Los Glaciares National Park, Argentina

Laguna Oneli, a still lagoon with icebergs at Los Glaciares National Park, with snow-capped peaks in the background
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:LagunaOneli3.jpg
Author: Heretiq


Los Glaciares National Park, or Parque Nacional Los Glaciares, is a national park in Patagonia, Argentina. The national park was created in 1937, and remains the second largest in Argentina. It was inscribed as a World Heritage Site during the 5th session of the World Heritage Committee, which met in Sydney, Australia, on 26-30 October, 1981. The heritage site covers an area of 445,900 hectares in Santa Cruz Province.

The name Los Glaciares refer to the 47 large glaciers fed by a giant ice cap, the largest ice cap outside Antarctica and Greenland. 13 of these glaciers flows towards the Atlantic Ocean.

What to See in Los Glaciares National Park

Los Glaciares has panoramic landscapes of exceptional natural beauty. This ranges from towering mountain peaks to glacial lakes. Among them is Lake Argentino, which is the largest lake in Argentina. It covers an area of 1,466 sq km and extends for 160 km. Three glaciars converge to deposit their effluvia into the lake, creating thunderous splashes as chunks of ice drop into the icy waters of the lake.

Icebergs of the Perito Moreno Glaciar floating in Los Glaciares National Park
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SantaCruz-LosGlaciares-P2150249b.jpg
Author: Marianocecowski


Seracs of the Perito Moreno Glacier breaking off and collapsing into the waters of Los Glaciares National Park
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:PeritoMoreno011.jpg
Author: Christof Berger

Wildlife of Los Glaciares National Park

The wildlife in Los Glaciares National Park includes ñandúes, guanaco, cougar and the endangered gray fox. The guanaco population has also declined dramatically. There are also 1000 species of birds in the park, including condors and eagles.

Los Glaciares National Park World Heritage Site Inscription Details

Location: S 50 0 0 W 73 14 57.984 in Santa Cruz, Argentina
Inscription Year: 1981
Type of Site: Natural
Inscription Criteria: VII, VIII

Visiting Los Glaciares National Park

Your base for visiting this World Heritage Site is Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina. You should find your accommodation in Buenos Aires, and then get your hotel to help you make arrangements for visiting the sights in Argentina. I recommend that you base yourself in Buenos Aires rather than a smaller Argentine city, as you will have more options here. There will be plenty of tour packages to choose from, according to the amount of time you have in your hands.

Getting there

Fly in to El Calafate and then take Route A6 for 80 km due west. For more details, visit www.losglaciares.com.

List of World Heritage Sites in Argentina and World Heritage Sites in the World

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