, threading its can choose from eight
in a pro cess known as calving. way through a mass of huge beautifully fitted rooms and
Boat excursions start from blue icebergs towards the enjoy a range of excursions that
docks Muelle Bajo de las glacier’s face. Tour operators include boat trips across the
Sombras and Muelle Perito also take visitors to Glaciars lake to Glaciar Viedma and
Moreno, ferrying visitors to Onelli, Agassiz, and Spegazzini treks into the spectacular
the glacier’s front wall. before returning to dock. surrounding mountains.

The turquoise Lago Roca overlooked by forests and snowy peaks
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp282–3 and pp296–8

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Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
(Source v2.6)
Date 12th July 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm