webegon

Hello,

I have been skimming this board and others for advice about El Calafate, and haven't quite found the exact answer I'm looking for yet.

I am planning on traveling to El Calafate for 4 days or so during the first week of August. Yes, I know it's the middle of winter, but this is the only time I can travel to Argentina, and I've always wanted to go to El Calafate.

This is my question - how will my options for hiking around Perito Moreno be hampered because of the season? Are tours basically shut down? Is it weather dependent? Or will daily tours go out no matter what?

I was also planning on going to El Chalten. Will it be completely under snow and impossible to reach? If not, will day hikes be available?

And, if El Chalten is not a feasable option, but El Calafate is, where else do you suggest I travel for a day or two outside of El Calafate?

I really really really want to go to this area of the country, but if the hiking tours around Perito Moreno and El Chalten will be shut down in early August, I don't really see the point and would consider visiting another part of the country instead.

Basically I'm looking for some assurances that tours can be scheduled during the first week of August. If this is the case, I will head there in a heartbeat.

Please help me out! Thank you!

avrooster

In more general terms, my advice has always been: unless you wish to ski, in our winter, visit our North (Iguazú, Salta) and in our late spring or late summer, visit our South.

Have a great time in our country.

webegon

avrooster, thank you for your quick reply.

I don't want to ski, but I do want to hike, see Patagonia, and visit El Calafate, and I'm not sure when I'll be able to travel to Argentina again in the future.

El Calafate has been a spot on the Earth I've always wanted to see, and this might be my only chance to see it, and I think it'd be silly to plan a trip to Argentina and not go at all.....unless my hiking/tour options are severely limited.

I know you answered my question generally, but I guess I'm asking specifically - are daily hiking tours, etc., available in August?

If not, then I may reconsider and plan on going to another area of the country. I just really want to see the south and think this might be my only chance......

avrooster

webegon: I did not answer more specifically, simply because I don't know.

If you do not get better answers here soon, I suggest you post your question on the tripadvisor.com Argentina forum, where there are several posters who know more than yours truly about El Calafate.

North or South, I'm confident you'll have a great time in our country.

laurapacas14

Hi Webegon! I know this is an old post, but was wondering if you ended up going to El Calafate in August or not, and if you did, how was it? Did you get to see as much as you wanted? where there tours available? Thank you for your advice!!