El Calafate
El Calafate is a small, beautiful town in Patagonia, famous for being the starting point to visit the Perito Moreno Glacier. With just 25,000 residents, the town is located by Lago Argentino and offers amazing views and easy access to Los Glaciares National Park. Visitors can enjoy activities like hiking, glacier tours and boat trips. The town has a charming downtown with cozy hotels, local shops and restaurants serving tasty regional food, making it a great place to explore Patagonia.
Flight Times to El Calafate (direct flights only)
From Buenos Aires: : 3h 15m
From Bariloche: Plane: 1h 45m
From Ushuaia: Plane: 1h 30m
Recommended place to stay, a little bit out of the center: Posada Larsen
Recommended place to eat: Buenos Cruces Pasta Bar
Perito Moreno
The Perito Moreno Glacier, located in Argentina's Los Glaciares National Park, is one of the most spectacular natural wonders in the world. Spanning approximately 250 square kilometers, it is one of the few glaciers that is still growing. Named after explorer Francisco Moreno, the glacier attracts visitors with its stunning ice formations, vibrant blue hues and dramatic calving events, where massive chunks of ice break off and crash into the water below.
A fun fact about Perito Moreno Glacier is that about two-thirds of the glacier is submerged under water! The massive ice structure extends deep into the lake, creating an impressive underwater ice shelf.
Visiting the Perito Moreno Glacier is an unforgettable experience! Located 80 km (50 miles) from El Calafate, it’s easily accessible by car, taxi, shuttle bus or guided tour, with a 1.5-hour journey through scenic landscapes between El Calafate and the glacier. Upon arrival, visitors must pay the entrance fee to Los Glaciares National Park. (+/- 30 USD)
The best way to experience different views of the glacier is by hiking along the platforms, which offer stunning perspectives of the ice. For a closer look at the towering walls and dramatic ice calving, you can also take a boat tour that brings you right up to the glacier's edge.
The hiking platforms have color-coded walking paths that offer different views of the glacier.
Each path gives visitors a unique perspective of the glacier and its surroundings. It is doable to do all routes in two hours.
Don’t start your tour at the Service Area, but at the Passenger Arrival and Departure Area. I would recommend doing first the Red an Yellow path, finishing with the Blue path going downhill that ends at the main restaurant.
More adventurous? Book a guided ice trekking on the glacier. You can choose between the beginner-friendly Mini-Trekking or the more challenging Big Ice Trek.
