Perito Moreno boat tour: Five glaciers in El Calafate

See five glaciers from the water without planning the stops yourself

The El Calafate Glacier Boat Tour is a full-day boat excursion across Lake Argentino in Los Glaciares National Park that visits Upsala, Spegazzini, Perito Moreno, Heim and Seco Glaciers—the only boat tour in the park that reaches all five in a single day. A professional guide in Spanish and English leads the tour; hotel pickup from El Calafate is available with two of the three booking options. The tour includes a one-hour forest walk on Puesto de Las Vacas, a historic Patagonian cattle ranch, and a gourmet lunch with drinks served onboard. You can choose to disembark at Perito Moreno's walkways for two hours of additional exploration, or return directly to port; entrance to Los Glaciares National Park is purchased separately at the port.

Step-by-step itinerary

Glacier boat tour and walk

• Pick up from accommodation or self-transfer
• Arrive at Puerto Privado La Soledad port
• Purchase entrance ticket to Los Glaciares National Park
• Board catamaran with open-air decks
• Sail past Upsala Glacier
• View Heim and Seco hanging glaciers
• Walk at El Puesto de Las Vacas island
• Enjoy lunch onboard near Spegazzini Glacier
• Cruise along Perito Moreno Glacier
• Option 1: Disembark and explore Perito Moreno trails
• Option 2: Return by boat to port without disembarking
• Return transfer to accommodation or end tour at port

The Experience

Pickup begins at 7:00 a.m. from your El Calafate accommodation (if you book that option), or you can make your own way to Puerto Privado La Soledad, about 47 kilometers from town. Either way, you'll be at the port by 8:15 a.m., where your guide helps you buy your entrance ticket to Los Glaciares National Park. At 8:30 a.m., boarding starts on a spacious catamaran with four open-air decks and a VIP section with a private outdoor deck if you upgrade.

The boat leaves at 9:00 a.m., and within minutes you're on Lake Argentino facing the ice fields. Upsala Glacier, the second largest in South America, appears first—so massive that the boat stays ten kilometers away for safety, yet the scale is still overwhelming. The captain positions the catamaran so passengers on any deck get a clear view of each glacier wall. You'll pass Heim and Seco Glaciers, which hang from the mountainside without reaching the lake, then disembark for a one-hour walk through the forest at Puesto de Las Vacas, where you'll see horses, old ranch buildings and artifacts from Patagonia's early settlers. The Spegazzini Glacier comes next, its overhanging section rising 130 meters—nearly twice the height of Perito Moreno—and this is when lunch arrives: a Patagonian lamb sandwich with baked vegetables and drinks. If you book the premium meal option, you get a four-course spread with two appetizers, a main course and dessert, plus an open bar for the rest of the tour.

The boat then heads toward Perito Moreno, where constant calving sends chunks of ice crashing into the lake with a roar you can hear from the water. Here the tour splits: you can disembark around 3:30 p.m. to walk the Perito Moreno trails for about two hours before a shuttle returns you to El Calafate around 7:00 p.m., or stay aboard as the captain turns back to Puerto La Soledad, arriving around 5:00 p.m. If transfers are included in your booking, a shuttle waits to take you back to town by 6:00 p.m.

What’s included

• Boat tour across Lake Argentino visiting five glaciers.
• professional guide in Spanish and English.
• one-hour forest walk at Puesto de Las Vacas with guide.
• gourmet lunch with Patagonian lamb sandwich, baked vegetables and drinks.
• hotel pickup from El Calafate (with two of the three booking options).
• optional disembarkation at Perito Moreno walkways for two hours of additional exploration.

Good to know

Easy physical level

Operated by Howlanders

Is this one for you?Book with transfers and Perito Moreno disembarkation if you want the full park experience without arranging transportation or deciding which glacier to prioritize—the boat reaches all five, and the walkways let you stand on the ice itself. Choose the boat-only option if you have your own transport to the port or prefer to spend the afternoon elsewhere in El Calafate.

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Top questions

What are the five glaciers I'll see on this boat tour from El Calafate?

The tour visits Upsala, Spegazzini, Perito Moreno, Heim and Seco Glaciers. Upsala is the second largest glacier in South America; Spegazzini's section overhanging the lake rises 130 meters; Perito Moreno is known for constant ice calving visible from the boat. Heim and Seco hang from the mountainside without reaching Lake Argentino.

Do I have to get off the boat at Perito Moreno, or can I stay onboard?

You choose at booking. One option lets you disembark around 3:30 p.m. to walk the Perito Moreno trails for about two hours; the other keeps you on the boat as it returns to port around 5:00 p.m. Disembarkation is recommended if you don't plan to do a separate Minitrekking tour.

What's included in the lunch, and is there a premium option?

All bookings include a Patagonian lamb sandwich with baked vegetables and drinks. The premium meal option adds a four-course menu with two appetizers, a main dish and dessert, plus an open bar throughout the entire tour.

How long is the full boat tour, and what time do I return to El Calafate?

The tour runs 10 to 12 hours depending on which disembarkation option you choose. If you stay onboard, you're back at port around 5:00 p.m. and return to town by 6:00 p.m. with transfers. If you disembark at Perito Moreno, you return to El Calafate around 7:00 p.m.

Is the entrance fee to Los Glaciares National Park included in the tour price?

No. Your guide helps you purchase your entrance ticket to Los Glaciares National Park at the port before boarding, so budget for that separately.

What happens at Puesto de Las Vacas during the tour?

You disembark for a one-hour guided walk through the forest at this historic Patagonian cattle ranch in the heart of the National Park. You'll see horses, old buildings and artifacts from the area's early settlers while your guides share the history of the region.