Perito Moreno Glacier Private Tour with Boat Ride: El Calafate

The boat stops at the glacier's front wall so you can watch ice calve into the lake.

An 8-hour private tour from El Calafate explores Los Glaciares National Park with a professional guide and private vehicle for up to four travelers. You drive along Lake Argentino to Curva de los Suspiros for a first view of Perito Moreno Glacier, then board a shared boat that takes you close enough to the ice walls to photograph calving ice and watch the landscape shift. After the boat returns, you walk the network of catwalks at different heights and angles around the glacier, with free time to explore or eat at nearby restaurants before returning to your hotel around 5pm. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included. The national park entrance fee is paid separately in Argentine pesos.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Perito Moreno Glacier and boat ride

• Pickup from hotel by private guide
• Drive along scenic Route 11 by Lago Argentino
• Stop at Curva de los Suspiros viewpoint
• Boat tour at Muelle bajo las Sombras
• Walk catwalks with glacier views
• Free time to explore or have lunch
• Return to hotel in El Calafate

The experience

Your private guide and driver pick you up at your hotel and head toward Los Glaciares National Park along Route 11, which runs alongside Lake Argentino. The drive itself frames the landscape. You're traveling through Patagonia with the water and mountains in view the whole way. Once inside the park, the first stop is Curva de los Suspiros, a viewpoint that gives you a wide perspective of Perito Moreno before you get close.

From there you transfer to Muelle bajo las Sombras to board a shared boat (the only part of the tour where you join other visitors). The boat takes you directly to the glacier's ice walls: close enough to see the detail in the blue ice and to watch sections break off and crash into the lake. The boat pauses at the front wall so you have time to photograph and film. Once back on land, you have access to a network of catwalks at different heights and angles around the glacier, each one framing it differently. You set your own pace here. Some travelers spend an hour walking the platforms, others grab lunch at one of the restaurants near the catwalks and eat while looking at the ice.

The return to El Calafate takes the afternoon, with drop-off at your hotel around 5pm. Your guide speaks English or Spanish, and the whole day is structured around your group of up to four people: no large group queues or fixed timing except for the boat departure and your hotel return.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off.
• private vehicle and professional guide for your group.
• shared boat ride to the glacier's ice walls.
• access to the catwalk network around Perito Moreno at different heights and angles.
• free time to walk, explore, and eat at restaurants near the viewing platforms.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Easy physical level

Operated by Tangol

Is this one for you?The 8-hour duration means you leave your hotel in the morning and return by early evening, leaving the rest of your day free for other activities in El Calafate or to rest. A minimum of two travelers per booking keeps the group small. If you're traveling solo or as a pair, you'll need to meet that threshold, but groups up to four travel together in one vehicle without splitting up.

Traveler reviews

5.00★★★★★★★★★★

4 verified traveler reviews

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

What is Perito Moreno Glacier and why does it matter?

Perito Moreno is one of the few glaciers in the world that is still advancing rather than retreating, and it's the centerpiece of Los Glaciares National Park. The glacier is massive: a wall of blue ice that constantly sheds chunks into Lake Argentino, which is what you see from the boat and the catwalks.

How close does the boat actually get to the ice?

The boat takes you to the front wall of the glacier itself, close enough to see the texture and color of the ice and to hear and watch calving events. The boat stops for several minutes at the wall so you can photograph and observe without rushing.

Do I need to be fit or experienced to do this tour?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. Most of the day is spent in the vehicle or on the boat. The catwalk section involves walking at your own pace on flat, established platforms with railings, so you control how much ground you cover.

Can I eat during the tour?

Yes. There are restaurants near the catwalks, and you're welcome to bring your own food as well. You have free time to explore and eat at your own pace before the return journey begins.

What's included and what do I pay separately?

Hotel pickup and drop-off, the private guide, the private vehicle, and the shared boat ride are all included. The entrance fee to Los Glaciares National Park is paid separately (Argentine pesos only) and is not part of the tour price.