El Calafate has a population of 20,000. I am guessing there are 3,000-5,000 visitors per day during the summer. They range from students traveling with backpack and tent to the well-appointed staying in upscale accommodations. But all seem to have come to experience the wild, beautiful scenery of Patagonia.
The new airport (which was built in 2000) and paving the road to the nearby Los Glaciares National Park a few years ago have helped the increase in tourism . The old airport is the area where we are staying and the terminal is now the bus station. We think that Puerto San Julian (our street) is a former taxiway for airplanes. I don't know if it is true or just local legend, but it is said that Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (the author of The Little Prince and a pioneering aviator) used the old airport.
Most visitors use El Calafate as a base for exploring the nearby glaciers and mountain trails. As we walk about town the tourism footprint is clear. There are many small hotels, B&B's, hostels and rental apartments. 100% of the streets in the center of town are paved, while in the newer growth areas 50% are dirt roads, many with recently built tourist accommodations dotted along the way. The main route through town, Avenida del Libertador Gral. San Martìn, has restaurants, sandwich shops, tour agencies and stores catering to outdoor enthusiasts. But luckily the city has a charm and "real people" feel - it is not a tacky tourist town.
The new airport (which was built in 2000) and paving the road to the nearby Los Glaciares National Park a few years ago have helped the increase in tourism . The old airport is the area where we are staying and the terminal is now the bus station. We think that Puerto San Julian (our street) is a former taxiway for airplanes. I don't know if it is true or just local legend, but it is said that Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (the author of The Little Prince and a pioneering aviator) used the old airport.
Most visitors use El Calafate as a base for exploring the nearby glaciers and mountain trails. As we walk about town the tourism footprint is clear. There are many small hotels, B&B's, hostels and rental apartments. 100% of the streets in the center of town are paved, while in the newer growth areas 50% are dirt roads, many with recently built tourist accommodations dotted along the way. The main route through town, Avenida del Libertador Gral. San Martìn, has restaurants, sandwich shops, tour agencies and stores catering to outdoor enthusiasts. But luckily the city has a charm and "real people" feel - it is not a tacky tourist town.
El Calafate is located on Lago Argentino, so I anticipated a restaurant and/or tourism area along the shore. That is not the case, however the map shows a rambala along the lake. Thursday is a sunny 24C (75F) day and we set off to explore. It always seems to be windy at our apartment, less so in the center of town which is in a small valley. Often the weather application on my phone forecasts 15-16 mph. As we approach the rambala the winds pick up. By the time we are walking next to the lake it is so windy it is impossible to keep our hats on. Talking with some locals we learn this is normal during the summer but not the winter. No wonder the area has not developed commercially and that there are no boats to be seen on the lake!
However the walk along and near the lake provides some interesting scenes.
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