Iguassu Falls, 10/27-28/26

 

With our trusty OAT guide, Javi, still with us, we are a smaller group at the falls-- eight of our fellow travelers opted out of this post extension to Iguassu Falls.  There are five our group now, me and Jimmy, Cydette, Robyn and Liz ... and right up to the moment we left the hotel, we weren't sure if the park would be open. Why? Heavy rains linked to El Niño caused record‑level flows at the falls, while extreme rainfall has swollen the Iguassu River (which supplies all the water to the falls) to unprecedented levels.

I grew up in Niagara Falls, NY, so I have seen waterfalls. Iguassu is in a class of its own: On a "normal" day it's twice as high as Niagara, and more than 65 ft wider. It's the largest waterfall system in the world, consisting of 275 individual cascades, stretching over 1.7 miles of the Iguassu River. I can give you statistics, but the raw power we saw here was something else!

We flew from Buenos Aires on Tues, the 26th.  Our Latam pilot circled over the falls twice so both right and left sides of the plane could get a first look.  I guess he was as impressed as the rest of us!  The river looks a bit like our own Big Muddy, the Mississippi, a café-au-lait-color.  The falls is located on the border of Argentina and Brazil. 

We spent two days here, the first on the Argentinian side, and on the 28th, we visited the Brazil side.  The close-up views of the rushing and roaring water were more than slightly terrifying.

Wow!

I've inserted a few videos, which (hopefully) show the thundering water surging beneath our feet and just how near we were to those burgeoning falls.

The buzzards liked the updraft, I guess.

A couple of shots of the Argentine Black and White Tegu, and some of the Black Capuchin Monkeys we saw.  The Howler Monkeys were too high in the trees to get a good picture.  Those Tegu lizards are BIG.

Coati (relative of raccoons) were underfoot and begging.

We were so fortunate with the weather, our good karma is following us!  Rain had been forecast in many areas we visited; instead, we had sunshine!  Jimmy and I brought two pairs of shorts for the "hot" days we'd encounter, but they never came out of the suitcases.  It was, however, a lot warmer here than anywhere else on our trip.

Unbridled force.

Thank goodness this walkway was closed.  The "Devils Throat" was also closed, as was one other due to flooding. Other closures followed the next day.  No problem for us, we saw plenty!

Iguazu Falls is officially recognized as one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984.  Seeing the entire system -- river and falls -- unrestrained and powerful like this was emotional for me. 

There was more. An afternoon with the Guarani indigenous community (above), hummingbirds and butterflies, a jungle walk, pizza with our friends one evening and the long walk back to our hotel, but the falls dominated.

And so, this brings us to the end of our wonderful OAT journey to Chile and Argentina: The Andes to Patagonia, and our post excursion tour to Iguazu Falls.  Though we didn't want to, we jammed our smelly clothes back in our luggage, and on Thursday we began the nightmare trip home.  Because the main Buenos Aires airport was resurfacing their runways (!!), we had to fly from Iguassu Falls to Sao Paolo Brazil, and then we were on the red eye to Miami.  Hours later we boarded a plane to Minneapolis, a short layover, and finally:  Sacramento.  We arrived home around 11pm Friday.  Dog tired, but still okay.

It was worth it.

Icing on the Cake! Saturday, 10/24/26

 

We knew it had to be great -- OAT saving the best for the last of our Patagonian adventures.  Today is our final day of exploring and we were eager to go, excited to see Argentina's national park crown jewel.

Surrounded by snow-covered peaks, we made our way toward Los Glaciares National Park and Perito Moreno Glacier.

I thought I'd include a South America map FYI.  Directly above El Calafate, the big red dot is about where Perito Moreno Glacier is in Southern Patagonia.

From our hotel, the nat'l park was around 50 miles via Hwy 11.  While still miles away we were beginning to get glimpses of the glacier face.

Established in May 1937, the park covers approx 2,806 sq miles, making it Argentina’s largest national park. Its spectacular landscape includes granite peaks, ice fields, turquoise lakes, forests, and more than 40 glaciers. The park encompasses part of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, the world’s third-largest ice mass after Antarctica and Greenland. UNESCO added it as a World Heritage Site in 1981.

 

A Chimango Caracara striking a pose.

This is a massive glacier, covering roughly 97 sq miles.  It extends 19 miles in length and rises nearly 240 ft (!!) above the surface of Lago Argentino, and, of course, much of its immense ice mass lies hidden beneath the water.  It's a whole lot bigger than Grey Glacier which we saw a few days previously.

This side of the glacier seemed to be calving a lot, spewing huge icebergs into the water.  Every chunk that splits off reduces the glacier that much more, so while it's exciting to hear/see, it's sad when you think about that.

So, can you imagine being in one of those red kayaks?

A berg of many colors.

The deep turquoise iceberg that resembled an overturned speed boat held our attention.  Nothing else in the water was like it, neither on the visible glacier.  The white boat was dwarfed when it got up close and personal.

Ubiquitous "we were here" photo!

I've seen pictures of this glacier when it was much closer to the land.  Now, the glacier face is about 900'-1000' from the nearest viewing platform.  Be really something to be only 100' away!

We scrambled over an extensive network of elevated wooden and metal boardwalks built into the cliffs facing the glacier, involving stairs, lots of stairs! We had 4–5 separate color-coded circuits to hike in any order, each offering a different perspective ... we put a lot of steps on the ol' fitbit.  And, good news -- part of the circuit is wheelchair accessible.  

 

I can tell you we stood mesmerized for many minutes, eyes trained on the blue ice, listening, looking, appreciating.  Then we'd move on to the next platform and do the same from a different angle.  Sometimes we'd hear a loud CRACK, and heads would swivel to catch the calving if we could.  The glacier sparkled in the sunshine.

Here, I was simply shooting a panorama when I heard the ice fracture, and I quickly panned over to the break.  You'll see it in the video.

The ice debris formed a heart!

THICK ice.

Click here to read recent news of Perito Moreno Glacier, and a bit about its namesake.

And, when it's over, it's over.  What terrific finish!

L-R Suzanne, Mary V, Ed, Shirley, Robin, Cydette, Jimmy, me, Liz, Robyn, Deb, Bernie and Nan.  Kneeling is our local guide, Jima, and atop us all is our irrepressible Javi, Guide Extraordinaire. 

One last over-the-shoulder glance at Perito Moreno Glacier and the icefield.

Well, that's it.  Our 18-day romp through Chile and Argentina, the Andes to Patagonia ends tomorrow when we board flights home or onward to more adventure.  Javi told us early on that ours would be a trip of many contrasts and he was correct -- we've seen a lot of southern South America in a short period of time.  Did we enjoy it, you ask?  Yes, very much, we enjoyed this OAT Trip of a Lifetime!

Always, we have a farewell dinner.  Tonight we'd break bread at Rancho Aparte Restaurant in El Calafate, hosted by the man you see below:  Gabo (nickname), gracious host, chef, and storyteller.  Once again, gathering everyone for a picture is like herding cats.  Hi Jimmy!

Gabo.

So, for Nan and Bernie, Robin and her mom Shirley, Suzanne, Ed and Debbie, and Mary V, have a safe trip home.  It was fun traveling with you guys!  For Cydette, Liz, Robyn, me and Jimmy, (and Javi) we will continue on, from Buenos Aires to Iguassu Falls.  Woohoo, four more days of WOWZERS!  Stay tuned!

El Calafate, 10/22-23/26

 

Sure, it would be a long haul by bus, in part back the way we came toward Puerto Natales, as apparently there's only one decent, drivable road from Torres del Paine to El Calafate.  No worries, plenty of sightseeing stops en route, plus lunch at El Ovejero in Cerro Castillo, a convenient stop for travelers.  After lunch, we'd walk to the nearby Chilean border office to have our passports stamped (no problem). We also changed buses there and picked up our Argentinian driver. The Argentine border was a short distance away.  And off we went!

Lucky us to be in Torres del Paine this morning.  Spectacular sight.

This poor li'l Austral Parakeet crashed into one of the large windows while we were eating breakfast at Lago Grey.  Stunned, it made it onto the tree trunk and sat for a while.  Perhaps it was posing! 

Look at this vista!  The bulky mountain at left is Paine Grande and those on the right are the iconic Cuernos del Paine -- Horns of Paine -- with Lake Nordenskjöld below (I think).  Seen from our vantage point, the panorama of mountains and lake with a small refuge was simply breathtaking.

A close-up of Cuerno Principal's towering peak.

Wowzers!  

Maybe I've already said this, but, for me, seeing and exploring and experiencing magnificent Torres del Paine National Park was a highlight of this OAT trip.

Well, all good things must come to an end, and so we left Torres del Paine and continued on toward El Calafate.  Above, a gaucho captures our attention.

Photo op!

We arrived in El Calafate in late afternoon.  The bus driver took us through town so we could see how close the hotel was to "downtown."  That was nice, we'd have time tomorrow to check it out.

* * * * *

The next morning (Friday), we made our way to a Patagonian estancia (ranch). where the group would learn more about Gaucho culture.  Estancias were/are large rural ranches, historically devoted to sheep and cattle raising; they relied on gauchos to manage livestock across vast, windswept steppe.

We were met by Gerardo, owner and working gaucho of Bon Accord, established by his ancestors in the early 1900's.  Above, you see a fraction of Gerardo's estancia; he has 30,000 acres!  And he manages it with only one full-time helper (which didn't seem possible to us!).  I do not remember how many sheep or horses or cattle he has, but it's a lot. 

Here's Gerardo, giving us the lowdown on his place and the lamb that's barbecuing for our lunch.  His English was quite good -- he's been practicing with his OAT group visits.  He's wearing a traditional Patagonian gaucho cap called a boina ... and each of us was handed a cap and neck scarf to wear.  Some wore theirs better than others. 😊

Gerardo invited us inside and we were given a brief tour.  Then it was time for group participation:  Meal preparation!  Everyone joined in.  Above, these folks are making salsa.  Starting at left -- Jimmy, Liz, someone I can't identify, Mary V, Bernie and Shirley.  They're rockin' their gaucho outfits.

At the other table is Robin, Suzanne, temporary helper on hand for our visit, Javi (barely seen in blue) and then Deb is the lady in green. We were making dessert -- cookies layered with dulce de leche, the rich, caramel-like milk spread beloved throughout Patagonia.  I shredded the white chocolate that was the topper.  (It was delicious!)

Seen on Gerardo's wall.  My sentiments exactly.

While the lamb was on the fire, we gathered in the main room.  Gerardo held sway here, sharing the history of his family and the estancia.  We were served tea and biscuits and listened as he explained the genealogical chart, above.

Next, we were outside on the grounds.

The day was really fine.

We walked to a large pen where Gerardo's dogs demonstrated herding sheep.

And then into the barn.  Here, kitty, kitty!

This was a puma, endemic to the area.  

Gerardo had 10-15 sheep in pens in the barn.  He grabbed one and, while we gathered around, showed how sheep were sheared using hand shears.  Kind of a gasping moment, as I thought about the poor sheep in inexperienced hands, but Gerardo was a pro.  You see that above!

Group photo before returning to the house.

Lunch was ready, time to eat, and we were hungry.  Not the best picture of anyone above, sorry, but I wanted to show how nice the tables were.  Deb, Ed, and Robin begin with salads.

Set high on a stand, our tasty lunch.

We didn't hang around too long after eating.  Gerardo was a gracious host, and all of us were a little more enlightened for having visited him and his estancia.  Back on the bus for the short drive to our hotel.

Instead, we opted to be dropped off in downtown El Calafate, a neat town, lined with shops and restaurants catering to tourists. Jimmy and I enjoyed a Walkabout, peeking in some of the shops. Founded in 1927 as a quiet sheep-ranching settlement, El Calafate, population approx 35,000, has grown into a welcoming destination with tree-lined streets, cafés, artisan shops, and restaurants.  El Calafate takes its name from the native calafate berry, which we have sampled in several forms. Similar to a blueberry, the berry is a local favorite.

Here's Jimmy with the town's fire truck:  Bomberos!

Our hotel -- Kau Yatun Hotel-- which features traditional ranch style architecture, was close enough that we could and did walk from town.  We'd had another full day, enjoyable, and we were tuckered out.  Jimmy and I opted for a quiet dinner at the hotel restaurant.

Tomorrow, we were told, would be the Icing on the Cake ...