- Roughly an hour and a half walking on the glacier surface, in crampons.
- A boat crossing of Brazo Rico from Puerto Bajo de las Sombras, included.
- Crampons, helmet and a bilingual guide supplied; you need no technical kit.
- Guides pick a fresh route each day through crevasses, moulins and surface pools.
- Ages eight to sixty-five — the widest age band of any trek to this ice.
Why this tour
Standing on a glacier is not a bigger version of looking at one. The surface is not white but a scoured grey-blue, it is loud with running meltwater, and it moves under you in ways the balconies never suggest. Minitrekking is the entry point to that, and for most travellers it is the right amount.
The day has three distinct parts. A twenty-minute boat crossing of Brazo Rico takes you past the south face at water level. A forest walk along the lake shore reaches the refuge, where guides fit crampons and helmets and run the safety briefing. Then roughly an hour and a half on the ice, in subgroups, on a route the guides re-pick as the ice changes.
What you actually see up close is crevasses, moulins, seracs and the small turquoise ponds that form on the surface in summer. Guides stop for photographs and explain the glaciology as they go. On most departures the walk ends with a drink poured over ice cut from the glacier.
Choose the option with transfers unless you are driving. Without it, the tour starts and ends at Puerto Bajo de las Sombras, runs about five hours instead of ten, and the walkways are not included.
From the pier to the crampons
7:00–11:30am — Departure from El Calafate
Several departures through the day; the guide confirms your time the day before. Without transfers, meet at Puerto Bajo de las Sombras.
~1 hour later — Puerto Bajo de las Sombras
Board the boat for a twenty-minute crossing of Brazo Rico, passing the south face of the glacier.
On arrival — Forest walk to the refuge
A coastal path through Andean-Patagonian forest to the shelter, with a glaciology briefing and crampon fitting.
About 1.5 hours — On the ice
Guided walk in subgroups among crevasses, seracs and meltwater channels.
Afterwards — The walkways
Free time on the Perito Moreno pasarelas before the return — on the with-transfer option only.
Who minitrekking is for
This trip suits you if:
- you want to walk on the glacier and are between eight and sixty-five
- you can manage roughly three hours of uneven ground, some of it on ice
- you would rather have the equipment handed to you than own any of it
When it is the wrong trip
This is not for you if you are outside the age band, which is enforced against identification rather than judged on the day. It is also the wrong booking if you want the walkways: several options here start and end at the pier and leave the pasarelas out completely.
If you fall outside the ages, or want the walkways, take the full-day walkway tour instead.
What Howlanders supply
Included
- Ice hiking equipment: crampons and helmet
- Boat crossing of Brazo Rico
- Bilingual guide, Spanish and English
- Hotel pickup and the Perito Moreno walkways — on the with-transfer option
Not included
- Los Glaciares National Park entrance fee
- Meals — bring your own
Meeting point and requirements
Departures run from 7:00am to 11:30am and the guide contacts you the day before with your time. The meeting point for travellers without transfers is Puerto Bajo de las Sombras inside the national park, about 70 km from El Calafate on RP 11.
Ages 8 to 65 only. This is a government requirement, and it is checked against identification. Travellers with back problems, heart conditions or other serious medical conditions, and pregnant travellers, cannot take part. Moderate fitness is required: if you can walk briskly for two hours you will manage.
Wear trekking boots — trainers hurt under crampons — with wool socks, long trousers, a warm layer and a windproof shell. Gloves are required, not optional: the ice is sharp and hands go down. Bring a packed lunch, because no meal is included. Expect the day to be colder than the forecast suggests — it is the single most common surprise on the ice. The safety page covers the full requirements.
Know before you go
- The option you choose changes the day completely. Read it before paying: without transfers the day runs about five hours from the pier and excludes the walkways entirely.
- Travellers consistently arrive underdressed — the wind off the ice is colder than El Calafate. Take a windproof layer and a change of clothes, whatever the forecast says.
- No meal is included and there is nothing to buy at the refuge. Bring a packed lunch and water from El Calafate.
- The park fee is separate, and so is the boat if you book a pier-start option. Add both to your budget before comparing this against the walkway days.
What walkers on the ice said
What travellers say about this tour. More sit on the Perito Moreno Glacier tours reviews page.
Nervous about falling, and found the ice guides patient and hands-on the whole way across.
Rebecca · March 2026
Counted about an hour on the ice inside a three-hour walk, with photo stops throughout and a drink over glacier ice at the end.
Natalia · April 2026
Rated the trek worth the extra outlay over the boat and boardwalks, and advised packing far warmer clothing than the forecast suggests.
Kristen · February 2026
Questions about minitrekking
What is the age limit for minitrekking?
Ages 8 to 65 inclusive. The limit is enforced against identification and there are no exceptions.
How long do I actually spend on the ice?
About an hour and a half, inside a walk of roughly three hours across lake shore, moraine, ice and forest. The crampons go on once you reach the ice and come off at the same point. The rest of the time is the approach, which is part of the day rather than dead ground.
Do I need previous experience with crampons?
No. Guides fit the equipment and run a briefing, and most people are walking confidently within a few minutes.
What happens if I book without transfers?
The tour starts and ends at Puerto Bajo de las Sombras, runs about five hours instead of ten, and does not include the walkways. You make your own way to the pier, which means a hire car or a scheduled bus plus the park fee at the gate. Book it that way only if you have already seen the walkways or plan to on another day.
Is lunch included?
No. Bring your own food and water; there is no meal service on this excursion.
Can I do this while pregnant or with a back problem?
No. The operator excludes pregnancy, back and spinal problems, cardiac conditions and other serious medical conditions.
Compare this against every other option at Perito Moreno Glacier Tours, check the fees and hours on the visitor information page, or see the numbers side by side on the key facts page.