Blue Lagoon | Go Go Chlo

Following my visit to Argentina’s Lake District, I continued my journey South into the center of the Patagonian region and one step closer towards the bottom of the world. This area is full of mountains, and glaciers, and many national parks!

Perito Moreno

After a 13 hour bus journey from El Bolson, I made it to the small town of Perito Moreno. I was the only person to exit the bus at 1am and make my way to my little wooden cabin in the town centre. I had come here for only one reason, to see the Cueva de las Manos, only accessible by car or tour.

Cueva de las Manos (Cave of Hands)

I joined a tour group of Argentine people, and we made our way across some very bumpy roads and past wildlife and huge canyons, before finally arriving at the UNESCO site of Cueva de las Manos. This world famous spot has an amazing collection of ancient cave paintings and hand prints, not inside the cave but across the front of it, along a huge rock face. The guide on the site escorted our group through a long boardwalk running across the side of the paintings and with views of a canyon on the other side.

These amazing paintings crowd the walls and include handprints of adults and children from possibly three different times. You can also see illustrations of animals that they would hunt, geometric shapes, that are suspected to represent a map, and there is even a suspected paw print of a puma! The whole collection is made up of different colours, including yellows and bright blues, and are made from different natural materials. I imagine that the person that discovered this must have been completely astonished by all the haunting raised hands.

Patagonia Park

The tour also included visits to other interesting locations nearby such as the Patagonia Park, which had huge salt flats to see.

The locals prepared a lunch for our group of traditional and locally produced food. It was delicious and in true Argentine style, the portions were huge. I tried to tell the people in the group that I was full, but the little old ladies in the group said they wanted to fatten me up and they are like my ‘abuela’ (grandma) and want to look after me! haha

Coloured mountains

The last stop was an hour hike over some amazing hilltops/mountains that were brightly coloured in oranges, red and yellows. This is due to the properties in the rocks and all the minerals being brought out by rainfall. It was pretty awesome, and the short walk to the top gives you an amazing view!

El Chalten & Fitz Roy

Next stop on my trip was to the little town of El Chalten. Getting there was a struggle. It had been raining the night before, and so they rerouted the bus to the only other motorway that took us to the bottom of the country then we turned back around and went back up… A 10 hour journey took 18 hours… craziness.

On finally arriving, I headed straight out for a short hike to a nearby waterfall. It was great to get some fresh air and put my head under the flowing glacier water. I also got great views of the landscape and the town. El chalten is a part of this natural landscape and is an absolute haven for hikers and climbers.

Laguna de los tres

The next day, I started the strenuous hike of Laguna de los tres to Fitz Roy mountain. This hike is only 20 km but it took me about 9 hours. The final km took about two hours as the climb was a directly up ascent on difficult terrain. Normally I walk 4-5 km per hour.

The trail passes through forests, rivers, lakes and grasslands, as well as going through two campsites. It was a very warm and busy day on the trail, but this gave me the opportunity to meet many people. During my day of trekking, I befriended two different groups from Argentina and a girl from Spain. Making conversation with strangers is one of my favourite parts of solo trekking, as I meet so many interesting people from all around the world.

On reaching the top, I collapsed in a pile for a few minutes, then made my way to the lake that was formed by the melting glacier, and took an icy drink, before taking a dip. I spent a few hours here, relaxing and enjoying the sights of the Fitz Roy mountain and the falling water to the drop below.

El Calafate

Next day, I was off to Calafate, on the other side of the National Glacier Park from El Chalten. This town is bustling with tourist shops and restaurants. I have a dwindling budget so I cooked whilst I was there, but still managed to admire the Patagonian Lambs being roasted over the fire through the restaurant windows.

Perito Moreno Glacier

The main excursion to take from El Calafate is to see the huge Perito Moreno Glacier. You have to take a tour which costs about £35 to get to the glacier which is a few hours away. There is then a small charge for the entrance to the park. We were given four hours in the park. I was given a choice to pay extra for a one hour boat ride that takes you closer to the glacier, but I chose not to take this option, and just enjoyed the various boardwalk routes around the front of the glacier.

This huge glacier is very unique and larger than the entire city of Buenos Aires (which blew my mind)! The glacier is apparently in balance,meaning that it loses the same amount of ice each day as is returned to it, due to how the water flows around it. There are three different routes you can take around the glacier’s boardwalk, and they vary by height and length. I did all three, and found the boardwalk system to be very efficient and plentiful in relaxing balconies where you could eat your lunch and watch pieces of the glacier fall into the water below. This phenomenon was amazing. I saw not only the ice fall and splash against the lake, but also the lower layer of ice boil up to the surface and spin around in circles. Very cool.

Rio Gallegos

My last stop in Argentina for a while, was Rio Gallegos. I came here to the bottom of mainland Argentina, to cross the border into Chile. There is not much to see here but it is a good supply stop, and there are some sculptures along a promenade walk and a small house that you can visit as a free museum.

For now, I am off to Chile, for some more trekking and to see the other side of Patagonia, before I return to Argentina, to visit the bottom of the world…

Iceland and all its wonders…

Considering a break with gorgeous natural typography, a unique culture and opportunities for exceptional relaxation by traditional methods. Take a trip to Iceland…

Iceland

I took a short break to Iceland last year and was blown away by the scenery, culture and relaxation factor. In this blog I will take you through the best things to do in Iceland and how to make the most of those few days away.

A break for 3-5 days can allow you to visit iconic sites such as the Blue Lagoon, the Hallgrímskirkja Church, and the amazing Gullfoss Waterfall. It is also not too difficult to get to with flights from Manchester going directly to Keflavik International Airport up to four times a week and lasting under 3 hours.

Once arrived in Keflavik, the journey to Reykjavik is under an hour by car/taxi or you can also get one of the many bus services into the city. This is best booked in advance to make sure you have a place on the transfer service.

There are several hotels in Reykjavik ranging from 2 – 5*. Reykjavik Residence Hotel is one of the most desirable however; the Best Western Reykjavik hotel remains to be one of our most popular choices with an ideal location close to the main shopping area, clean and comfortable rooms, and a tasty breakfast available.

Bed and breakfast is the most common option for board basis in Iceland which is all you really need in this destination as you will spend most of your time out exploring the amazing scenery and trying local delicacies which normally consist of seafood and traditional stews. Beware that you will struggle to find any proper cheese in this country; as much as I tried I could only get hold of some big slices of mozzarella.

Reykjavik itself is quite small for a capital city but has a great dining culture in terms of food and drink. Dinners are consumed quite early there and bear in mind that drinks can be very expensive, with a glass of vodka and lemonade equalling around £12. Some of the best sites in Reykjavik include the Hallgrímskirkja Church and the Saga Museum.

The church is a huge concrete fortress of perfect symmetry in the centre of the city and has a very modern exterior. The inside of the church is very simplistic with plain walls and clear windows moving away from the traditional stained glass windows, crafted sculptures and detailed tapestries. Although, this plain interior may seem dull at a first look, if you pull up a pew and sit for a few minutes it allows for much clearer thinking without the distraction of different idols and art pieces.

The Perlan Saga Museum is a great attraction to give you an overview of the country and also offers great views of the capital. Sitting on the outskirts of the centre it is easiest to get a bus to this attraction which is easy to purchase from the tourist information office. Alternatively, it can be reached on foot in under an hour from the city centre. The price for the museum is 2000 Krona per Adult. The exhibit shows Iceland’s history and heritage as a timeline of the country and includes models and displays to show the key players in the creation of Iceland and the building of the earliest settlements. Audio guides are also available which are helpful in piecing the displays together. The museum also has a brilliant viewing area to give you a great view of the capital unseen elsewhere, which you can enjoy with a light lunch or a few cakes from their lovely café.

Outside of the city, Iceland offers endless natural wonders to explore and enjoy. Among these attractions, the most popular remain to be whale watching, the northern lights and the golden circle.

If travelling to Iceland at the right time of the year you could see up to 20 species of whales as well as other majestic creatures such as the famous puffins. The most popular whales to see are Minke and Humpback whales but if you are lucky you might even see a Killer whale making its way through. Make sure you time this tour right though… these tours are weather dependent and can be postponed or cancelled if the environment at sea is unsafe.

Iceland is a great place to bundle in a night with the Northern Lights. This natural phenomenon formally known as the Aurora Borealis can be hunted for by evening cruise or even a jeep ride off the beaten track. The best time to see this amazing light show is at the beginning of the year January through to March but again this can be weather dependant as a cloudy night will stop you from seeing the lights.

The Golden Circle is a must do tour when visiting Iceland for a weekend and runs regularly in a loop around South Iceland. This tour includes a visit to the Gullfoss Waterfall, Geysir, and Pingvellir National Park.

Gullfoss Waterfall

The Gullfoss waterfall which means ‘Golden Falls’ is a spectacular sight with three plunges down to the river Hvita. This mass of water could easily compete with the Niagra Falls in magnitude and the experience on offer to tourists. The attraction has three levels of height that it can be viewed from with a long walkway bringing you down close to the final last drop in the fall. Get ready to get sprayed if you decide to wonder down this far though, as the power of the water hits the rocks below.

547464_10151625096341845_1504590416_n

Visiting Geysir you can again see water being thrown into the air. This hot spring bursts from the ground every 15 minutes; the boiling water can be thrown up to 70 metres high. Around this large geyser you will also find several other smaller hot springs and eruptions of steam. This site is almost like a strange minefield as you walk through with sudden bursts of water blowing up around you.

National Park

The Pingvellir National Park is a great place to stop and take in the scenery with the largest lake in Iceland among its surroundings and a beautiful landscape that is untouched by the modern world. Interestingly, you can also walk through the rift valley which is significant in geography as it is the continental rift between the North American and Eurasian plates and has formed an impressive canyon to explore.

On the way out of Reykjavik back towards the airport the final must do place in Iceland to visit is the iconic Blue Lagoon. This geothermal spa derives from a lava field and is rich with natural minerals and bright blue water. You can relax in this glorious oasis with a cocktail from the bar and also enjoy the silica facial solutions available among the rocks around the edge of the waters. This formula and additionally the warm mineral water are said to have rejuvenating, anti-ageing properties whether this is true it is hard to say but it is certainly a relaxing experience with the waters being steaming hot and refreshing.

Iceland

This is probably the most popular attraction in Iceland however which can make it very busy in peak season; this is something to be aware of when choosing which dates to go. There are also several different packages available at the Blue Lagoon, which can include your robe, slippers, a drink and potentially a meal. As well as all the free facial solutions and warm waters you can additionally book other treatments from this retreat including full body massages and full facials. I would certainly recommend this sanctuary to relax in for about half a day, and with regular bus services and storage areas for your luggage and other items it makes a great stop for your way in or out to the airport. This can however be an expensive retreat if not planned carefully, there are a lot of added extras to pay for on arrival if not paid for as part of a package and not planned in advance. Booking in advance is highly recommended to avoid disappointment, as this is such a popular attraction.

This blog has only covered the basics of what Iceland can offer holidaymakers, there is much more to see from great glaciers, to Icelandic horses. There are also many different ways to see this amazing country from short city break to escorted tour.