ABOUT ESTANCIA CRISTINA - in their own words:

LOCATION:
Located in Parque Nacional “Los Glaciares”, in the province of Santa Cruz.
Surrounded by forests, lakes and mountains.
At the entrance of the Patagonian Ice fields.
In the Canal Cristina of the Lago Argentino.
At the base of the majestic Cerro Norte (2,730 meters)
Settled in one of the most fascinating, unknown and legendary valleys of Patagonia.

GETTING THERE:
The Estancia can only be reached by lake transportation.
The trip starts in the La Cruz spot in Puerto Punta Bandera, sailing along the occidental front of the Glaciar Upsala until the port of Estancia Cristina.
Exclusive ships by René Fernández Campbell company:
    “Cruz del Sur”: Used in the low season, with a total capacity of 85 seats in one cabin.
    “Nunatak”: Used in the high season, with a total capacity of 134 seats (120 inthe common cabin and 14 seats for the VIP cabin).

ESTANCIA CRISTINA HAS:

• the historic sheep shearing building, today a museum
• the restaurant which is used for lunch and dinner, serving international level Patagonia cuisine
• the main lodge with multiple seating areas on three levels, fireplace and a bar
• three bungalows, each with a living room at the entrance to the bungalow and 4 rooms with private bathrooms, decorated with roustic and cozy materials

WEATHER: Within the National Park the weather is mostly marked by great variations in temperature and constant winds. According to the Koeppen classification, the weather in the National Park is described as template, rainy, with no rainy season strongly defined but rather lesser rainfall in summer months.
The rainfall increases from the west, registering about 500 millimeters form the oriental limit of the Park to approximately 900 millimeters in the mountains.Rain is distributed throughout the year, with most rain falling towards the end of autumn (April – May). Snow is present throughout the whole winter but not enough to produce great accumulations.
Winds prevail from the west and southwest, summer being the windiest season.

The weather is changeable, with substantial temperature ranges between day and night.

Summer (December to March)      Min.07 C Max.24 C

Spring (September to December) Min.05 C Max.15 C

Fall (March to May)      Min.05 C Max.12 C

Winter (May to September)      Min. -05 C Max.05 C

DAY TRIP: If you are short on time, you can visit Estancia Cristina on a day trip, including a cruise by Upsala Glaciar and choice of activities once at the estancia

• 7:45 AM Boarding time in Puerto Punta Bandera
• 8:00 AM Departure time - light breakfast served on board
• 10:00 AM Arrive in front of Upsala Glacier
• 11:30 AM Arrival to Estancia Cristina
• Duration of stay at Estancia Cristina: visit to the museum, short hike
• 3:00 PM Lunch including wine (or box lunch on hike)
• 5:30/5:45 PM Departure time from the estancia
• Sailing time from Estancia Cristina to Puerto Punta Bandera: 1 hour 45 minutes
• 7:15/7:30 PM Arrival time to Punta Punta Bandera
  Note: Arrival and departure times are estimates and are subject to weather conditions and other unexpected events.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

What type of clothes should I take?

• Gloves
• Scarf
• Waterproof jacket
• Rubber sole shoes (for trekking) or sneakers
• Sunglasses
• Sun-block lotion (facial and lips)
• Advice: in Patagonia, it is advisable to wear clothes in layers so that you can take them off according to the temperature.

Is the Estancia open all year round?
No. The Estancia Cristina is open to guests from mid-September to May.

Are all meals included?
Yes. All meals are included in the all-inclusive programs: breakfast on board and lunch with assorted beverages in the Daily Program, and breakfast, lunch, tea, happy hour and dinner in the Lodging Program.

How long does the sunlight last?
In summer, there is sunlight from 5 in the morning to 10 in the evening. During winter, the sun rises at 8 in the morning and sets at 6 in the evening.

How long does it take to get to Punta Bandera port?is the trip from Los Notros to the port?
From downtown El Calafate: 30 mintes; from Los Notros 45 minutes; from Eolo 30 minutes.