A Panoramic 4x4 Adventure: Ascent Among Calafate’s Mountains

• Embark upon an off-road panoramic adventure among the mountains of El Calafate

Ready your adventurous spirit and hop on a 4x4 as we head to the rugged scenery of El Calafate’s mountainous landscape. Our expert driver takes you twisting and turning through the muddy terrain on the hills behind El Calafate, as you enjoy beautiful panoramic views of the village, as well as the East side of Argentino Lake, the largest fresh water lake in Argentina. Throughout the journey we’ll ascend to 3440 feet (1050 meters) above sea level, where you will also marvel upon a remarkable view of the Andes Mountain Range, the largest of its kind in any continent, on the planet!

If we get clear skies on our journey uphill, you will be able to see the beauty that is Mount Fitz Roy, one of the most technically challenging mountains to climb on Earth! On average, 1 person reaches the summit of Mount Fitz Roy per year, compared to the average 400 climbers who reach the summit of Mount Everest.

Keep your eyes peeled while we rumble along the rocky road, as you may get to see the region’s famous condors fly high above our heads! Condors are large black vultures that are the highest-flying land birds in the Western Hemisphere, as well as one of the world’s longest living birds, some with a lifespan of over 70 years. The condor is a national symbol of Argentina, and is also considered a symbol of power and health in many Andean countries.

We’ll then step into the shoes of an aspiring archaeologist as we visit the 85 million year old rock formation of Stone Labyrinth, a formation which harkens back to the Cretaceous period, and where ancient fossils are still found today.

From Stone Labyrinth, we’ll begin our descent down the steppes and make a stop at Piedras de los Sombreros (The Hat Rocks). These intriguing rock formations resemble the traditional Mexican “sombrero” (hat). They are made up of iron deposits, and in fact, this is one of only four places in the world where such a formation can be found. In fact, scientists still aren’t sure of the origins of these "hat rocks", making for a unique stop on our tour; ideal for taking one-of-a-kind pictures.

Our tour will draw to a close as we hop back on our 4x4 for a scenic drive back down the hill to El Calafate.

Important: the tour’s exact itinerary and duration may change subject to weather conditions and decisions of the tour guide, in order to optimize your tour experience.