December 29, 2024

Different Activities: Ice Trekking (Fabio and Pierluigi), Lagoon Walk (Nicola and Tony), Trip to … (Stefano and Alberto).

Early wake-up because we need to check out before heading to the glacier. Tonight, we’ll move to a different place, still in El Calafate.

At 8:45, a bus picks up Pierluigi and Fabio for the ice trekking with crampons.

The road to Perito Moreno by bus feels entirely different from the one we biked two days ago: we fly along and reach the park in under an hour.

Having seen it the other day, we don’t have high expectations. Yet, when the glacier comes into view, we’re once again left speechless.

We barely make the cutoff to join the ice trekking—maximum age is 65.

We board a boat, then walk for half an hour to the glacier’s edge, where we gear up: helmet, gloves (to avoid cuts in case of a fall), and finally crampons (Photo 1).

We set off in single file (Photo 2). Walking on ice isn’t easy: you need to keep your legs wide and plant your feet firmly. The surface is composed of countless fragmented pieces of ice (Photo 3).

We cross four different “ice valleys” and even encounter a small stream running through the glacier, disappearing into the depths before finding its way to the sea. The landscape is entirely white, uneven, with beautiful shades of blue.

Toward the end, we take a break on the ice (Photo 4) and enjoy chocolate and whiskey with glacier ice.

The trek ends, and around 2 PM, we have lunch at the refuge.

Before returning, we visit the walkways, hoping to capture some ice collapses on video—but no luck.

We receive a message that our planned accommodation for the evening is unavailable. Thankfully, the hotel where we checked out earlier had last-minute cancellations, and they confirm rooms for us via WhatsApp.

We return to El Calafate before dinner.

The group’s two environmentalists (Toni and Nicola) visit the Kaguna Nunez nature reserve to admire the diverse bird species, including the austral flamingo (Photo) and the black-necked swan.

Meanwhile, Alberto and Stefano opt for a Boy Scout-style adventure by bike, with various stops. Once again betrayed by the bikes, the two brave souls switch to walking—covering 20 km on foot!

Our final evening includes dinner at La Cocina, possibly the best restaurant so far: exquisite meat and pasta that could be served in Italy.

We check the forecast for tomorrow’s stage: it was supposed to be sunny, but now rain seems likely. The wind was predicted to be favorable (from the northwest), but it now seems it will be against us (from the southeast). 🤷🏽‍♂️ Patagonia being Patagonia!