Eolo Patagonia

a reliable and comfortable lodge

Set around 25 km west of El Calafate, Eolo Patagonia is a very polished and high quality property.

The lodge is located on a 40 square kilometre (15 square mile) private reserve, of sweeping open steppe, set against a backdrop of distant lakes and snow-capped mountains.

The whole property is contained within a single large building, set around a central courtyard. From the outside the design is surprisingly reminiscent of an English mock-Tudor mansion from the 1930s, but inside the decor is simple and relatively modern.

Facilities include a library, television lounge, spa and outdoor jacuzzi.

The property is a member of the Relais and Châteaux portfolio.

Rooms

Guest accommodation at Eolo Patagonia is in 17 suite rooms, all of which have views out over the surrounding steppe …

• Superior Suites : x12 : 37 sqm / 400 sq ft
• Premium Suites : x3 : 46 sqm / 500 sq ft : optional third bed
• Corner Suites : x2 : 48 sqm : 515 sq ft

Activities

Eolo Patagonia provides access to a range of outdoor activities, including access by road to the famous Perito Moreno glacier and various explorations of the local area on foot, by boat and on horse-back.

Eolo Patagonia is usually visited for three nights.

In Argentina only trips, it is almost always visited in combination with a lodge in the El Chalten area further north, which is renowned for its hiking trails.

Trips which combine with Chile head from here by road across the border to the Torres del Paine area, which is best known for its dramatic landscapes and puma tracking experiences. However, these trips are inherently a lot more expensive.

Seasonality

The best time to visit Los Glaciares is generally considered to be during the Oct-Mar southern spring-summer-autumn period.

Los Glaciares officially has a ‘cold semi-arid climate’, with two reasonably well-defined seasons …

During the Oct-Mar summer season the weather is cool and wet. Daytime temperatures usually struggle their way up to around 16C/61F, with nighttime lows holding up around 7C/45F. Rainfall during this period is only around 25mm (1”) per month. Sunshine is around 7-8 hours per day (around 50% of daylight hours, the summer days being very long this far south).

During the Apr-Sep winter season the conditions are significantly colder, but still reasonably dry. Daytime temperatures usually struggle up to around 6C/43F, with nighttime lows falling to around -1C/30F. The rainfall during this period is around 50mm (2”) per month, commonly falling as snow. Sunshine is down around 2-3 hours per day (around 40% of daylight hours, the winter days being very short this far south).

The vast majority of people visit during that Oct-Mar summer season. Personally we enjoy the off-season when, although the weather is colder and the days shorter, the blissful absence of strong winds (usually), coupled with the peacefulness of the area at this time can prove to be a winning formula. This is particularly true if you are keen to avoid the summer visitor traffic.

It also has to be said that the weather in this part of the world is notoriously changeable, you really can experience all four seasons in a single day, so you need to be ready for everything and allow extra time in your trip to ensure that you have the necessary flexibility.

Getting there

Los Glaciares is usually accessed by air from Buenos Aires into El Calafate Airport (FTE).

There are also direct flight connections from Bariloche (around 1000 km further north) and Ushuaia (700 km further south, down at the southern tip of the continent, which is the main jumping off place for cruises to Antarctica).

It is also sometimes possible to connect directly with Almirante Marcos A Zar Airport (REW) in Trelew, for the Peninsula Valdes.

The reserve is also often accessed by road from Torres del Paine National Park, which lies immediately to the south, across the border in Chile, which is in turn accessed by air from Santiago (SCL) into Punta Arenas (PUQ).

a lesser location than other more remote lodges