The Perito Moreno Glacier Trek & Walkway is located in El Calafate, Argentina.

The Perito Moreno glacier in Argentina is a remarkable natural formation consisting of large, blue ice. It covers a larger area than the entire city of Buenos Aires.

There are multiple ways to experience this Patagonian glacier, including walking on a metal walkway along the lake, or participating in guided glacier trekking tours.

Visiting the glacier and hiking on it is a remarkable experience that attracts many tourists to Los Glaciares National Park. It can be easily done as a day trip from El Calafate, a town in Argentina’s southern Patagonia region.

This travel guide provides information on the various ways to reach Perito Moreno glacier from El Calafate, including options with or without a tour. It also explains the process of doing the glacier trek and shares interesting facts about the glacier.

I am getting prepared to hike the Perito Moreno glacier, which will be an impressive experience.

Can you tell me the location of Perito Moreno Glacier?

The Perito Moreno glacier can be found on Lake Argentino, close to the town of El Calafate, in Argentina’s well-known Patagonia region.

El Calafate is a town that caters to tourists and offers plenty of comfortable hotels and good restaurants. It is an ideal location for those planning to visit the Perito Moreno glacier and other attractions in Patagonia.

Instructions on how to reach Perito Moreno Glacier.

The small international airport in El Calafate (FTE) is the closest airport to the Perito Moreno glacier, with direct flights from Buenos Aires, Cordoba, Ushuaia, and other destinations.

The duration of the flight from Buenos Aires to El Calafate is approximately 3 hours, and it is available from various airlines at reasonable prices. There are two airports in Buenos Aires (AEP or EZE), both of which can be used to fly to El Calafate.

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The walkway at Perito Moreno glacier is quite impressive.

Upon reaching El Calafate, the journey to Perito Moreno glacier takes approximately 60-90 minutes, depending on your speed. The road becomes curvy towards the end, but it is fully paved and well-maintained.

If you are driving, you can find the location on the map provided. However, it is common for visitors to be asked to park earlier and take a free shuttle to the glacier due to limited parking.

Perito Moreno can be reached by bus, private taxi, or rental car. Multiple companies offer bus services with regular departures from the bus terminal in El Calafate.

For those seeking simplicity, there are day tours available from El Calafate to Perito Moreno glacier which include transportation services (more details below).

There is another view of the Perito Moreno glacier with the mountains in the background.

Perito Moreno Glacier Tours are highly recommended.

One option for visiting the Perito Moreno glacier is to take a day tour from El Calafate.

GetYourGuide offers day tours to see the Perito Moreno glacier from the walkway, with the option of a boat cruise for a different perspective. These tours provide a bilingual tour guide, hotel transportation from El Calafate, and are offered as shared group tours or private tours.

If you are interested in trekking on the ice, there is a glacier “mini-trekking” tour available, as well as a “Big Ice” trek that allows you to explore more of the Perito Moreno glacier.

For those who may not feel confident in their fitness level for ice hiking, there is a tour called ‘Safari Azul’ available. This tour allows you to visit a beach in front of the glacier, where you can have a close encounter with the ice without walking on it. Additionally, there are kayaking tours and boat cruises available at the Perito Moreno glacier.

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You can book now for activities such as walking on the Perito Moreno Glacier, kayaking, hiking on the glacier, or taking the Big Ice Trek.

A guide to the Perito Moreno Glacier Walkway.

The Perito Moreno glacier can be best viewed from the metal walkway that stretches along the edge of Lake Argentino, offering a picturesque backdrop of its turquoise waters.

The views are easily accessible and offer a variety of platforms showcasing different sides of the glacier. The walkways are organized into color coded circuits.

The red and yellow circuits offer the best views, while the black and green circuits lack interesting sights. Occasionally, the blue circuit provides the opportunity to see floating icebergs up close.

The Perito Moreno glacier is located above.

The views from the walkway offer a fantastic perspective, creating a sense of proximity to the glacier. The experience cannot be fully captured in pictures and gives the feeling of being within reach of the glacier.

At this location, photographers affiliated with the national park offer their services for a nominal fee, while visitors are also welcome to capture unlimited photos using their personal devices. It is not uncommon to spot large condors soaring above.

During the summer, the phenomenon of ‘calving’ can be observed at Perito Moreno glacier, where large pieces of ice occasionally detach from the edge of the glacier and fall into the lake with a loud noise.

It can be quite impressive to witness and capture on camera, particularly if you act fast. The optimal time to visit is during midday to observe a significant amount of this activity.

The wall of ice stands 75 meters above the surface of the lake.

The viewing platforms at Perito Moreno glacier are accessible to people of all ages. Some of the views are wheelchair accessible, although the most impressive ones require climbing stairs.

The majority of the walking is quite manageable, and you can reach the last platforms with a moderately short walk from the parking area. However, if you descend to the lowest platforms, closest to the glacier, you will need to climb back up afterwards, so it requires some effort.

Visitors can typically spend a few hours at the glacier, but personally, I could have enjoyed a longer stay capturing photos. In addition to the walkways, there are convenient amenities available such as a cafe, gift shop, and free bathrooms located in the parking lot.

Massive blue ice field

Glacier Mini-Trekking Tour

Hiking on the glacier itself is one of the recommended activities at Perito Moreno.

A tour booking is necessary for this activity and you will be part of a small group consisting of 10 to 20 other travelers. You will be provided with spiky metal crampons to attach to your shoes and guided by a professional, allowing you to walk on the ice surface and take pictures.

The tours are operated daily, but due to their high demand and popularity, especially during the summer months, it is advisable to make advance reservations.

Hiking on the glacier is highly recommended.

Perito Moreno offers mini-trekking experiences on glaciers.

As per the company, the glacier mini-trekking tour is suitable for individuals aged 8 to 65 years old. Physical fitness is not a major requirement for hiking on the glacier, although certain health conditions, including obesity, may potentially disqualify individuals.

The trekking guides who lead these tours are from a company called Hielo y Aventura. They have been operating glacier tours for over 30 years without any significant safety incidents. Additionally, the guides are bilingual and proficient in English and Spanish.

The tour lasts a full day, with a duration of up to 10 hours. It involves various activities such as driving to the national park, crossing the lake by boat, attending a safety briefing, fitting crampons and safety helmets, hiking on the glacier, and other activities. Afterward, the tour returns to El Calafate.

At the conclusion of the tour, before departing the glacier, they provided us with complimentary whiskey tumblers filled with ice from the glacier. Overall, the Perito Moreno glacier trek is an incredible experience that should not be overlooked.

You can book the Glacier Mini-Trekking Tour now.

Glacier ‘Big Ice’ Trek

For those interested in extended hiking on the glacier, the ‘Big Ice’ trek offers a longer and more extensive experience compared to the regular trek.

When compared to the mini-trekking tour, the ‘Big Ice’ trip offers double the amount of time on the glacier, allowing for a greater exploration of the distinctive landscape and increased opportunities for photography. Additionally, the tour groups are smaller and provide a more personalized experience, which may be preferable for those who prefer not to hike in larger groups.

The Big Ice trek is recommended for individuals who are physically fit and between the ages of 18 and 50. It is more expensive than the normal trek. Personally, I was satisfied with my decision to do the normal trek, but I anticipate returning to Perito Moreno in the future and intend to try the Big Ice trek then.

If you are not a frequent visitor to Argentina and you believe this may be your only opportunity, it may be worth considering investing in the Big Ice tour. It is likely to be an unforgettable experience.

You can now book the Big Ice Glacier Trek.

What to pack for glacier hikes.

• When visiting the glacier, it is advisable to bring a jacket and possibly a warm winter beanie hat due to potentially windy conditions.
• Gloves are required for glacier trekking tours. This is because if you fall on the ice and catch yourself, it can cut your bare hands. If you don’t have gloves, they can lend you some on site. I wore fingerless gloves so I could use my camera while trekking, and that worked well.
• For footwear, any type of shoes or hiking boots are suitable. During the glacier trek, crampons will be provided by the tour and can be adjusted to fit any shoe size.
• A backpack can be useful for carrying snacks, drinks, and other items during the Perito Moreno glacier trekking tour.
• The glacier is aesthetically pleasing and can be captured nicely with a lens that has a slight zoom, although any camera setup will perform well in this location.

There is an entrance fee for visiting Los Glaciares National Park.

Entry to Perito Moreno in Argentina’s Los Glaciares National Park requires a fee, regardless of whether you plan to visit the walkway or participate in other activities such as glacier trekking, kayaking, or boat cruises.

The current park fee can be found on the Argentina national parks website. If you visit the park two days in a row, the second day price is discounted by 50 percent. Please remember to keep your ticket for verification.

The park fee is paid separately from bus tickets or tour prices and accepts cash (pesos) or credit card at the entrance of Los Glaciares National Park. I paid with a foreign credit card without any issues.

Tickets for the park can be purchased in advance on the Argentina national parks website. However, it should be noted that the site is exclusively in Spanish and prone to glitches. In my personal experience, I was unable to make it work. Fortunately, park tickets are unlimited and do not sell out, unlike the tours.

There is no need for an advance booking for national park tickets, and access to the walkway is free except for the park entrance fee. The only thing that requires a booking in advance is glacier trekking or other special activities if you intend to participate in them.

The Perito Moreno glacier can be found in Argentina.

The Perito Moreno glacier can be easily visited on a day trip from El Calafate.

Interesting information about Perito Moreno Glacier.

• The glacier measures 30 kilometers in length and covers an area of 250 square kilometers, making it larger than Buenos Aires, the capital city of Argentina. It looms over Lago Argentino, with an average height of 75 meters above the lake’s surface.
• Glacier ice appears blue due to its density and compression, which removes air bubbles and allows the ice to reflect blue light. This creates a distinct blue color that is unlike regular frozen water found in freezers.
• The source of the glacier is the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, the world’s second largest contiguous extrapolar ice field and one of the largest reserves of fresh water.
• The Perito Moreno glacier was named after Francisco Moreno, a 19th century Argentine explorer who played a significant role in the Patagonia region. ‘Perito’ in Spanish is a title of respect that translates to ‘expert’ or ‘specialist.’
• Yes, there is more than one Perito Moreno in Argentina. It can be confusing because there is a national park named Perito Moreno, but it is far away from this specific glacier. Additionally, there is a town named Perito Moreno, which is nearly 700 kilometers from the glacier. This caused confusion for me when I was purchasing bus tickets from El Calafate. It is important to note that the Perito Moreno town, glacier, and national park are three distinct locations. If you need to locate the Perito Moreno glacier on a map, you can find it here.
• Unlike most glaciers, Perito Moreno is not shrinking. This glacier is unique in that it is actually advancing and moving forward by up to 2 meters (6 feet) per day, although it maintains overall mass equilibrium due to ice calving and ruptures.
• The Perito Moreno glacier occasionally forms a dam at the edge of Lake Argentino, which leads to a rise in water level and pressure on the glacier. This eventually results in a dramatic rupture of the glacial dam, causing large pieces of ice to fall into the lake. The rupture occurs every 3 to 5 years, but its occurrence is completely unpredictable, making it a fortunate event to witness.
• Calving is the process in which large pieces of ice break off from the edge of the Perito Moreno glacier and plunge into the lake with a loud noise. It occurs frequently, with intervals as short as 30 minutes, and the best time to witness this phenomenon is in the afternoon. It is truly a remarkable sight to behold.
• The Perito Moreno glacier is included in Los Glaciares National Park, which has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981 due to its exceptional natural importance and beauty.