Argentina

Perito Moreno Argentina

Tips for visiting the icy Perito Moreno

Visit Los Glaciares National Park, hike on Argentina’s Perito Moreno, one of the world’s most famous glaciers, explore Argentina’s lake aboard a boat, travel Ruta 40, and observe the ice up close aboard a kayak. Patagonia is all this and much more. Experience the days outdoors, exploring the wonders of nature, and then in the evening sit down to dinner at one of the quaint restaurants in El Calafate.

Perito Moreno Glacier

Perito Moreno is 30 km long, about 70 meters high and sinks 110 meters into the water. The ice that we see is something like 300 or 400 years old. Advance, up to 20 meters per day. At the same time, it erodes, then equalizes.

El Parque Nacional Los Glaciares is an immense park that covers an area of about 4,500 square kilometers and includes places that have become mythical and dreamed of by all travelers, especially mountain enthusiasts.

In fact, you will be able to visit Lake Argentino, which is the largest lake in the country at 1,446 square kilometers, travel along ruta 40, which is the road that crosses all of Argentina, as well as, of course, visit Perito Moreno, by car, kayak, on foot, and by boat. In short, you can view Perito Moreno from different angles. And if you like horses, I recommend you treat yourself to a nice ride across the steppes of Patagonia.

You can book all these activities directly in the hotel or hostel where you are staying. Consider that some excursions booked from Italy turn out to be much more expensive than booked directly on site. It depends on the exchange rate, inflation, and also the fact that in Argentina if you pay in cash, you often get a discount of up to 25 percent.

If you want to visit the glacier on your own, you can rent a car or take a bus that leaves from downtown Calafate and takes about an hour to reach the site. Most people visit the glacier in the morning, so if you want to experience it with fewer tourists, you could start your hike in the late morning or afternoon. In any case, even on organized tours, you will have to pay for the entrance fee to the national park. Read below about my experience at Perito Moreno.

Perito Moreno trekking

The best experience to have on Perito Moreno in Argentina is trekking on the glacier with crampons. You have two options. The long trek that is called the Big Ice and requires some physical training, because you will walk a couple of hours in the woods and another three hours with crampons on the glacier. The excursion takes the whole day, totaling 12 hours from when they pick you up to when they take you back to the hostel.

The shorter trek is precisely called Mini-Trekking and still requires some physical preparation, but certainly more affordable than the first option. The ice walk takes three hours, and the overall hike takes about 8 hours. In both cases you can enjoy very impressive navigation to reach the place where the trek begins.

I always recommend booking tours directly on the spot, perhaps from the hostel or hotel, which ultimately also live off commissions on tours. In this case, if your days are numbered, you should consider booking your trek from Italy, because directly in El Calafate you may not find availability. When I went there, I didn’t book anything. And in the following days, there was no room and I had to wait until the first available date. For me it was not a problem because my trip to South America lasted months, but if you care that much, the advice is to book. I chose the Mini-Trekking and found it to be a very exciting and complete experience, plus the price is significantly lower than the Big Ice.

There is only one agency that is in charge of organizing excursions on Perito Moreno and it is called Hielo y Aventura. They are really knowledgeable and have been involved in Glacier activities for over 30 years.

Perito Moreno Kayak Tour

Perito Moreno in Argentina can be visited in different ways. All tours include “the footbridge,” which is basically a trail that allows you to view the glacier from the ground, walking on a series of wooden scaffolding. So you will always have a chance to take some close-up photographs. In addition, all tours start and end from your hostel or hotel.

The most classic way is to take a boat tour, which is quite comprehensive and allows you to see the glacier from different angles. They call it the “Safari Azul” and it lasts all day. We have seen that the most active way is to discover the glacier through crampon trekking. Another very fun-and strenuous-activity is kayaking.

This is a hike of a few hours and aboard a kayak that can accommodate two people, you will paddle until you get close to the glacier. It is a group activity, so you will have a guide and all the equipment with you to go safely, aboard a kayak. They offer you breakfast and also take pictures, which is very convenient, because while you are paddling you find it difficult to take pictures, partly because you are wearing rather thick gloves. You can take photos and videos only during breaks. I recommend this activity, because it is a very nice way to see the glacier directly from the water and therefore from a bottom-up perspective.

Perito Moreno weather

The best time to visit Perito Moreno is during the Argentine summer, so from October/November until March/April. Weather conditions in Patagonia change rapidly not only from season to season, but also throughout the day. So my advice is to visit Patagonia when it is warmer, keeping in mind that if you go down to Ushuaia the weather gets even harsher.

It’s not as cold as it looks, the idea of cold is really from the ice, but it’s possible that during a nice sunny day, you’re in short sleeves. In any case you should always carry a windbreaker that is also waterproof. In addition, it is necessary to have a down jacket, perhaps one of those foldable ones, a sweatshirt (fleece type), and sport pants, preferably windproof or at least mountain pants. Dress comfortable because you will have to walk-even if you choose only the catwalk option, you will still walk a couple of hours at least.

Some people recommend visiting Perito Moreno in the afternoon, because it is warmer and so you will also be able to see pieces of icebergs falling, hearing the loud sound of the ice falling into the water and witnessing an exciting spectacle. Many tours start in the morning and end in the late afternoon, so you have the whole day to yourself.

Perito Moreno location

Perito Moreno is located in Patagonia, southern Argentina and the southernmost point of Latin America. In short, further south than Perito Moreno is Tierra del Fuego and then Antarctica . The location of Perito Moreno is ideal if you want to take a trip that includes a few days in the city and specifically in Buenos Aires, from which people often depart to explore Argentina and a few days in contact with nature.

You could take the opportunity not only to visit the Perito Moreno Glacier, but also to El Chaltén. In the capital of trekking, you can walk a 12-kilometer trail that takes you to Laguna De Los Tres, from which you can admire a spectacular lake and Mount Fitzroy. We are talking about Patagonia Argentina.

Also you can go as far as Chile and visit Torres del Paine National Park in Chile. As for Torres del Paine, if you have a few days available you can think about the W Trek or visit Base Torres in the day. Read the article on how to visit Torres del Paine.

Perito Moreno how to get there

The best way to visit Perito Moreno, is to stay a couple of nights in El Calafate, the town that has become famous precisely because it is the starting point for all excursions. It is a small place, very nice and well-kept where you can rest in the evening, drink a good Malbec and dine in one of the typical Argentine restaurants. There are many hotels, hostels, bars and restaurants, as well as agencies for activities in Los Glaciares National Park.

You can get to El Calafate by plane from Buenos Aires; this is the most common option. Then it depends on where you are, if you have more time and want a scenic itinerary you might consider flying to Ushuaia and then going up Tierra del Fuego and Patagonia by bus. El Calafate is well connected, and there are long-distance buses not only from Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world, but also from El Chaltén and Bariloche, a full 20 hours by bus. You can reach El Calafate by bus, even from Puerto Natales, if you are in Chile.

In short, there are plenty of opportunities; always consider that buses and hotels fill up easily during the Argentine summer, especially between December and February, which are the vacation months for Argentines. So you may want to plan your trip directly from Italy. Below is my guide to El Calafate to make the most of your days in Patagonia.

Photo Credits: Unsplash

• Photo insurance by Caio Portela
• Photo cover by Telmo Filho
• Photo Substack by Felipe Randolfi