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Argentino Lake in Patagonia

The Argentino Lake in Patagonia

The Argentino Lake is one of the most famous lakes in Patagonia. And it´s because the lake receive the mass ice of Perito Moreno Glacier and many other glaciers in Los Glaciares National Park. Due to its surface area of 1,560 km2, Lake Argentino is the largest in the Argentine Republic and the third in South America. At 185 meters above sea level, it has a length of 125 kilometers and a maximum width that ranges between 14 and 20 kilometers.

The lake is made up of a main body and some branches or arms: Upsala arm, North arm, Rico arm and South arm. These last two join with the main mirror of the lake through the Canal de los Témpanos, which passes in front of the Perito Moreno glacier, draining its waters there.

The depth of the lake varies between 35 and 1000 meters. On the south coast and in the center, in front of the Avellaneda Peninsula is 300 meters. Lake Argentino gives rise to the Santa Cruz River that empties into the Atlantic Ocean. The special color of its waters is due to a fine product of the union of glaciers, called glacial milk.

Sailing the lake you can see the Upsala, Spegazzini and Onelli bay glaciers. The navigation is carried out between great icebergs of incredible colors, in excursions that depart from Punta Bandera, 45 kilometers from El Calafate.

This lake has a rare history of frustrated discoveries, described in the physiognomy. In 1873, the sailor Valentín Filberg arrived at the lake and did not baptize it, believing that it was Lake Viedma, discovered by Viedma in 1782. Four years later, Francisco Moreno and Carlos Moyano arrived at the lake proving Feiberg’s error: this was another lake and Moreno decides to call him “Argentino”, on February 15, 1877. Today the lake is crossed by boats that leave from Puerto Bandera and the Bajo de la Sombra, cross the Canal de los Témpanos and enter the North, Upsala and Rico arms.

The Argentino Lake: The biggest lake in the Argentinian Patagonia

Lake Argentino is the largest and southernmost lake in Argentine Patagonia. It is located in the southwestern sector of the province of Santa Cruz.
The lake is located at an altitude of 178 m near the town of El Calafate. It has a surface area of 1,415 km² and an average depth of 150 m, reaching 500 m at some points, which places it among the 20 deepest lakes in the world and the third deepest in America after Lake San Martín and Lake Buenos Aires , both also in Argentina.

It has a main body and two long, irregular arms, which are found within Los Glaciares National Park. Several glaciers drain into them, among which the Perito Moreno and Upsala stand out. On the southern shore of the lake is the city of El Calafate, the most common tourist base for exploring the region.

Description
Like its sister lake Viedma, it is oriented from west to east, and is fed mainly to the west by the abundant rainfall of the Andes Mountains, within which it is located, precipitations that form in these latitudes of very glaciers. powerful. Its hydrographic basin is located entirely in Argentine territory. It receives near its eastern end the outfall of Lake Viedma, the La Leona River. Then it pours its waters into its own mouth, the Santa Cruz River, of which it is therefore the origin.

Lake Argentino is the largest and southernmost of the great lakes in Argentine Patagonia. Its level is 187 meters above sea level. It covers an area of 1,560 km21 and has an average depth of 200 m, reaching 500 m in some places. Its water volume reaches 219.9 billion m3. Its basin covers 15,500 km2 and includes that of Lake Viedma.

Weather in the Argentino Lake

The area experiences a cold semi-arid climate with cool to warm, very dry summers and cool to cold, slightly more humid winters. The extremes of heat and cold in the nearby city are moderated by the influence of Lake Argentino. The city’s boardwalk is located in a large shallow bay that often freezes over in the winter, allowing residents to go ice skating. The highest temperature recorded was 30.7 ° C and the lowest temperature recorded was −17.4 ° C in July 2014.

What is Argentino Lake famous for?

Well, basically for the amazing Perito Moreno Glacier. It´s the lake that receive the ice of the Perito Moreno Glacier, but also from other amazing glaciers you can enjoy in Los Glaciares National Park. From Puerto Bandera, on the shores of the Argentino Lake, you can embark in any of the available boat navigations to enjoy the different glaciers in the park.

Perito Moreno Glacier in the Map — Perito Moreno Glacier

Tours to visit the Argentino Lake and the Patagonia Glaciers

We have many, because the glaciers area is a must-see when you visit Argentina and Chile. One of my favorite tours is the Visiting Patagonia, a great itinerary from Buenos Aires and including Peninsula Valdes, Ushuaia and of course El Calafate and glaciers in Los Glaciares National Park.

Another great tours to visit the glaciers in Patagonia are:

More tours to visit Patagonia?

We have a complete list of tours including Patagonia. Take a look to our complete list of tours to visit Argentina and Chile and enjoy the incredible region of Patagonia!