El Calafate

316 kilometers from Río Gallegos, capital of the Province of Santa Cruz, there lies the City of El Calafate, named after the small bush from southern Patagonia bearing the same name, as well as its tiny fruit.

El Calafate International Airport, located 23 kilometers away from the center of the city, is the destination of non-stop flights coming from cities like Buenos Aires, Ushuaia, Puerto Madryn, Trelew, San Carlos de Bariloche and Puerto Natales.

Today El Calafate is a world destination. Part of the Patagonian steppe, El Calafate is a significant tourist center that has become famous both in the country and abroad in the last few years. Its luxurious hotels and its typical restaurants have succeeded in positioning this city among the world destinations worth visiting.

The calving of the Perito Moreno Glacier, the Patagonian lamb served at restaurants and the chance to go on the most varied tours summon visitors year round.

The climate at El Calafate is mainly dry. Average temperature in the summer is 19ºC and -2º C in the winter. The sunlight hours vary according to season: in the summer, the sun rises at 5:30am and it gets dark at about 11pm; the day is shorter in the winter, as there are only 8 hours of sunlight.

Los Glaciares National Park occupies an area of about 500 thousand hectares and 47 glaciers start at this large ice field. Marconi, Viedma, Moyano, Upsala, Agassiz, Bolado, Onelli, Peineta, Spegazzini, Mayo, Ameghino, Moreno and Frías are some of the most important.