Estancia Cristina

Estancia Cristina is a unique wilderness lodge offering true Patagonian hospitality and exclusive access to the awe-inspiring natural wonder of the Upsala Glacier and the continental ice field. The journey here is as inspiring as the stay, one of sublime natural beauty. A 3-hour catamaran trip whisks you across the azure Lago Argentino, past ice floes and giant bergs, with craggy mountains and sheer glaciers all around. At the other end, this historic estancia awaits, the perfect base for adventure-filled days within the depths of Los Glaciares National Park.

Take 4x4s to lookout points to see panoramas of 8 feeder glaciers and the icy Cristina channel; ride up the river valley with gauchos or hike down through Fossil Canyon past native forest and tumbling waterfalls. There are also amazing opportunities for fishing the wide meandering rivers for salmon and trout (extra cost). Then it’s home for Patagonian lamb, smoked cheese and Argentine reds beside the fire. Staying at Estancia Cristina is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, not to be rushed.

Senderos Soul

The enduring memory from my stay at Estancia Cristina was the feeling of being dwarfed by and standing in awe of my surroundings. On my first evening at this truly remote lodge, I took a gentle stroll around the grounds as the vast Patagonian skies and suspended clouds turned pink and orange. The landscape consumed me with its imposing peaks; an outstretched valley with a wide, slowly meandering river and the wild lake with it's ever-prersent white-horses in the distance. I could hardly wait to explore it all on hiking, horse-riding and 4x4 adventures. All this, combined with the informative historical tour recounting the tale of a family who against all odds, made this their home here for 80+ years, etched a truly humbling and inspiring experience in my memory.

Nicola, Senderos

Key Facts

No. of rooms: 20
Double or twin room with ensuite bathroom (shower over tub) and panoramic views; 5 rooms can fit a baby cot or extra bed. The 20 rooms are spread over 5 cabins, each with a shared lounge.

Facilities: The Octagon - an open-plan bar, living room with fireplace and dining area. Only accessible to guests at the hotel.

Internet: WiFi in The Octagon only; no mobile signal.

Excursion details (for overnight visitors): Different trekking options, horse-riding, historical tour, fishing (on request). No minimum, max 12 though normally less.

Full-day trips (for visitors not staying overnight): Trekking, Glaciar Upsala, Horseback Ride, Classic (details here).

Min age: All ages (suitable for children 10+)

Minimum stay: 1 night

Senderos recommends: 3 nights, to do each of the excursions in full and appreciate the splendour of this natural setting.

Sustainability

They adhere to all National Park regulations on the disposal of waste and use of the land
They are committed to caring for the environment of the estancia and its buildings to represent its rich history and culture
For all of the packed snacks and meals which guests take with them on excursions, they provide reusable containers and utensils to reduce the amount of non-biodegradable materials, they also use biodegradable and compostable bags and paper food wrap.
Their refuse bags are made from recycled materials, napkins which are not treated with bleach and cups made of biodegradable polypaper cardboard.
Own vegetable kitchen garden to reduce their carbon footprint.
They recycle all the paper they use internally as well as seeing how they can reuse any of the packaging to avoid single usage

Need to know

Only accessible by a 2-3 hour boat journey across Argentino Lake, with set timings for departures and which may alter depending on extreme weather.
Estancia Cristina operates full-day trips from El Calafate / Punta Bandera but we strongly recommend overnight stays, which include many more activity options with with relatively few people, as these can be done before the daytrippers arrive and after they have left.
Perfect for that isolated Patagonia experience with comfortable lodgings - due to location, wifi access is limited to communal areas
Excellent opportunity to try gentle horse-riding along rivers and into mountains
Delicious patagonian dishes served on a rotation basis and set menus with a variety of options.

Perfect for:

Remote Patagonian adventuring!

Getting there

Estancia Cristina is on the northwest shore of Lago Argentino, in an untouched corner or Los Glaciares National Park.

by boat

BY BOAT

The estancia can only be reached by boat in 2/3 hours, after a 50 minute transfer from El Calafate to Punta Bandera.

Transfer Schedules:

Pick up Calafate 07:30-8am in shared transfers, 08:30am arrival Punta Bandera, 09:00am departure from Punta Bandera on baord the Chinook. 11:30am arrival at Estancia Cristina.

Departe Estancia Cristina 17:30 on board the Chinook, 18:45 arrival at Punta Bandera, 19:30-20:00 arrival El Calafate on shared transfers.

Those staying 2+ nights are able to take the Francesco I boat transfer from the lodge to Puerto Punta Bandera departing at 2pm, to arrive in time for evening flights out of Calafate or a visit to Perito Moreno Glaciar.

by air

BY AIR

Nearest airport: El Calafate International Airport.

Gallery & Resources

Follow this link to Senderos Resources for Estancia Cristina to access:

Images, our selection
Fact sheets
Presentations
Rack rates
Excursion lists
And other useful information

Estancia Cristina also has its own media centre here.

Weather

Summer (Dec-Feb): the warmest but busiest time of year. Temperatures range between 5-15°C
Autumn (March-May): Temperatures range between 2-10°C.
Winter (June-Aug): the coldest but most picturesque time of year, with a lot of snowfall. Temperatures range between 1-6°C.
Spring (Sept-Nov): still cold but more pleasant. Temperatures range between 2-11°C.

Links

Estancia Cristina Website

Estancia Cristina YouTube Channel

Senderos Webinar, Wild & Remote Adventures in Chile, Argentina & Peru, 2020

Senderos Webinar on Estancia Cristina, 2021

Senderos Webinar on Estancia Cristina and Las Balsas, April 2023

Estancia Cristina Sales Kit

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