How we spent three days in El Calafate
We spent three nights in El Calafate, in Argentinian Patagonia, in March. We headed into Argentina after hiking the W circuit in Torres del Paine National Park and spending a few nights in Puerto Natales.
Here’s what you need to know about El Calafate.
Where is El Calafate?
El Calafate is a small lakeside town in Argentinian Patagonia. It’s at the edge of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field and most visitors come to see the Perito Moreno glacier to head into Los Glaciares National Park.
How to get to El Calafate?
The easiest way to get to El Calafate is to fly. The airport receives domestic flights from Buenos Aires, Ushuaia, Córdoba and other Argentinian towns. You could also drive or get the bus from most other towns in Patagonia.
Catching the bus to El Calafate
As we were already in Patagonia in Puerto Natales after finishing the W circuit trek in Parque Nacional Torres del Paine, we caught a bus to El Calafate. This means crossing the border during the journey so while you could technically drive between the two towns in ~3.5 hours, the stop in Cerro Castillo for border control can take quite a long time. We queued for less than an hour, but had to wait longer for our full bus to be checked. The next stop at the Argentinian border was quicker and took under an hour.
Overall the journey took about 6:5 hours with Bus-Sur, and we had WiFi, water and snacks, and super comfy seats.
What is there to do in El Calafate?
The town of El Calafate has more going on than I expected seeing as most of its visitors only stay a night or two as a base for their day trip to the Perito Moreno glacier. But the town is actually fairly big with a number of shops, cafes, and restaurants.
Here are some of the most popular things to do in El Calafate:
Take a day trip to Perito Moreno
Wander along by the lake shore
Spend an afternoon at an Estancia
See the flamingoes at Reserva Laguna Nimez
Visit the Glacarium Patagonian Ice Museum
Go to Cañadon de Arroryo
Go horse riding
Tours to El Chalten
Tours to Torres del Paine
Find out more about our day trip to the Perito Moreno glacier here.
Where should I stay in El Calafate?
El Calafate has a number of hostels and hotels catering to different budgets. We spent three nights at America del Sur hostel which cost £308 for a private double room with an en suite and breakfast. We could have stayed two nights here but we added an extra day to relax and get some planning done, and it gave us more time to see the town.
El Calafate is full of hostels and homestays, but we found that choosing one on the eastern side of town meant we were closer to the bars and restaurants. Accommodation on the western side is a little more quiet and remote, especially the hotels close to the lake.
Where to eat and drink in El Calafate
For a small town, El Calafate has no shortage of bars and restaurants, mostly serving traditional Patagonia dishes. But you’ll also find pizzas, burgers, and plenty of Japanese and Korean food too.
These were our favourites:
Comida árabe Elia Esber - amazing food with great hosts
Medio Perro (América del Sur hostel) - good food in a modern bar
Mi Rancho - proper home-cooked Patagonian food
La Trancheria - modern casual dining
Patagonia Brewing Co - a local brew pub
La Zorra - a lively pub with lots of food options
How long to spend in El Calafate
We spent three nights in El Calafate, but depending on your plans two nights could be enough. Visiting the Perito Moreno glacier is the most popular attraction and trips tend to take the best part of a day, so you could easily leave the following morning or even the same night. But we were happy to take things slow and spend a little more time at each stop along our journey in Patagonia.
Find out more about how we spent two weeks in Patagonia here.
What to pack for a trip to El Calafate
The weather in El Calafate can be cold and windy, even in summer months. We visited for three nights in May and the weather was bright and clear, but still quite cool – especially in the evening. The forecast said cloudy, and it was cloudy at the glacier, but in the town we were lucky to have sunshine.
If you’re visiting Patagonia you will need warm layers all year round. So pack warm coats and hiking-appropriate clothing and shoes, as well as lighter and more relaxed clothes for days or evenings spent in the town.
If you’re going to the Perito Merino glacier, the kalabatic winds can be strong and icy, so pack layers. We were lucky and it was fairly warm on the day of our visit but I still packed a fleece and shell jacket, gloves, and a hat.
This is what I packed for our trip to El Calafate and you can find out more about my full packing list for two weeks in Patagonia here.