Hello Patagonia!
Patagonia is the name given to the lower portion of South America, which is shared by Chile and Argentina. As well as the stark beauty of the landscape and snow-capped mountains, we were here to see the main attraction: the glaciers. The only sensible way to see them is by boat. So, we joined a highly convivial boatload of expectant glacier hunters and sailed for three hours, including a light breakfast, through the stunning Ultima Esperanza Fjord: Patagonia at its best. We manoeuvred past sea lions and finished up close to the amazing (but receding) Balmaceda Glacier, hoping for it to ‘calve’, or break off huge blocks that float serenely down the fjord. These icebergs are a stunning translucent blue, which our all-knowing guide informed us is because there is no air in the ice. Not many people know that, or that this glacier is over 1000 years old.
Serrano Glacier
At the end of the fjord we disembarked and hiked through the beautiful indigenous forest for a kilometre for a close-up of the Serrano Glacier. The lake on the way was very still so the reflections of the woods and mountains were crystal clear and so peaceful! This glacier is stunning up close. If you have never seen glaciers or this wild mountainous scenery before - and I hadn’t - then this trip is a must for you. The great outdoors doesn’t get any more outdoors than this!
Time for lunch
Halfway back down the fjord our boat docked at an estancia, or ranch, for a large Asado al Palo, which is a typical Patagonian BBQ to you and me. What a great, unique experience, and the views all around us all day were sensational.