- Address: Balmaceda National Park, Puerto Natales, Chile;
- Form: vertical;
- Height: 2035 m.
One of the attractions of Bernardo O'Higgins National Park is the Balmaseda glacier. To get to it is worth it to get a lot of terrific impressions, despite the difficult path and high rates of excursions. Such places where natural beauty has not been disturbed by the interference of civilization, remains ever less.
Balmaceda Glacier - description
The vertical glacier of Balmaceda descends into the strait from a height of 2035 m. It is from there that huge blocks of ice collapse into the ocean. What appears before the eyes of tourists is only one-tenth of the total mass of the glacier, the rest is hidden under water.
Before the tourists Balmaceda appears, as if cutting a mountain, it is surrounded on all sides by green massifs. This is a whole system of waterfalls, eager to enter the bay. The influence of the continent of Antarctica is incredibly great, because in other parts of the world at the same latitude, there are no glaciers in sight.
How are excursions to the glacier?
Excursions begin early and continue all day long, so when arriving in Puerto Natales, you should choose a suitable hotel in which you can stop. Fortunately, that it is not difficult to do this, the city has enough hotels, both fashionable and inexpensive.
The day of the excursion to the Balmaseda glacier begins with a breakfast in the hotel, after which an early transfer to the marina is organized. The maximum travel time is 4 hours, considering that the boat stops. During the stops tourists are shown bird colonies and beautiful waterfalls. Here you can see and make memorable photos of colonies of fur seals, cormorants and other representatives of fauna, which prefer a minus temperature. Upon arrival on the glacier, Balmaceda will be able to admire the vicinity, after which the turn of the no less glorious Serrano glacier .
A visit to the Balmaseda glacier is an amazing experience that opens Chile completely from the other side. Instead of turbulent vegetation, tourists are greeted by waterfalls, fjords and tons of ice. It remains only to be able to perceive the entire beauty of the area and enjoy its greatness.
How to get to the glacier?
The path to the glacier of Balmaceda lies from the city of Puerto Natales . Tourists are brought by boat through the fjord of Ultima Esperanza, whose name translates as "last hope". Such a desperate name the fjord received in honor of the expedition, which tried to cross the strait into the Pacific Ocean. The view that opens during this sea walk is extremely picturesque.