Perito Moreno Glacier Minitrekking: Walk on Ice with Crampons

You Walk on the Glacier Itself, Not Just Look at It From a Distance

You get hotel pickup, a full day in Los Glaciares National Park, a twenty-minute boat crossing to the glacier's edge, crampons fitted by a professional guide, and roughly three hours walking on the ice itself, including about seventy minutes on the glacier proper. The guide explains the glaciology and the region's wildlife as you move. Transport back to your hotel is included. The whole day runs ten hours.

Step-by-step itinerary

Perito Moreno Glacier full day tour

• Pick up from hotels in El Calafate
• Travel 75 km via Provincial Road N°11
• Arrive at National Park and walk balconies
• Bus to Bajo las Sombras pier
• 20-minute navigation on Brazo Rico
• Group briefing and crampon fitting
• Minitrekking on Perito Moreno Glacier
• Return navigation to Bajo las Sombras pier
• Bus back to hotels in El Calafate

The experience

The guide meets you at the hotel in El Calafate before dawn, and the drive out to Perito Moreno takes about 75 kilometers along Provincial Road 11. You pass through scrubland and low hills, and then suddenly the landscape opens and you see the glacier itself: a wall of blue-white ice that doesn't look real until you're standing in front of it. The bus drops you at the balconies first, where most tourists stop and take photos. Your guide points out the different trails and lets you walk around for a bit, getting your bearings, and then it's time to move on to the actual minitrekking part.

From the balconies, a second bus takes you about 6 kilometers to Bajo las Sombras pier. You board a small boat and cross Brazo Rico for twenty minutes, watching the glacier's front walls get closer. The ice is striped with dirt and crevasses, and chunks of it calve off into the water with a sound like distant thunder. The guide talks about how the glacier advances and retreats, and why it does what it does. Then you're at the shore, and the guide fits crampons onto your boots. They feel awkward at first, but after a few steps on the ice they make sense. You're walking on something that should be slippery and it isn't. The trekking lasts about three hours total, with roughly an hour and ten minutes actually on the ice itself. You move slowly, in groups of about twenty, and the guide explains the flora and fauna of the region, the glaciology, and the particular rupture cycle that makes Perito Moreno different from other glaciers. It's cold and your legs work harder than you expect, but you're standing on something that's thousands of years old.

After the minitrekking, you retrace the boat crossing back to Bajo las Sombras, and the bus is waiting to take you back to El Calafate. The whole day is ten hours from pickup to drop-off, and by the end you're tired in a way that feels earned. You've actually been on the glacier, not just looked at it from a platform.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel pickup and drop-off in El Calafate, a professional guide, crampons, entry to Los Glaciares National Park, a twenty-minute boat crossing of Brazo Rico, and the minitrekking experience on the glacier itself. The guide provides explanations about the glacier's geology, the region's flora and fauna, and the rupture cycle that makes Perito Moreno unique.

Information

Lasts 10h, runs every day with no fixed time, from US$ 494.60 per person, with a live guide in English and Spanish and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery day

GroupUp to 50

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

AgesAdult (16 to 65 years) · Child (8 to 15 years) · Under 8: can't be booked

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 8 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by All Patagonia

Is this one for you?This tour is built for travelers who want to stand on the glacier, not just view it from a platform: the boat crossing and the crampons are what make that possible, and they're what take the logistics off your hands.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (8 to 15 years). Children under 8 can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

How long do you actually spend on the ice?

Approximately one hour and ten minutes on the glacier itself, with about three hours of trekking time total including the approach and descent.

What's included in the price?

Hotel pickup and drop-off in El Calafate, professional guide, crampons, the boat crossing, and access to the glacier. Entry to Los Glaciares National Park is included.

How far is the glacier from El Calafate?

About 75 kilometers by road, roughly an hour and a half drive each way.

What's the age requirement?

Minimum 10 years old, maximum 65 years old. No exceptions.

Do I need to be very fit?

You need at least a moderate level of physical fitness. The trekking involves walking on ice with crampons for several hours, and the terrain is uneven.

What if I'm pregnant or have a medical condition?

Pregnant travelers and those with spinal injuries, poor cardiovascular health, respiratory disabilities, or certain other conditions are not able to participate. Check the full restrictions before booking.

How many people are in each group?

Groups are kept to about twenty people per guide.

Can I smoke during the tour?

No, smoking is not allowed during the excursion.

What time does the tour start?

Pickup happens early morning from your hotel. The full tour is ten hours.

What do I need to bring?

Warm, waterproof clothing, sturdy boots (the crampons fit over them), and layers. The guide and company provide the crampons.