Fate had directed me to Estancia Cristina. A COVID-19 outbreak had cancelled my planned Antarctic cruise from Ushuaia, so my hastily arranged Plan B was to explore Argentinian Patagonia. At first, it felt like no more than a consolation prize, as I couldn't imagine replicating the beauty of the frozen continent. But I couldn't have been more wrong.
There are no roads to this estancia (ranch), just a lavishly scenic three-hour boat transfer from El Calafate to the western edge of Lake Argentino, where the preternaturally teal-blue water meets Upsala Glacier. What was originally a sheep farm, created in 1914 by pioneers Jessie and Joseph Percival Masters, now lies within the boundaries of Los Glaciares National Park. It's a setting to savour. Like a South American Shangri-La, Estancia Cristina sits within a luminous green valley surrounded by snowy mountains.
This story is from the February/March 2023 edition of Wanderlust Travel Magazine.
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This story is from the February/March 2023 edition of Wanderlust Travel Magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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A new dawn for the Garifuna community
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SEASON'S GREETINGS
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Waking a sleeping GIANT
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The rebirth of old JEDDAH
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