Patagonia's Glacial Beauty

Of all the images I had expected to lay eyes on at Torres del Paine – snowcapped mountains, mirror-like lakes, barren wilderness – a puma was not one of them. Yet here it was, casually striding across the road in front of our vehicle. Such was my surprise that by the time I got my camera out of its case the cat was almost out of shot, my only photo capturing its tawny back as it disappeared into the long grass, gone as suddenly as it appeared.

I had been exploring Patagonia, a region encompassing the southernmost section of South America, for four days and already I had been treated to an array of picture-perfect sights. In May, outside peak tourist season (November to March), days had been cold but with blue skies. At times it felt like we had the whole place to ourselves – and this is one spot where you really want to absorb the beauty of this vast wilderness away from the crowds.

Torres del Paine National Park is well known to keen hikers, offering walks ranging from day trips to the towers to the popular five-day ‘W’ route and the full eight-or nine-day circuit.

It is also perfect for nature lovers: short, gentle walks get you close to the remarkable flora and fauna, with expert guides on hand to answer questions about the wildlife; highlights are the guanaco (a wild relative of the llama) and birdlife including the huge Andean condor, the Chilean flamingo and the flightless Darwin’s rhea.

My trip began in El Calafate. Once a small village, it’s now the main hub for visits to the glaciers emanating from the great southern ice field, the most famous being Perito Moreno. Los Glaciares National Park boasts 365 glaciers – one for every day of the year; though Perito Moreno is not the biggest, it is the most accessible (just an hour from El Calafate) and, arguably, the most beautiful. It can be viewed from a boardwalk or on a cruise, but one of the best ways to get really close is by trekking on the glacier. I spent an hour and a half ambling over its meringue-like slopes and navigating the small crevasses.

My first view of the glacier had been impressive, but from the different perspective afforded by the boardwalks I realised that I had glimpsed only a small portion; when confronted with the front-on view it took my breath away. I couldn’t believe the amount of ice – it seemed to go on forever. The photos I took that day just could not capture the sheer size, colour and detail – you really have to see it for itself.

Perito Moreno is vast. The face of this mighty ice river is 5km wide, rising some 60m above the water; when pieces from the glacier calve into the water they plummet with a tremendous roar and splash.

Periodically the glacier dams the L-shaped lake, raising the water level by up to 30m. The enormous pressure produced by this mass of water eventually breaks through the ice barrier in a spectacular rupture event – described by my guide as a time when the whole town of El Calafate and the surrounding area shut up shop and come to watch.

The glacier has made its way to the bank of the lake, but it is impossible to predict when the arch of ice will calve; you would be extremely lucky to witness this natural phenomenon – but as I now know, Patagonia is full of surprises!

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