The best time to book a Perito Moreno glacier trek
You can see Perito Moreno Glacier in any season, yet the treks only run on dates the operator opens. Spring and autumn are calmer, while summer brings the longest days and the busiest walkways. Below, what each part of the year looks like, and where to put the trek inside your stay.
Open all year, with treks on their own calendar
The glacier and its walkways in Los Glaciares National Park can be visited in any season. The ice walks are another matter, since they follow the operator's calendar rather than the park's opening hours.
Sources disagree on exactly which weeks the treks run, so we do not print start and end dates. Open the listing's availability calendar instead, and the dates you can book are the ones on offer.
The walkways on the Magallanes Peninsula stay open whatever the trek calendar says. Even on a day without an ice walk, they give you the wide view of the north and central front.
Our pick, the Patagonia Dreams Minitrekking at ~$424, scores 4.8 from 800+ reviews on GetYourGuide. Its calendar is the quickest way to see whether your travel dates work.
Spring, September to November
Spring is usually cooler, with fewer people at the walkways and on the boats. Days lengthen quickly as the weeks go on, which gives the long trek days more light.
Wind is the Patagonian constant, and spring days are often blustery. Our page on when the weather turns explains what happens to a trek in wind and rain.
The quieter months suit travelers who would rather share the walkways with fewer people. Pack warm layers, since early spring can feel close to winter by the ice.
Summer, December to February
Summer brings the longest days and the busiest walkways. Daytime in El Calafate is often around 15–20 °C (59–68 °F), and it feels colder on the boat and on the ice.
With more visitors in town, popular dates tend to fill earlier. If you want the small-group Minitrekking option of up to 15 people, book that one first.
Summer also suits families on school holidays, though the age limits stay the same all year. Children of 6 or 7 can join the Blue Safari when the Minitrekking's lower limit of 8 rules them out.
The long light helps most on the 12-hour Big Ice day, which starts with a 6:45 am pickup. Glare off the ice is strongest now too. Bring the sunglasses and sunscreen from our packing list.
Fall, March to May
Fall turns the lenga forest red and gold. The lenga grows on the shore where the treks begin, so you walk through the color on the way to the ice or back from it.
Days shorten as the season goes on, and the air gets colder by the glacier. Crowds thin after the summer rush, which makes the walkways calmer in the late afternoon.
For photographers this is often the favorite stretch of the year. Blue ice above a red forest is a combination the summer months cannot offer. Cooler air also means less to shed on the climb, though gloves become a must on the boat.
Winter, June to August
Winter is cold with short daylight, and the glacier front still draws visitors to the walkways. Whether a given ice walk runs depends on the operator, so the listing's calendar is the only reliable guide.
Short days leave less light around the trek, and the cold by the ice is sharper. Dress as for a ski day. Gloves and a hat earn their place even at the walkways.
The boat trips and the walkways can still show you the wall if the treks are off when you visit. Our Blue Safari guide covers the easiest way to reach the ice without a trek when it runs.
Where to put the trek inside your stay
Book the trek early in your stay so a weather day can be absorbed. If the start time moves or the weather turns, a spare day leaves room to rebook.
Never book it for the day you land or fly out. The Patagonia Dreams listing does not allow bookings on arrival or departure days, and pickups can run late into the afternoon.
Rain on the day matters less than many expect. The operator runs its excursions in rain, and a gray sky often makes the blue of the ice look deeper in photos.
Free cancellation runs up to 24 hours before on all four of our tours. The Minitrekking and Howlanders' longer hike can be reserved on GetYourGuide with payment later.
Pick your date on the calendar
Our top pick, about an hour on the ice with a boat ride and the walkways. The listing's calendar shows which days run, and you can reserve now and pay later.
Matching the tour to the time of year
In any season, the choice of tour matters more than the week. Our Minitrekking or Big Ice comparison covers the two classic treks, and the trek price guide sets all four fares side by side.
For a 12-hour day, long summer light is a comfort. For the one-hour Minitrekking or the longer hike at ~$370, any month on the calendar works if you dress for wind.
Big Ice needs the most planning, since its age window of 18 to 50 and the medical form apply in every month. Book it once your dates in El Calafate are fixed.
The daily routine changes little through the year, from the van to the port and the boat. Our pickup and timing guide walks through it.
Winter or summer, the ice never stops creeping toward the lake. Routes on the ice change with it, so no two trek days look the same.