- Excursion by bus and boat to the Viedma glacier
- Ice trekking experience with crampons led by a mountain guide
At 8 o'clock in the morning we are ready at the tour operator Viva Patagonia and are charged by the bus. With a wonderful view of the cloudless mountains we drive to the banks of the Lake Viedma. There the ship is ready to take us across the milky water to the glacier tongue. The closer we get to the ice colossus, the stronger the wind gets. Some will follow soon House-sized, glowing blue icebergs and then you can already see the almost 2 km wide edge.
The Viedma glacier covers an area of approx. 575 km² and 35 kilometers long (in comparison, the Aletsch Glacier is 117.6 km), which makes it the largest glacier in Argentina. It is one of a total of 48 outlet glaciers from the Campo de Hielo Sur ice cap. Its entire ice surface is said to be up to four times larger than the more impressive Pertito Moreno. Only that the tongue is much narrower and makes a curve just before the mouth and therefore cannot be overlooked. It also transports a lot more sediments with it. What is more impressive, however, are those deep blue Pieces of the hardest, up to 400 years old ice sheet.
After passing the front, the ship docks right next to it. Divided into groups of 20 people, we start with the Climbing the smooth hill. 25 years ago there was a glacier where bare rock shines today. Yes, the Viedma is also on the retreat! The only question is how great is the human influence on it.
At the top we overlook the wrinkling ice giant. Every tour participant is supported by the three mountain guides crampon dressed and then we can start. We are now walking in rank and file on the glacier. We see deep blue glowing crevasses, caves, holes and faults. Another ephemeral formation is waiting around every corner. While a mountain guide paves the way with an ice ax and crampons, the others are anxious to observe the group and to help.
After a little over 1.5 hours that is expensive but impressive pleasures over. Waiting for the ship, we distort the lunch we brought with us before we head back to the bus from there to El Chaltén in a hurry.
Now we lie down again and enjoy the peace and quiet.
Then it's ours Organize onward travel. Finally we decided to buy a longer bus ride directly to Puerto Madryn for the day after tomorrow and from there to visit the Peninsula Valdés. From here, following the Chilean Careterra Austral further north would be exciting, but using public transport is probably neither easy nor ideal. After dinner we talk a little longer with our older, well-traveled roommate who is traveling alone.
