Los Glaciares National Park · El Calafate

Perito Moreno Glacier Tours

Perito Moreno Glacier tours put you in front of a five-kilometre ice wall that calves into Lago Argentino while you watch. Walk the balconies, sail up to the face, or step onto the ice in crampons — and choose by the hours each day leaves you at the glacier.

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80 kmFrom El Calafate

~70 mIce wall

From $76Per person

Hours, prices and access verified by the Perito Moreno Glacier Tours team — last checked August 10, 2026.

Perito Moreno Glacier Tours

Updated: August 10, 2026

Most booked

Top Perito Moreno Glacier Tours for 2026

Three days that cover the glacier from the balconies, from the water and from the ice itself.

Best seller

Perito Moreno Glacier Full Day Tour with Optional Boat Safari

★ 4.7 from 550 reviews

Hotel pickup~4 h at the walkwaysOptional boat

Ride out from El Calafate along RP 11 and spend about four hours on the pasarelas facing the ice front, moving between the central balconies, the lower circuit and the forest path at your own pace. A bilingual guide covers the steppe wildlife and the glaciology on the drive, then leaves you free at the balconies. Choose the Boat Safari option at checkout and an hour on the Rico arm brings you to the wall from the water. Best for first-time visitors who want maximum glacier time without paying for the ice. Park entry and lunch are not included.

From $76 per person

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Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure.

Walk on the ice

Minitrekking Perito Moreno: Ice hiking tour (optional transfers)

Perito Moreno Glacier Minitrekking: Ice Hiking Tour

★ 4.7 from 127 reviews

Crampons included~1.5 h on the iceAges 8–65

Cross Brazo Rico by boat from Puerto Bajo de las Sombras, walk the lakeshore forest to the refuge, then strap on crampons for roughly an hour and a half on the glacier itself. Guides split the group into small parties and pick a fresh route each day through crevasses, moulins and turquoise surface pools. Equipment, helmet and the boat crossing are included, and most departures end with a drink poured over glacier ice. Ages eight to sixty-five, strictly enforced, with moderate fitness required. Choose the transfer option or the walkways are left out entirely.

From $358 per person

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Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure.

Four glaciers

Glaciares Gourmet Navigation: Spegazzini, Upsala & Perito Moreno

Perito Moreno Glacier Gourmet Cruise: Spegazzini and Upsala

★ 4.6 from 325 reviews

Lunch includedFour glaciers30 min at the front

Sail from Puerto Bandera across Lago Argentino to four glaciers in a single day: Seco, Spegazzini with the tallest front in the park, Upsala the largest, and finally Perito Moreno through the iceberg channel. Panoramic windows, heated saloons and open decks, with lunch included as a box on the classic deck or four courses on the premium one. Choose the version that disembarks at the walkways if you want time at the ice. Best for travellers who want breadth rather than depth, and for families who would rather sit than hike.

From $225 per person

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Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure.

Why book with us

Trusted by Thousands of Visitors

What every traveller gets, whichever way they choose to see the ice.

⛰

Guides who know the ice

Licensed Patagonian guides lead every walk and every crampon trek, and they explain the glaciology as they go rather than reading a script.

✓

Book with confidence

Almost every tour here can be cancelled free up to twenty-four hours before departure, and the handful that cannot say so on their own card.

❄

An experience you keep

A wall of ice five kilometres wide, calving into a lake, at a volume you feel through your feet. Nobody forgets the first time they hear it.

Free cancellation on most toursLicensed Patagonian guidesReal operator ratingsNo booking fees

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure on almost every Perito Moreno Glacier tour listed here.

Every option

All Perito Moreno Glacier Tours & Tickets

Walkway days, boat safaris, multi-glacier cruises and crampon treks, with what each one includes.

Top rated

Perito Moreno Glacier with Navigation from El Calafate

★ 4.8 from 296 reviews

Hotel transferOptional navigationStroller friendly

A guided day from El Calafate with roughly two hours at the pasarelas and an optional hour of navigation in front of the wall. The drive covers the steppe, Lago Argentino and the first view at the Curva de los Suspiros, with commentary in English and Spanish throughout. Groups run larger than the small-van options, up to forty-six travellers, which keeps the price in the middle of the range. Stroller accessible, though wheelchair users need a companion. Highest rated on this site. Lunch and the national park entry fee are paid separately.

From $134 per person

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Perito Moreno Glacier Full Day Tour with optional Navigation

★ 4.7 from 250 reviews

Max 20South face boatInfant seats

An early departure from any El Calafate hotel, built to reach the balconies before the coaches arrive, with roughly three hours at the glacier and two more on the walkways. The optional navigation sails the south face and closes to within about a hundred and fifty metres of the ice, a different angle from the north-wall boats. Capped at twenty travellers, so the vehicle stays a van rather than a coach. Infant seats are available on request, the only listing here that offers them. Lunch, gratuities and park entry are extra.

From $85 per person

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Step-free option

Perito Moreno Glacier Day Trip with Optional Boat Ride

★ 4.6 from 240 reviews

Wheelchair accessible~3 h at the walkwaysOptional boat

Coach transport from central El Calafate hotels to the Portal Río Mitre, with about three hours free on the walkway circuits and an optional hour on the water along the glacier front. The guide handles logistics and points out the geology, flora and fauna on the way out. This is the only walkway day here described by its operator as both wheelchair and stroller accessible, which makes it the practical choice for mixed-ability groups. Note that departures between 24 December and 2 January are final sale; food, drinks and park entry are excluded.

From $83 per person

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Free cancellation up to 24 h, except departures 24 Dec–2 Jan.

El Calafate Perito Moreno Glacier Minitrekking Adventure Tour

★ 4.4 from 66 reviews

90 min on the iceHotel transfersAges 8–65

The clearest itinerary on this page: ninety minutes on the ice, forty minutes sailing off the south face and an hour-long forest walk round trip, with an hour at the glacier overlook afterwards. Round-trip transfers from El Calafate lodging, crampons and a bilingual guide are all included, and the group runs to a maximum of twenty. Bring your own lunch and water, because no meal is provided. Ages eight to sixty-five with moderate fitness. Park entry is paid at the gate, where Mastercard is not accepted.

From $475 per person

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Non-refundable

Unesco Jewels: The Famous Perito Moreno Glacier

★ 4.1 from 64 reviews

Wheelchair accessibleOptional navigationNon-refundable

A straightforward guided visit with round-trip transfers from your accommodation, time on the walkway circuits and an optional hour of navigation in front of the ice wall on the with-navigation option. Both the transport and the circuits are described as wheelchair accessible, with wheelchair users accompanied, which is rare here. Groups run to fifty. Park entry is paid at the gate and Mastercard is not accepted there. Note that this booking is non-refundable, unlike every other option on this page, so confirm your dates before you pay.

From $86 per person

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Non-refundable — no changes or refunds after booking.

Perito Moreno Full Day Minitrekking with Transfer and Walkways

★ 4.7 from 54 reviews

Walkways includedMax 15Ages 8–65

A full ice day that pairs the crampon trek with a guided hour on the pasarelas, which several cheaper trek options drop. Board at Puerto Bajo de las Sombras, sail twenty minutes past the south face, then walk the lake coast, moraine, ice and Andean forest across roughly three hours, of which about one is on the ice itself. One guide accompanies every ten travellers and the group caps at fifteen. Ages eight to sixty-five. Without the transfer the day shortens to five hours and the walkways are excluded, so read the option carefully.

From $440 per person

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Perito Moreno Glacier Big Ice Tour from El Calafate

★ 4.5 from 30 reviews

3.5 h on the iceMax 10Medical form

The most demanding day here, and the listing explains where the money goes: three and a half hours walking on the ice, four hours of Andean forest approach round trip, navigation in front of the wall and groups of no more than ten. A 7am pickup from central El Calafate hotels starts a twelve-hour day. Ages eighteen to fifty in acceptable physical condition. A compulsory medical form is reviewed before departure and the operator may cancel at full penalty if a participant is judged unsuitable, so submit it early.

From $800 per person

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Perito Moreno Ice Trek: Minitrekking with Walkways and Boat Ride

★ 4.2 from 26 reviews

Max 15Walkways includedAges 8–65

Four hours at the glacier plus two on the walkways, joined by a boat leg across Brazo Rico, in a small group capped at fifteen. Equipment and a Spanish-English guide are included, and the day runs from a pickup window that can fall anywhere between half past seven and ten in the morning, so keep the whole day free. Weather cancellations are rebooked or refunded in full. Ages eight to sixty-five. Choosing the option without transfers means driving eighty kilometres yourself and losing the walkway visit.

From $447 per person

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Longest ice time

Big Ice Perito Moreno Trek with Walkways and Navigation

★ 4.4 from 24 reviews

~4 h on the iceMax 10Ages 18–50

The long trek: about four hours on the ice inside a twelve-hour day, reaching crevasses, waterfalls and ice caves that the shorter routes never approach. Groups cap at ten, with a twenty-minute crossing of Brazo Rico and mountain guides who issue crampons at the shelter. Ages eighteen to fifty only, good fitness required, and not suitable with back problems, cardiac conditions or during pregnancy. Bring a packed lunch. Without the transfer option you drive eighty kilometres yourself and the walkways are dropped from the itinerary altogether.

From $630 per person

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The destination

About the Perito Moreno Glacier

A glacier that stopped being the exception, and what that means for your visit.

The Perito Moreno Glacier stands in Los Glaciares National Park, 80 km west of El Calafate, where a wall of ice five kilometres wide and roughly seventy metres high meets Lago Argentino. It drains the Southern Patagonian Ice Field and calves several times a day, year-round. For eighty years it held its position while glaciers elsewhere retreated — a record that ended in 2019, and the reason the story you will hear on the coach is out of date. Here is what is worth knowing before you stand in front of it.

Geography and the retreat

Thirty kilometres long, a terminus five kilometres wide, and about 170 metres of ice below the waterline against seventy above. Research published in 2025 measured frontal thinning accelerating from 0.34 to 5.5 metres a year after 2019, with retreat concentrated on the northern margin.

History and the name

Francisco Pascasio Moreno never saw this ice front, and perito was his job title on the boundary commission with Chile rather than a first name. The park was created in 1937 and listed by UNESCO in 1981; ruptures have been documented since at least 1917.

Planning your visit

Gate hours run 08:00 to 18:00 in summer and 09:00 to 16:00 in winter, and the park entry fee sits outside every tour price. Two to four hours covers the walkway circuits, with an accessible route and lift to the first viewpoint.

Plan your visit

Your Perito Moreno Glacier Questions, Answered in Order

The five decisions that stall a booking here, each one settled before you pay.

Walkways or the ice?Is the boat worth it?Can I do the ice trek?What about the park fee?When should I go?

Walkways, boat or crampons?

This is the decision that sets your budget. A guided walkway day gives you about four hours facing the ice front for the lowest price on this page. Minitrekking puts you on the glacier for roughly an hour and a half. Big Ice runs three and a half to four hours on the surface and takes a full twelve-hour day.

Most first-time visitors are happiest on the walkways with the boat added. The ice is a different experience, not a better view.

Read the full breakdown of things to do at the Perito Moreno Glacier

What the boat safari buys

An hour on the water is the closest legal approach to the ice wall, and it is the upgrade travellers mention most often. From the deck the wall rises above you instead of sitting across a channel, and calving arrives without the softening that distance gives it.

Operators sail different faces. Some run the north wall through the iceberg channel, others approach the south face to within about a hundred and fifty metres. The listings rarely say which.

Compare the Perito Moreno Glacier boat tours face by face

Age and health limits on the ice

Minitrekking accepts ages eight to sixty-five. Big Ice accepts eighteen to fifty and nothing either side. Operators describe both as insurance and government requirements and check them against identification at the port.

Both exclude pregnancy, back and spinal problems and cardiac conditions. One Big Ice operator requires a medical form reviewed before departure, and reserves the right to cancel at full penalty if a participant is judged unsuitable.

Read the full safety and ice-trek requirements

The ticket no tour includes

Entry is charged as access to Los Glaciares National Park and sits outside every tour price on this page. Since 1 June 2026 the non-resident rate has been ARS 50,000, with ARS 25,000 for Argentine residents and ARS 8,000 for Santa Cruz residents.

Almost every booking page still prints the previous ARS 45,000 figure. Buy online through the national parks portal before you travel, bring your passport, and carry pesos as a fallback.

See hours, fees and what to bring

Season, hours and getting there

The gate on the Mitre corridor opens at 08:00 from September to April and at 09:00 from May to August. The viewpoint sits about thirty kilometres inside it, so a late arrival buys very little daylight at the ice.

November to March gives the longest days and the fullest walkways. April and October are quieter and often clearer. Calving happens year-round, several times a day, whatever the season.

Routes, parking and transport from El Calafate

Compare

Which Perito Moreno Glacier Tour Is Right for You?

Sorted by review volume. The column that matters most is time at the glacier, not price.

Tour	Best for	Time at the glacier	Price	Rating
Perito Moreno Glacier Full Day Tour with Optional Boat Safari	First-timers who want the most hours at the ice for the least money	about 4 hours on the walkways	From $76	★ 4.7	Book
Minitrekking Perito Moreno: Ice hiking tour (optional transfers)	Anyone set on walking on the glacier, aged 8 to 65	2 hours at the glacier	From $358	★ 4.7	Book
Glaciares Gourmet Navigation: Spegazzini, Upsala & Perito Moreno	Seeing four glaciers in a day, and families who would rather sit than hike	30 minutes at the Perito Moreno front	From $225	★ 4.6	Book
Perito Moreno Glacier with Navigation from El Calafate	Travellers who want the boat and the balconies with the highest-rated operator	about 2 hours on the walkways	From $134	★ 4.8	Book
Perito Moreno Glacier Full Day Tour with optional Navigation	Small groups, early starts and families with a baby	about 3 hours at the glacier plus 2 hours on the walkways	From $85	★ 4.7	Book
Perito Moreno Glacier Day Trip with Optional Boat Ride	Mixed-ability groups needing step-free access	about 3 hours on the walkways	From $83	★ 4.6	Book
El Calafate Perito Moreno Glacier Minitrekking Adventure Tour	Anyone who wants the day itemised in minutes before booking	90 minutes on the ice, plus 40 minutes sailing the south face and an hour at the overlook	From $475	★ 4.4	Book
Unesco Jewels: The Famous Perito Moreno Glacier	Wheelchair users and anyone needing accessible transport	Not stated	From $86	★ 4.1	Book
Perito Moreno Full Day Minitrekking with Transfer and Walkways	Ice trekkers who also want a guided hour on the walkways	7 hours at the glacier, about 1 hour of it on the ice, plus a 1-hour guided walkways visit	From $440	★ 4.7	Book
Perito Moreno Glacier Big Ice Tour from El Calafate	Experienced hikers wanting the deepest route and the smallest group	10 hours at the glacier: 3 hours 30 minutes on the ice plus a 4-hour forest approach (round trip)	From $800	★ 4.5	Book
Perito Moreno Ice Trek: Minitrekking with Walkways and Boat Ride	Trekkers wanting a longer stretch at the glacier in a small group	4 hours at the glacier plus 2 hours on the walkways	From $447	★ 4.2	Book
Big Ice Perito Moreno Trek with Walkways and Navigation	Fit adults 18 to 50 who want ice caves and a real trek	9 hours at the glacier, about 4 of them on the ice	From $630	★ 4.4	Book

Back to the top Perito Moreno Glacier tours

What to expect

A Day at the Perito Moreno Glacier

However you book it, the shape of the day is much the same.

Pickup in El Calafate

Most tours collect from your hotel between 7:00 and 9:30am. The drive out is 80 km on paved road and takes about ninety minutes.

First view at the Curva

The road turns and the whole ice front opens at once. Every guide stops here, and it is the photograph most people keep.

The walkways

Two to four hours across the balconies and circuits. Calving is unpredictable; the sound reaches you before the ice hits the water.

Boat, ice or home

Add an hour on the water, strap on crampons, or head back. Most tours are back in El Calafate by early evening.

Traveller reviews

Perito Moreno Glacier Tours Reviews

Traveller feedback on these tours, in our own words, positive and critical.

Operators listed here publish ratings from 4.1 to 4.8 out of 5, and the criticism is kept alongside the praise.

★★★★★

Unhurried from start to finish, with time to see the Perito Moreno Glacier from several angles and a guide who explained it clearly in both languages.

Mark · Apr 2026

★★★★★

Nervous about slipping on the ice, and the guides were patient and hands-on the whole way across the glacier.

Rebecca · Mar 2026

★★★★★

Several glaciers close up in one day, and the premium deck was worth the upgrade — though the Perito Moreno Glacier stop is a short one.

Anne · Feb 2026

★★★★★

The boat and the walkways complement each other rather than repeat — each gives a completely different sense of the Perito Moreno Glacier.

Gavin · Mar 2026

★★★★☆

Small group, comfortable van, excellent guide. Be warned that the closer Perito Moreno Glacier viewpoints involve a great many steps.

Jennifer · Mar 2026

★★★★★

About an hour on the ice inside a three-hour walk, photo stops throughout, and a drink poured over Perito Moreno Glacier ice at the end.

Natalia · Apr 2026

★★☆☆☆

Disappointed by how far the boat stayed from Upsala, and the Perito Moreno Glacier stop felt rushed. Bring binoculars.

Leena · Jan 2026

★★★★☆

The Perito Moreno Glacier is worth every hour, but the optional boat costs noticeably less bought at the pier than added at checkout.

Neil · Mar 2026

★★★★☆

Far colder than the forecast suggested. The trek across the Perito Moreno Glacier was still the best day of the trip.

Kristen · Feb 2026

★★★★☆

Sailed within sight of the south face, then two hours on the Perito Moreno Glacier walkways. The park fee really ought to be bundled in.

Blair · Nov 2025

★★★☆☆

In good weather the boat can be skipped in favour of longer on the walkways — the views from land are excellent.

Rada · Dec 2025

★★★★★

The views from the walkway matched those from the ice, and walking on the Perito Moreno Glacier was still a remarkable experience.

Helen · Feb 2025

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Good to know

Frequently Asked Questions

The questions travellers ask most often before booking.

How much does it cost to enter the Perito Moreno Glacier?

Entry is charged as access to Los Glaciares National Park: ARS 50,000 for non-residents from 1 June 2026, ARS 25,000 for Argentine residents and ARS 8,000 for Santa Cruz residents. Most tour listings still print the older ARS 45,000 rate.

Is the park entrance fee included in Perito Moreno Glacier tours?

No. Not on any tour listed on this site. Budget for it separately and buy it online in advance if you can.

What time does the Perito Moreno Glacier open?

The Mitre–Glaciar Moreno corridor admits visitors 08:00–18:00 from 1 September to 30 April, and 09:00–16:00 from 1 May to 31 August. You may stay in the corridor until 20:00 and 18:00 respectively.

How far is the Perito Moreno Glacier from El Calafate?

80 km by paved RP 11, which takes about an hour and a half each way.

Do I need a tour, or can I visit independently?

You can drive or take a scheduled bus from the El Calafate terminal. A tour buys the transfer, commentary on the drive and a boat slot already reserved.

Can I walk on the Perito Moreno Glacier?

Yes, on a guided crampon trek only. Minitrekking accepts ages 8 to 65; Big Ice is 18 to 50. There is no independent access to the ice.

What is the difference between minitrekking and Big Ice?

Minitrekking puts you on the ice for roughly an hour and a half. Big Ice runs three and a half to four hours with a long forest approach, smaller groups and a tighter age band.

Is the boat safari worth adding?

It is the closest legal approach to the ice wall and the most recommended upgrade in the reviews. Expect about an hour on the water.

Which face of the glacier does the boat visit?

It varies by operator. Some sail the north wall, others run the south face to within about 150 metres. Check the listing before booking if it matters to you.

Can children do the ice trek?

From age 8 on minitrekking, with identification and proof of relationship to the accompanying adult on several listings. Big Ice is adults only, 18 to 50.

How high is the ice wall?

Roughly 60 to 74 metres above the lake depending on the source and the point measured, with about 170 metres more below the waterline.

Is free cancellation available?

On most tours, up to 24 hours before departure. One tour on this site is non-refundable, and one operator makes departures between 24 December and 2 January final sale.

When is the best time to see calving?

Calving happens year-round and several times a day. The long daylight from November to March gives the most viewing hours.

How long should I spend at the walkways?

Two to four hours covers the circuits at a comfortable pace. Tours differ enormously in how much of that they give you.

Is the Perito Moreno Glacier still advancing?

No. It held near-equilibrium for around eighty years, but research published in 2025 documented accelerated thinning and unprecedented frontal retreat since 2019.

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In pictures

Perito Moreno Glacier Gallery

The ice front, the walkways, the boat and the trek.

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Guides

Perito Moreno Glacier Guides

Longer answers to the questions the tour listings handle badly.

Tickets & fees

Perito Moreno Glacier Tickets and Park Fees in 2026

The fee rose on 1 June 2026 and almost every tour listing still prints the old number.

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Tour comparison

Minitrekking vs Big Ice on the Perito Moreno Glacier

Ninety minutes on the ice against three and a half hours, and the age walls that decide it.

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Tour comparison

Perito Moreno Glacier Boat Tours Compared

The boats go to different faces of the glacier, and almost no listing says which.

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The glacier

Is the Perito Moreno Glacier Still Advancing?

The postcard line is out of date, and the measurements that retired it are public.

Read the guide →

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Find it

Where the Perito Moreno Glacier Is

In the southern sector of Los Glaciares National Park, on the road west out of El Calafate.

Perito Moreno Glacier

Los Glaciares National Park, Santa Cruz Province, Argentina. Open in Google Maps

Getting there

80 km west of El Calafate on paved RP 11, about ninety minutes each way. Ice treks sail from Puerto Bajo de las Sombras; the multi-glacier cruises leave from Puerto Bandera, 47 km from town. Full routes and parking.

Opening hours

1 September to 30 April, 08:00–18:00, with permanence in the corridor until 20:00. 1 May to 31 August, 09:00–16:00, until 18:00. Fees and what to bring.

Book your Perito Moreno Glacier tour

Compare every walkway day, boat safari and ice trek by the hours it gives you at the ice, then book with free cancellation on almost all of them.

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