Close up of Perito Moreno Glacier
One of the greatest natural wonders in the world, Perito Moreno Glacier, is definitely a must-see when traveling to Argentina and Patagonia. There are loads of options when visiting one of the only glaciers in the world that is still expanding, and this is your definitive guide to getting the most out of your visit to this amazing site.
How to get there
Chances are the hostel or hotel you’re staying at in El Calafate will have several different options when visiting Perito Moreno. These are all fine options depending on what you want to do. Just be aware that you can just go down to the bus station and book a ticket to Perito Moreno for cheaper than any hostel, hotel, or tour operator will quote you, and it’s super easy.
Bus- The bus station in El Calafate is centrally located, so a day or two ahead of when you want to visit Perito Moreno, just head down to it and purchase your ticket for about $15US/person. The journey takes about 1.5 hours.
View from the walkways
Visiting the park
The bus will first stop at a boat launch on the south face of the glacier. Tourists are given the option to go on a boat trip that gets up close and personal with the south face (a bit smaller than the north face). If you choose to stay on the bus, you will get driven up to the entrance, which also has food and drink options and bathrooms (entrance to the park is about $17.50US/person).
Walking- There are a good number of walkways and catwalks that give a great overhead view of Perito Moreno. It’s worth it to walk around all of them and take it all in. If it’s a sunny day or the temperatures rise throughout the day, make sure you stick around to see the calving of the face of the glacier (huge chunks of ice falling off the face into the water). It’s one of the most spectacular and unique natural phenomenons I’ve seen.
A look at the glacier from the boat ride
Boat Trips
- North Face- As mentioned above, it is possible to take a boat trip from either the south or north face. The north face is the bigger of the two, and since tourists have to walk a bit back down the road to get there, it’s not quite as crowded. We decided to take the boat ride from the north face, and we were not disappointed. The boat gets pretty damn close to the glacier, and if you’re lucky enough, you can see and hear the deafening sound of the calving of the glacier (we were lucky enough to be shooting video when this happened).
Ice Climbing- If you really want to see Perito Moreno up close, then an ice hiking/climbing adventure may be for you. It gets travelers on the glacier itself with cramp-ons and ice picks and let’s you explore like most never get the chance to do. We decided against this solely because of the high cost, and if we didn’t get a chance to do it while in New Zealand, I would have regretted it. Look into it and if it’s in the budget, do it. When are you going to get another chance to literally walk on a glacier?
Be sure to check out the picture and video post featuring our favorites from our trip to Perito Moreno Glacier.
