One Day at Estancia Cristina

Much had we heard about famous estancia Cristina and, the truth was that we had that excursion as a priority none of us wished to miss. According to comments, it involved a navigation across Lake Argentino to land at the estancia (only accessible through the lake). During the voyage, we would approach the huge ice floes that float adrift as passengers observe them from a luxurious catamaran.

The people who search for a place surrounded by woods, lakes and impressive glaciers to enjoy rural tourism have the chance to visit one of the most symbolic venues in the southern region, very close to El Calafate; namely, estancia Cristina.

Its privileged location offers the best land access to the Upsala Glacier and the continental ice field, which turns this site into a paradise second to none. Visitors may choose to stay all day or two days in order to see this wonderful venue, as they can stay overnight.

To reach estancia Cristina, we got on board a luxurious catamaran at Paraje de la Cruz, 40 kilometers away from El Calafate, at Punta Bandera Port. This watercraft leaves very early in the morning.

Before reaching the estancia, where a fleet of 4WD vehicles was waiting for us to tour around and reach one of the Upsala Glacier walls by land, we sailed around ice floes and imposing scenes. The icebergs floating adrift provided a magical sensation to the voyage.

One of the most beautiful shows is put up by calving. The wind, the sun and the rain give shape to the glacier, creating various figures chosen by visitors for their photographs.

We particularly chose the Discovery Upsala tour, which consists in navigating Lake Argentino and its northern arm to the estancia and then access an impressive viewpoint on a 4WD vehicle where it is possible to observe the vastness of one of the faces of the glacier.

Until a while ago, the watercraft used to access the main wall of the Upsala, but a big calving event gave origin to an ice barrier that prevents the boat from taking this route.

The view from the Upsala vantage point is really spectacular. When the trucks left us, we went on a hiking tour that deposited us right in front of the glacier before we could notice. Its beautiful hues appeared before us at once. We were fascinated.

On our way back to the estancia, after an intense reconnaissance of the surroundings, we were told the history of the venue and its ancestors. We ended up sitting at the dining-room, a place specially prepared to entertain guests.

Carefully selected products, including the best Argentinian meat, Patagonian lamb and the tasty smoked cheese, make this time of the day a unique experience for the palate.

In the afternoon, visitors may drop by the estancia museum and see all the objects and elements on display. Afterwards, we went back to the catamaran to return to Puerto Bandera, our final destination.

• Type of tour: Contemplative
• Duration: the excursion takes all day, and there exists the possibility of staying at the estancia overnight.

How to get there

to get to estancia Cristina, it is necessary to get on board the catamaran leaving from Puerto Bandera.

Tips

The program includes access to Los Glaciares National Park, navigation from Paraje de la Cruz at Puerto Punta Bandera up to the western face of the glacier and the estancia, bilingual guides, snack on board, activities menu choice to spend the day hiking and sailing on the catamaran and lunch with drinks can be hired separately. For all these reasons, we recommend that you relax and enjoy the intense day at the estancia.