Video: Breaking the Ice at Perito Moreno Glacier | Patagonia, Argentina

We have only been in Patagonia for two days, and already it’s been an amazing experience; most notably for the spectacularly intense landscape. Here, in El Calafate, the colors are vivid, the land is barren, the water is cold and the ice is thick.

Only 60 minutes away from this small southern town, the most accessible glacier in the world slowly slides and loudly collapses into a neon lake. It is not only possible to clearly view this massive ice sheet, but also trek on top of it and take a boat very close to it’s 55 meter ice wall. That’s getting up close and personal. We couldn’t wait to get there.

To get to the park, we opted to take the true budget traveler’s route; which is to hitchhike it. We were just a bit apprehensive about it at first, but we were able to hitch a ride within a few minutes and the rides were pleasant and friendly. On the way there, Bernt (a baker from Germany that has been living in El Calafate for 16 years) picked us up and gave us a very detailed and amusing history of the glacier and the recent growth of the town. On our return trip, it was time to practice our spanish, as three Paraguayans were kind enough to let us squeeze in for the haul back. (Note: hitching here is very common and safe, so no need to worry mom).

Perito Moreno, as the glacier is called, is quite a sight to witness on a normal day, but we were incredibly lucky enough to arrive a day after a natural glacial dam that held back the water of a large lake started to break. And when this happens (usually about every five years), the water forcefully pushes through and the glacier immediately begins to rupture and collapse, creating something like an ice bridge. Once the water starts moving through the opening, there’s no stopping it.

What happens next is amazing. Chunks of ice sheets continually slide and crash into the water below, causing spectacular splashes and loud explosions of sound. The ice bridge, rather quickly, begins to expand as pieces plummet down into the icy lake. In only three days, the ice bridge will fully rupture and collapse, creating a scene that everyone is excitedly awaiting.

We didn’t get to see this grand climax, but we did catch a few impressive moments on film. Rather than explain it any further, check out the video below from our day trip to Perito Moreno on this very lucky occasion. Hope you enjoy it!