El Calafate

With just over 20,000 inhabitants, El Calafate is a small but growing town, mainly thanks to tourism. It’s largest attraction is the Perito Moreno Glacier, which is one of the most accessible glaciers in Patagonia.

I elected to use a guided tour operator, that included a boat cruise to get up close and personal with the glacier, followed by a 4 hour stroll through the nearby park. The magnitude and scope of the glacier is hard to appreciate with pictures, but the edge is 60 meters (200 feet) above the water.

On a funny note, I met a wonderful Quebecer named Danielle, who joined me for the stroll. No one is allowed to laugh at the irony here.

There isn’t much to say about this town, since the pictures already say so much.

El Chalten

An even smaller town, El Chalten has about 1,000 residents.

The first day was mostly spent at a cafe, resting in a hammock while reading my next book, Pragmatic Thinking and Learning. This allowed me to really slow… down… and feel the sun on my face as it slowly inched across the sky, feel the cool breeze gently rock the hammock, listen to fellow patrons plan their next trekking excursion, and lazily watch the wild dogs unsuccessfully chase cars up and down the street.

The following day was 8 hours of trekking to the base of Fitz Roy, with another 3 hours of pausing to enjoy the stunning views. It was another wonderful sunny day, with refreshing winds and shade when needed. About 2 hours into the walk, after passing over mountains and through valleys, deserts and streams, I had a zen moment and truly felt at peace. My mind shifted aimlessly as I walked the path alone, occasionally passing other hikers but thoroughly being present in the moment.

The last 200 meters to the base of the mountain were particularly challenging, but over the last summit were some of the most beautiful vistas I have ever seen. Pictures and videos don’t do the place justice, you need to be there to fully cherish the multi-sensual orgy.

Patagonia is the highlight of the trip so far, and my thanks to Manny for highly recommending it.