Pioneering Times

Alter being inhabited by the Tehuelches for many years, this area started being important for the Europeans, when they discovered how worth it was for sheep rearing, due to wool's worldwide high price, and the extension of the area this kina of livestock needed.
In the early 20th century, you could find sparse estancias in this area, with many kilometres' distance from one another, and they all had to reach Rio Gallegos' port in order to ship their products to Europe.
That's why the need for stops in the road arose, in order to eat and rest, as the 300km distance trip to Rio Gallegos we make today in only a few hours took many days in those times.
The estancias lying in nowaday's Los Glaciares National Park and their surroundings made the first stop, taking advantage of the calafate bushes in order to stop the wind at the stream's shore. Many small groceries, hostels and garages were then built, and as time went by, more and more people stayed in the area, until the population reached 300 inhabitants.
In 1950, the price of wool fell considerably in every stock market in the world, so the estancias stopped rearing livestock and the activity in the area almost disappeared, until the National Park Administration came, and built its office in El Calafate.

The Glaciers' Magic

The glaciers' area was declared National Park in order to keep its beauty, unique in the whole world, for the years and generations to come.
This made this natural phenomenon known, not only in our country, but also worldwide, and from that moment on, the glaciers' magic started attracting many tourists. Some time ago, the 80 km long road to the glacier was made on horseback, by barely traced paths, and the services in the town were very low. Tourism wasn't an important activity, and the people in the town didn't know much about it... But willow to see the Touristic Village we became in turn.

Today

The village continues growing, due to the touristic activity growing day by day, failing in many things, of course, but very willing to offer the best service, without losing the inhabitants' warmth, so that this last detail keeps being an unforgettable memory...

Legend of El Calafate

The nires, lengas and coihues woods take a noticeable colour, announcing autumn, and turning trees multicolour, from deep red to gold and orange. This change is repeated every year since immemorial times. This landscape was inhabited by Tehuelches, originary owners of the land. When winter came, they emigrated, on foot, towards the north, where it wasn't so cold, and there were enough animals to hunt.
The legend kept by the Tehuelche tradition is related to these migrations.
It is said that, long time ago, Koonex, the tribe's old quack doctor, could not walk anymore, her old and tired legs were exhausted, but nobody could stop. So Koonex understood the natural law of meeting fate. The women in the tribe made a hut with guanaco fur, piled enough Word and food to leave her behind, and said good-bye to the old quack doctor with family chants. While coming back to her hut, Koonex fixed her tired eyes in the distance, until the rest of the tribe were lost behind the plateau.
She was left behind to die. Every living creature ran away from her. She started feeling silence as a heavy puff of smoke around her. The multicolour sky started fading days and nights went by until spring came.
Many sprouts were born, swallows, golden plovers, chingolos and parrots arrived... Life was back again. Some birds stepped on Koonex's leather hut, singing happily. Suddenly, the old woman's voice was heard, coming from inside the hut. She told them off for having left her on her own during the long and cold winter. A very surprised chingolo answered: 'We left because during the autumn we run out of food, and during the winter we have no place to hide from the cold'.
'I understand', answered Koonex, 'that's why, from no won, you'll have food during autumn, and a place to hide during winter, and I shall never be alone again'. And then, she went silent. Suddenly, a clap of thunder turned the hut upside down, and in Koonex's place a beautiful prickly bush appeared, covered in perfumed yellow flowers. When summer came, those flowers turned into fruits, and before autumn they ripened taking a violet-blue colour, exquisite taste and nutritious value. From that day on, some birds stopped emigrating, and those which had already left and heard about the news, came back to taste that new fruit. The Tehuelches tasted it, and started eating it regularly. They spread the seeds all over the area, and from that moment on
'THOSE, WHO EAT CALAFATE, SHALL ALWAYS COME BACK"