How to get to Los Glaciares

The gateway airport for Los Glaciares National Park is El Calafate (airport code FTE). There are no direct international flights: travellers must travel via Buenos Aires.

El Calafate is a three hour flight from Buenos Aires. In the high season, there are up to eight flights a day operated by Aerolíneas Argentinas, the national airlines. Most flights leave from the domestic airport Aeroparque Internacional Jorge Newbery (AEP), close to the centre of the city. A smaller number of connections from Buenos Aires’ Ezeiza International Airport (EZE), mostly operated by the low-cost carriers FlyBondi and JetSmart.

El Calafate airport is 3 miles (21 km) east of the city, and 135 miles (215 km) by road to El Chaltén.

To get to Los Glaciares from Tierra del Fuego (or even connect to an Antarctic cruise) there are daily flights between El Calafate and Ushuaia (USH, 75 minutes).

To get to Los Glaciares from the Argentine Lake District, there are up to three flights a week between El Calafate and Bariloche (BRC, 1hr45).

To get to Los Glaciares from Peninsula Valdes, there are a small number of connections a week to Trelew (REL, 1hr35).

Overland travel to Los Glaciares is slow due to the massive distances involved. It takes around 18 hours by bus to travel from El Calafate to Ushuaia (545 miles/880 km), and around 27 hours from El Calafate via El Chaltén to Bariloche (880 miles/1430 km). Seats on buses come as either semi-cama (reclining seat) or cama (sleeper).

There are no direct flights from Chile to Los Glaciares.

To get to Los Glaciares from Chile by air, you must fly from Santiago to either Buenos Aires or Bariloche and catch an onward domestic flight from there to El Calafate. 

It's also possible to travel overland by road from Puerto Natales (the gateway to Torres del Paine) to El Calafate: see below for details.

Los Glaciares National Park and Torres del Paine National Park are geographically very close and it’s popular to combine the two into a single trip.

There are overland connections by comfortable and good quality public bus.  Early morning direct buses leave several times a day between El Calafate and Puerto Natales in Chile (167 miles/268 km), crossing the border at Cerro Castillo. The trip takes around 5–7 hours, depending on border control.

From Puerto Natales, it’s a further two hours by bus to Torres del Paine (70 miles/112 km). The majority of hotels in Torres del Paine include a complimentary transfer from Puerto Natales.  

Private transfers can also be arranged for the complete journey from El Calafate to Torres del Paine, or from Puerto Natales to Torres del Paine. Some luxury lodges in Torres del Paine may include a complimentary transfer from El Calafate when booking.