Things to do in El Calafate
The unmissables
Most booked
Perito Moreno Glacier Tour: Full Day with Boat Safari in El Calafate★ 4.67 (550) · 8h–9h
Top rated
El Calafate: Glaciers Cruise with Gourmet Lunch & Balconies★ 4.66 (332) · 11h
Best value
Torres del Paine 4x4 Tour: Paine Towers Reflected★ 4.57 (423) · 14h
Recommended (7)
Perito Moreno Glacier walk and boat tour from El Calafate★ 4.83 (301) · 8hUS$ 134View ›
El Calafate: La Leona River Kayak & Fossil Trek Day Trip★ 4.97 (275) · 8hUS$ 185View ›
Lake Argentino & Walichu Caves: 4x4 Tour with Cave Lunch★ 4.77 (271) · 3hUS$ 130View ›
Perito Moreno Glacier Tour in El Calafate: Drive, Walkways & Boat★ 4.73 (251) · 8hUS$ 85View ›
Perito Moreno Glacier Minitrekking: Walk on Ice with Crampons★ 4.78 (243) · 10hUS$ 495View ›
El Calafate Boat Tour: Perito Moreno from the water★ 4.58 (240) · 8hUS$ 93View ›
Kayaking Santa Cruz River in El Calafate: 15 km paddle to lunch★ 4.92 (166) · 5h 30mUS$ 250View ›Top rated (3)
El Calafate: Cerro Frias 4x4 & Patagonian Steppe SafariYou drive a 4x4 into the Patagonian steppe toward Cerro Frias, cross through native forest and wildlife habitat, and reach a hilltop ranch with views spanning from Fitz Roy to Torres del Paine and into Chile. A meal is served depending on your booking time, and the private vehicle means you set the pace through the landscape and stay as long as the light allows.Is it for me?Book this if you want the panoramic views of Fitz Roy and Torres del Paine without arranging your own 4x4 rental or navigating the rough terrain yourself — the private vehicle and fixed meal timing mean you focus on the landscape instead of logistics.
El Calafate: Cerro Frias Horseback Ride & Ranch LunchYou’ll ride horseback from El Calafate up Cerro Frias with a local guide, crossing meadows and forests for wild Patagonian views. Expect close-up moments with ranch animals and maybe guanacos or foxes along the trail. After descending through lenga woods, you’ll share a hearty ranch lunch or snack by the fire—a day that lingers long after you’ve left.
El Calafate: Perito Moreno Glacier Ice Hiking & Boat TourYou'll be picked up from your hotel (if selected), boat along the glacier wall, strap on crampons, and spend 90 minutes ice hiking across Perito Moreno with a bilingual guide. You'll see crevasses, blue lagoons, and watch ice calve into the lake, then finish with free time at the viewpoint footbridges before returning to town. The whole day is about five hours.Is it for me?Book this if you want to walk on Perito Moreno Glacier itself rather than just view it from above — the ice hiking and boat combination show you the glacier three ways in one morning, and the fixed schedule with guide and equipment means you don't arrange anything separately.
Lowest price (10)
El Calafate Airport Transfer: Hotel Pickup & CarpoolingYou get picked up from your hotel at a time matched to your flight, share a ride to El Calafate airport with other travelers, and arrive with the buffer you need for check-in. The schedule is set when you book, the route is handled by someone who knows it, and the cost stays low because you're splitting the ride.Is it for me?Book this if you want the airport run handled without arranging a taxi, negotiating a price, or timing it yourself — the fixed pickup window is what makes it reliable on a travel day when you're already thinking about a dozen other things.
El Calafate Airport to Hotel: Fixed-Price Transfer & PickupYou land at El Calafate Airport and a staff member meets you at arrivals with a sign bearing your name. You share a transfer vehicle with other passengers heading to nearby hotels, arriving at your accommodation within the hour. The price is fixed before you travel, and the driver tracks your flight, so delays don't leave you stranded. No negotiation, no surprises, no extra logistics to handle after traveling.Is it for me?Book this if you want to step out of the airport and into a car without arranging a ride, negotiating a price, or waiting in a taxi queue — the fixed cost and flight tracking mean you land and go.
El Calafate Airport Transfer: Private Hotel PickupYou're picked up from your hotel lobby at a time you choose and driven directly to El Calafate airport in a private vehicle. The driver knows the route, tracks your flight, and the price is fixed before you book — which means you can focus on packing instead of worrying about how you'll get to the terminal.Is it for me?Book this if you want to skip the uncertainty of shared shuttles and the hassle of arranging your own transport — a private pickup means you leave when you're ready, not when the van fills up, and you know the cost before you get in.
El Calafate Airport to Hotel: Private TransferYou're picked up at Armando Tola Airport by a private driver who meets you at arrivals and takes you directly to your El Calafate hotel. The 30–40 minute drive covers all fees upfront, so there's no negotiating at the curb or surprises on the meter. Infants travel on an adult's lap.Is it for me?Book this if you're landing in El Calafate and want to skip the taxi queue and meter negotiation—the driver meets you at arrivals and the price is locked in, so you go straight to your hotel without fuss.
Perito Moreno Glacier El Calafate: Walkways & Boat TourYou walk the Perito Moreno Glacier's 4-kilometer boardwalk system at your own pace with a bilingual guide, then take a one-hour boat ride across Lago Argentino to view the 80-meter ice wall from the water. The tour includes hotel pickup, three hours on the walkways with a lunch break option, and returns you to El Calafate in the afternoon.Is it for me?Book this if you want to see the Perito Moreno Glacier without arranging transport, park entry, or timing the walkways and boat ride yourself — the fixed schedule and included guide handle all three, leaving you free to move at your own pace once you're there.
Perito Moreno Glacier Walkway Tour from El CalafateThe Perito Moreno Glacier Walkway Tour is an eight-hour guided tour from El Calafate through Los Glaciares National Park, where you walk the park's circuit of boardwalks to view the glacier's south face and Brazo Rico from multiple vantage points. A specialist guide accompanies you in an air-conditioned vehicle and on foot; hotel pickup is included. The walkways span roughly five kilometers at varying levels, and conditions permitting, you may witness ice blocks detaching and falling into the water below.Is it for me?Choose this tour if you want guided context about the glacier's geology and history alongside your time on the boardwalks, and need transport from El Calafate included in one coordinated day.
El Calafate: Perito Moreno Glacier Walkways & Guided TransferYou’ll ride from El Calafate with a local guide who knows every turn in the road and every story behind these icy walls. Walk 5km of wooden pathways right in front of Perito Moreno Glacier, feel its thunder up close, and catch those rare moments when sunlight hits just right—or when silence falls after another chunk crashes into the lake.
Perito Moreno Glacier tour: Footbridges and viewsA tour of the Perito Moreno Glacier footbridges in El Calafate includes hotel pickup, transport to the national park, and free time to explore the boardwalks on your own pace with a live guide available in English or Spanish. The tour runs about nine hours from pickup to return. Infants and small children can come along in a stroller or pram, and the pace suits all fitness levels.Is it for me?Book this tour if you speak English or Spanish and want to move through the boardwalks without a set schedule—the guide is there to answer questions, but you control the pace and the stops. If you are traveling with infants or small children, the stroller-friendly boardwalks and flexible timing make this work better than a rushed group itinerary.
Ziplining in El Calafate: 4 lines over PatagoniaZipline down four lines totaling 2,920 meters in El Calafate, descending from Mount Huyliche to Estancia Huyliche ranch. You ascend by 4x4 vehicle to the Calafate Balconies for views of Lake Argentino and the Andes, then choose your descent: a 4x4 route down the south face, a 90-minute guided trek down the north face, or the zipline circuit. Harness and helmet are included; lunch and a glass of wine follow at the ranch. Weight limits are 40–100 kg; the full outing takes around 4 hours.Is it for me?Choose the zipline if you want the rush of a long descent with views—the four lines cover more distance than a single drop, and the ranch meal afterward gives you time to settle before heading back. The 90-minute trek suits anyone who prefers walking and wants to explore the caves; the 4x4 option works if you'd rather stay in the vehicle and see the Stone Labyrinth from the south face.
El Calafate: Horseback ride in Estancia 25 de Mayo + lunchYou’ll ride horseback through El Calafate’s Estancia 25 de Mayo Nature Reserve with a local guide, crossing canyons and streams before sharing a country lunch in a cave with gauchos. Expect quiet moments, real conversation, and landscapes you’ll remember long after you leave Patagonia.
