Perito Moreno Glacier: walkways, boat trips and ice treks

Perito Moreno is the glacier you can watch at close range: a wall of fractured blue-white ice about 5 km wide and some 74 m high where it meets Lago Argentino, near El Calafate in Argentine Patagonia. It flows 30 km down from the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, one of 48 glaciers fed by it, and covers about 250 km² (Wikipedia). Blocks of ice regularly break off its face and crash into the lake, and a network of walkways lets you watch from across a narrow channel.

The glacier lies in Los Glaciares National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981. Do not confuse it with Perito Moreno National Park, a separate park further north.

Why it is special#

Most glaciers in the world are shrinking. Perito Moreno was long famous for holding its ground, and from time to time it advances far enough to reach the Magallanes Peninsula, where the walkways stand. When that happens it dams the Brazo Rico arm of the lake, the water behind rises, and eventually it tunnels through and brings the ice bridge down in a spectacular rupture. This has happened repeatedly since 1917, most recently on the published record in 2016, 2018 and 2019 (Wikipedia). Since 2020, studies have recorded retreat on its northern front.

The glacier was named in 1899 after Francisco "Perito" Moreno, the explorer who defended Argentina's case in the boundary dispute with Chile.

The walkways#

The viewing platforms on the Magallanes Peninsula face the glacier front across a narrow channel. They are a network of six circuits rather than a single deck, and the official walkway map gives each one a length, time and difficulty:

For a short visit, start with the accessible and central circuits, which give the classic full-frontal view of the ice wall. The Bosque circuit adds a stretch through the forest. The Costa circuit heads along the shore towards the port, and the Inferior circuit takes you down to the lowest viewpoints, closest to the water, at the cost of more stairs and an uphill climb back. Allow two to three hours if you want to walk most of the network and wait for the ice to fall: calving is unpredictable.

Stay behind the railings. The map warns that falling ice can throw fragments tens of metres.

Seeing it from the water#

Safari Náutico is a one-hour boat trip along the south face of the glacier, run year-round by Hielo y Aventura from the Bajo de las Sombras port on Route 11, about 7 km before the walkways. It has no age limit, needs no physical effort and is wheelchair accessible. The base ticket does not include transport from El Calafate, so you need your own car or a transfer to reach the port (Hielo y Aventura).

Walking on the glacier#

Two guided treks put you on the ice itself, both run by Hielo y Aventura from the same port (Hielo y Aventura).

Minitrekking runs year-round. After a 20-minute boat crossing, you walk about three hours in total along the shore and through forest, of which about 1 hour 15 minutes is on the ice with crampons fitted by the guides. Walkers must be aged 8 to 65, with no exceptions. The operator also excludes people with obesity (a BMI of 30 or more), pregnant women, and people with heart or respiratory conditions or problems with walking and coordination. With the transfer from El Calafate, the day lasts about 9.5 hours and includes about an hour at the walkways.

Big Ice is the longer, harder option, offered from 15 September to 30 April for ages 18 to 50. It involves about 7.5 hours of trekking, roughly three of them on the ice among crevasses and seracs, in groups of up to ten with one guide per five people. With the transfer the day is about 12 hours.

For both, bring your own food and drink, as the company does not sell any, and warm, windproof clothing. Neither ticket includes park admission.

Planning the day#

Independent with a car. Drive out early, walk the platforms in the morning, then take the boat from Bajo de las Sombras at midday, or the other way round. The road inside the park is winding and has speed limits, so allow time.

With a trek. Book Minitrekking or Big Ice with the transfer, and the operator handles the road, the boat, the ice and an hour at the walkways in one long day.

Whatever you choose, dress for cold, wind and rain, which can all arrive in the same day.

Getting there, hours and fees#

The glacier is 80 km from El Calafate on paved Route 11 (park access). Park admission is checked at the Río Mitre portal on the way in. Buy it online in advance, selecting the Río Mitre and Glaciar Perito Moreno corridor, or pay in cash in Argentine pesos at the entrance.

Fees apply from 1 June 2026 (access fees). Park hours, fees and the operator's excursion details were checked on 8 October 2026.