El Calafate, Tourism gateway in Santa Cruz, Argentina.
El Calafate is a town in Santa Cruz province on the southern shore of Lago Argentino that serves as a gateway to nearby glaciers. Streets run parallel to the lake and concentrate in a compact center with low-rise wooden houses and shops.
The government founded the settlement in 1927 as part of an initiative to populate remote areas in Patagonia. Growth accelerated in the late decades of the 20th century when access to the glacier drew a steady stream of travelers.
The town takes its name from a small purple shrub with sweet berries that still grows along trails and is eaten locally. Many shops sell jams or liquors made from this native fruit, while restaurants often serve lamb dishes prepared following recipes from ranching families.
The small airport sits about 20 kilometers (12 miles) east of town and receives flights from Buenos Aires and other cities year-round. Most lodging and tour offices are within walking distance in the center, where glacier excursions typically start early in the morning.
A museum on the edge of town displays ice samples from different depths of the glacier and explains how researchers determine the age and movement of ice. The exhibition also walks visitors through a room cooled to minus 10 degrees Celsius (14 degrees Fahrenheit) to give a sense of the cold inside a glacier.
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