A Glacial Pace

Glacier Grande (the free one) was a bit of a let down. Stubbornly inactive and you couldn't even get close. 3 hour trek there was pleasantly deserted though (we set out at 6:45 am). Only a woodpecker for company (see photo).

We had planned to return the car to Puerto Natales today. This is a return trip of 600km however and a combination of driver fatigue (i.e. me) and potentially not even making the 8pm deadline has seen us extend the rental for one more day. We're instead spending the night in El Calafate again.

Louis was now keen to see the nearby ... Glacier (the expensive one) so we swallowed the NZ $35 fee and drove over. Much grander than the so-called 'Grande' and you can watch up close as the glacier ice cracks loudly and fall. The glacial ice is still in the same position it was when first photographed in 1901. Conclusive evidence against Global Warning perhaps.Read more