
Patagonia Glaciers
Patagonia is home to some truly beautiful and gigantic glaciers. We've chosen our favourites in the hope that you'll get to see as many of them as possible.
Deep roots in Patagonia: We are ex-guides, tour leaders, outdoor enthusiasts, & adventurers.
We’ve got our feet on the ground: Impartial advice, a bespoke service, and at no extra cost.
For the ends of the Earth: Sustainability is more than our carbon footprint (but we’re reducing that too).
One of the most famous and awe-inspiring of Argentina's natural wonders. Standing before its 70-metre high electric blue face and watching 100-tonne blocks of ice crumble and crash into the waters below is truly humbling. Sail in front of the icy calving walls, kayak in the frozen waters, or don crampons and grab an ice axe and trek across the surface.
Perito Moreno Glacier
Perito Moreno Glacier
Ice hiking on Perito Moreno Glacier
Ice hiking on Perito Moreno Glacier
Boarding the boat for Perito Moreno Glacier
Perito Moreno Glacier
Boat trip to Perito Moreno Glacier
Perito Moreno Glacier
If you've never donned crampons or used an ice axe before then a Perito Moreno glacier hike is a great opportunity to do so, no previous experience is required!
Perito Moreno glacier trek takes you 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' (or Minitrekking Perito Moreno) route gives you about 1hr on the ice itself as part of a 3hr guided tour. 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.
Mini Ice: Age restriction 8-65 years; no minimum group size; maximum group size 20 people.
Big Ice: Age restriction 18-50 years; no minimum group size; maximum group size 10 people.
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.
Group size: Minimum 15 people; maximum 60 people.
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.
Jump in a kayak and paddle the pristine meltwater towards the glacier for about 1.5hrs, where you can enjoy a silence not found on the boat trips or viewing balconies, only disturbed by the crashing of ice as it calves. Sitting atop the water allows you to explore from a unique position and experience a sense of scale as Perito Moreno towers impressively ahead.
We will combine kayaking with a visit to the viewing balconies, either before or after your paddling, for a varied perspectives of the glacier.
Group size: Minimum 2 people; maximum 16 people.
Minimum age limit is 12-years old.
This excursion is for those aged between 6 and 70 years old and is ideal for families with young children, or for people with limited mobility, who would like to get up-close to the glacier, close enough to be able to touch it!
After a 20min boat trip across the lake from Puerto Bajo las Sombras, you will walk for 30mins to the face of the glacier where you can touch the ice and take photos.
There will be a 1.5km walk along the sand and stone, including some slopes and stairs, followed by a boat trip along the face of the glacier. Back at the port you'll take a bus to the balconies where you can spend 2hrs strolling before returning to El Calafate.
Note that this excursion does not include walking on the glacier.
Group size: No minimum; maximum 60 people.
This excursion starts early in the morning from El Calafate from where you travel for 60km along a dirt road to Estancia Nibepo Aike. Here you can watch a shearing demonstration and the gauchos going about their work. You’ll also have lunch here before embarking on a boat trip towards Brazo Rico.
You’ll stop at Playa de las Monedas for an easy hike through lenga forest to reach a lookout point only visited by people on the Pioneers’ Route. Back on the boat you sail close to the southern face of Perito Moreno Glacier while sipping whisky, with ice from the glacier, and enjoying some chocolate.
The boat then takes you to the balconies where you can stroll and perhaps watch ice calving. There will be fewer visitors here at this time of day. The final leg of the excursion is by road from here back to El Calafate.
Note: This excursion starts at 9am and ends around 7pm. Max 11 people. Min age 6 years. Bring comfortable shoes or boots and a jacket able to withstand temperatures of 0°C and intense rains. Also glasses and sunscreen lotion.
Perito Moreno Glacier
Just observing Perito Moreno from the walkways is an unforgettable experience, but if you have more time or are feeling more adventurous we highly recommend a boat trip up to the face of the glacier, and an ice hike on its surface.
Perito Moreno Glacier is accessed from the town of El Calafate, which can be reached by air from Buenos Aires or other domestic airports in Argentina, or by bus from Punta Arenas in Chile.
The Fitz Roy Range is accessed from the mountain town of El Chalten, which you can reach by bus (three hours) from the town of El Calafate, near to Perito Moreno.
Yes, you can access Torres del Paine by bus from the nearby town of El Calafate. The journey is approx five hours long to Puerto Natales, the gateway to Torres del Paine, from there it is another few hours into the park.
No, there is no experience required for ice hiking on Perito Moreno.
Yes, the shorter 'mini ice' hike has an age restriction of 8-65 years old, and the longer 'big ice' hike has an age restriction of 18-50 years old.
Perito Moreno Glacier Tours trips scored 4.4/5 from 207 reviews
The hike on Perito Moreno glacier was so cool! I have hiked on other glaciers when the weather was bad, and we happened to get a bright and sunny day for this tour, so it made it very enjoyable.
Travelled: December 2017
Alysha - Colorado, USA
There were many amazing moments of the trip, but the Perito Moreno glacier was remarkable. I have never seen anything like it. Read the full review
Travelled: February 2023
Sara Wynne - UK
The trip to Perito Morino was excellent which also included two off shore walks through the really interesting woods which we didn't expect. Read the full review
Travelled: November 2022
Peter Williams - UK
Must include a visit or trek at Perito Moreno Glacier. Another jaw dropping place and a site to behold. Read the full review
Travelled: November 2022
Rozini Mohd Amin - Malaysia
Big Ice trek was an outstanding experience - staff were great! We would never have thought of such an experience and that’s a credit to Swoop! Read the full review
Travelled: December 2018
Anne Marie McGonigal - United Kingdom
The glacier was a surprise--we weren't expecting it to be so impressive. Read the full review
Travelled: November 2018
Jen Keister - United States Of America
The Perito Moreno Glacier is breathtaking and easily accessible from the raised walkway in the park. We also did the boat tour, which offers history and closer view of the glacier.
Travelled: October 2017
Richard & Susan - Canada
Review:
The Perito Moreno Glacier
There are three reasons why Perito Moreno is so unique:
Accessibility: Very few glaciers are this easily accessible, whilst also being incredibly safe. It is close to the town of El Calafate, in a stable climate, viewable from walkways, by boat, and on the surface of the glacier itself.
Stability: Perito Moreno has been regarded as stable: it's surface, width and length have remained largely the same since 1971. This means that the snowfall in the accumulation zone is enough to balance out the mass lost from melting in the percolation zone.
Breaking: As it stretches into a rocky peninsula, the glacier literally cuts Lake Argentino in half. This causes the water levels on one side to rise, increasing in pressure and eventually leading to a break in the glacier. This can take anything from one day to an entire week, depending on the amount of water accumulated, but is always a truly spectacular event. These breaking cycles are irregular, happening every 2-16 years: the last one was in 2021!
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.
The Perito Moreno Glacier
Patagonia is home to some truly beautiful and gigantic glaciers. We've chosen our favourites in the hope that you'll get to see as many of them as possible.
Named after the local Calafate berry, El Calafate is the gateway to Los Glaciares National Park. Legend has it that eating one of the berries will guarantee your return to …
Sat at the base of Mount Fitz Roy, El Chaltén has a rich mountaineering heritage that attracts climbers from all over the world. Hiking trails head straight out from town, …
Trek amongst jagged, snow-capped peaks and electric-blue lakes, venture out into open valleys and private reserves, or visit the icy glaciers that roll from the Southern …
The massive South Patagonian Ice Cap feeds the many glaciers that give Argentina's most famous national park its name. Hikers and climbers flock to the hub towns of El Calafate and El Chalten to explore the famous Fitz Roy massif, Perito Moreno glacier or the giant ice sheet itself on day hikes, long treks or boat trips.
We'll spend some time listening to your aspirations, then discuss the kind of experience that might suit you.
Next we'll discuss the options, shortlist the best trips for you and present you our impartial recommendations.
We'll place a 24 hour hold on your preferred option - without obligation - whilst we talk through the details.
Whatever your budget, group size, length of stay, preferred activity or appetite for adventure, we can help.
1-855-369-7866
Discover our action packed, 12 day Paine tour. Including the W Trek, Los Glaciares, a boat expedition, and more!
This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. Privacy policy