Argentina – Part III
Southern Argentine Patagonia
On December 18th, we crossed the border at Paso del Río Jeinemeni and entered Argentina for the third time, marking the beginning of another Patagonian chapter of our journey. Following the shores of Lago Buenos Aires, we drove east toward Perito Moreno, passing through vast open landscapes defined by endless steppe, wide skies, and strong winds. From there, we continued south and spent the night in Parque Patagonia Argentina, a remote and beautifully preserved area where silence and nature dominate.
The following day, we made a stop in Gobernador Gregores, a small town that serves as a key supply point in this sparsely populated region. After refueling both ourselves and the motorhome, we continued our drive south toward the mountains. By the next day, we reached El Chaltén, the hiking capital of Argentina, surrounded by dramatic peaks and glaciers. Unfortunately, luck wasn’t on our side this time: the weather remained stubbornly grey, windy, and unstable, and even the forecast for the following days showed no real improvement. With limited visibility and poor conditions for hiking, we decided after two nights to change plans and move on.
We headed further south to El Calafate, where we had booked a comfortable apartment to spend Christmas. The slower pace was welcome after many long driving days, and it gave us time to rest, catch up on planning, and enjoy a more relaxed holiday atmosphere in Patagonia.
On December 26th, we visited the famous Perito Moreno Glacier, a place we already knew well from a visit nine years ago. Sadly, the experience this time was quite different. The glacier had noticeably changed—it was clearly smaller, and its imposing ice wall had lost much of its former presence. We learned on-site that since 2020, the glacier has officially begun to retract, a sobering reminder of how rapidly even the most iconic natural landmarks are being affected by climate change.
Strong winds dominated the region once again, forcing us to stay an additional night in El Calafate before continuing our journey. Finally, once conditions allowed, we set off toward Chile. On December 28th, we crossed the border once more at Paso Río Don Guillermo, leaving Argentina behind and heading toward Torres del Paine National Park, ready for the next spectacular landscapes and experiences awaiting us across the border.
