El Calafate Tours: Ancient Glaciers

You’ll be transferred from the El Calafate airport to your comfortable El Calafate hotel. Enjoy the evening at your own leisure, strolling the streets lined with restaurants, bars, and handicraft markets. Along Libertador Street, you’ll find restaurants serving the popular dish cordero patagónico, or Patagonia lamb, plus empanadas, asado sandwiches, and brochettes. Make sure to save room for a glass of wine, as Argentina has some of the finest vineyards. Visit the Nimes Lagoon at sunset to watch the birds preparing for the night.   

Enjoy an early breakfast in your hotel before departing for the famous Perito Moreno Glacier. You will see the southern bank of the glistening blue Lago Argentino, populated by colorful flamingoes, black-necked swans, and coots. You’ll pass nearby berry farms and estancias en route to Los Glaciares National Park. At the Curva de los Suspiros, you’ll catch your first sight of the nearly 200 feet tall glacier wall.

At the foot of the glacier, you will be free to spend the rest of the tour walking along the trails and footpaths of the glacier, appreciating its beauty and immensity from several angles. You may catch sight of a plethora of wildlife, such as condors and eagles, armadillos, and gray foxes. For lunch you can dine in view of the glacier at the restaurant in the park.

For those who would like to take an additional tour of the Perito Moreno Glacier, a boat tour along the Lago Rico is an excellent way to appreciate the grandeur of the glacier from its most imposing edge.

In the late afternoon or evening, you will return to your comfortable El Calafate hotel. For dinner, there are many excellent options in El Calafate, but make sure to order the delicious dish cordero al asador, barbeque lamb. 

Read our newsletter article to find out more about the Perito Moreno Glacier.

After breakfast, you have the opportunity to take an additional tour, or you can be transferred to the airport or bus station for your journey home or to the next destination on your Argentina vacation.

*Prices listed are seasonal; please consult an Argentina Travel Advisor for further details

PLEASE NOTE:
As of 1 January 2010, an entrance fee (Reciprocity Fee) is chargeable for citizens of the United States, Canada and Australia visiting Argentina. For further details, please read this article on the Latin America For Less Travel Blog.

• All tours stated in the itinerary.
• 2 nights in an El Calafate hotel based on US standards.
• All transfers and entrance fees.
• All breakfasts.
• English-speaking tour guides.

Prices Valid April 10- August

Prices Valid September- March

This approximately one hour boat cruise in Lago Rico is an excellent way to appreciate the grandeur of the glacier from its most imposing edge. You will board at the Bajo de las Sombras Bay dock, where cruise ships depart twice daily. Once on board, you will glide along the Lago Rico to the Icebergs Channel until you reach the glacier’s southern wall. The wall looms above the cruise ship, immense and breathtaking, and calving ice sheets are a common sight. 

This full day boat cruise and mini-trekking experience begins at the dock at Bajo de las Sombras, where you will board the cruise ship for a short boat ride to the southern edge of Lago Rico. You will disembark on the glacier-side of the lake, where knowledgeable guides will welcome you and lead you to a shelter. There they will orient you on the park rules and trekking safety. Groups of 10 or fewer trekkers will set out for the glacier, and at the edge, trekkers will put on their crampons. Trekkers will then enjoy a 2 hour walk along the glacier. You will pass lagoons, crevasses, and a vast array of ice formations that glow in varying shades of blue. Guides will point out the flora and fauna along the way, and will explain the fascinating science of glaciology, tracing the recorded history of the Perito Moreno Glacier many expansions and ruptures. You will return to the shelter, where you can have lunch (you can take your own box lunch or request it as an additional service), before returning in the boat cruise to Bajo de las Sombras, and from there to your El Calafate hotel.

*Please note that this trek is recommended for people 10-60 years old. Several hours of walking through diverse terrains requires both good physical shape and a sense of adventure. Wear sports clothing (sweaters, rain jacket, sunglasses, trekking shoes or tennis shoes, and gloves) and bring UV sunblock, a small backpack, and water bottle.

This full day boat cruise begins early. After rising early and having a hearty breakfast in your hotel, you will travel to Punta Bandera, where you will board the cruise ship. You’ll cruise along Lago Argentino past drifting icebergs to the Upsala Glacier, one of the region’s largest ice masses (approximately three times the size of Buenos Aires). Its walls range from 197 to 262 ft (60-80m) and it is 37 miles (60km) long, and 3-4 miles (5-7km) wide. You will continue on to Onelli Bay, where you will disembark at the port and take a short trek to reach Onelli Lagoon. At this remarkable lagoon the glaciers Onelli, Bolados and Agassiz converge. The Patagonia forest is filled with lenga and guindo trees, as well as lichen called “old man's beard.” Here visitors can enjoy lunch in the restaurant, or can bring a box lunch. Afterwards, you will set sail again, this time passing the Spegazzini and Seco glaciers, before returning to the El Calafate port in the late afternoon.

*Please note that due to sudden shifts in the weather, the precise nature of this cruise can change. At times alternative glaciers and/or routes may be required. If this cruise is unavailable, a similar excursion is the full day Perito Moreno Glacier Boat Cruise and Mini-Trekking adventure. 

Once the watering hole for ranchers of the now-deserted estancias scattered around the El Calafate region, El Calafate is now a bustling town that serves travelers eager to visit the nearby glaciers. But the deserted estancias are destinations in themselves, as they tell of the endurance of bygone ranchers who braved the elements and solitude to preserve their way of life.

Estancia Cristina, the most remote estancia in the region and perhaps in all of Patagonia, is only accessible by boat or by a several day trek. On this full day boat cruise and trekking experience, you will begin with a boat cruise from Puerto Banderas along Lago Argentino, heading north towards the Upsala Glacier, where the estancia lies completely isolated and remote in a pristine forest valley. This 85,000 acre ranch was once the land of an Englishman who raised cattle, sheep, and horses. It is now a lodge where you can enjoy a full Patagonian lunch (included in the tour) and guided walks and hikes to the Upsala Glacier lookout point. In the evening you will return via cruise boat to Puerto Banderas.  

This full day excursion in a 4x4 vehicle allows travelers to traverse some of the most rugged terrain and to view some of the most impressive Patagonia scenery. From El Calafate, you will board a vehicle and head for El Chatelen and Torres del Paine, two famous peaks, and you may have time to set out on short treks throughout the region. Another route option is along the “Vuelta Histórica” to the Perito Moreno Glacier and Lago Roca, stopping at various estancias to learn about their interesting histories and enjoy a box lunch.

This half day horseback experience takes you from El Calafate around the pristine and tranquil nature reserve of Bahia Redonda of Lago Argentino. This bay is filled with a variety of Patagonian birds like flamingoes, black necked swans, and herons. From your Patagonian steed, you’ll be able to appreciate the breathtaking Lago Argentino and its surrounding glacier mountains, just as Patagonia gauchos once did. Afterwards, you’ll enjoy a glass of mate, a traditional tea believed to have healing properties, as well as a delicious snack of pan-fried bread.

This half-day village and caves guided tour tells the story of El Calafate’s beginnings, its pre-historic inhabitants, and the region’s diverse flora and fauna. Knowledgeable guides indulge visitors with the many fanciful legends and fascinating stories of the region, such as the saying that those who eat the fruit of the Calafate bush will always return to Patagonia. On board a comfortable bus, you’ll visit different sections of the village and its surroundings, such as Redonda Bay and the Nimes Lagoon. First you will visit the Historical Interpretation Center, close to the shores of Lake Argentino. From there you will drive through the town, enjoying different vistas en route to the painted Gualicho Caves, just six miles from El Calafate. Cave drawings dating back to 4000 BC are still vivid in this archeological sight.

Just 12 miles from El Calafate, the El Galpon estancia is a working ranch where traditional sheep shearing methods are practiced. During this half day excursion, you will take a drive to the ranch, and will be greeted with a host of delicious jams, cookies, scones, breads, and tea or coffee fresh and hot from the ranch kitchen. Then you´ll begin a leisurely walking tour of the ranch, heading toward Laguna de los Pajaros. There you’ll enjoy terrific bird watching of over 40 migrating species. Next you’ll head to a former Native America camping ground for migratory hunter-gatherers. Then you’ll head back to the ranch, where you’ll watch Kelpis shepherding dogs hard at work. Then, heading into the shearing shed, you can witness a sheep shearing demonstration, learning how wool is shorn and baled. The tour ends with a delicious Patagonian lamb barbecue, fresh salads, and homemade desserts at the cozy restaurant overlooking Lago Argentino and the Cordillera de Los Andes.

On this full day “Big Ice” trekking adventure, you will hike into the heart of the immense, awe-inspiring Pierto Moreno glacier. Starting out early, you will take a short boat cruise along Lago Rico to the glacier side of the lake, where guides will welcome you to Perito Moreno. After a safety and equipment briefing, you will walk to the foot of the glacier, get outfitted in your crampons, and head into the icy blue wilderness. An hour’s trek will take you to a breathtaking view of the immense ice plateau. You will see crevasses, ice caves, moulins, and all sorts of fascinating ice formations. Enjoy a lunch and rest, before heading back to terra firma. You will have hiked a total of about 3 hours, with expert guides leading you every step of the way. You will reach the boat by mid-afternoon, and head back to El Calafate.  

*Please note that this trek is recommended for people 18-45 years old. Several hours of walking through diverse terrains requires both good physical shape and a sense of adventure. Wear sports clothing (sweaters, rain jacket, sunglasses, trekking shoes or tennis shoes, and gloves) and bring UV sunblock, a 40-liter backpack, and water bottle.
**Please also note that the park entrance fee, lunch, and clothing are not included.

This full day excursion to the gorgeous Patagonia steppe and La Leona Petrified Forest begins with a drive from El Calafate around the beautiful Lago Argentino. Your bus will then wind along the highway past the mighty Santa Cruz River until it reaches the La Leona river valley. Here you will enjoy fantastic panoramas of the La Leona and the stunning Mount Fitz Roy in the background. You’ll rest at the historical La Leona hotel before continuing along the shores of Lake Viedma until you reach Los Hornos hill. On the hill, the walking tour begins. You will note the dry topsoil, a claylike loam rich in fossils and petrified wood. The high winds have eroded this exposed hill, and often new fossils are uncovered. There are also petrified tree trunks that tell of a forest of ages past. After about 3 hours of walking and a lunch break, you will return to El Calafate along the same route.

Also available are several half day excursion options to the nearby Cerro Frías mountain. You can choose a guided horseback riding adventure, a trekking tour, or a 4x4 excursion, all recommended for all ages. Cerro Frías has well-marked paths as well as panoramic views of Torres del Paine, Monte Fitz Roy, and Lago Argentino, making it a popular choice for day trippers.

Enjoy terrific views of the Patagonia steppe above and around the village of El Calafate from the Balcony, a mesa perched above the village on the El Calafate steppe. From this unique vantage point, the scenery is absolutely staggering. The vast Lago Argentino with the soaring peaks of Perito Moreno, Chalten, and Torres del Paine, plus the Santa Cruz river cutting through the landscape all seem to perform a visually elaborate theater. Here you may also catch sight of soaring condors, as well as galloping cimarrones, or wild horses. After apprecitating the view from the Balcony, you will continue on to the Laberinto de Piedras, a maze of rock formations and fossils that date back to the Cretacean period 85 million years ago. Then you’ll head down to the Piedras de los Sombreros before returning to El Calafate to enjoy a drink together. If you prefer, you can extend the tour an hour so that you can appreciate more of the outstanding natural beauty of Patagonia.