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Argentina. El calafate
Having set sail from Punta Bandera harbor at 9AM, we will glide over the waters of Lake Argentino’s Northern Arm to reach the furthest possible point of navigation in the Upsala Channel, where we can enjoy an incredible panoramic view of the Upsala Glacier’s immense front. Then, having disembarked at the shores close to Estancia Cristina, the Discovery group are welcomed by our specialized driver-guides who will help them into their 4×4 vehicles, ready to head off into the wilderness. Our sturdy 4WDs will then venture up into the Feruglio Mountains, a 9.5km ride which offers great views of our surroundings and takes us ultimately to an elevated area where the cars will be parked. Once there, we’ll begin a 20-minute trek over terrain characterized by glacial erosion, until reaching the Upsala Glacier Lookout; an exclusive vantage point for visitors to appreciate this immense glacier that can only be accessed from Estancia Cristina. There will be plenty of time here to enjoy views of Lake Guillermo and the eastern side of the Upsala Glacier, as well as the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, before beginning the 14km trek through Fossil Canyon. The fascinating Cañadón de los Fósiles, which is around 170 million years old, has been named so for its immense concentration of marine fossils, imprints of squid and jellyfish among them, left behind after the last ice age. We can observe a kaleidoscope of colors across this terrain, the canyon’s walls rising beside us as we make a gradual descent until reaching a ravine at the edge of the valley. Along the way, we’ll stop and tuck into our box lunches, before leaving the canyon behindhaving explored it fully, then arriving back at the estancia and later onward to the port.
NOTE: Estancia Cristina guides will determine whether passengers who have chosen this activity can actually participate in it.