Cruise around the Glaciers

Los Glaciares National Park is one of the most highly appreciated natural monuments in the world. Santa Cruz cruise ship offers an excellent way to approach them and admire them from an exclusive point of view.

We were staying at the City of El Calafate when we resolved to get on board a cruise ship heading for these fascinating ice formations. The navigation would take three days during which we would get so close to the icy walls that we would almost touch them with our bare hands.

Finally, we took a bus ride in the afternoon that would lead us to Port La Soledad, at the hamlet known as Punta Bandera on Lake Argentino to board the ship. Once on the Santa Cruz, we toured around its facilities to make contact with the ship and its crew.

The Moment Had Come

And so we set sail! We slowly surfed on the silent surface towards our destination. We let ourselves be carried away by the passing of time. The afternoon showed its intense red hues. We were invited to move onto the dining-room. We admired the sunset through the large windows as we tasted dinner with pleasure.

The calm waters of Puesto de las Vacas let us get plenty of rest to start the second day with good spirits. After a hearty breakfast, we stood on deck to be delighted by the fresh morning air and got ready to land and go hiking around a green hillside towards a vantage point to catch a glimpse of the Spegazzini Glacier in the distance.

Back on board, the ship sorted out some small ice floes to get closer to the Spegazzini. Suddenly, we were standing right in front of the splendor of that river of ice that seems to into the lake abruptly. We were dazzled by the incredible blue tones and the height, which may surpass the hundred meters at some points. The vegetation made contrast with the white environment offered by the glacier. We had lunch before that geographical feature of intense magnetism. A splendid menu, indeed.

The lake crossing continued up to the Upsala Glacier along the branch bearing the same name. We sailed across the waters amidst majestic ice floes and icebergs up to the farthest point possible as we enjoyed the strange shapes and the infinite shades of blue.

In the evening, we arrived in Toro Bay, on the Mayo Channel. We had dinner unhurriedly and then met at the bar and the other rooms to chat with our hosts and the other passengers. We were in a relaxed mood. We shared and compared our photographs while we had a drink and revised our activities during the day. Before going to bed, we had a look at the sky and were amazed to see the stars shining bright on the dark canvas.

The next morning, the ship was already sailing when we woke up. After breakfast, we landed to pay a visit to the national park and enjoy its Andean forest. We went hiking along a beautiful trail towards the Mayo and Negro Glaciers and reached a shelter used by many expedition members. This scene immersed in the vastness and boasting these icy beauties may only be reached by this vessel.

Afterwards, the Leal navigation charts showed it was time to get deep inside the De los Témpanos Channel, which anticipated the most imposing view of the outing: the Perito Moreno Glacier with its almost three kilometers of width and its constant calving. It is breathtaking. We were thrilled to see that white massif and hear the ice blocks falling into the waters. We were thankful to be there at lunchtime.

As the expedition to the glaciers was coming to an end, we could grasp everything we had learned about them: the politeness with which we had been received and the excellent gourmet cuisine served on board the Santa Cruz. This privileged experience made us honor the spirit of the glaciers.