What to do in El Calafate in 3 days

Three days may seem like little for a trip as special as going to El Calafate. However, with good organization and being clear about what to do in El Calafate in 3 days, everything will be much easier. There are many attractions to see in this privileged corner of the Earth, although you play with the advantage that most of them are natural, so if you decide to enjoy nature, you will only have to make a list and choose what you want to see.

What to do in El Calafate in November

Curiously, in El Calafate in November it is not winter , it is a pleasant temperature, although cool, since here it could be said that it is always strong autumn or mild winter. Therefore, if you have a vacation in November and want to know what to do in El Calafate even if you only have a few days, here are some ideas!

Day 1

One of the advantages of traveling to El Calafate in November is that the days are longer , so you will have the opportunity to see more things. We believe that on the first day in this town your first visit should be to the star element of the area: the Perito Moreno.

It is a glacier that measures about five kilometers in length and 60 meters in height. This glacier is already a phenomenon in itself but its appeal is doubled by the spectacle that it offers every few minutes in different areas of the kilometers that make it up: huge chunks of ice are released that fall into the lake and cause a thunderous but wonderful sound to the time.

The excursion to the Perito Moreno can be hiking or on a cruise, although whichever option you choose, it will take up most of the day. However, we assure you that it is worth seeing this natural element, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in the year 81.

Day 2

For the second day, we recommend a 4×4 tour of Lake Argentino. Why? Because from it you are going to enjoy several attractions at the same time. One of them is Estancia Cristina, a small town that can only be accessed by browsing and which was created in 1914 by an American couple.

They all claimed that they were crazy to want to build houses in an area that could even be called ‘the end of the world’, but it was a success and today, it is a tourist attraction and a paradisiacal place in which anyone would like to live.

In addition to Estancia Cristina, this 4×4 tour of the lake will take us to an incredible viewpoint from which to admire the impressive Upsala glacier and the Andes mountain range. Without a doubt, a postcard image that you will continue to admire for several minutes.

Day 3

Surely you did not imagine that three days would be so productive when you thought about what to do in El Calafate. On the third day in this town, we recommend you visit El Chaltén, one of the most beautiful natural corners of Patagonia. It is known as the ‘capital of trekking’ and is recommended as a must-see by the best tourist magazines in the world.

Although it is not an activity for sports professionals, we advise you to take a guided excursion, since you will be accompanied by experts and you will discover many details that you could not have known on your own. One of its attractions is the contrast between its landscapes, where you will see rocky mountains, the intense green of its trees and the blue of its lakes, waterfalls and waterfalls. An idyllic landscape in which you can lose yourself throughout the day.

What to do in El Calafate in January

January is the middle of summer in the Patagonia area. Although El Calafate is a cold area throughout the year, temperatures rise on these dates and that gives us the option of enjoying certain corners and activities that could not be in other colder months. Do you want some ideas?

Day 1

The first day a tour of the glaciers is essential. To make the most of the time, we recommend that you take a cruise on Lake Argentino from which they will show you the Perito Moreno, Upsala and many other attractions that adjoin it.

It is an affordable excursion that is well worth it, and with which you can ‘kill several birds with one stone’.

Day 2

Torres del Paine is our recommendation if you don’t know what to do in El Calafate on the second day. It is one of the most beautiful national parks in the world with views of rocky mountains that are presented with snowy tops at any time of the year, turquoise lakes, heart-stopping waterfalls and some lovely little glaciers. It is an image that lasts forever in your mind.

Day 3

For the day we have two activities also related to nature. One of them is visiting the caves. These show the history with their cave paintings of the Tehuelche civilization as well as of the first expeditionaries who arrived in the area. Doing this tour with a guide will reveal secrets about how their first encounters were and how they got to those caves.

If you start the excursion to the caves early, you can take advantage of the rest of the day to go on a 4×4 safari at the May 25 Reserve . There the animals live in freedom and you will learn a lot about the natives of thousands of years ago as well as their flora and fauna.

As you can see, there is much to do in El Calafate, a corner where nature is the protagonist. Ice, forests, lakes, waterfalls, fauna and many more are the attractions that await you at this point on the planet. Whichever month of the year you choose, El Calafate is always a good option to spend a vacation, to start or finish a route through Patagonia, or simply for a getaway.