Perito Moreno Glacier

If you've never donned crampons or used an ice axe before then this is a great opportunity, no previous experience is required!

Trekking over the glacier, you'll clamber over deep blue crevasses, witness incredible ice caves and seracs, and splash through rivers of meltwater with an experienced guide and all the necessary safety equipment.

There are two different ice hike routes; both take a full day and include your transport to and from El Calafate. The 'Mini Ice' route gives you about 1hr on the ice itself as part of a 3hr guided tour (age restriction 8-65 years). The 'Big Ice' route is aimed at more adventurous visitors and gives you 3hrs on the ice as part of a 7.5hr guided tour (age restriction 18-50).

From Punta Bandera, 1hr from El Calafate, you'll board a boat and head out onto Lago Argentino to Bahía Toro. You embark there for a short, easy trek into the Patagonian forest and views of a 180m high waterfall.

The next stop is for a 1km trek through forest for views of the hanging glaciers of the Cerro Mayo and Cerro Negro mountains.

You then sail onwards to the northern face of the Perito Moreno Glacier where there is plenty of opportunity for photos and perhaps witnessing a calving.

Afterwards there is time to walk the balconies in front of the glacier and visit the cafés before returning to Punta Banderas.

Take in the sheer size and beauty of Perito Moreno from a network of viewing balconies.

This is the most affordable and time efficient option to see the glacier, and still allows you to get stunning photos and see/hear the glacier calve and crash up close.

There are 5km of balconies in total with three main walkways that intersect, from which you must not stray. There is wheelchair and lift access to the walkways if needed.

You can get to the walkways by car, or combine with a boat trip to take you up to the face of the glacier as well.

It's not hard to see why Perito Moreno is one of the best known glaciers in the world.

It is one of the largest glaciers of the Los Glaciares region – at a massive 254 sq km it's about the same size as Buenos Aires. It is 19 miles long, 3 miles wide, and 730m thick at it's deepest point. The glacier is fed by the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, the worlds third largest freshwater reserve. 

Perito Moreno towers an average of 55m above the surface of the lake at its face, and descends around 120m below the surface. Unlike most glaciers worldwide which are in retreat, Perito Moreno is believed to be advancing at a rate of 2.64m a day.