Perito Moreno Glacier Trekking

Perito Moreno Glacier ends in a wall of ice about 5 km (3 miles) wide in Lago Argentino, some 78 km (48 miles) by road from El Calafate. A boat crosses Brazo Rico to its south side, where guides fit crampons to your boots for a walk on the glacier itself. We compared four ways to get onto or right up to the ice, from a short Blue Safari to a 12-hour Big Ice day. Each one comes with its price and its catch.

  • Ice walks follow the operator's calendarThe walkways are open all year, but the treks run only on the dates the booking calendar shows
  • Not on the day you land or fly outPut the trek early in your stay in El Calafate and keep a spare day for the weather

In a hurry? Our top pick is Patagonia Dreams' Minitrekking: ~$424 a person for a day of about ten hours with hotel transfers, with about an hour in crampons on the glacier, a boat along the ice wall and time on the walkways. Book it here.

Book on GetYourGuide Book on Viator

Compare all 4 tours

If you only have a minute

Which Perito Moreno glacier trek should you book?

Picture a friend packing for El Calafate who asks us which glacier walk to take. Over a mate on the waterfront of Lago Argentino, this is the answer we would give.

For most visitors the trek to book is Patagonia Dreams' Minitrekking, from ~$424. Hotel pickup, a boat to the south wall, about an hour on the ice in crampons and a stop at the walkways all fit into one day. Children from 8 and adults up to 65 can go.

Fit and under 50, with an appetite for more ice? Hielo y Aventura's Big Ice at ~$459 gives you about three hours on the glacier in a 12-hour day. Howlanders' longer hike at ~$370 sits in between, with about two hours on the ice. Traveling with small children or a grandparent? The Blue Safari costs ~$117 and takes you to touch the wall with no crampons at all.

Nobody can promise sun on the ice. See what each trek costs once the park fee and lunch are added and who the age limits leave out, check how the hours of each day are spent, then read the small print we pulled out before you pay.

Our pick

The glacier day we would book: the Minitrekking

It puts crampons on the widest range of people, from age 8 to 65, in one day that also takes in the boat ride and the walkways. Its listing also has far more reviews than any other trek here, though you share the glacier with many other groups.

The blue and white ice wall of Perito Moreno Glacier with a tiny hiker standing beside it for scale Our pick

Perito Moreno Glacier Trekking Tour and Cruise, Patagonia Dreams

★★★★★ 4.8 from 800+ reviews on GetYourGuide · free cancellation up to 24 hours before

A van collects you from your hotel in El Calafate, at a time between 7:30 am and 3:00 pm depending on the option, confirmed the day before. The drive to the port of Bajo de las Sombras inside the national park takes about an hour and a half.

The boat crosses Brazo Rico in about 30 minutes, heading straight for the glacier's south wall. At the far shore mountain guides fit your crampons and safety gear, then lead you onto the ice for about an hour of walking between cracks and small blue pools.

You come back through the Magellanic forest to the refuge, with time to eat the lunch you brought. The boat then sails along the ice wall, and the day ends with about 40 minutes of free time on the walkways facing the glacier front.

Duration
5–11 hours with or without transfer
On the ice
About 1 hour in crampons
Group
Up to 15 on the small-group option, 20 on the standard one
Route
Bajo de las Sombras, Brazo Rico, the ice, the walkways
Pickup
El Calafate hotels, 7:30 am to 3:00 pm by option
Ages
8 to 65; under 18 with a parent's written authorization
Limits
Not for pregnant travelers; heart or breathing problems; limited mobility; low fitness
Cancellation
Free up to 24 hours; reserve now, pay later
Price per person from ~$424 Boat · 1 h on the ice · walkways
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How the day runs, step by step

This is the order the listing gives. The glacier shifts every day, so the guides choose the line across the ice on the morning itself.

Out of El Calafate

  • Pickup at your hotel in El Calafate
  • Van of about 1.5 hours to the port of Bajo de las Sombras
  • Boat across Brazo Rico to the south wall, about 30 minutes

On the ice and back

  • Crampons fitted, then about 1 hour of walking on the glacier
  • Back through the forest to the refuge for your packed lunch
  • Sailing along the ice wall, then about 40 minutes on the walkways
  • Van back to El Calafate

What the price covers

The fare pays for the transfers and the boat as well as the guided walk on the ice. Lunch and the park ticket are yours to sort out.

Included
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off in El Calafate (by option)
  • The boat across Brazo Rico and the sailing along the wall
  • About 1 hour on the glacier with crampons fitted by guides
  • A bilingual guide (English and Spanish)
Not included
  • Lunch (bring a packed one)
  • The national park entry fee
  • Tips
  • A promise of sunshine or of ice falling into the lake

Between us, before you go

A word from one cold-handed hiker to another. Buy the park ticket online in advance or carry Argentine pesos to pay on arrival, and have it sorted before the van reaches the gate. Hikers aged 8 to 18 need written authorization from a parent or guardian.

You cannot book this trek for the day you arrive or the day you leave. Gloves and sunglasses matter more than you would think, because the ice throws the light back at you. Our packing guide for the ice covers the rest.

Why it beats the longer treks

It takes children from 8 and adults up to 65, where Big Ice stops at 50 and the longer hike at 55. Its listing also carries 800+ reviews, against 34 for Big Ice and 10 for the Howlanders hike. Minitrekking or Big Ice sets the two classics side by side.

What you give up is time on the glacier. One hour on the ice inside a long day is short, and a few reviewers mention waiting before their group set off.

Who we would not send on it

Anyone the listing turns away, which rules out pregnant travelers and people after recent surgery. Heart or breathing problems and limited mobility count too. Strong hikers under 50 who want the deep crevasses, who will be happier on Big Ice. And families with children under 8, who can still reach the ice wall on the Blue Safari.

Book it if

You want one well-organized day that gets you onto the glacier in crampons. You see the ice from the boat and from the walkways too, and you are back in town by evening. It suits couples and friends as well as families whose children are 8 or older.

Skip it if

Ready to strap on crampons?

The trek is on GetYourGuide (4.8 from 800+ reviews) and on Viator (4.7 from 100+). Both let you cancel for free up to 24 hours before, so you can wait for the forecast before you commit.

GetYourGuide Viator

The day itself

How a Perito Moreno trekking day works

Every trip on this page starts at the same port and crosses the same arm of the lake. What changes is whether you walk on the glacier or stand at its foot, and how many hours you give to it.

Style · crampons on the ice

Onto the glacier itself

Minitrekking, Howlanders' longer hike, Big Ice

5–12 ha boat to the south side, then one to three hours on the ice

You walk among cracks and blue pools with a guide picking the route. The more time on the ice, the stricter the rules get: Big Ice takes nobody over 50 and asks for a medical form. Lunch and the park fee come on top on all three.

Style · boots on the beach

To the ice wall without crampons

Blue Safari, Hielo y Aventura

3–9 ha boat, an easy 1.5 km trail and about two hours on the walkways

A gentle walk over a beach and through the trees ends with your hand on the glacier. It suits ages 6 to 70 and costs a fraction of a trek. The catch is plain: you touch the ice but never walk on it, and up to 40 people share the trail.

Daylight in El Calafate and the character of the seasons

  • Rough hours of daylight
  1. Jan16h of lightSummer

    Long days, the walkways at their busiest

  2. Feb14h of lightSummer

    Usually the mildest weeks on the ice

  3. Mar12h of lightAutumn

    Fewer crowds, the lenga starts to turn

  4. Apr10h of lightAutumn

    Red and gold forest, colder mornings

  5. May9h of lightAutumn

    Short days; check the trek calendar

  6. Jun8h of lightWinter

    Cold and dim, the walkways still open

  7. Jul8h of lightWinter

    Often the coldest weeks of the year

  8. Aug10h of lightWinter

    Late winter, the days stretching out

  9. Sep12h of lightSpring

    Cool and quiet, wind picking up

  10. Oct14h of lightSpring

    Fewer visitors, crisp days on the boat

  11. Nov16h of lightSpring

    Long light before the summer rush

  12. Dec17h of lightSummer

    The longest days of the year

Daylight hours are rounded for El Calafate; the ice walks run only on the dates the operator's calendar opens, so check it for your trip. Wind can blow in any month, and by the glacier it always feels colder than in town. Highlighted months are the ones we would pick. When to book, in detail.

How each day is spent

  • Van, boat, walkways
  • Walking with the guide
  • May run longer

Hours count from pickup in El Calafate and come from the listings; the split between the walk and the rest of the day is our rough estimate. Without the transfer, each day is shorter by about three hours of driving, and the longer hike only visits the walkways if you book the transfer option.

  1. Pick your hours on the iceOne hour on the Minitrekking, about two on the longer hike, about three on Big Ice, or none on the Blue Safari. The treks compared.
  2. Check every age in your groupEach listing sets its own window, from 6–70 on the Blue Safari to 18–50 on Big Ice. Age limits and fitness.
  3. Go early in your stayRain alone rarely stops a trek, but a spare day leaves room if the operator moves yours. When the weather turns.
  4. Pack for glare and windWaterproof layers and gloves for the wind. Sunglasses and sunscreen for the glare, plus a packed lunch for the treks. What to wear.

You also get the classic view without a trek. Every tour here includes time on the walkways of the Magallanes Peninsula, where boardwalks face the north and central front of the glacier; our day plan shows where they fit.

How to choose

How to pick the right glacier trek

The glacier and the boat across Brazo Rico are the same for all four. What differs is how long you spend on the ice, how fit you need to be and who in your group the age limits allow.

Time on the ice

About one hour on the Minitrekking, two on the Howlanders hike, three on Big Ice. The Blue Safari stops at the wall. One hour or three.

Fitness

The Minitrekking asks for moderate fitness, the Blue Safari for very little. Big Ice adds a two-hour climb over the moraine each way and reviewers count about 15 km. The long day explained.

Ages

8–65 on the Minitrekking, 17–55 on the longer hike, 18–50 on Big Ice, 6–70 on the Blue Safari. The limits are firm. Who can go.

Budget

From ~$117 for the Blue Safari to ~$459 for Big Ice. The park fee and your lunch come on top. Every price in one table.

Group size

Howlanders' hike keeps groups small, with one guide for every 10 hikers. The Minitrekking and Big Ice take up to 20, the Blue Safari up to 40. Life in a group on the ice.

No crampons?

The Blue Safari leads you over a beach of stranded icebergs to put a hand on the wall, with a toast at the end. The easy way to the ice.

Everything else to do around El Calafate

The 4 tours

Four ways onto the ice, side by side

We read the Perito Moreno listings on both booking sites and kept one tour of each shape. Every card names the company and gives the price and length. It says plainly what the catch is and links to each site that sells it.

Visitors on the walkways looking across the water at the wide ice front of Perito Moreno Glacier Our pick

Perito Moreno Glacier Trekking Tour and Cruise, Patagonia Dreams

The trek we would book for a first time on the ice.

The classic Minitrekking. A van from your hotel, a boat across Brazo Rico and about an hour on the glacier in crampons, then a walk through the forest, a sail along the wall and some 40 minutes on the walkways. A bilingual guide comes with it.

  • Rating4.8 from 800+ reviews on GetYourGuide
  • Duration5–11 hours, pickup 7:30 am to 3:00 pm by option
  • Tour companyPatagonia Dreams
  • Free cancellationUp to 24 hours before, pay later
  • StrengthsAges 8–65; boat, ice, walkways in one day; the most reviews
  • Ideal forFirst-timers and couples, plus families with children of 8 or more

Good to know: About an hour on the ice in a long day. Lunch and the park fee are extra. Many groups go out at once, so expect some waiting. Not bookable on your arrival or departure day. The hour in crampons.

~$424per person
GetYourGuide Viator
Hikers in helmets and harnesses walking through the lenga forest on the way to the glacier Most time on the ice

Big Ice: Explore the Heart of the Perito Moreno Glacier, Hielo y Aventura

Three hours deep in the glacier, for strong legs.

Pickup is from 6:45 am, then a 20-minute boat ride leads to about two hours over the moraine and through the forest. Roughly three hours on the ice follow among blue lagoons and sinkholes, with caves if conditions allow. You wear a helmet and harness with the crampons and eat lunch on the ice, and the day ends with an hour on the walkways.

  • Rating4.8 from 34 reviews on GetYourGuide
  • DurationAbout 12 hours, 7.5 without the transfer
  • Tour companyHielo y Aventura
  • Free cancellationUp to 24 hours before; full refund if suspended
  • StrengthsThe longest time on the ice; deep crevasses; up to 20 people
  • Ideal forFit hikers aged 18 to 50

Good to know: The highest price here, with a firm age cap at 50 and a medical form. The listing calls the fitness level high. Reviewers count about 15 km on foot. Bring your own food and drink. The full Big Ice day.

~$459per person
GetYourGuide Viator
A hiker on the moraine trail high above the cracked surface of Perito Moreno Glacier Small groups

Perito Moreno Long Glacier Hike and Boat Tour, Howlanders

The middle step between the classic and Big Ice.

Sold as "Minitrekking 2". A boat of about 20 minutes, then a four-hour hike that includes about two hours and 5 km (3 miles) on the ice in crampons, along the lateral moraine. On the way back you pass a small meltwater waterfall before a boat collects you at Puma Bay.

  • Rating5.0 from 10 reviews on GetYourGuide
  • Duration5–10 hours, transfer optional
  • Tour companyHowlanders
  • Free cancellationUp to 24 hours before, pay later
  • StrengthsTwice the ice of the classic; one guide per 10 hikers; a lower price than Big Ice
  • Ideal forFit hikers aged 17 to 55 who want more than an hour up there

Good to know: Sold on GetYourGuide only, with just 10 reviews. The departure time is confirmed after booking, pickup works only from places with a reception desk, and the walkways come only with the transfer option. Park fee and food are extra. How the day fits together.

~$370per person
GetYourGuide
A child in a red jacket standing with arms wide on the beach in front of Perito Moreno Glacier No crampons

Blue Safari: The Perito Moreno Glacier in Your Hands, Hielo y Aventura

The ice within arm's reach, for the lowest price.

Pickup from 9:00 am, a boat across Brazo Rico and an easy trail of about 1.5 km (1 mile) that crosses a beach with stranded icebergs and then woodland and rocks on the way to the south wall. You touch the glacier and toast with Calafate liqueur over glacier ice, then sail close to the face and spend about two hours on the walkways.

  • Rating4.8 from 100+ reviews on GetYourGuide
  • Duration3–9 hours, pickup from 9:00 am
  • Tour companyHielo y Aventura
  • Free cancellationUp to 24 hours before
  • StrengthsLowest price; an easy walk; ages 6 to 70
  • Ideal forFamilies with young children and older travelers

Good to know: You stand at the ice and touch it, but you never walk on the glacier. Up to 40 people share the boat and the trail, and ice falling into the lake is possible, never promised. The Blue Safari in detail.

~$117per person
GetYourGuide Viator

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Before you go

Eight things about glacier treks that no listing puts in big letters

None of these sits at the top of a booking page. Any one of them can decide whether your day on the ice runs smoothly or starts with a scramble at the park gate.

What you should know

  1. The park ticket is extra. Patagonia Dreams' listing says you buy it at the entrance in Argentine pesos or online beforehand, and the Viator twin lists it as paid on the day. Have cash or a ticket ready. The full costs.
  2. Lunch is yours to bring. On the Minitrekking you eat a packed lunch in the forest by the refuge. On Big Ice you sit down for about 30 minutes on the ice itself to eat the food and drink you carried up.
  3. The age limits are firm. The Minitrekking takes 8 to 65, the longer hike 17 to 55 and Big Ice 18 to 50, with a medical form. A grandparent of 70 or a child of 6 fits only the Blue Safari. Who can go.
  4. Not on your travel days. The Minitrekking cannot be booked for the day you arrive or leave El Calafate. A day with a pickup at 6:45 am and an evening return does not mix with a flight anyway.
  5. Rain does not cancel the trek. Hielo y Aventura's listings say their outings go ahead in the rain and run whenever safety allows. Start times can move, and you hear about it by email. When the weather turns.
  6. The ice throws light back at you. Even under cloud, the glare off the glacier is strong. Sunglasses and sunscreen are on the operators' lists, and gloves help when you grip a cold rail or touch the ice.
  7. Pickup is for El Calafate hotels only. Staying outside town? Go to the nearest meeting point or to Hielo y Aventura's office at Av. del Libertador 935. The Howlanders hike picks up only where there is a reception desk. The day plan.
  8. You will not have the glacier to yourself. The Minitrekking runs many groups at once, about one guide for every 10 people, and some reviewers waited before setting off. Smaller groups cost more time or more money.

Everything in one table

Four glacier trips, catch included

The four tours side by side. Each row weighs what a tour does well against what it leaves out.

Swipe the table sideways to see all columns →

Tour Ideal for Price Length Starts from Tour company and rating Strength and catch Book
Minitrekking, Patagonia Dreams (our pick) A first walk on the ice ~$424per person 5–11 h Hotel pickup, 7:30 am to 3:00 pm Patagonia Dreams
4.8 on GetYourGuide		 Ages 8–65; boat and walkways included. About 1 hour on the ice; lunch and park fee extra.
GetYourGuideViator
Big Ice, Hielo y Aventura Fit hikers under 50 ~$459per person 7.5–12 h Hotel pickup from 6:45 am Hielo y Aventura
4.8 on GetYourGuide		 About 3 hours deep in the glacier. Highest price, ages 18–50, a hard 15 km day.
GetYourGuideViator
Longer hike, Howlanders More ice without Big Ice ~$370per person 5–10 h Pickup by option, time sent after booking Howlanders
5.0 on GetYourGuide		 About 2 hours and 5 km on the ice, small groups. Only 10 reviews, GetYourGuide only.
GetYourGuide
Blue Safari, Hielo y Aventura Families and older travelers ~$117per person 3–9 h Hotel pickup from 9:00 am Hielo y Aventura
4.8 on GetYourGuide		 Lowest price, ages 6–70, a hand on the ice wall. No walking on the glacier, up to 40 people.
GetYourGuideViator

Prices are regular "from" rates per person in US dollars and can change. The booking page always has the final word.

Who went

Reviews from hikers who stood on the ice

Fourteen travelers, some who had sun glaring off the glacier and some who walked it in rain and wind, on what won them over and what they would change next time.

★★★★★Minitrekking, about 1 h on ice

The van collected us from our hotel in El Calafate and we slept most of the way to the port. On the boat across Brazo Rico everyone crowded the rail as the south wall got bigger and bluer. At the refuge the guides strapped on our crampons one by one and showed us how to stamp flat on the ice. The hour up there went far too fast. We passed little blue pools and cracks you could peer into, then finished with a glass of whisky over glacier ice.

HBHannah B. · Leeds, UKSun on the ice
★★★★★Minitrekking, about 1 h on ice

Crampons, a deep blue crack beside my boots, whisky poured over centuries-old ice. My favorite morning in Argentina.

DSDaniel S. · Haifa, IsraelSun on the ice
★★★★☆Minitrekking, about 1 h on ice

Well run and safe, but it is a big operation. We waited a while at the refuge before our group was called, and the hour on the ice is short for the price. Pack your own lunch and get the park ticket online the night before.

CRCamila R. · Montevideo, UruguayRain and wind
★★★★★Minitrekking, about 1 h on ice

Our guide picked a fresh line through the ice and waited for the slowest of us every time. Patient and funny.

TJTom J. · Auckland, New ZealandSun on the ice
★★★★★Minitrekking, about 1 h on ice

It rained on the boat and the wind was sharp on the ice, yet the trek went ahead and the colors of the ice looked deeper under the gray sky. We ate our sandwiches in the forest by the refuge and dried off a little before the walkways.

AFAkiko F. · Osaka, JapanRain and wind
★★★★★Big Ice, about 3 h on ice

Pickup at 6:45 am and we were back after dark, so plan nothing else that day. The walk up over the moraine and through the forest took about two hours before we even put the crampons on. Helmets and harnesses went on top. Then came three hours deep in the glacier among bright blue lagoons and sinkholes that drop out of sight. Lunch was our own sandwiches eaten sitting on the ice. My watch counted almost 15 km.

MKMarcus K. · Hamburg, GermanySun on the ice
★★★★★Big Ice, about 3 h on ice

Three hours on the ice instead of one. Hard work, and the reason I filled in the medical form without a second thought.

IPIsabel P. · Lisbon, PortugalSun on the ice
★★★★☆Big Ice, about 3 h on ice

Physically harder than I expected, and I run. The crampons feel heavy by the third hour and the path back to the boat is the same one you came up. No regrets, but it is a day for strong legs, not for anyone unsure about fitness.

RWRyan W. · Denver, USARain and wind
★★★★★Big Ice, about 3 h on ice

We had drizzle at the port and thought the day might be called off, but the guides said rain does not stop the trek and they were right. Up on the ice the clouds lifted for a while and the whole surface turned white and blue around us. Our guide found a small cave at the edge of a crevasse and let us look inside one at a time. After the boat ride along the south wall we had an hour at the walkways, which felt like a calm ending to a long day.

SLSofia L. · Stockholm, SwedenRain and wind
★★★★★Longer hike, about 2 h on ice

Our group was only eight, so the guide had time for everyone. Two hours on the ice felt right, longer than the classic trek without the full Big Ice day. On the way back we stopped at a small meltwater waterfall before the boat picked us up at Puma Bay.

LOLucas O. · Cape Town, South AfricaSun on the ice
★★★★★Longer hike, about 2 h on ice

Wind and sleet on the ice with a calm guide, about 5 km in crampons. Tired and very happy.

PGPooja G. · Bengaluru, IndiaRain and wind
★★★★★Blue Safari, no crampons

Our six-year-old put both hands on the blue wall and would not stop talking about it. An easy walk for her.

EMEmma M. · Toronto, CanadaSun on the ice
★★★★☆Blue Safari, no crampons

I booked the Blue Safari for my 68-year-old mother, who could not do the trek with crampons. The trail of about 1.5 km over the beach and through the trees was easy for her, and the small icebergs stranded on the shore were a surprise. Touching the wall with a glass of Calafate liqueur in hand was a lovely moment. Four stars only because the group was large, around 40 people, so the photos at the ice took patience. The two hours at the walkways afterward were a good finish.

GDGiulia D. · Turin, ItalySun on the ice
★★★★★Blue Safari, no crampons

Cold wind on the lake, but the boat went close to the south face and we heard the ice crack twice. Standing right at the wall felt like more than enough for us, without any crampons at all.

WCWei C. · Taipei, TaiwanRain and wind

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Crampons on

Book the Minitrekking for your glacier day

If you have one day in El Calafate for Perito Moreno and want to walk on it, we would book Patagonia Dreams' Minitrekking. You cross the lake to the south wall, spend about an hour on the ice in crampons and still get time on the walkways. The van brings you back to town in the evening.

You can hold a place now and pay closer to the date. Canceling is free until 24 hours before, which leaves room to watch the forecast. Pack a lunch and your sunglasses.

~$424

per person · 5–11 hours · hotel pickup by option

GetYourGuide Viator
  • ✓ Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
  • ✓ Reserve now, pay later
  • ✓ Crampons and safety gear fitted by guides
  • ✓ Boat along the wall and time on the walkways

Good to know

Why Perito Moreno keeps moving, and what you are walking on

Five minutes of reading makes the cracks under your boots, the blue of the ice and the thunder from the front of the glacier much easier to understand.

Perito Moreno Glacier is a river of ice that flows down from the Southern Patagonian Ice Field into Lago Argentino. It lies inside Los Glaciares National Park, about 78 km by road west of El Calafate, and its front stands roughly 60–70 m (200–230 ft) above the water.

01A park on the world list

Los Glaciares became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981. You pay its entry fee on the way in, in Argentine pesos at the gate or online before the trip. Every trek on this page starts inside the park, at the port of Bajo de las Sombras. The fee and the other extras.

02A glacier that never stands still

Near its center the ice moves forward by up to about 2 m (6.5 ft) a day. That steady push opens new crevasses and closes old ones, which is why the guides choose a fresh route over the surface each morning. Walking on it in crampons.

03Why the ice looks blue

Deep, dense glacier ice soaks up the red end of light and sends back the blue. The color is strongest in cracks and small lagoons and on the freshly broken face of the wall. It often looks deeper on a gray day than in bright sun. What cloud and rain change.

The moment most hikers remember is the first step in crampons. The spikes bite and the ice holds you like solid ground.

04Ice falling into the lake

Blocks break off and crash into the lake as the front pushes into the water, a process called calving. You may hear a crack like a gunshot before you see anything fall. It can happen at any moment, though nobody on a boat or balcony can promise it.

05The dam on Brazo Rico

Every few years the glacier reaches the far shore and blocks the arm of the lake called Brazo Rico. The water behind it rises until it tunnels through the ice and the dam collapses, an event that draws crowds. Nobody can say in advance when the next one will come.

06The forest at the edge

The woods you cross on the way to the ice are mostly lenga, a southern beech that turns red and gold in autumn. The walkways on the Magallanes Peninsula face the north and central front from several heights. When the forest turns.

78 kmBy road from El Calafate

5 kmRough width of the ice front

2 mDaily advance near the center, at most

1981The year the park joined the UNESCO list

Want the whole day in order, from pickup to the last boat? Our trekking day plan walks through it hour by hour.

Questions and answers

Frequently asked questions about trekking on Perito Moreno Glacier

Fourteen questions we hear again and again, with the full answer.

How much does a Perito Moreno glacier trek cost?

The Minitrekking starts at ~$424 per person, the Howlanders longer hike at ~$370 and Big Ice at ~$459. The Blue Safari, which reaches the ice wall without crampons, costs ~$117. The park entry fee and lunch come on top. Every price and extra is in our cost guide.

Which glacier trek should I pick?

For most visitors, Patagonia Dreams' Minitrekking, because it takes ages 8 to 65 and fits the boat, an hour on the ice and the walkways into one day. Fit hikers under 50 who want three hours on the glacier should book Big Ice. Families with younger children do better on the Blue Safari.

What is the difference between the Minitrekking and Big Ice?

The Minitrekking gives you about one hour on the ice and asks for moderate fitness, for ages 8 to 65. Big Ice adds a two-hour approach over the moraine, about three hours on the ice with helmet and harness, and a 12-hour day for ages 18 to 50 only. The two compared.

How long does a glacier trek take?

With hotel transfers, the Minitrekking takes about ten hours and Big Ice about twelve. The Howlanders hike runs 5 to 10 hours and the Blue Safari 3 to 9, depending on the option. If you drive yourself to the port, each day is a few hours shorter.

Is there an age limit?

Yes, and each tour sets its own. The Minitrekking takes ages 8 to 65, with written authorization from a parent for anyone under 18. Big Ice takes 18 to 50, the Howlanders hike 17 to 55 and the Blue Safari 6 to 70. Age limits and fitness.

How fit do I need to be?

For the Minitrekking, fit enough for about three hours of walking with an hour of it on uneven ice. Big Ice is rated high fitness and reviewers count about 15 km on foot. The Blue Safari is an easy walk of about 1.5 km. The listings exclude people with heart problems or limited mobility, so check with your doctor if unsure.

Is the park entry fee included?

No. Patagonia Dreams' listing says you buy the national park ticket at the entrance in Argentine pesos or online in advance, and the Viator twin lists it as payable on the day. Plan for it on every tour on this page.

Is lunch included?

Not on the treks. On the Minitrekking you bring a packed lunch and eat it near the refuge after the walk. On Big Ice you carry your food and drink up and eat during a break of about 30 minutes on the ice. The Howlanders hike does not include food either.

What happens if it rains?

Hielo y Aventura's listings say the excursions are not canceled for rain and run whenever safety conditions allow. Start times can change, in which case you get an email, and Big Ice gives a full refund if the activity is suspended. Book early in your stay to leave a spare day. When the weather turns.

What should I wear on the ice?

Waterproof hiking shoes and hiking pants, with warm layers under a waterproof jacket. Gloves and a hat matter too. Add sunglasses and sunscreen, because the glare off the ice is strong, plus a daypack for your lunch. What to wear on the ice.

Can I touch the glacier without trekking?

Yes, on Hielo y Aventura's Blue Safari. A boat crosses Brazo Rico, an easy trail of about 1.5 km leads over a beach to the south wall, and you put your hand on the ice before a toast with Calafate liqueur. You do not walk on the glacier itself. The Blue Safari.

Will I see ice fall into the lake?

Possibly. Blocks break off the front of the glacier often, and the boats sail close to the south wall, but calving cannot be promised on any tour. Time on the walkways gives you a second chance to watch for it.

When is the best time for a glacier trek?

The walkways are open all year, but the ice walks run on the operator's calendar, so check the dates on the listing. Spring is usually quieter, summer brings the longest days and the most visitors, and autumn turns the lenga forest red and gold. When to book.

Can I cancel for free?

Yes. All four tours can be canceled free of charge up to 24 hours before, and on GetYourGuide you can reserve the Minitrekking and the Howlanders hike now and pay later. The Minitrekking cannot be booked for your arrival or departure day.

Read before you travel

Guides to the ice above Lago Argentino

Ten questions that keep coming up, each with the long answer instead of the short one.