El Calafate
El Calafate is a sun-bleached city in the foothills in Southern Patagonia. It's named for the Calafate berry which grows along the river and shores of the lake. You can buy Calafate jams, syrups, pies and tarts in many of the stores along the main street.
This city is dry and windy – really windy. It’s most famous as the gateway to glaciers such as Perito Moreno, but it’s also home to several different bird species, including flamingos.
The lake is surrounded by wetlands which can be explored on foot. At the edge of the city, there is a fenced in reserve called Reserva Laguna Ninez, where for $5 you get one week of access to 4 kms of trails, raised platforms and hides that are idea for birdwatching. The fence is a good thing, because there are no leash laws here and there are a lot of dogs roaming around. Unfortunately, dogs manage to get past the fence all the time and run amok through the lagoons chasing birds away. The hides are nice because they provide some protection from the wind, which has been very strong most days.
I have been taking it pretty easy the last week; watched a few movies (I recommend Don't Look Up on Netflix) and I spent a lot of time reading. I also went to the Glaciarium, which had some history and lots of info on glaciers, but overall it was rather dull. Mostly, I've been walking around the lakeshore. I have seen a lot of different birds, but I don’t have a zoom lens for taking photos, so I don’t have many bird pictures for you. But I’ll share what I do have.
This city is dry and windy – really windy. It’s most famous as the gateway to glaciers such as Perito Moreno, but it’s also home to several different bird species, including flamingos.
The lake is surrounded by wetlands which can be explored on foot. At the edge of the city, there is a fenced in reserve called Reserva Laguna Ninez, where for $5 you get one week of access to 4 kms of trails, raised platforms and hides that are idea for birdwatching. The fence is a good thing, because there are no leash laws here and there are a lot of dogs roaming around. Unfortunately, dogs manage to get past the fence all the time and run amok through the lagoons chasing birds away. The hides are nice because they provide some protection from the wind, which has been very strong most days.
I have been taking it pretty easy the last week; watched a few movies (I recommend Don't Look Up on Netflix) and I spent a lot of time reading. I also went to the Glaciarium, which had some history and lots of info on glaciers, but overall it was rather dull. Mostly, I've been walking around the lakeshore. I have seen a lot of different birds, but I don’t have a zoom lens for taking photos, so I don’t have many bird pictures for you. But I’ll share what I do have.
Sun-bleached street signs
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The bees are huge
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Flamingos look silly in flight
El Calafate Berries
I'll be heading out onto a glacier tomorrow!