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All 35 El Calafate Attractions »

Estancia Cristina

El Calafate, Argentina
Ranked #5 of 24 attractions in El Calafate
4.5 of 5 stars 142 Reviews
Type: Ranchs
Activities: Horseback riding
Description: This historical sheep ranch provides the best land access to the Upsala Glacier, and offers an ideal view of the glacier from its Upsala Lookout.
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142 reviews from our community

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Date Rating
Los Angeles, California
Senior Contributor
23 reviews 23 reviews
Reviews in 11 cities Reviews in 11 cities
10 helpful votes 10 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed April 12, 2012

We spent a 12 hour day visiting Estancia Cristina. The boat ride to get there is breathtaking. The glaciers and the icebergs we saw from the boat knocked our socks off. The 4x4 ride around the island, the panoramic views of Upsala Glacier, the fascinating explanation of the history, flora, fauna, topography, etc offered by our guide made this 12... More

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See 3 more reviews by RPG625 for El Calafate
Lugano, Switzerland
Senior Contributor
48 reviews 48 reviews
Reviews in 40 cities Reviews in 40 cities
14 helpful votes 14 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed April 9, 2012

Estancia Cristina is reached after a two-hour boat ride among the icebergs. Once you reach Estancia Cristina is possible to go with a 4x4 jeep on the top of the mountain where you have an unforgettable view of the Upsala Glacier. The nature is untouched and you can hear the sound of silence. I recommend lunch at the restaurant choosing... More

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See 2 more reviews by Tigrotto70 for El Calafate
Connecticut
Senior Contributor
38 reviews 38 reviews
Reviews in 12 cities Reviews in 12 cities
10 helpful votes 10 helpful votes
2 of 5 stars Reviewed March 22, 2012

We did not enjoy Estancia Christina. The boat ride out to it which stopped by bay which until recently was totally blocked by the Upsala Glacier was very good. However the time spent at Estancia Christina was not. First we did an agonizing ride in the back of a pickup truck up 1500 feet for a nice distant lookout over... More

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See 4 more reviews by Discriminating_8 for El Calafate
Los Angeles, CA
Senior Contributor
24 reviews 24 reviews
Reviews in 19 cities Reviews in 19 cities
26 helpful votes 26 helpful votes
1 of 5 stars Reviewed March 19, 2012

I could go on and on and on but I was very disappointed with Estancia Cristina excursion. First they pick you up in a very nice van.....drive you 30 min to the port where you get on their boat for 2 1/2 hours - a beautiful cruise to the Estancia. We were signed up for the WILD TREK but because... More

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See 2 more reviews by Donnatodd4 for El Calafate
Buenos Aires
Contributor
11 reviews 11 reviews
Reviews in 9 cities Reviews in 9 cities
4 helpful votes 4 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed March 14, 2012

If you want to get as close as you can to Glacier Upsala then this is the only way you can do it.  Yes this tour is expensive but we enjoyed every moment of it, the boat ride past the massive glaciers and the very bumpy 4 wheeled drive up to the look out point. When you think of 4... More

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See 2 more reviews by KazBuenosAires for El Calafate
London
Contributor
19 reviews 19 reviews
Reviews in 5 cities Reviews in 5 cities
7 helpful votes 7 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed February 29, 2012
2
people found this review helpful

Estancia Cristina is both something to visit in its own right and also a stepping off point for the Upsala Glacier. Estancia Cristina is on a very isolated part of Lago Argentina and was built at the beginning of the 20th century by a British family from Southampton that settled there. That they settled there, built this sheep station and... More

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See 4 more reviews by David_Barrett for El Calafate
Alexandria, VA
Contributor
14 reviews 14 reviews
Reviews in 5 cities Reviews in 5 cities
32 helpful votes 32 helpful votes
3 of 5 stars Reviewed February 28, 2012
1
person found this review helpful

There are some good things about visiting the Estancia - mostly the lake "navigation" to get there and the incredible views from the lookout point over the glacier. (Note that in February one of the channels was blocked with icebergs calved off the glacier.) It's a long day because of the amount of time on the boat, and the tours... More

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See 6 more reviews by suenosdeMexico for El Calafate
Cagliari
Senior Contributor
26 reviews 26 reviews
Reviews in 16 cities Reviews in 16 cities
5 helpful votes 5 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed February 20, 2012
1
person found this review helpful

I loved the view over the Upsala glaciar, it is just amazing. The guides are lovely and amicable. It is very windy though, so make sure you wear appropriate gear! More

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See 4 more reviews by taffani for El Calafate
Bucharest, Romania
Contributor
15 reviews 15 reviews
Reviews in 10 cities Reviews in 10 cities
4 helpful votes 4 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed February 17, 2012

You will love this cozy place. One of the best places Go without any worries., It is superb More

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See 2 more reviews by simple68 for El Calafate
London, United Kingdom
Senior Contributor
48 reviews 48 reviews
Reviews in 29 cities Reviews in 29 cities
48 helpful votes 48 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed February 16, 2012
2
people found this review helpful

We were picked up at our hotel and taken to the port in a good van. The boat across to the estancia was nice and brand new, clean, modern. While on the boat they provided tea, coffee, medialunas which was a nice touch. They also handed out badges to help them identify which groups we were in. Once we arrived... More

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See 4 more reviews by Italian_kilt for El Calafate

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