The Perito Moreno Glacier in Argentina has become a popular way to start any trip to Patagonia. Located about an hour drive from El Calafate, you can easily catch a flight from Buenos Aires and even visit the glacier in the same day. There are a few different Perito Moreno Glacier tours to choose from depending on your budget and allotted time. We decided to go with the half day Perito Moreno Glacier boat tour with transportation included. Here’s all about where to book your tickets, additional tour options, and the best Perito Moreno Glacier facts to know before your visit!
Perito Moreno Glacier Tour Breakdown
- Perito Moreno Glacier Tour: $1200 Pesos
- Perito Moreno Glacier Boat Tour: $1000 Pesos
- Glacier Park Entrance: $800 Pesos
- 8am: Pickup from Hotel
- 10am: Boat ride to Glacier
- 11:30am: Walkways and Lookout Points
- 2pm: Drive back to Hotel
Perito Moreno Glacier Tours to Consider
Self Guided Tour: If you’ve decided to rent a car (check prices here), then there is no need for a tour. Just pay the $800 Peso entrance fee when you arrive.
We still recommend the 1 hour boat tour from the small port inside the park. However, know that you can book this when you get there.
Moreno Glacier Tour: We paid through our accommodation at Calafate Hostel. Morning and afternoon tours are offered daily, with the ability to add on the boat tour.
The guide will share some awesome Perito Moreno Glacier facts on your way there to get you hyped to see it. Book an amazing glacier tour here.
Big Ice vs Mini-Trekking: Hielo & Aventura runs the only tours in town that allow you to hike directly on the ice. They are similar, but the main difference is how long you spend walking on the ice. Check out this ice trekking tour before you go.
Full Day Boat Tour: If you prefer a more relaxing time at the Perito Moreno Glacier, then look into the Glaciers Gourmet Tour. You will spend all day cruising through the channels and getting a different view of the park. This is a high end boat tour with a price tag to prove it.
Getting to the Perito Moreno Glacier
Your journey will start from the town of El Calafate. This is where everyone stays, and it’s a great jump off to your Patagonia tour. If you’re not one to plan ahead and traveling in the fall or spring, you can easily book a Perito Moreno Glacier tour through your hotel when you arrive.
However, in high season make sure to book this before if you are on a time crunch. Also, check out our hotel recommendations later on in this post for where to stay in town!
The drive from El Calafate is about one hour and fifteen minutes. Yet, you will probably be in transport longer than that depending on when you’re picked up from your hotel.
We started our journey to the Perito Moreno Glacier in Argentina at 8am. After the tour, we made it back to our accommodation by 3pm.
Know Before You Go
Entrance Fee: There’s an $800 peso entrance fee to enter the park, which is not included in your ticket. Be sure to bring cash for this!
Second Day Return: The entry fee is half price if you return for a second consecutive day and save your park ticket.
Weather Warning: The weather changes very quickly in Patagonia. In town it was sunny and warm, but when we got to the Glacier we had sun, wind, rain, and clouds. Pack warm layers, especially if you’re doing the Perito Moreno Glacier boat tour.
Lunch Time: You can bring your own lunch into the park, and there is also food available inside the welcome center.
Must Pack: Pack sunglasses and warm clothing including hat and gloves, chapstick, sunblock, water, and snacks.
Where To Stay In El Calafate Argentina
Ultra Luxury – Xelena Hotel & Suites – Just outside of town, the Xelena Hotel & Suites is where you’ll want to go if you’re looking for a little luxury! This wonderful accommodation is complete with a swimming pool, gorgeous lake views, and a shuttle service into town.
Fun Vacation – Patagonia Queen Hotel Boutique – In terms of quality, you won’t find a better place to stay in El Calafate than Patagonia Queen. The fun atmosphere includes a full bar, pool table, and other fun activities to take part in before you head out to the Perito Moreno Glacier in Argentina.
Hostel Life – Calafate Hostel – Featuring both private rooms and dorms, this popular hostel is a great spot to plan your adventures from. We loved the upstairs common room area as well as the restaurant connected to the property.
5 Quick Perito Moreno Glacier Facts
1. The glacier is named after a famous Argentinian explorer! Perito Moreno discovered many of the famous landmarks of the region, and even helped settle a 19th century border dispute between Chile and Argentina.
2. The Perito Moreno Glacier covers a mind blowing area of 98 Square Miles. That makes it bigger than the entire city of Buenos Aires! The Southern Andes is also home to the largest area covered in ice after Antarctica.
3. Despite it’s massive size, Perito Moreno is not the only glacier in Patagonia. There are several others inside Los Glaciares National Park that are even bigger including Upsala and Viedma.
4. The glaciers play many important roles on our planet like keeping it cool and providing fresh water. Only 3% of all water in the world is fresh, and Perito Moreno is part of what makes up the 3rd largest reserve in the world.
5. Perito Moreno is VERY old. In fact, scientists estimate it started forming during the last Ice Age 18,000 years ago!
Perito Moreno Glacier Boat Tour
The hour long boat tour is a must do, and the perfect way to start off your visit to the Perito Moreno Glacier. Also called the Nautical Safari, it should be offered with your tour of the glacier for an additional $1000 pesos.
From the small port, it only takes about 10 minutes to get directly to the glacier. You’ll then spend the rest of the time cruising in front of it.
We spent most of our boat trip running around the vessel as it turned so we could get the best views. If you’re traveling all the way to this part of Patagonia, you might as well see it from all angles!
Perito Moreno Glacier Walkways
Walking through the National Park was by far our favorite part of the Perito Moreno Glacier tour! You’ll have about 2.5 hours to explore the catwalks and take it all in.
The sturdy metal and wooden platforms make for the perfect viewing trails, and there’s many benches throughout the park to enjoy a packed lunch. There’s a building in the main parking lot that sells lunch, coffee, and has restrooms as well.
All the walkways are color coded offering different views of the glacier. In reality, to finish most of the walkways, it would only take about two hours. So take your time at all the viewpoints, get your pictures, and enjoy this magnificent wonder of nature!
Look Out Below!
One of the Perito Moreno Glacier facts we didn’t mention yet is that the ice is continually falling into the water. Not to worry though, this is actually a normal process for the glacier!
Specifically on a sunny day, you’ll hear the thunderous roar of the glacier starting to crack every few minutes. From above this was thrilling to watch. Yet, if you’re on your Perito Moreno Glacier boat tour, you’ll have to speed away as the falling ice can create massive waves in the lake.
Have any questions about the Perito Moreno Glacier in Argentina? How about any helpful tips to share about your own adventures visiting the park? Let us know in the comments below!
Safe Travels,
Brigitte & Jake
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Thank you for these great info. We will be going to see the glacier in Feb 2020. Do you happen to know how far is the walk to the boat docks from where you buy the tickets to ride the boat? Your photos are beautiful! Thank you.
Author
Hi Divina! Glad you found the post helpful for travel planning! 🙂 Under the section “Perito Moreno Glacier Boat Tour” the first photo is actually where you get the tickets so the walk is a very short distance. If you have your own car you can also get tickets and drive down directly to the boat ramp. Hope that helps and let us know if you have any more questions!
This was very useful information (and great pictures!) Thank you!
Author
Hi Antigone! Glad you found it helpful, we had a great day exploring the Glacier! 🙂