Argentina - A day well spent by the shores of Lago Argentino

Southern Patagonia is most often associated with rugged mountains, wilderness, glaciers, lakes and forests. When I was in Argentina my first stop was El Calefate in Southern Patagonia. The main attraction and main reason for most people to come to El Calefate, is to see the Perito Moreno Glacier and explore the Parque Nacional Los Glaciares, which covers an immense part of Patagonia. That was also our main reason. Once we were there, we realized that there are other attractions worth exploring. One of them is the Laguna Nimez Bird Sanctuary.

Before we continued our journey we had a day in El Calefate without any plans. We chose to spend time visiting this wetland area which borders Lago Argentino. It must be an ornothologist's paradise. The park offers an opportunity to see many exotic birds we weren't used to see. To see the black-necked swan and a large number of flamingos in the wild was one of the highlights.

From our hotel it was only about a kilometer to walk. That day we had a late breakfast and several cups of coffee, before heading off towards the lake and the wetlands. The reserve has a strong focus on conservation. When we bought our ticket we were told, that part of the price goes to maintaining these pristine surroundings. The ticket costs 350 pesos (January 2019).

At the entrance we talked to the two park rangers on duty. They explained what kind of birds and plants we would be able to see. They also gave a brief instruction on how to behave so we wouldn't disturb the wildlife, not leaving any trash etc. At the entrance there are toilet facilities and an information board with photos of the different species we were likely to see. They also have binoculars for rent.

Flamingos

Constantly birds were flying right over our heads. To see the majestic flamingo in flight against a scenic background was a magnificent sight.

As we walked through the area we stopped several times. There are viewpoints which allows great panoramic views. The trail is well signposted. In addition there are benches placed so you can stop and sit down to rest and enjoy the view.

Geese

It was a windy day, so keeping the camera still was a challenge. My travel companion had a 500mm telephoto lens and tripod, but had to hold on to it all the time.

There are also shelters, as the one on the photo above. One can sit down, have a rest and at the same time watch the birds without disturbing them. When we sat in the shelter seen on the photo above, we were watching the flamingos on the small lake right in front of us. A magnificent sight to see them in the wild.

When we were back at the entrance we realized we had spent more than three hours here! It turned out to be a day well spent.

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