Visiting Monte Zeballos, Marble Chapels and Cave of the Hands, an experiential tour in Patagonia
Argentina, Chile
You may have never heard of Los Antiguos, let alone found it easy to locate on the map of Argentina. This small town in the northwest of the Santa Cruz province, Patagonia, is nestled in a region with very interesting attractions. As I boarded an early 2.5-hour flight from Buenos Aires to Comodoro Rivadavia, in the Chubut province, I could not imagine all that I was about to discover. After landing, I took a bus that travelled 455 kilometres to arrive in Los Antiguos during the afternoon. The town is located on the shores of Lake Buenos Aires, which at 1,850 km2 is the fifth largest lake in the country. Half of the lake belongs to Chile, where it is known as Lake General Carrera. Another name it receives is Chelenko, which means “turbulent waters” in Tehuelche, the language of the native people of this area.
Once I settled in, I went to the picturesque waterfront and took a walk to talk to local people about the recently celebrated Festival of the Cherry. Indeed, Los Antiguos is the national capital of this fruit. Besides tasting delicious cherries, I tried some girgolas, an exotic mushroom that also represents a very common productive activity in the region. After such pleasant exchanges, it was time to put an end to the first day and have some rest.
Discovering natural marvels in Patagonia
A hike to the imposing Mount Zeballos was scheduled for the second day. At 2,748 m.a.s.l., Mount Zeballos is one of the highest peaks in Patagonia. The trail began along the Road 41 with a succession of striking and varied landscapes featuring a dense vegetation which became thinner as we progressed. In the middle of the route, Monte Zeballos came into view and we made a few stops to take pictures. We also spotted condors (one of Argentina’s iconic birds) and volcanic rock formations (known as cucuruchos) that give the surroundings a lunar-like appearance. After this beautiful and rewarding hike, we returned to Los Antiguos in time to watch sunset.
The main attraction of the third day was an excursion to the Capillas de Mármol, or Marble Chapels, for which it was necessary to cross into Chile. We started early in the morning after a hearty breakfast, crossing by boat to the Lake General Carrera and then travelling by land through small villages such as Chile Chico and Puerto Guadal, where the houses are small and very charming. Then, we continued along the southern road while the landscape changed, as the Valdivian rainforest began to open up. This is one of the rainiest regions in the world, also featuring the San Rafael Glacier in the background, further enhancing the panoramic view around us.
We arrived to Puerto Río Tranquilo at noon and there we jumped into a boat to the Marble Chapels. The trip took about an hour and we toured these impressive geological formations inside and out. The guide explained how they were formed and the feeling of being inside was amazing. Everything was exciting: the height of the caves, the landscape, and the rough, cold, natural marble. Once the navigation was over, we started our way back and one last surprise awaited us: a pisco sour tasting at a panoramic point from where we could appreciate a beautiful view of the San Rafael Glacier. We arrived back in Los Antiguos around dusk and I was very grateful for everything we had experienced.
Ancestral culture, stargazing and conservation in Patagonia
My last full day would also be a caress to the soul. This time we travelled east along the famous Route 40 until we reached Patagonia National Park, where the Administration of National Parks and the Rewilding Foundation are working together to conserve the landscape, flora, fauna and cultural heritage. We entered through the La Ascensión gate and continued several kilometres to the Cueva de las Manos, or Cave of the Hands, an UNESCO’s World Heritage Site with incalculable archaeological and cultural richness. The cave can only be visited with a guide, who walked us along a path that borders a rocky wall where the pictographic manifestations of the Tehuelche people can be found. The guide told us about the different pictorial techniques while we enjoyed views over a majestic river. I reflected on what the Tehuelche people wanted to tell us, while trying to connect with their cosmovision.
Once the activity was over, we headed to the Tierra de Colores trail, where we hiked for an hour. This landscape reminded me a lot of the hills of the Argentinean Northwest and their different colours. After the hike, I visited the Posta de los Toldos refuge and together with Laura from Rewilding Foundation we went trekking to the Cave of the Hands but from the other side of the river, to observe the paintings from a better perspective. On the way back, we came across a chinchillon colorado (Lagidium wolffsohni), an endemic and charismatic rodent. Then, we contemplated the sunset with mate (local infusion) and fried cakes.
In the evening, I visited the astronomic observatory where I received an informative talk and was lucky enough to appreciate the view from the telescopes. The Elsa Rosenvasser Feher Planetarium boasts a landscape-integrated design and was built on ecological principles. An interactive and permanent exhibition narrates the geological formation of the region from the Big Bang onwards, the evolution of native species, the biodiversity crisis and how rewilding became a tool to restore the steppe ecosystems.
My stay would end the following day when I returned home in the morning. This trip will undoubtedly remain in my retinas and in my heart: Los Antiguos and its surroundings deserve to be visited, experienced and embraced, using all the senses.
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This blog post was a contribution by Hervé Landetcheverry, a local expert from our trusted tour operator in Argentina. These travel experiences to Los Antiguos, Monte Zeballos, Marble Chapels and Cave of the Hands can be an add-on to our Journey to the End of the World – Patagonia tour.
