Perito Moreno ice hike and walkways from El Calafate

Step onto the glacier and feel the ice beneath your feet

A guided ice trek on Perito Moreno Glacier in Los Glaciares National Park, departing from El Calafate, where you walk the glacier's surface for 90 minutes with crampons and professional guides, then view it from the walkways afterward. Groups stay under 20 per departure. The circuit is medium difficulty on firm ice. Pickup and roundtrip transport from El Calafate, a bilingual guide, boat ride, and a drink made with glacial ice are included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Perito Moreno Glacier ice hike and walkways

• Pick up from El Calafate accommodations
• Travel 70 km to Puerto Bajo Las Sombras
• Walk 1 km along lake shore
• Safety and glaciology briefing
• Put on helmet and crampons
• Ice hike on Perito Moreno Glacier for 1.5 hours
• Enjoy bonbon and whiskey with glacier ice
• Return to starting point and remove equipment
• Walk along moraine to panoramic glacier viewpoint
• Walk through Patagonian Andean Forest to refuge
• Have hot drink and receive souvenir at refuge
• Boat trip viewing glacier walls
• Shuttle bus to port
• Visit Perito Moreno Glacier walkways for 1.5 hours
• Return to El Calafate accommodations

The experience

The day starts with a 45-mile drive from El Calafate to Puerto Bajo Las Sombras, where your guide briefs you on safety and glaciology before the walk begins. A short 1-kilometer walk along the lake shore leads to the glacier's edge. There, you'll put on crampons and a helmet, then step onto the ice itself for 90 minutes of walking across the Perito Moreno Glacier. Groups are capped at 20 travelers, split into subgroups with two professional guides, one guide for every 10 people, so you're never navigating the ice alone. The route changes with the glacier's shifting formations, meaning no two days are identical. Your guide plans the path to show you the most dramatic features and ice structures.

After the ice walk, your guide offers you a glass of whiskey served with ice chipped from the glacier itself. You'll return along the moraine through the Patagonian Andean Forest to a refuge, where hot drinks and a small souvenir wait. A boat carries you back to Puerto Bajo Las Sombras, giving you a final view of the glacier's enormous walls from the water. The shuttle then takes you to the Perito Moreno walkways for a 90-minute stop, where you can walk self-guided trails and photograph the glacier from the overlooks before returning to El Calafate.

The entire day runs about 10 hours from pickup to drop-off. Your guide speaks both Spanish and English. The ice surface is irregular but firm and safe. The circuit itself is rated medium difficulty. Crampons, helmet, and all equipment are provided.

What’s included

• Roundtrip pickup and transport from El Calafate to the glacier and back.
• bilingual guide in Spanish and English.
• crampons and helmet.
• 90-minute guided walk on the ice.
• boat ride from Puerto Bajo Las Sombras.
• a glass of whiskey with glacial ice.
• hot drink and souvenir at the refuge.
• 90-minute stop at the Perito Moreno walkways with self-guided trail access.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 08:00 and 11:00

Book up to16h before

AgesAdult (16 to 65 years) · Youth (8 to 15 years) · Under 8: can't be included in the booking

GroupUp to 10

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

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

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical levelNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Howlanders

Is this one for you?Subgroups max out at 20 people with two guides, so you're never in a crowd on the ice itself. This works well for families with children 8 and up, or anyone who wants the glacier experience without a large tour group. The medium-difficulty ice walk suits travelers with moderate fitness who want hands-on access to the glacier rather than viewing it only from above.

Traveler reviews

5.00★★★★★★★★★★

6 verified traveler reviews

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (8 to 15 years). Under 8: they can't be included in the booking.

Can I really walk on the glacier itself, or do I just look at it from a distance?

You walk directly on the Perito Moreno Glacier for 90 minutes with crampons and a helmet, stepping across the ice formations and crevasses. The walkways you visit afterward are the separate overlook trails where you view the glacier from above. Both are part of the same day.

How many people will be in my group on the ice?

Groups are organized into subgroups of a maximum 20 travelers per departure, each with two professional guides. That ratio means one guide for every 10 people on the ice itself.

What's included in the price, and what do I need to pay for separately?

Pickup and roundtrip transport from El Calafate, the guide, crampons, helmet, boat ride, a drink with glacial ice, and entry to the trekking area are all included. Entrance to Los Glaciares National Park itself is not included. You can buy a ticket onsite with Argentine pesos. Food is not included, though the refuge offers hot drinks during the break.

What time does the tour start, and how long does it take?

Pickup happens in the early morning from your El Calafate accommodation. The exact time is sent to you via WhatsApp the evening before. The full day, including transport, the ice walk, the refuge break, and the walkways stop, runs about 10 hours total.